In Sermon Illustrations: "Gifts General"

Give While You're Still Alive

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Apr 19, 2010

GIVE WHILE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE I remember a friend of mine suggesting that waiting until after your death to give the people you love something you want them to have is not the best way to do it. If you wait until they get it from your will, in many cases, they must pay an inheritance tax on it. ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Mennonite

Ridgecrest Is A Large Baptist-Run Assembly ...  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2000

Ridgecrest is a large Baptist-run assembly ground, nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. All summer long, every year, thousands of Christians come to Ridgecrest for training, inspiration, Bible study, and challenge. A few years ago, during a conference, people began to notice a man ...read more

Tags: Parable General, Graduation Gift, Compassion, Abortion, Car, Christian Disciplines, Everything, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

After Being Away On Business, A Man Thought It ...  PRO

Contributed by Merwin Rylaarsdam on Jan 4, 2006

After being away on business, a man thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. “How about some perfume?” he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50.00. “That’s a bit much,” he said, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. “That’s still quite a ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Santos on Sep 23, 2004

Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. is a mission-organization founded in 1957. It is now 46 years old. Members, workers, leaders and sponsors have come and go but the mission of the Lord is continuously growing and doing mightily in the sight of God. At present, there are 260 workers in the ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thought Control.  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 2, 2010

Thought Control. What thought? Every thought. The one I have about the Ford Mark One Zephyr that I would like to one day own, the one about how angry I get with repeating a request that someone shuts the door behind them, the thought about how I’d like that last slice of chocolate cake that is for ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:5

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Salvation Army

How Spiritual Are You

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Jan 19, 2010

HOW SPIRITUAL ARE YOU Tell me how much time you spend alone with God...I will tell you how spiritual you are..and I mean really alone. Not how many meetings you go to...not how many gifts or talents you have...not how many sermons you preach...not how many records you’ve recorded or produced...not ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

Hummingbird War  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 5, 2005

Hummingbird War Jay E. Adams writes that under the roof in his backyard hangs a hummingbird feeder that he keeps filled with sugar water. There are four openings in it from which birds may suck the nectar. Yet, day after day, from early morning until after dusk, the feeder is the source of the ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Love Gives To The Limit

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 3, 2009

LOVE GIVES TO THE LIMIT The late great Scots Church of Scotland theologian, educator, author, and radio and television presenter, William Barclay (1907 - 1978), once said, "Love never calculates; love never thinks how little it can decently give; love’s one desire is to give to the uttermost ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:6-13

Tags: Giving General

Giving By Foundations Hit A Record Last Year, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Giving By Foundations hit a record last year, reversing 2 years of declines thanks to gains in asset values and continued gifts from philanthropists. The nation’s 66,000 independent, community and corporate foundations gave $32.4 billion in ’04 vs. $30.3 billion in ’03, an inflation adjusted 4.1% ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Are We So Focused On The Crowd And The Offerings ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 10, 2003

ARE WE SO FOCUSED ON THE CROWD AND THE OFFERINGS THAT WE CAN’T SEE? ARE WE MATERIALISTIC MINDED? I love Indian arrow heads. I lived in Virginia and I collected arrow heads for me and a few friends. I had a super collection. I displayed my arrow heads in my office at church. Someone broke into the ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Leaders Are Born And Made

Contributed by Tim White on May 7, 2011

LEADERS ARE BORN AND MADE J. Oswald Sanders in his classic “Spiritual Leadership” believes that leaders are both born and made. “While conversion does not normally make leaders of people who would never become such otherwise, Church history teaches that in the hour of full surrender the Holy ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

It Is Not Good...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

IT IS NOT GOOD... God made a woman to keep him company and to be his companion. The fact is we men don't do too well without such a companion. Researchers from the Universities of Utah and South Carolina recently collected data from 148 different studies, conducted over three decades, involving ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:18

Tags: Marriage General

When I Was A Boy, I Saw A Stereo At Foley's ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on May 23, 2004

When I was a boy, I saw a stereo at Foley’s department store that I wanted. My father agreed to pay for the stereo on the condition that I pay him back with the money I received from mowing lawns that summer. It was my first real loan in some ways. I received the benefits of the stereo ...read more

Scripture: John 1:43-51

Tags: Apologetics General

Denomination: Baptist

In December 1903, After A Series Of Failed ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

In December 1903, after a series of failed attempts, the Wright brothers were finally successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled by the feat, they sent this telegraph to their sister: "We have actually flown 120 feet. We'll be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to ...read more

Tags: Giving General

The Ponca Indian Tribe Has An Interesting ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Buchner on Jul 15, 2004

The Ponca Indian tribe has an interesting tradition. When a loved one dies, the family and friends meet to share with one another. They share not in the form of words, but in the form of giving. Now you may think this not too interesting until you hear who does the sharing. You see, thousands of ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Methodist

At One Time J. Wilbur Chapman Experienced A Great ...

Contributed by Bart Leger on Feb 2, 2005

At one time J. Wilbur Chapman experienced a great sorrow that nearly shook his faith. In addition, his finances were almost depleted just when it was necessary for him to take a long trip to the western United States. One of the elders of his church who was a wealthy banker came to his home to ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Doing Christmas Differently

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

DOING CHRISTMAS DIFFERENTLY Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, tells of his pastor in Portland Oregon at Imago Dei Community. He and some his friend decided they wanted to do Christmas differently. So he stood up in front of his congregation and challenged them not to go into debt that ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Methodist

Two Kinds Of Giving

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

TWO KINDS OF GIVING I have witnessed in my years of ministry people come to church and when they do not like a decision of the leadership or the minister, they decide to stop giving as a protest or decide to shift their giving to missions in order to inflict pain on the ministry of the church. ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical Free

In The Movie, A Knight's Tale, The Main Character ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Feb 11, 2006

In the movie, A Knight’s Tale, the main character William Thatcher and his friends are starving. William is a gifted jouster, and has potential to make enough money jousting to feed everyone, but he is not of noble blood. Only nobility is allowed to joust competitively. The team of friends ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Many Years Ago, When We Had Dug Our Potatoes, We ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 31, 2003

Many years ago, when we had dug our potatoes, we laid the potatoes on the ground and washed them. We let them dry in the sun, and then my two little sons started putting the potatoes in bags for storage. We counted the potatoes to nine, then Joshua was to pick the biggest potato he saw and place it ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Assembly Of God