In Sermon Illustrations: "Guarding Your Heart"

The Ten-Dollar Cure For Fear  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 11, 2012

THE TEN-DOLLAR CURE FOR FEAR Stanley went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," he said, "I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under ... you gotta help me, I'm going crazy!" "Just put ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Inspiration: Ten Feet At A Time

Contributed by Dave Clark on Dec 11, 2012

INSPIRATION: TEN FEET AT A TIME Being a provoker doesn’t mean you have to be a perfect person, it just means you have to be a person doing your best in the situations where you find yourself. Several years ago after a devastating California earthquake, the news camera panned a devastated ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

Looking For Something You Can't Find  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 21, 2013

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING YOU CAN'T FIND I heard about a man who was drafted into the army. While in the army he developed a very strange habit. As he walked along each day he kept picking up pieces of paper, saying to himself aloud, "That's not it!" He would pick up one piece of paper after ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Position Versus Discipleship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

POSITION VERSUS DISCIPLESHIP C. Gene Wilkes, in his book Jesus on Leadership, says, "Confusion arises when you equate higher 'positions' with leadership . . . As long as 'position' is honored above discipleship -- being a follower -- church leaders will honor the ambitious over the obedient." We ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Forced To Kill  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 1, 2013

FORCED TO KILL Around the time of the Korean War, Kim Joon-gon had seen 2,000 out of 20,000 people on Chunnam Island murdered by the Communists. They dragged he and his family outside their village where Kim’s father and wife were beaten to death and Kim was left for dead. When he revived and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:17-21, Matthew 5:7

Tags: Revenge, Vengeance, Mercy, Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Creative Partnership

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2015

During the summer of 1904 an unlikely partnership was formed at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. The summer was unusually hot and people were searching the fair for something to help cool them off… A vendor named Arnold had just what they were looking for… ice cream. People lined up for what seemed ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13

Tags: Intercession, Amalek, Partnership, Moses And Aaron

Faith

Contributed by Darryl Womack on Dec 17, 2015

In the movie called the Matrix there is one of the best encouragements to share our Faith with others that I have ever seen. The Spiritual leader of that rag tag bunch goes by the name of Morpheus and the young deliverer who he believes is the promised one goes by the name of Neo. Needless to say ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:5

Tags: Evangelism, Faith, Matrix

Denomination: Baptist

How To Finish A Great Book

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

There are a lot of books that are great and unread. You know, those books that everyone says are great: “it’s a classic,” “one of the best books of all-time,” “a masterpiece.” But almost no one reads them. Jordan Ellenberg, a University of Wisconsin professor, used Amazon’s Kindle to do an ...read more

Tags: Perseverance, Bible, Scripture

Denomination: Baptist

"Example Of Ministry Team Work

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Aug 25, 2018

It is a story about the friends of Herman Ostry, who lived near Bruno, Nebraska, and what did for him. From what I was told, a number of years ago Herman purchased a piece of property and put up a barn. Thins went well until the nearby creek flooded and put the floor of Herman’s new barn under 29 ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9, Romans 16:1-2

Tags: Serve One Another, Team Work

Denomination: Lutheran

Deliverance

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 14, 2019

DELIVERANCE Use your imagination this morning, we are in a small boat with JESUS. We have set sail from Galilee and are heading across the Sea of Galilee to the other shore. We are unsure where Jesus is leading us, but we trust Him and know he has a reason. We are approaching the other shore ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:26-33

Tags: Deliverance, Possession

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hiring A Dog

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A sign was hung in an office window. It read: Help wanted. Must type 70 words a minute. Must be computer literate. Must be bilingual. An equal opportunity employer. A dog was ambling down the street and saw the sign. He looked at it for a moment, pulled it down with his mouth, and walked into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:26

Tags: Service, Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

He's My Father!!!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 12, 2022

There is an old Roman story which tells how a Roman emperor was once enjoying a great victory. He had the privilege of marching his troops through the streets of Rome with all of his captured trophies, and his prisoners behind him. This emperor was marching with his troops; the streets were lined ...read more

Tags: Lord's Prayer, Heavenly Father, Father, Children, Worship, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Conference With The Devil

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 15, 2022

A fictitious story has been told of a conference between Lucifer and his demons. It seems as though Satan was upset because he had not deceived enough souls and so he called for a conference with his head demons. "What are we going to do! We are not claiming enough souls for the Kingdom of ...read more

Tags: Today, Time, Evangelism, Satan, Parable, Demons, Excuses, Invitation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church: A Place Where Nations And Cultures Are Brought Together.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 28, 2023

Edgington Young, the first missionary to the native community of Saskatchewan had gone there with the message of the love of God the Father, and they received it like a new revelation. When he told his message an old chief said, “When you spoke of the great Spirit just now, did I hear you say, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 5:18, John 10:14-16, Matthew 16:13-21

Tags: Adoption, Good Shepherd, All People, Mission, Racial Barriers, Evangelism, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Redemption - Doctor Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

This story is reported as true ... though true or a parable ... it speaks to the importance ... of the One ... of one who can save. It was almost 1:00 in the morning... when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, ...a highly acclaimed surgeon... was abruptly awakened ...from his nights sleep. There ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 1:7, John 8:36, Matthew 26:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sin, Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Lamb, Redeemed  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Behold, I Cometh!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 21, 2023

Once a pastor was frustrated because his church seemed dead and unenthusiastic. He attended a pastor’s conference for encouragement. The keynote speaker suggests sitting down quietly and creating suspense. Speak on the second coming of Christ. Then stand to the pulpit and raise your hand and shout ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Tags: Preacher Joke, Fellowship, Meeting, Humor, Enthusiasm  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Two Men And A Truck

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 3, 2023

I reworked this old joke and used two of my men. Always ask the permission of those you intend to us, since we know some are thin-skinned. I hope it will put a smile on your lips. HUMOR: Two Men and a Truck Ottis and Carolyn just got settled in his new house this past year. Ottis wanted to do a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Tags: Humor, Labor Day, Laughter, Projects

Denomination: Baptist

Please Be My Guest

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 29, 2024

My son and I visited Honduras several years ago, just before the pandemic. Compassion Canada workers escorted us to the home of a family that was receiving some of the funds we had raised for our sponsored children. The idea was to see how those gifts had been able to change dramatically the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:7, Matthew 25:38, Romans 12:13, 1 Corinthians 10:27

Tags: Guest, Hospitality, Receiving

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Reason To Give Thanks

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Nov 24, 2024

Do you remember Erma Bombeck, the homemaker who spun humorous anecdotes about suburban family life into a column syndicated to about 700 newspapers, television commentary, speeches across the country and books with titles such as “The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank,” “Just Wait Till ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thankfulness, Assurance, Erma Bombeck

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Simple Solutions

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

Not all problems are difficult to solve.. Morris went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," he said, "I've got real trouble. Every time I get into bed, I get his weird feeling that there's somebody under it. I look under the bed, to check it out, but then I think there's somebody on ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-13

Tags: Simple, Complex, Obvious, Sense, Solutions, Over Thinking, Complicating The Simple, Clear Thinking  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible