In Sermon Illustrations: "Experience"

[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

[171]. A Message From A Poem – Living In A Country Town

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 21, 2025

[171]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LIVING IN A COUNTRY TOWN This poem is a little idealistic but it was written with the aim of a possible country gospel song. It is not my personal experience, though I have lived in isolated areas including in the semi-desert outback for many years. I can well ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:1-2, Psalm 8:3-4, Hebrews 13:5-6

Tags: Christian Poems, Country Town, Creation, Faithful, Isolation, Caring, The Creator, Never Leave  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While Waiting To Pick Up A Friend At The Airport ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on May 15, 2001

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about. This one occurred a mere 2 feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Of Our Pastors (Larry Booker) Tells Of Going ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 27, 2004

One of our pastors (Larry Booker) tells of going to General Conference a number of years ago where a special session for ministers was held. A certain pastor had been asked to speak to the ministers about his personal experiences concerning the importance of upholding holiness in the local ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hat In Hand Thankfulness!" 1 Thessalonians 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 24, 2004

“Hat In Hand Thankfulness!” 1 Thessalonians 5: 12-28 Key verse(s): 18: “. . . give thanks under all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Thanksgiving! It is easy to forget, especially when our lives are so filled with other things. Perhaps that’s why we have a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

Baby Steps!" Numbers 33: 1-49 Key Verse(S): 2a: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 29, 2004

“Baby Steps!” Numbers 33: 1-49 Key verse(s): 2a: “At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey . . .” I opened up the paper the other day and there staring me right in the face was a “huge success.” The newspaper was focusing on people who had made it; you know, those who ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 33:1-49

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Lutheran

Ouch And Thanks A Lot!" 1 Samuel 5:6-10 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 3, 2005

“Ouch and Thanks A Lot!” 1 Samuel 5:6-10 Key verse(s): 6:“The Lord’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.” What good is pain anyway! Couldn’t God accomplish a whole lot more in our lives if we were tuned into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:6-10

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Lutheran

A Little Boy's Knots!" Revelations 19:11-17 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“A Little Boy’s Knots!” Revelations 19:11-17 Key verse(s): 16:“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KINGS OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” There’s something about being rescued this is so completely satisfying. A number of years ago (pre-cell phone days) I was driving along the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-17

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness, God Cares, Protector, Provider, Strengthen  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

He Was Graduated From The Finest Four-Star ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

He was graduated from the finest four-star Christian college. The product of a distinguished evangelical church, he had a good personal grasp of the Scriptures. From a strong Christian family, he was a personable and handsome green shoot -- the whole nine yards! Like many in his league, however, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

This Is A Pretty Cool Illustration. The ...

Contributed by Robert Fox on Dec 18, 2006

(this is a pretty cool illustration. The materials cost less than $3, and, though it was originally intended more for a junior high audience, it actually is pretty fascinating for all ages, including senior high and adults. Everyone likes to blow things up!) Let me give you a visual. Another ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:15-21

Denomination: Baptist

Go Back And Tell Them Again  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN Jesus said "Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

A Good Friend Of Mine, Who Has Been Sober And ...

Contributed by Daryl Grimes on Sep 25, 2009

A good friend of mine, who has been sober and drug-free now for many, many years shared his testimony with me several years ago. After being caught in the 1970’s as a teenager with cocaine his dream of becoming a Major League Baseball Player was over. He used this discouragement and depression as ...read more

Tags: Church

Denomination: Baptist

The Cane Ridge Revival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

THE CANE RIDGE REVIVAL One of those great revivals of the American past took place in the late spring and early summer of 1801 at Cane Ridge in central Kentucky. A pastor named Barton Stone, who had been called to serve this little Methodist church by Daniel Boone, decided to call a four-day ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival

What Happens When We Learn About A Really Bad ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

What happens when we learn about a really bad guy repenting? It happens all the time in prison ministry, yet many of us think those people aren’t worth saving. They had more chances than most of us are willing to give them, yet God hasn’t given up on them. Jeffrey Dahmer was a convicted murderer ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

What A Friend We Have In Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 24, 2008

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Music

If My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

IF MY PEOPLE... Our nation is in trouble: Abortion i. Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. ii. In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were ...read more

Tags: Sin General

[001] Message From A Poem - 20 Snippets Of Living

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2024

[001] MESSAGE FROM A POEM - 20 SNIPPETS OF LIVING Sometimes we all like to put our thoughts to paper and this is what I have done here with this poem. I think we are quite familiar with the Proverbs and the wisdom contained there. I am at the latter end of my life and looking forward to the ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:3

Tags: Living, Advice, Poem, Ways To Live

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[174]. A Message From A Poem – I Was Woken Out Of Sleep

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 22, 2025

[174]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I WAS WOKEN OUT OF SLEEP 11 August 2025. I had the most terrible dream. It was so involved and graphic, and it was like justice was closing in on me for some heinous crime though I knew I was innocent yet oscillating with on and off with guilt. I want to forget ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 23:3-4

Tags: Awake, Draw Near, Dream, Bad Dream, Christian Poem, I Will Never Leave You, Heaven, Storms Of Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pleasure Comes From Pain  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Feb 7, 2002

PLEASURE COMES FROM PAIN The world's best cyclist, Lance Armstrong, says this about pain: I become a happier man each time I suffer. Suffering is as essential to a good life, and as inextricable, as bliss. The old saying that you should live each day as if it’s your last is a nice sentiment, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1

Tags: Endurance, Disciplines General, Human Body

Denomination: Baptist

The Red Neck Wedding

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Feb 22, 2003

The Red Neck Wedding In the Summer of 2000 a couple came to me and explained that they wanted me to perform their Wedding ceremony. The man was a farmer and the woman had grown up on a farm. They explained to me that this was both of their 2nd marriage and neither one of them had a Church ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 126:2

Tags: Wedding, Humorous Weddings

Denomination: Baptist