In Sermon Illustrations: "Evil Heart"

I Heard Of A Couple Who, As They Were Paying For ...  PRO

Contributed by James H. Cook, Jr. on Oct 13, 2001

I heard of a couple who, as they were paying for groceries in the check-out line, were discussing their soon to be 50th wedding anniversary, when the young cashier interjected by saying, "I can’t imagine being married to same man for 5o years!" The wife wisely replied, ...read more

Tags: Change Of Heart, Marriage Commitment, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Baptist

It Was A Cold, Winter Day. A Carcass, On An Ice ...  PRO

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 23, 2007

It was a cold, winter day. A carcass, on an ice floe, floated slowly down the Niagra River. An Eagle, flying overhead, spied the easy prey below, and descended upon it. He began to eat. As he did, the water of the river began slowly pushing the flow toward the falls. But could not the eagle, ...read more

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Hard Heart, Flesh And Spirit

Denomination: Baptist

You'll Find Jesus There  PRO

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Apr 28, 2008

YOU'LL FIND JESUS THERE "Tomorrow morning I'll open up your heart" the surgeon said to the 8 year-old-boy. "You'll find Jesus there," the boy said. The surgeon continued, "I'll open your heart and check the damage." "You'll find Jesus there," the boy said. "When I see the damage, I will suture ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1-17, Exodus 22:18-40, Mark 5:25-34, Joshua 5:13-15

Tags: Clean, Heart, Messed Up, Job The Man

Denomination: Christian Church

How Does God See Our Worship?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 17, 2022

Because Adam and Eve sinned against God, we note from the end of Genesis 3 that they were banished from the perfect Garden of Eden, where God provided everything for them. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden to now labor for their day to day needs. In the Garden of Eden work was a delight; ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-7

Tags: Worship, God, Heart, Confession, Rebellion, Yielding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Good Gossip

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” – Benjamin Franklin I knew a woman once who took a temporary job working for a large ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:28

Tags: Gossip, Evil Tongue, Encouraging Others, Power Of The Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

The Miracle When Egyptian Christians Were Beheaded!  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 24, 2016

THE MIRACLE WHEN THE EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS WERE BEHEADED The month of February marks the one year anniversary of the 21 Coptic Christians who were martyred on a beach in Libya in North Africa, by Islamic State terrorists. Bishop Demetrios, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-31

Tags: Evangelism, Sacrifice, Romans, Martyr, Good Vs Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Achilles' Heel

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2024

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- she held him by one heel which the protective waters did not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-15

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Trials, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways That Eve Distorted The Word Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

Let’s go back to Genesis 2:16-17 to review exactly what God said and then we’ll compare it to the distortion Eve came up with: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in ...read more

Tags: Eve, Sin, Evil, Satan, Truth, Temptation, Word Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Peter Principle - I Will Change Your Name

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jan 19, 2026

Back in the 60's ... a man named Laurence J. Peter ... visited several corporations ... and studied some of their management styles ... and characteristics. As a result, ... he came up with a maxim ... which was later named after him ... called ... "The Peter Principle." (Pause) I ...read more

Scripture: John 1:42, Acts 5:29, 1 Samuel 16:7, Philippians 4:13

Tags: Name, Heart, Peter, Change, New Creation, Principle  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Truth Will Always Come Out.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 18, 2022

We live in a generation of government corruption and evil that is unparalleled. How long will God tolerate this? The Bible says in Luke 8:17 (NLT), "For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to ...read more

Tags: Evil, Truth, Corruption, Last Days, Lies, Government, Reaping  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Satanic Counterfeits

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 14, 2024

SATANIC COUNTERFEITS Satan has his own trinity – devil, beast, false prophet (Rev. 16:13). Satan has his own church – “the synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9). Satan has his own ministers (II Cor.. 11:4). Satan has his own doctrine – “the doctrines of devils” (I Timothy 4:1). Satan has his own ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 16:13, 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 Corinthians 10:20

Tags: Evil, Satan, Devil, Demons, False Teachers, Spirits, Counterfeits  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[230]. A Message From A Poem - Redemption Through Death – No Other Way

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 18, 2025

[230]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REDEMPTION THROUGH DEATH – NO OTHER WAY The concentration in this poem is “No other way.” Why did heaven’s best, God the Son, have to die? You know I can not answer that. The omniscient God knew from eternity past what was going to happen. I can’t give an answer ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 53:10, Ephesians 4:8-10, Hosea 11:7-8

Tags: Sin, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Full Atonement, Heart, Salvation, Compassion Of God, The Heart Of God, Overturn, Emotions Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Owe Our Whole Lives To God!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 3, 2022

Genesis 6:1-9 Some think that the “sons of God” in this passage are angels; how can we say not? - v3 tells us that these men will die and angels are eternal beings; also, Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospels that angels do not marry! What can we say about Gen 6:2? – God’s creations of people are ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-9

Tags: Love, Thanksgiving, Sin, Life, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

#8230; Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 28, 2001

ILLUSTRATION… Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five Myths of the Perfect Pastor" His sermons were over their heads. His opinionated views alienated his colleagues. Coworkers found him boastful, even arrogant. A physical disability drove him to over-function in ministry. The first two congregations he ...read more

Tags: Heart-Soul, Leadership General, Paul, Apostles General, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The People With The Roses  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Feb 23, 2002

THE PEOPLE WITH THE ROSES John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:38, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 6:33, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 13:24-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Compassion, Great Commission, Heart, Love, The Organ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Cloudy Days

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 18, 2021

My wife told me about a dream where she is looking up at a cloudy sky with two arms sticking through the clouds and says, I love you. The arms sign back to her, "I love you." I am cautious about dreams and interpretations because most are just our brains doing what we call in the IT ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

Tags: Dark, Alone, Cloud, Silence, Sile, Arms, Love, Heart  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Blindness

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

Aero Condor was experiencing money problems in Peru and needed to cut back expenses. So, rumor had it they hired two blind pilots. Story soon spread about these pilots, but no one believed it. So one day the plane was loaded and up came the two pilots, with dark glasses and walking sticks. The ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:10, Matthew 15:14, Matthew 23:16-19, Matthew 23:24-26, Luke 6:39, John 9:39-41, John 12:40, Romans 2:19, 2 Corinthians 4:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Blind, Spiritual Blindness, Hard Hearts, Not Understanding, Lack Of Discernment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Spellcheck Fail

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 1, 2021

I’m a terrible typist. I’m old enough to have taken typing class in high school when that kind of thing was taught, but I never thought that I would need to be proficient on a keyboard; so I bowed out. Typing was not in my future. But here I am on a keyboard just about every workday hunting and ...read more

Scripture: Judges 21:25, Deuteronomy 12:8, Judges 17:6

Tags: Deception, Wrong, Right, Morals, Judges, Ethics, Morality, Sin, Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ