In Sermon Illustrations: "Gifts General"

My Friend Norm Is A United Methodist Pastor. A ...  PRO

Contributed by David Phaneuf on Jul 28, 2003

My friend Norm is a United Methodist pastor. A while back Norm was telling me about one of his parishioners -- Bill. Bill was gravely ill in the hospital, and Norm was visiting with him when the doctor came in, and point-blank told the patient: “Bill... you’re dead! There’s no hope. You’d better ...read more

Tags: Gifts Healing, God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: United Methodist

The Bronze Serpent

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 2, 2010

THE BRONZE SERPENT This event, the healing effected by glancing at the Copper Serpent, was so spectacular that it was probably famed region wide. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "With the decline of Egyptian control of the region in the middle of the 12th century BCE, the ...read more

Tags: Illustration, Sheet, Gifts Healing, Children's Ministry

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What Really Matters

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 28, 2011

WHAT REALLY MATTERS It was two weeks before Christmas and it began to start. Everyone was scrambling and rushing to get to Wal-Mart. Their credit cards were in the orange and checking account in the red in hopes that their rich uncle would soon be dead. Old Saint Nick sitting high on a mountain ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Christmas, Season, Gift, Santa, Xmas, Clause  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Gold Wrapping Paper

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 19, 2014

The Gold Wrapping Paper - An Inspirational Short Christmas Story Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he was upset with his little five-year-old daughter after learning that she had ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-19

Tags: Christmas Gift, Anger, Patience, Child Rearing

Denomination: Independent/Bible

This Was The Second Time That Someone Has Died For Me

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

James Harnish tells the story of a woman in Tampa who probably received the best Christmas present of anyone. It came the week before Christmas. In August she had been diagnosed with severe cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disorder which causes the muscels of the heart to become inflexible. In fact, ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:4

Tags: Best Christmas Gift, Dying, Jesus Death

Denomination: Methodist

Consumers Intend To Spend An Average Of $248 On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Consumers intend to spend an average of $248 on gift cards this holiday season, up from $223 in ‘04 and $183 in 2003 finds a Stored Value Systems ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Christian Store Shoppers Buy Books (32%), Bibles ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Christian Store Shoppers buy books (32%), Bibles (22%), Music (15%), greeting cards (8%). The most common reason shoppers’ visit a Christian store is to purchase a gift ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Order Of The Wooden Cross! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 9, 2005

Order of the Wooden Cross! (10.11.05--Sacrifice!--1 Chronicles 21:22-24) Recently I was asked this question: “What have you sacrificed lately in light of all the sorrow, desolation and bloodshed that have gripped the world?” It was a challenge from a friend of mine who regularly gives to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19, 1 Chronicles 21:22-24

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran

Individuals Are Biggest Donors Foundations ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

Individuals Are Biggest Donors Foundations account for 7% of all American donations, corporations give 5%, but individuals account for 80% of giving and 57% of those gifts ($66 billion) went to religious non-profits in 1995. ...read more

Tags: Giving General

A Wealthy Businessman From Texas Was In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A wealthy businessman from Texas was in the habit of giving his dad unique gifts on his birthday. As his business travels took him around the world, he would always search to find something truly remarkable to give to his dad. But this past year he felt he had outdone himself. He discovered a ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Pastor Leaders: Over 75% Of Senior Pastors Don't ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Pastor Leaders: Over 75% of Senior Pastors don’t believe they are called, gifted or skilled as leaders. Pastors who are leaders are actually less likely to rely on teams of lay leaders to help lead the ministry forward than the ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

The Road Of Life  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Jan 20, 2003

The Road of Life At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized his picture when I saw it, but I really didn’t know Him. But later on, when I ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Record Donation: Joan Kroc, The Wife Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Record Donation: Joan Kroc, the wife of the McDonald’s restaurant chain founder, has left roughly $1.5 billion to the Salvation Army. The gift is the largest single donation that anyone in the worlds of philanthropy and fund-raising could recall — and more than the ...read more

Tags: Giving General

For Eighteen Fruitful Years, Dr. H.a. Ironside ...

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Jan 25, 2005

For eighteen fruitful years, Dr. H.A. Ironside pastored the Moody Church in Chicago. When he got ready to take the offering, he would often say, "We ask God’s people to give generously. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, we do not ask you to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

Record Giving: All U.s. '04 Charitable Giving ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Record Giving: All U.S. ’04 charitable giving totaled a record $248.5 billion, according to the Giving USA Foundation. That record is expected to be broken in ‘05.by a special one-time tax break for major donors enacted by Congress allowing donors to deduct gifts up to ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Online Giving To American's Largest Charities ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Online Giving to American’s largest charities continued its steep climb in ‘05, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual survey. E-gifts to the 167 organizations responding to the survey topped $911.9 million, up 148% from ’04. Some of the very largest charities are seeing online ...read more

Tags: Giving General

God Doesn't Want You Giving To His Church Out Of ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 4, 2009

God doesn't want you giving to His Church out of mere obligation or duty...any more than you'd want someone tossing a gift at you with a sneer: "You always give me stuff, so I know if I don't give you something ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Smart Phone Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Oct 29, 2024

Smart phones are really smart. Even smarter than I know. I use my phone for so much more than calling and texting but it’s not uncommon for me to learn new features and abilities my phone has that I previously had never known. Over the years I’ve learned that my phone is a compass, can take video ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Service, Holy Spirit, Power, Temptation, Gifts, Giftedness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jim Burns Wrote In Christianity Today, ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 13, 2004

Jim Burns wrote in CHRISTIANITY TODAY, “Compassion is one of the most important character traits we can nurture in our children. Yet our culture encourages selfishness. If we want our children to develop servant hearts, we need to give them opportunities to serve. Fortunately, teenagers are usually ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

8 In 10 Americans Earning More Than $1 Million A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

8 in 10 Americans earning more than $1 million a year leave nothing to charity in their wills. "Philanthropy is part of the unspoken contract that underpins the American dream. If that contract is broken, a backlash is likely. Every American, rich and poor, would lose." This same issue lists ...read more

Tags: Giving General