In Sermon Illustrations: "Gods Plan"

Thank God For Blessed Subtractions!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 10, 2023

Three local pastors were discussing their Easter Sunday results with one another on the Monday after Easter. The Methodist minister said, "Easter services worked out great for us! We gained four new additions at First Methodist!" Praise God! The Baptist preacher grinned ...read more

Tags: Arrogance, Bragging, Preachers, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Easter, Revival, Church Growth, Pride, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The God Who Is Three In One

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 17, 2023

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The Trinity is seen clearly at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3. The Father speaks from Heaven. The Son is baptized by John. The Spirit descends upon Jesus to anoint His ministry. The Father is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Son, Trinity, Godhead, Triune, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God's Time

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 20, 2023

The little boy walked home from Sunday School and the family were sitting around the old pot-bellied stove talking. The boy told his dad and Pa about the lesson. The boy was so excited. He told them he had gone to the altar and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. The boy said he was going to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Tags: Time, Serve

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You All Ears For God?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

A missionary translator was endeavoring to find a word for “obedience” in the native language. This was a virtue seldom practiced among the people into whose language he wanted to translate the New Testament. As he returned home from the village one day, he whistled for his dog and it came ...read more

Tags: Obedience, Voice Of God, Hearing God, Listening, Hearers Of The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When God Shows Up

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Feb 3, 2019

I just finished reading a book called, “The Shack.” I read it about ten years ago, and something made me read it again, and I’m so glad I did. I commend it to you as a book that captures the very essence of a God who wants nothing more than to have a loving relationship with you. What an incredible ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11, Isaiah 6:1-8

Tags: Humility, The Shack, God Shows Up, Miracle, Sacred In The Ordinary, Sacred In Secular  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

All Sin Is Against God.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

“W. S. Plumer said, “We never see sin aright until we see it as against God. All sin is against God in this sense: that it is His law that is broken, His authority that is despised, His government that is set at naught Pharaoh and Balaam, Saul and Judas each said, ‘I have sinned’ which is only ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: David, Sin, Repentance, Holiness, Prodigal Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Creation Shows The Glory Of God!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

"The stars are God's fingerprints. The sun is a mere smidgen of His radiance. The moon is to remind us that He doesn't sleep at night. The vastness of space proclaims the infinity of His wisdom, while the sand pebble indicates His thoroughness with the puniest details. The lion hints ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-3

Tags: Creation, Glory, God, Nature, Agnosticism, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Story

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Dec 20, 2020

Story of God does not end with the resurrection or with the disciples. The story is still being written and lived through the Body of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:26

Tags: Christmas, The Body Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give God A Blank Check!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

I read once about a family that put their elderly grandmother on a plane for her first flight. She wasn’t too sure about this mode of transportation, but she grudgingly went along with it. When she returned, some of the family members couldn’t help playfully asking, “Grannie, did the plane hold you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Faith, Commitment, Trust, Will Of God, Believing God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Family!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 28, 2021

It is hard to get over the disappointment that God, having made an exception in my case, didn’t seem to call nice, accomplished, courteous, alert ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Luke 19:10, James 2:1-7

Tags: Worship, Salvation, Gospel, The Cross, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Sunlight

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 28, 2021

How is it that the sunlight gives us such joy? Why does this radiance when it falls on the earth fill us with the joy of living? The whole sky is blue, the fields are green, the houses all white, and our enchanted eyes drink in those bright colors which bring delight to our souls. And then there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:17-27

Tags: Feeling God's Present, Not Feeling God's Presents

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God The Father In The Old Testament

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 12, 2022

God is only referred to as "Father" fourteen times in the Old Testament's thirty-nine books, and even then, rather impersonally. In those fourteen occurrences of Father, the term was always used with reference to the Nation of Israel, not to individuals. In the entire Old Testament, ...read more

Tags: Old Testament, Grace, Father, Law, Prayer, Lord's Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bible Verses On The Presence Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NKJV) Honor and majesty are found in His presence; strength and joy are found in His sanctuary. 1 Chronicles 16: 27 (AMP) And He ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9

Tags: Holy Spirit, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Wants To Pull The Stickers Out  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Jun 6, 2011

GOD WANTS TO PULL THE STICKERS OUT The little girl hopped away screaming. Obviously, the fear of living forever with a sticker in her foot was not as terrifying as the thought of me pulling it out. But a five-year-old could not out-run the preacher. Not hopping on one foot, anyway. After I ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:6

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

God Tells Man Who He Is. God Tells Us That He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

God tells man who he is. God tells us that He created man in His image. So ...read more

Tags: Creation

Disposable Guilt Bags

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

DISPOSABLE GUILT BAGS Several years ago a new product called "Disposable Guilt Bags" appeared in the supermarkets. It consisted of a set of ten ordinary brown bags on which were printed the following instructions: "Place the bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow all your guilt ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-5

Tags: Guilt

A. Man Sends Himself To Hell By Rejecting God's ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Dec 25, 2007

a. Man sends himself to hell by rejecting God’s plan of salvation. b. Receiving Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour is how we accept God’s plan of salvation. a. Hell is prepared for those who prepare for it by rejecting Christ. b. There are good parking places on the road to hell. c. Every ...read more

Obedience Is Seeking God With Your Whole Heart. ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 17, 2001

Obedience is seeking God with your whole heart. Performance is having a quiet time because you’ll feel guilty if you don’t. Obedience is finding ways to let the Word of God dwell in you richly. Performance is quickly scanning a passage so you can check it off your Bible reading plan. Obedience is ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-26

Tags: Faith, Doing God's Will, Anxiety, Obedience, Peace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed