In Sermon Illustrations: "Guarding Your Heart"

Girl Born ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2010

Girl Born Blind There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ’If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’ One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Tags: Compassion

The Relationship Is What Counts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 24, 2011

THE RELATIONSHIP IS WHAT COUNTS Wayne Cordeiro, a preacher in Honolulu, HI writes: Some time ago some wonderful people in our church gave Anna, my wife, and me a dinner certificate to a nice restaurant for $100. We thought, Wow, a hundred bucks. Let's go for it. We found a free evening. We ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Take My Hand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2011

TAKE MY HAND The story is told of a man and his boy who was with him, when a little fellow, in Scotland, and for the first time he possessed what in that country is known as a top-coat. They were walking out one cold day, and the way was slippery. The little fellow's hands were deep down in his ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 16:18-33

Tags: God, Hands, Pride, Hold, Pluck  (view more)  (view less)

Saved By Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

SAVED BY HOPE An interesting item appeared in a Nashville newspaper, datelined Memphis (UPI): A woman named Hope pulled a man from chilly harbor waters after watching him drive his car off the bank in an apparent suicide attempt. Hope Phillips, thirty-eight, said Monday she was sitting in her car ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11

Tags: God Brings Hope

Tomorrow Brings Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2011

"TOMORROW" BRINGS HOPE In late March of 1993, a sudden snowstorm covered the East coast of the U.S. Over in the Smoky Mountains, it was the snow of the century. Many hunters and hikers were trapped in the park. Four doctors from Knoxville had chosen that weekend for a hunting trip to the Smokies. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:1-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

The Rug: Making And Keeping Good Boys

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

THE RUG: MAKING AND KEEPING GOOD BOYS A preacher tells how he was once entertained by a teacher and his wife who had two boys in their middle teens. He writes, "Immediately on entering, I felt the home atmosphere. They were evidently a fine Christian family. However, I noticed that the carpet in ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:1-6

Tags: Mother's Day

Why Would You Want To Be President?

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT? Parker Palmer was offered a job at a university and was wrestling with whether or not to take the job. Parker decided to ask 12 friends to come together to think about whether he should take the job. They began asking him questions. One of them asked, "Parker, ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Methodist

For An Animation Of Psalm 42, Please Go To ...

Contributed by Jessica Johnson on Aug 5, 2012

for an Animation of Psalm 42, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMfZ1u9DHU&feature=plcp . 'As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the Living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11

Tags: Water, Wave, Enemy, Night, Call, Pants, Countenance, Worship General, Delivery, Day, Deer, Waterfalls, Bones, Appear, Breaker, God, Soul, Rock, Help, Presence, Deep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

A Dog Like Me

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

A little boy in Texas wanted to buy a special dog. He went to the pet store to look at all the dogs. He held each one. “How much are your dogs?” asked the boy. “All those dogs are $10.00,” said the storeowner. The boy petted each dog again and then cuddled one of the dogs. He held him up to his ...read more

Tags: Christmas, One Of Us, Christ Came, Jesus Became Human

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Loss

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Aug 9, 2019

Have you ever had a time in your life when you suffered drastic income loss? In 1995 I had a dream job, I had an office that was 30 foot by 40 foot with my own private bath, no boss on 2nd and 3rd shift and the pay was great, not bad for a blue-collar worker. We based our lifestyle on my wages, and ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:25-27

Tags: Loss, Recovert

Denomination: Pentecostal

Saint Or Sinner?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Saint or Sinner? Lord, I'm not sure what I am or what I ain't. Am I a saint playing sinner or a sinner playing saint? I love your truth, but I am not good at obeying, as you know. I can run with the sinners, but feel guilty when I go. Some of the things I crave are sin, and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:7-25

Tags: Nature, Sinner, Saint, Two Natures

Denomination: Baptist

God's Grace Sets You Free To Be Yourself And Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

God’s grace sets you free to be yourself and not compromise to please people. God’s grace also sets you free from legalism. One of the black marks on so called Christians is legalism. Legalism is having a critical and judgmental attitude toward others. It is having spiritual pride and a superior ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Some Time Ago I Ran Across A Wedding Prayer That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Some time ago I ran across a wedding prayer that illustrates how subtly this can be done. This is a girl praying on her wedding day: "Dear God, I can hardly believe that this is my wedding day. I know I haven’t been able to spend much time with You lately, with all the rush of getting ready for ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

A Journalist Was Assigned To Jerusalem. He Moved ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A journalist was assigned to Jerusalem. He moved to the city and got an apartment overlooking the wailing wall. After several weeks he realized that whenever he looked out at the wailing wall there was this old Jewish man standing there praying vigorously. The journalist wondered if he might find a ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

My First Pastoral Appointment Was The Marissa And ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 4, 2007

My first pastoral appointment was the Marissa and Zion United Methodist Charge in St. Clair County, Illinois, about forty miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Zion had only three members and no electricity or running water. In past decades light had been provided in the sanctuary by kerosene, ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

There's An Old Story Of A Man And His ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Oct 28, 2007

There’s an old story of a man and his grand-daughter who go for a walk to the local town park. The man and girl are sitting on a park bench sharing an afternoon snack when they are approached by a traveler. "Good sir, please tell me. Is this a friendly town? I’ve had the misfortune to live in a ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Let's Find The World Of Dangerous Wonder. It's A ...

Contributed by Jerry Mckee on Dec 12, 2007

Let’s find the world of dangerous wonder. It’s a real place, you know. It is the place where children and grownups can find God, located just beyond where the sidewalk ends. The directions just might be found in your church, your Bible, or even a friendship. Dull people and dream stealers are not ...read more

Denomination: *other

I Was A Groomsmen At A Wedding Once. It Was A ...

Contributed by Jordan Wirkkala on Dec 12, 2007

-I was a groomsmen at a wedding once. It was a formal wedding, the place was packed and everyone was looking there finest. The wedding coordinator put a piece of tape on the floor for me to stand and said, “this is your spot, do not move”. The wedding was going beautifully until something awful ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

In The Bible We Read This: "Let Us Thank God For ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 19, 2007

In the Bible we read this: “Let us thank God for his priceless gift” (2 Cor 9:15). Imagine for a moment being invited to a really special birthday party. Perhaps it’s your Head teacher’s birthday, but we won’t ask him how many years he will be celebrating for his next birthday, will we! Or perhaps ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

In My Youth, I Was A Swimmer. I Was A Sprinter. I ...

Contributed by Jay Winters on Dec 30, 2007

In my youth, I was a swimmer. I was a sprinter. I detested the long races and loved the quick spurts of energy that made up the majority of most of my races. My displeasure with long races, however, did not keep one of my coaches from signing me up for the mile race. Like an obedient lamb led to ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran