In Sermon Illustrations: "God Is Personal"

Godly Counsel

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 7, 2016

GODLY COUNSEL Proverbs 11:14 is a timely verse for the United States of America. It declares, “A nation falls through a lack of guidance, but victory comes through the counsel of many.” God has placed godly men and women around you in the Body of Christ. Use their wisdom, experience and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 11:1-14

Tags: Wisdom, God's Will, Hearing God, Counselors

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 19, 2020

A young teenage boy and girl were setting in a swing on her parents front porch way up in the mountains of North Carolina. They spent a lot of time there away from everyone just them. They would talk about all kinds of things. Things about when they had grown up. What would they do: go to college ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:9-10

Tags: Love For God, Love Like God

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Reflecting Holiness

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Feb 22, 2021

Life has its challenges to our walking in God’s presence. But, we are presented with an opportunity, in all things remember that the closer you are to God, the more defined and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 38:1-8

Tags: Holiness, Reflecting God, Closeness To God

Denomination: Salvation Army

Our Weakness

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 13, 2021

When I was in my early 20s and a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, I was, believe it or not, in pretty good shape. I jogged regularly. I was a karate student. I went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I truly was in good shape. Now that I’m older, I’m realizing that I’m not what I used to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31

Tags: Weakness, God's Strength, God Sustains

Denomination: Baptist

A Friend Of Mine Shared This With Me A Few Days ...

Contributed by Robert Harmon on Aug 9, 2009

A friend of mine shared this with me a few days ago after suffering the loss of his beloved wife. She sent this to him the day she was involved in a serious car accident. He has found a great deal of peace from the words... G U I D A N C E Author Unknown When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-6

Tags: Humility, God's Guidance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Most Incredible Miracle!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

Four police officers who helped rescue a baby from an overturned car in a Utah river in March 2015 claim that they heard an unexplained voice calling from the car. The accident occurred after a car driven by Lynn Jennifer Groesbeck, 25, ran off the road and into the Spanish Fork River. Her ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Tags: Healing, Angels, Miracles, God's Will, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Photographer For A National Magazine Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Dow on Jul 26, 2002

A photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at ...read more

Tags: Waiting On God, Descriptions Of God, God's Omniscience, Hardship Of Life

During Super Bowl Xxxvii, Fedex Ran A Commercial ...  PRO

Contributed by Raymond L. Johnson on May 27, 2013

During Super Bowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker, whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like Tom Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:8-10

Tags: Fulfillment, Discovery, Doing God's Will, God's Sovereign Will, Knowing God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Coffee Doesn't Trust Me  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 25, 2014

My pet finch Coffee runs into a serious problem once in a while. Her claws grow so long she loses the ability to control them. They get stuck in the nest and she can’t get them out. Once we found her nearly dead, hanging for hours upside down with one claw ensnared in her wicker home. Carol rescued ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Surrender, Trust In God, Rest In God, Pruning, God's Care  (view more)  (view less)

Dear God, So Far Today I've Done All Right. I ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 17, 2004

Dear God, So far today I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Can't Say I Have Ever Felt Afraid Of God, But I ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 28, 2009

I can’t say I have ever felt afraid of God, but I have felt the awe of His presence, and I have been overcome by a sense of His majesty. I remember standing out on a mound of earth out on a property and looking up at the stars. Away from the city, the stars seem so much brighter, and I cried out to ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062a]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062A]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THIS POEM This is my most serious poem because it addresses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062b]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062B]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 2 SECTION B - PART 1 (THE CHRISTIAN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Hurt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Background On Psalm 37 - Having God's Peace In Horrible Times

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 27, 2025

Background on Psalm 37 - How to Have God's Peace in Horrible Times Anyone who has read a good portion of God's Word knows that there are a lot of prayers provided for us in the Bible. The Dake Annotated Reference Bible lists 222 different prayers in the Bible: 176 prayers in the Old ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Receive God's Righteousness, Cast Your Cares On The Lord, God's Righteousness, God's Rest, Hardships, Cares, God's Shelter, Horrible Times, Pain, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, God's Peace, Rejoice In The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Buddha Is Sleeping  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jul 10, 2001

Illus.: “Buddah Is Sleeping” In a large city in Sri Lanka there is a huge statue of Buddah in a reclining position. The chiseled face is calm, the eyes are closed and the head rests upon one hand. A full 50 feet long, the image is impressive except for one thing: Buddah is sleeping while the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Promises Of God, Uncertainty, World Religions

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Curious Fellow Died One Day And Found Himself ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A curious fellow died one day and found himself waiting in the long line of judgment. As he stood there he noticed that some souls were allowed to march right through the pearly gates into heaven. Others, though, were led over to Satan who threw them into the burning pit. But every so often, ...read more

Tags: Money

On The Southern Coast Of Italy, There Is A Harbor ...  PRO

Contributed by Wayne Major on Jan 19, 2002

On the southern coast of Italy, there is a harbor which is very treacherous and difficult to navigate, especially at night. But experienced seamen understand that there is a safe, proven method to steer the waters. There are three lighted buoys placed at intervals right in the middle of the ...read more

Tags: Knowing God's Will, Holy Spirit In Believers, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Methodist

Depression Stats

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

DEPRESSION STATS The state of depression is a very real and common affliction among people of all ages, race and culture. In January of 2005, Bob Murray, PhD and Alicia Fortinberry, MS complied some staggering statistics on depression: - Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 88:15

Tags: God Brings Hope

Why Bad Things Happen

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

So, what should we say then when bad things happen? Some may say God is still all powerful and all knowing so it seems like it’s still God’s plan that this bad thing happened isn’t it? Kinda, sort of or maybe. There is a difference between what God allows and what God wants. I know that sounds ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:4-5

Tags: Dont Ignore Gods Instructions, Follow Gods Instructions

Denomination: Independent/Bible