In Sermon Illustrations: "False Fears"

It

Contributed by Brad Henry on Dec 9, 2011

IT Each of us has an "IT" that is keeping us from joy and being free from worry. It isn't until we let go of that "IT" that we will be free. We can talk about all the steps to get out of addictions, the steps to curtail anger, animosity, jealousy, fear of death and a host of other worries and ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Afraid

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 23, 2011

AFRAID I was all alone. I lived with four other guys in a huge, old house just off the campus of Baylor University, but I was the only one home. I must have been twenty-one or twenty-two – a grown man, practically a college graduate – but I was afraid. There was usually a surplus of noise in the ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Here Be God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HERE BE GOD Before 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, the common belief was that if a ship from Europe sailed too far West, they would either fall off the edge of the world or face terrible danger. There was fear of the unknown. In England, there is an ancient nautical map dating back to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:8-10

Tags: Fear And Worry

The Stress Of Uncertainty

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 10, 2012

THE STRESS OF UNCERTAINTY Daniel Gilbert (a psychologist at Harvard), citing a recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, said "that Americans are smiling less and worrying more than they were a year ago, that happiness is down and sadness is up, that we are getting less sleep and smoking more ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Tags: Fear And Worry

The Basis Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE BASIS OF ACCEPTANCE Oprah Winfrey said, “I discovered I didn’t feel worthy of love unless I was accomplishing something. I suddenly realized I have never felt I could be loved for just being.” Madonna said, “My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre. That’s always been ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

What Are You Afraid Of? The Barney Story

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Sep 11, 2012

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? THE BARNEY STORY A few years ago, a church in Seattle, Washington was having a big kick-off Sunday. They wanted to do something for their children's programs. So they brought in Barney the Dinosaur. They learned, Kids like Barney when he’s on TV or in a stuffed animal. ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Baptist

Even Billy Graham Doesn’t Win Them All. ...

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Dec 18, 2012

Even Billy Graham doesn’t win them all. There’s a story about Billy Graham when he was visiting a city for one of his crusades. He had written a letter to his wife and was looking for a place to mail it. Outside the lobby of his hotel, he came across a young boy. He asked the boy if he knew how to ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Christian Church

An Old Feud And A New Bridge  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2013

AN OLD FEUD AND A NEW BRIDGE There were two old geezers living in the backwoods of the Ozarks: Rufus and Clarence. They lived on opposite sides of the river and they hated each other. Every morning, just after sunup, Rufus and Clarence would go down to their respective sides of the river and yell ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:1-33

Tags: Fear And Worry

The Intruder

Contributed by James Dorman on May 11, 2017

One night I was certain that I was about to become the victim of a home invasion. Something had awakened me. I heard a strange noise and became even more alert. As I slowly looked around with my heart thumping I saw him! He was standing there looking at me. I wasn’t sure what to do. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6-7

Tags: Fear, Perception

Denomination: Baptist

Alone In A Dark Cave

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 14, 2019

Alone in the dark in the Cave Back in my teenage years we would go exploring caves. One day five of us went cave exploring, we only had two flashlights but being young , we thought that was enough. We were deep inside the cave and I decided to climb up a shelf, while the others waited and held the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 31:1-5

Tags: Fear, Trouble

Denomination: Pentecostal

Over Your Head

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

OVER YOUR HEAD I remember struggling in the water and I remember going under. I also remember the distinct feeling that I was going to die. What I learned as a young child was that one should be careful about getting in over one's head. I would like to ask you a question. How many of you can ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 47:1-2

Tags: Fear, Commitment

Denomination: Pentecostal

Oh, Those Alluring Lizardly Eyes

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 4, 2020

After months of planning and rearranging our schedule, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage finally organized a little vacation time for Christmas. It takes an awful lot of work for her and, I let her work as hard as she wants to work. That’s the kinda husband I am. She scheduled us to stay for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:3

Tags: Fear, Vacation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Alleged Warrant For My Arrest

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 24, 2020

This past week was one of the best weeks I've had in a long time. I got everything completed, as well as some overdue projects. There’s no feeling quite like the feeling of having accomplished your goals for the week. As far as I was concerned, this called for an Apple fritter celebration. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Three Types Of People

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 3, 2021

It has been well said that there are only three classes of people in the world today: those who are afraid, those who do not know enough to be afraid, and those who know ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7

Tags: Bible, Fear

Denomination: Methodist

Living The Full Christian Life

Contributed by Chris Surber on Oct 24, 2008

Living the Full Christian Life As believers, we have received a great inheritance and legacy. In Acts 17:11, Luke writes, "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Christian Church

In 1970, Racial Tensions Were High At Longview ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Nov 20, 2008

In 1970, racial tensions were high at Longview High School and a fight was about to break out. When a student took the microphone prayed, peace fell over the stadium. ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Pentecostal

Evangelism: I Heard A Story About A Guy Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Evangelism: I heard a story about a guy who applied for a job as an usher at a theater in the mall. As a part of the interview process, the manager asked him, "What would you do in case a fire breaks out?" The young guy answered, "Don’t worry about me. I can get out fine." That’s exactly how many ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Go To Sleep

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

GO TO SLEEP A mother and her little four-year-old daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the dark, and the mother, on this occasion alone with the child, felt fearful also. When the light was out, the child caught a glimpse of the moon outside the window. ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Finding God In Hardship

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Jan 19, 2009

Finding God in Hardship A dear friend of mine has been out of regular work for a couple of years. She has found enough temporary work to stay a float, but it has sometimes been a week-to-week challenge to pay the bills. As we were talking the other day, she said to me, "I am walking through my ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lewis Ran From God

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jan 26, 2009

LEWIS RAN FROM GOD C. S. Lewis, the author of Prince Caspian, did not rejoice to find Jesus. He had been running from Him for his entire life. After a long search into what Christianity was and whether it could be trusted as truth, he said of himself: "The fox had been dislodged from Hegelian ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Mennonite