In Sermon Illustrations: "Gifts General"

How Long Is My Life  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 19, 2002

HOW LONG IS MY LIFE A few years ago People Magazine published an article entitled "Dead Ahead" telling about a new clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men & 80 years for women. So you program your sex & age into the ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Leadership General, New Year's Day

Defining Moments Of Faith  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Dec 23, 2002

DEFINING MOMENTS OF FAITH Several years ago Jeff Strueker was a US Army Ranger posted in Mogadishu, Somalia. Today he is a master of divinity student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. For him Oct 3-4, 1993 were the defining moments of his life. He was one of the ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General, Peace, Rest, Sovereignty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgiving My Enemy  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Apr 18, 2003

FORGIVING MY ENEMY Ronald Reagan’s attitude after the 1982 attempt on his life made an impression on his daughter, Patti Davis: “The following day my father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley. By showing me that forgiveness is the key ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness, Forgive, Forgiveness General, Christlikeness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Ways To Know Your Church Is Unfriendly  PRO

Contributed by Ken Kersten on Jun 3, 2003

Ways to know your church is unfriendly. When the sign out front says – For members only When the parking lot has a sign that says – unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owners expense. When the church lobby has a sign that says – no loitering When you say “Praise the Lord” and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-12

Tags: Funny, Church Purpose Of, Church General, Church, Quotes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Read The Story About A Football Player Whose ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jun 3, 2003

I read the story about a football player whose performance exceeded the expectation of others. "…. In the last two minutes of the game, with the score against his team, makes a touchdown. He runs faster than his legs can carry him, and farther than he has ever dreamed of running. When he comes ...read more

Tags: Change, Holy Spirit General, Holy Spirit Attributes

Denomination: United Methodist

I Read An Account About A Storm That Came As A ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jun 3, 2003

I read an account about a storm that came as a surprise. "The storm came roaring in from the Atlantic, and it left the city of New York paralyzed. Ordinarily such a snow fall cause little inconvenience in that city. Snowplows are assembled and crews are at work even as the first flakes begin to ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Disciples, Discipleship, Prayer, Temptation General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

Emptied Out And Filled Up  PRO

Contributed by Pat Cook on Jun 28, 2003

EMPTIED OUT AND FILLED UP D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Hosea 5:4

Tags: Law, Holy Spirit In Believers, Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Baptist

Gene A. Getz, In His Book, The Measure Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Jul 7, 2003

Gene A. Getz, in his book, The Measure of a Church, asks the question, "What is the measure of maturity in the church?" And he lists what others believe are the measure of maturity: 1. An active church (involving people in meetings and programs) 2. A giving church (supporting the church and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14

Tags: Church General, Church Body Of Christ, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: *other

If You Would Take Your Riches Into The Life To ...  PRO

Contributed by David Insell on Jul 28, 2003

If you would take your riches into the life to come, convert them into ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Death, Ashes, Work, Money, Materialism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bride Was Very Nervous. It Was Right Before ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 20, 2003

The bride was very nervous. It was right before the wedding and she wasn’t sure she could even walk down aisle. So her father gave her some words of wisdom. He said to her. “There’s only three things you need to focus on. If you focus on these three things, you’ll be fine. The first is walking ...read more

Tags: Commitment, Conflict, Marriage Commitment, Marriage, Marriage General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Quiet Strength  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 24, 2004

QUIET STRENGTH There is a story about a sunken ship that illustrates the quietness of the spirit, but at the same time His Power in our lives. "Several years ago engineers building a new bridge over the East River in New York, discovered that the wrecked hull of a ship, sunk many years before, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit General, Kingdom Of God, Pentecost, Trinity

The Reason It Happened...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2004

THE REASON IT HAPPENED... The Metropolitan Insurance Company has published this list: Reasons/Excuses for Auto Accidents: (1) “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished.” (2) “The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him.” (3) “I had been driving for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-24

Tags: Apologetics General, Parable Great Banquet, Kingdom Of God

Annie Howard  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 28, 2004

Annie Howard In 1991 she was awarded one of President Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light” awards for her Prison Fellowship volunteer work in the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women. Holds choir practice in the prison chapel, has an evening Bible study, hosts a dinner for 6 volunteers ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Pastor Thought God Gave Him An Idea, And He ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 25, 2006

A pastor thought God gave Him an idea, and he presented it in the monthly elders meeting. After giving his most impassioned plea and really “selling” the idea to the elder board, the board voted and voted down the pastors proposed changes 12-1. The head elder looked at the pastor and said, “Well ...read more

Tags: God Answers Prayer, Change, Church General, Vision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

James Hunter In His Book "The Servant" Presents A ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Newell on Aug 29, 2001

James Hunter in his book “The Servant” presents a powerful picture of what it really means to be a leader/servant. He shares: leadership is ultimately rooted in our will. Not forcing our will on others, but demonstrating our will to serve. There is a big difference between leading through power ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-12, Matthew 23:1-12

Tags: Authority, Servanthood, Servant, Power, Leadership General, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Some Of You Might Know Of Joseph Scriven. He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 3, 2001

Some of you might know of Joseph Scriven. He was a brilliant young man engaged to a beautiful lady. On the night before the wedding, his fiancé was pulled from a pond where she had accidentally fallen and drowned. He never overcame the shock, and in the sadness of the latter portion of his life, he ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Prayer General, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: *other

George Mason, A Founding Father Of Our Nation ...  PRO

Contributed by Daniel Becker on Sep 15, 2001

George Mason, a founding father of our nation prophetically proclaimed, “As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and ...read more

Tags: God's Judgment, Holidays Civic, Providence, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

James S. Hewett, Former Pastor Of Saratoga ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Mar 23, 2008

James S. Hewett, former pastor of Saratoga (California) Presbyterian Church shares this story: “A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:22, Luke 24:4-6

Tags: Atonement, Sacrifice, Salvation, New Life, Apostles General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Right Perspective  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE A man was walking through an art gallery when he came upon a picture of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross. He stopped and looked at the beautiful portrait of Calvary's love. As he stared into the face of Christ, so full of agony the gallery guard tapped him on the shoulder. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Worship, Humility, Cross, Submission, Surrender, Worship General  (view more)  (view less)

In The Recent Summer Games (2012), Kim Rhode Won ...  PRO

Contributed by Kelly Mitchell on Aug 11, 2012

In the recent Summer Games (2012), Kim Rhode won the gold medal in skeet shooting making her the first American to win 5 olympic medals in 5 consecutive olympic games. That’s a span of 20 years and not her only distinction. In the 2012 games, she hit 99 out of 100 skeet setting a new Olympic ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 9:24-27

Tags: Preparation, Commitment To Christ, Disciplines General, Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist