In Sermon Illustrations: "Exalt The Lord"

Ugly Isn’t For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 4, 2023

Over the years of marital bliss, we’ve not had many disagreements. She likes broccoli. I like Apple Fritters. We’ve never been able to come to any agreement with that. But, outside of that, everything has been rather smooth. There’s one controversy that has plagued our house for the last few ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7

Tags: Appearance, Mirror

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unwanted-Zimri, The King For Seven Days

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 2, 2025

Introduction: Some kings in Old Testament days had very long reigns, like Uzziah (52 years), Manasseh (55 years) and Jeroboam II of the Ten Northern Tribes (Israel, 41 years). The reigns of others were sometimes very short, but nothing like the week-long reign of Zimri, one of history’s most ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 16:8-20

Tags: Palace Coups, Zimri, Suicides

Denomination: Baptist

[178 ]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Sheep

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[178 ]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE SHEEP What are the best-known parables the Lord Jesus gave? I suppose there could be some debate about that but for me, I think The Prodigal Son, The Sower and The Good Samaritan. The Lost Sheep is near the top. Two of those I have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Psalm 23:4, Luke 15:3-7, John 10:11, John 10:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Shepherding, The Lost Sheep, The Shepherd Psalm, One Sheep Lost, Sheep, Search, The Good Shepherd  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Not A Mess, It’s My Creative Décor

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 24, 2026

The greatest joy I have every morning is not only getting up but also stepping in my office. I step inside, pause for a moment, and look around at all the books on my shelves. I have almost 10,000 books. And yes, I read every one of them. Well, except for commentaries and dictionaries. I love ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Tags: Mess, Organize

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Bob Russell Shared That Several Months Before ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Demastus on Oct 22, 2001

*Bob Russell shared that several months before they moved into their new church building in 1998, their ministry staff met at the new site for a special staff meeting. Most of the building still wasn’t carpeted, and some of the rooms still had no drywall. They handed out hard hats, magic markers, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ruth Axsom Is A Dear Friend Of Ours And She ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Oct 12, 2002

Ruth Axsom is a dear friend of ours and she relates this true story of her father that I think it illustrates so well what we’ve been discussing this morning. Ruth’s father, Robert Eason was 8 years old when he lost his father, John Eason. It is hard to lose your father at any time but Robert ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian Church

Christian Author Neil Anderson Wrote A List He ...  PRO

Contributed by Pat Cook on Sep 17, 2005

Christian author Neil Anderson wrote a list he called The Twenty Cans of Success. These are based on what the NT says is true of Christians. These are promises, claimed by believers through the centuries. Allow God to speak to you through these assurances. 1. Why should I say I can’t when the ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth, Undaunted, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Seventeen Years Ago I Was Keenly Interested In A ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 27, 2007

Seventeen years ago I was keenly interested in a widow in our church. Renfro laughed at me for saying she and I had a conversation in which we negotiated whether we could date or not. Listen, if there are things on which you do not agree, either negotiate a lasting change or else keep on ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Two Men Are Seated In A Plane. The First Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Two men are seated in a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put is on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first because he can’t see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve the flight. After a time he decides to experiment and see if the claim ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23, Psalm 66:10

Tags: Temptation, Tempt, God's Provision

All The Credit Goes To Dr. Sam Luke For This ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Wyatt on Sep 27, 2007

All the credit goes to Dr. Sam Luke for this illustration. Dr. Luke tells this story: I was taking the church through Evangelism Explosion in an effort to go out and witness for Christ. But there is an added dimension to witnessing, the Holy Spirit. I was going to teach everyone how to witness ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Several Months Back As I Was Traveling Along One ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Several months back as I was traveling along one of the interstate routes I noticed a sign that was kind of a play off of an older advertisement scheme of the dairy industry. It was nothing more than a solid black background with a two word question in bold white lettering: “Got Prayer?” This ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: *other

A Prayer Of God's ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Apr 21, 2009

A PRAYER OF GOD’S SERVANTS We are God’s servants. We put God’s love for all people first. No race is superior to another. No government is more loved than another. No nation is dearer than another. We do not put our nation’s economy before God’s economy. He tells us to seek first His Kingdom, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:45

Tags: Servanthood, Servants Of God, Servant Attitude

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Authority Of The Believer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER In Santa Cruz there's a strip called Pacific Avenue, and there's a number of bars. And I remember walking down Pacific Avenue, and it was getting a little rowdy. And there was two or three very burly guys in kinda tight T-shirts that looked like they could kill you, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, Luke 4:31-38

Tags: Authority

The Covenants

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

THE COVENANTS Eternal covenant, Heb 13:20—The redemptive covenant before time began, between the Father and the Son. By this covenant we have eternal redemption, an eternal peace from the ‘God of peace’, through the death and resurrection of the Son. Edenic covenant, Gen 1:26-28—The creative ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1-16

Tags: Covenant

Denomination: Brethren

Deepika And Discipline  PRO

Contributed by Bala Samson on Aug 27, 2013

DEEPIKA AND DISCIPLINE James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." She is just a doll! Fair, pretty with a smile that could steal anyone's heart; her name is Deepika, four year old daughter of a couple who pick up garbage from residential quarters. She was untamed, dirty, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Intimacy With God, Drawing Near To God

Denomination: Pentecostal

Teach Your Kids!

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

God’s word instructs us to be teachers to our children. For the past 5000 plus years, children would help with the family business. If they were carpenters, the children would help doing work that was appropriate for them. As they helped, they would become masters at the skill that they were being ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Fatherhood, Teach Children, Dirty Shoes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[140]. A Message From A Poem – In Despair But Not Alone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 23, 2025

[140]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN DESPAIR BUT NOT ALONE There is some personal sorrow in this poem and some of the poem’s content comes from experience, not a pleasant one. When writing this – a task that was difficult because of the way I used the rhyme scheme – I appealed to the Psalms and my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 64:2-7, Psalm 38:12, Psalm 141:10, Psalm 35:7-8, Matthew 5:43-44, Psalm 31:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Enemies, Nets, Christian Poetry, God Helps Us, Alone, Help, Despair, Net, Snare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[150]. A Message From A Poem – James Chapter One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 31, 2025

[150]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JAMES CHAPTER ONE The author of this letter is known as James the Less, to distinguish him from James the brother of John. This author was the half brother of Jesus, the full son of Joseph and Mary. James is a book that is often rejected for messages, but there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20, James 1:12, James 1:5

Tags: James The Less, Letter Of James, James, Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Refuse To Be Discouraged  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Sep 1, 2001

To Think About:   I Refuse to be Discouraged. I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry; I refuse to be downhearted, and here’s the reason why . . . I have a God who’s mighty, Who’s sovereign and supreme; I have a God who loves me, and I am on His team. He is all wise and powerful, Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Judges 6:11-30

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

As I Was Getting Ready To Come To Church Today, I ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Thornton on Nov 12, 2001

As I was getting ready to come to church today, I was helping my son to get a bath -- and quite frankly, he didn’t want to have a bath, especially because he couldn’t sit and play in the tub for awhile. And so he resisted and complained and made it difficult -- but we struggled through it and got ...read more

Tags: Faith, Doing God's Will

Denomination: *other