In Sermon Illustrations: "Goodness Of God"

Do You Know How To Use The Sword Of The Spirit?

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Oct 26, 2020

Many years ago when I was in Army basic training, I spent many hours on the rifle range. Not just an afternoon on the range like many of you who experience Air Force Basic Training. I spent quite literally two-thirds of my training time on the rifle range. I was issued an M-16 assault rifle for ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:17, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Word Of God, Armor Of God, Sword Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Live Like An Orphan When You Have A Father In Heaven!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2022

Said the Robin to the sparrow, "I should really like to know, Why these anxious human beings Rush around and worry so." Said the Sparrow to the Robin, "Friend, I think that it must be, That they have ...read more

Tags: Faith, Father, Prayer, Providence, Will Of God, Sovereignty Of God, Needs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Is Well With My Soul

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2024

in 1871, Spafford’s 4-year-old son died of Scarlet fever. Two years later, business demands kept Spafford from joining his wife and four daughters on a family vacation in England where his friend D. L. Moody would be preaching. On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship ...read more

Tags: Worship, Praise, Peace, Suffering, God's Will, Hymns, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While We Were In Jerusalem We Visited A Jewish ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

While we were in Jerusalem we visited a Jewish shop “Treasures of the Temple” which was a sort of museum. These Jews are currently recreating all the temple items in preparation of rebuilding the temple to worship in O.T. style. Photos 796-798 We stopped by the Western Wall and there were dozens ...read more

Tags: Grace, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

Like A Bird In The Hand!" Matthew 8:14-17 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 8, 2005

“Like A Bird in the Hand!” Matthew 8:14-17 Key verse(s): 16-17:“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:14-17

Tags: God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Getting Past Your Past  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 23, 2002

GETTING PAST YOUR PAST Consider Charles Colson, the aide to Richard Nixon who was sent to jail for Watergate. As as a result of his experience as a convicted felon, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, now the world’s largest Christian outreach to prisoners and their families. Prison Fellowship has ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-16, Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: New Year's Day, God's Sovereign Will

How James Montgomery Boice Faced Faced Death From ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

How James Montgomery Boice Faced Faced Death from Cancer On May 7, 2000, Dr. Boice stood in this pulpit for the last time to speak about his cancer that would take his life in a month. Here is an excerpt: "If I were to reflect on what goes on theologically here, there are two things I would ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Death Nearness

Here Are Two Quotes From E. K. Simpson's ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Oct 21, 2002

Here are two quotes from E. K. Simpson’s commentary on Ephesians, regarding faith-v-works: “If we breathe, it is because life has been breathed into us; if we exercise the hearing of faith, it is because our ears have been unstopped.” E. K. Simpson “A ‘self-made’ man is almost inevitably ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Orthodox

How Many Of You Know The Name Paul Aurandt? He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

How many of you know the name Paul Aurandt? He also has an alias. You know him as Paul Harvey. He has published books about The Rest of the Story (Bantam) and More of Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story (Morrow). Stories built around the surprise ending format have been compiled into books that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 121:1-8

Tags: Protection, Divine Help, God's Omnipotence

A Young Girl Grows Up On A Cherry Orchard Just ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A young girl grows up on a cherry orchard just above Traverse City, Michigan. Her parents, a bit old-fashioned, tend to overreact to her nose ring, the music she listens to, and the length of her skirts. They ground her a few times, and she seethes inside. "I hate you" she screams at her father ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-2

Tags: Child, Wait, God's Provision

You Don't Impress Him

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

“You don’t impress the officials at NASA with a paper airplane. You don’t boast about your crayon sketches in the presence of a Picasso. You don’t claim equality with an Einstein because you can write H2O. And you don’t boast about your goodness in the presence of the Perfect One. Mark it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Humility, Beatitudes, Pride, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[207]. A Message From A Poem – Our Behaviour Is Not Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 21, 2025

[207]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – OUR BEHAVIOUR IS NOT OF THE WORLD If I am a fool I will act like a fool. If I care for no one, you will probably find me at parties drinking and smoking pot. You see our behaviour flows from what we are inside. James had something to say about this – {{James ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10, Romans 12:2, Acts 4:13, James 3:11-12

Tags: Christian Poems, Grandstanding, Ambition, Definitions, Worldly Standards, Good Soldiers, The World System, Conformed To The World, Behavior, Jesus, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Sure Wish Jesus Could Have Been There!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

I SURE WISH JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN THERE! A church had a special concert and the worship center was packed. The congregation had one of their greatest times of worship ever! Later that evening, a young mother from the church was putting her little boy to bed. He had enjoyed the concert so much ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Jesus, Children, Prayer, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Parable Of The Sower

Contributed by Polimetla Joy on Jan 30, 2023

In this parable, Jesus teaches about the importance of having a receptive heart to receive the word of God. He explains how the seed (word of God) can fall on different types of soil, representing different hearts. Some seed falls on the wayside, representing those who hear the word and do not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, Luke 8:4-8

Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Hearing, Responding

The Macedonian Vision Sent The Gospel Westward!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

Perhaps Paul found it somewhat difficult at first to understand the reason for the blocking of his way in Acts 16. However, he was not long in doubt. For Paul had a vision in the night, and there stood before him a "man of Macedonia" beseeching him, and saying, "Come over into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Evangelism, America, Gospel, Missions, Will Of God, England, Sovereignty Of God, Global Outreach  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Oscar Did Not Know What Would Be In Store For His ...

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Sep 10, 2007

Oscar did not know what would be in store for his family as they disembarked at Ellis Island. There were times during their long journey from Sweden that young Oscar wondered if they would ever get to this wonderful place called America. Yet Oscar and his family settled in Minnesota and began to ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Sleeping Church

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Sep 26, 2020

Martin Luther once dreamed that the devil was listening to reports from his agents on the progress they were making against the Kingdom of God. One reported, "A company of Christians were crossing the desert, and I loosen the lions on them, and all were lost." The devil replied, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:5

Tags: Against The Kingdom Of God, Sleeping Church

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Better World In The New Year  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 22, 2004

A BETTER WORLD IN THE NEW YEAR There was an article a few years ago in which a man gave his idea of a perfect world. He said, "In a perfect world you would feel as good at 60 as you did at 17. And you would be as smart at 60 as you thought you were at 17." "In a perfect world professional ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 1:1-3

Tags: New Year's Day, Kingdom Of God

Someone To Love Me

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 22, 2008

It’s like this child in an orphanage. A man and his wife visited an orphanage where they hoped to adopt a child. In an interview with the boy they wanted, they told him in glowing terms about the many things they could give him – good food, good toys, and nice clothing. To their amazement, the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Love, Identity, Love For God, Value Of Man

Denomination: Independent/Bible

For Many People Today The Spiritual Journey Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

For many people today the spiritual journey is filled with crushing burdens. I think of the character Rodrigo from the 1986 academy award winning movie The Mission. Rodrigo, played by Robert DeNiro, portrays a slave trader who kills his brother in a fit of rage. He’s filled with such terrible ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-13, Ephesians 1:1

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Guilt, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational