In Sermon Illustrations: "Grace In Action"

[325]. A Message From A Poem - Vanitas Vanitatum – Part 3 Of 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[325]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 3 of 3 This poem begins with the story of a man who is committed to so many things but in the end he became worn out and finally could not find fulfillment in what he was doing. He began to despair and could not see the purpose of life. ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Vanity, Wisdom, Despair, Foolishness, Under The Sun, Appointed Time, Remember Your Creator, Vanity Of Vanities, Vanitas Vanitatum, Christian Poems, Under Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Oh Please Don't Hit The Ball To Me!" Psalm ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 7, 2005

“Oh Please Don’t Hit the Ball to Me!” Psalm 116:1-6 Key verse(s): 3:“The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.” There is no greater temptation than separation from God. There are many things in this life that appear tempting and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 116:1-6

Tags: Innocent, Honest, Temptation Pride, Temptation Resisting, Truthful  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Can We Love Someone We Find Unloving? Galatians ...

Contributed by Clifford Good on Jul 18, 2008

Can we love someone we find unloving? Galatians 5:13-14 says that we are given freedom to serve one another in love. Whenever I take a trip I come home with lots of stories that come out of the things I see and the people I meet. Here is a story from the last trip to highlight this point about ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If She Cannot Fix It, It’s Not Broken

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 4, 2025

Life has its many ups and downs. There are some weeks when there are more downs than ups. But if I didn’t have a down, I probably wouldn’t appreciate an up. This past week was one of those down weeks. One day, we lost our electricity for maybe six hours, my printer died on me and some scammer ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 147:3

Tags: Frustration, Fixing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s My Pain I’ll Use It If I Want To

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 1, 2025

When I think I've turned a page to a new chapter in my life, I realize there is nothing new in life. I'm referring to pain. I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't have some pain. In the years of my naivety, I never imagined that when I got older, I would experience more ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18

Tags: Tylenol, Pain, Doctors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[271]. A Message From A Poem – The "I Ams” Of John’s Gospel

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 21, 2026

[271]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE “I AMs” OF JOHN’S GOSPEL There are 7 or 8 of the great “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. I have done these in a Series on SermonCentral – about 18 messages I think - ...read more

Scripture: John 6:20, John 10:7, John 6:35, John 14:6, John 10:11, John 15:1, John 8:12, John 11:25, John 8:58  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: The I Ams Of John, I Am The Good Shepherd, I Am The Resurrection, I Am The Light Of The World, I Am The True Vine, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Truth, Life, I Am, I Am The Way, I Am The Door, I Am The Bread Of Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In My Humble Opinion

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 29, 2020

It was a busy week last week. I was chasing my tail so much, I thought I would actually catch it. What I would do after I caught it is beyond my imagination. However, I was quite busy, and then the mail came. Whenever the mail comes, I’m always expecting “the check.” Rarely do I get it, but my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Humility, Opinion

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: The Servants Of Cornelius

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2021

Introduction: The Gospel was still being proclaimed but almost exclusively to Jews when this incident occurred. A number of Samaritans (a mixed race of Jews and other peoples from several different locales, 2 Kings 17) had believed and even a high official of Ethiopia had believed in Jesus (Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-6, Acts 10:21-23, Luke 7:1-10

Tags: Peter, Cornelius, Centurions, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Maybe We Should Go Back To Smoke Signal Communications

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 30, 2022

I must admit that communication is an essential part of my life today. The longer I live, the more sophisticated those communications become, and it’s challenging to me. Recently, I was working on my latest book using my latest computer and its programs. As I was working, I remembered that I did ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:6

Tags: Communication, Computer, Media

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[226]. A Message From A Poem - Quantum Leaps

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 11, 2025

[226]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - QUANTUM LEAPS This poem is in 4 sections though all are related. It deals with the progression of wickedness in the world, but that progress has been very rapid. Those who are older, and in a reflective mood, will recall how things were in the 1950s and 60s when ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Tags: Change, Antichrist, Wickedness, The Last Days, A New Creature, The World Gets Worse, Rapid, Christian Poems, Quantum Leaps  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I’m Not Diabetic But I Am A Sweet Guy

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 20, 2024

Lately, I've been very tired, which has nothing at all to do with my age. Rather, it has everything to do with all these spam calls I get every day. It seems most spam calls come during lunchtime when I’m eating. How dare they? I don't know who created this idea of spam calls, but I would ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:3

Tags: Diabetes, Age

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[072]. A Poem Message – Excerpts Certain Psalms Part 3 – Psalms 40, 31

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 1, 2025

[072]. A POEM MESSAGE – EXCERPTS CERTAIN PSALMS PART 3 – PSALMS 40, 31 {{Psalm 33:1-3 “SING FOR JOY in the LORD, O you righteous ones. Praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre. SING PRAISES TO HIM with a harp of ten strings. SING TO HIM A NEW SONG. Play ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:1-3, Psalm 31:15, Psalm 40:3, Psalm 40:6-8, Psalm 31:14, Psalm 31:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sacrifice, Psalms, Trust, Deliver, New Song, Secret Place  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Lost And Found, Rejoicing, Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[301]. A Message From A Poem - There Was An Obedient Fish

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 1, 2026

[301]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THERE WAS AN OBEDIENT FISH Disobedience was the first sin in all of human history. Adam and Eve disobeyed, and through that disobedience gained a sin nature. Disobedience has remained at the forefront of sin and this can also be applied to Christians. Jonah was ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:2, Jonah 1:3, Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:2, Psalm 69:15, Jonah 2:10, Isaiah 19:23-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Nineveh Repented, Jonah A Type Of Jesus, Whale, Disobedience, Nineveh, Fish, Assyria, Christian Poems, Jonah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I First Came To Reno To Start A Church, Now ...

Contributed by James Wallace on Nov 12, 2009

When I first came to Reno to start a church, now about 22 years ago, my church planting advisors pointed me toward two men, two pastors who had had an extremely positive and successful experience in their church planting experiences. They had both planted churches in the past decade which had ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Bible Church

[180]. A Poem Message – Lost Three Things - One Son – The Prodigal Son

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 29, 2025

[180]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST ONE SON – THE PRODIGAL SON The third of the lost parables is the son. It is the best know. Gospel preaching has made use of this parable over and over and that is fair enough. However its greater meaning is a wayward son of the family, who entered into a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:18, Luke 15:11-12, Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Repentance, Lost, Love Of The Father, The Prodigal Son, Parable Of The Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Religion Professor Named Dr. Christianson ...  PRO

Contributed by West Garner on May 8, 2006

A Religion Professor named Dr. Christianson taught a required survey of Christianity course at small college. Every freshman was required to take the course regardless of his or her major. Although he tried hard to communicate the gospel, students viewed the class as nothing more than a waste of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-22

Tags: Quicksand, Shoulder, Stand, Brother, Evangelism How To  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

By Bobby G. Bodenhamer, ...

Contributed by Bobby Bodenhamer on Oct 17, 2008

By Bobby G. Bodenhamer, D.Min. For October 19, 2008 Introduction - A life of "change" Isn’t it remarkable how rapidly things change? In looking at this passage in Jeremiah my mind was drawn back over my life time. I was borne (I think I was born. Dad always told me that he found me in an old ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: *other

[098]. A Message From A Poem – Genesis Synopsis

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

[098]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GENESIS SYNOPSIS How can you possibly put the book of Genesis into a poem? The answer is, be brief and try not to miss the main events. I had the desire to write a Genesis poem and this is the result. The poem begins of course with Chapter 1 and works to the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:13, Genesis 12:3, Genesis 15:18, Matthew 24:37-38, Genesis 1:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Genesis, Creation, Egypt, Isaac, Nimrod, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Abraham, Noah, Jacob, Adam, Joseph, Cain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[112]. A Message From A Poem – Has Warmth Of Nearness Changed To Coolness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[112]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAS WARMTH OF NEARNESS CHANGED TO COOLNESS? INTRODUCING THE POEM: Our walk with the Lord is not always one on a smooth, sinless road. There is joy; there are times of peace, times of praise, times of contentment, but there are also times of hardship, times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-4, Psalm 42:5-8, Psalm 42:9-11

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Waning, Failure, Forgotten, Despair, Cold, Backsliding, Cast Down, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational