In Sermon Illustrations: "Happiness"

Rust Frets Even Men Of Iron!" Judges 15: 11-20 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 22, 2004

“Rust Frets Even Men of Iron!” Judges 15: 11-20 Key verse(s): 18 “Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, ‘You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?’” Though writing more than a hundred years ago, ...read more

Scripture: Judges 15:11-20

Tags: Disappointment, Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

God Is My Corner

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Feb 13, 2008

From George Foremans book -God is my corner “Ultimately your belief in God will meet resistance, which forces you to either shut up or speak up.” After giving his testimony at Robert Schuller’s church, the Crystal Cathedral, he panicked when he discovered it would be broadcast nationwide. ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Why Does God Allow Hardship?  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW HARDSHIP? We live in a mixed-up, messed-up world. Sometimes terrible things happen that don't make any sense at all, and we wonder why? Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the best known singer-songwriters of contemporary Christian music. Over the last 15 or 20 years his songs have ...read more

Tags: Difficulties, Trial, Hardship Of Life, Father, Family, Hardship, Missions, Fatherhood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

M ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2008

Materialism Matthew Sleeth is a medical doctor who wrote a provocative book called "Serve God Save the Planet." Dr. Sleeth was a former emergency room doctor and chief of medical staff at a prominent hospital in the northeast. He writes about a colleague named Todd. I think Todd represents the ...read more

Tags: Materialism

The Vessel God ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE VESSEL GOD USES The Master was searching for a vessel to use; on the shelf there were many--which one would He choose? "Take me", cried the gold one, "I’m shiny and bright, I’m of great value and I do things just right. My beauty and luster will outshine the rest And for someone like ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Tags: Servanthood

This Baby Is For You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

THIS BABY IS FOR YOU Pastor and author Richard Foster writes about genuine, joyous giving. "Giving with a glad and generous heart has a way of rooting out the tough old miser within us. Just the very act of letting go of money or some other treasure does something great within us."1 Such genuine, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Servanthood And Spiritual Growth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

SERVANTHOOD AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH I surveyed my church to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth. When asked, "To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?," 92 percent answered positively. None responded that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Servanthood

The Brother's Song

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Apr 13, 2012

THE BROTHER'S SONG Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for his sister. Day after day and night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Christian Church

I Worry Too Much

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 31, 2012

"I WORRY TOO MUCH" I was perusing the Internet this week and found ExperienceProject.com that has an entire section of the website called "I worry too much." Worry must be one of those universal emotions and conditions that all of us deal with. These are some of the comments left by ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:22-34, Philippians 4:6-8

Tags: Worry, Ready

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In His Book, "Leadership Pain: God’s Classroo...

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

In his book, “Leadership Pain: God’s Classroom for Growth,” Sam Chand writes, “Pain isn’t the enemy. The inability or unwillingness to face pain is a far greater danger.” He then tells the story of Dr. Paul Brand who was treating a four year old named Tanya at the national leprosy hospital in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Tags: Pain, Thankful For Pain

Denomination: Methodist

At What Age Should A Pastor Retire?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 3, 2020

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A PASTOR RETIRE? TEN DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS There are a lot of Baby Boomer pastors and Christian leaders around. And it’s cliché, but they aren’t getting any younger. It’s a quiet question that many are asking, but they are asking it nonetheless: What age should I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Retirement, Aging, Pastors, Missionaries, Paul And Timothy, Baby Boomers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Spite Fences: Isolation

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 4, 2021

THE ISOLATION OF SPITE FENCES… Years ago I build a very close relationship with a pastor in our community. We often visited and had sweet communion together. We would exchange ideas and notes with each other. Our friendship grew. This man pastored a larger church than I did. His church was in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:18, Proverbs 18:24

Tags: Isolation, Seperation

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Emptiness Of Earthly Pursuits And The Fulfillment Of Divine Love

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

Justin Bieber: In various interviews and social media posts, Bieber has spoken candidly about his struggles with fame, substance abuse, and finding purpose. He has credited his renewed Christian faith for helping him find a sense of meaning and stability that he couldn't find in his earlier ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Tags: Materialism, Fame, Emptiness, Void, Spiritual Transformation, Purpose, Meaning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

167]. A Message From A Poem – Lazarus Is Dead – But Alive

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[167]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LAZARUS IS DEAD – BUT ALIVE Here we have a short poem based on the story in John 11 that happened at Bethany. I don’t think there is anything profound in the poem. It is a factual account of the raising of Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha. {{John 11:43-44 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, John 11:43-44

Tags: Death, Resurrection, Lazarus, Lazarus Come Forth, Resurrection Of The Body, Christian Poems, Jesus Raises The Dead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Parachute Failed On Christian At 3500 Feet

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 24, 2025

Parachute failed on Christian at 3500 feet Psalm 144:15 - Happy is that people, whose God is the LORD!" *Daniel Cave certainly proved this to be true. In 2005, Daniel was on his very first skydiving jump in Washington State. On the way down, his parachute failed to open. Daniel didn’t fall ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 144:15

Tags: High Tower, The Lord Our Rock, Righteous War, Praise The Lord, Mortality, Traitors, Deceivers, The Lord Of Hosts, Floods, Joy, Fortress, God's Help, Deliverer, King David, Brevity, Shield, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Grateful Allen, An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2009

Grateful Allen, An Outsider We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37

Tags: Parable Good Samaritan

If I Were The Devil  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Lucas on Jun 13, 2001

If I Were the Devil If I were the prince of darkness, I’d want to engulf the world in darkness, and I’d have a third of its real estate, and I’d have four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. THEE. So I’d set about however necessary to ...read more

Tags: Devil, Sin, Satan, Sin Exposed, Sin Fall Of Man  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Few Years Ago Paul Harvey Wrote In ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 14, 2001

ILL. A few years ago Paul Harvey wrote in Guidepost Magazine about his own baptism. He said that even though he had received almost every reward for his broadcasting powers & ability that he still felt empty inside. Well, one summer he & his wife were vacationing in a place called Cave Creek, ...read more

Tags: Government, Baptism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I'm Going To Be Quoting From The Book Messy ...  PRO

Contributed by Nathan Garcia on Mar 8, 2005

I’m going to be quoting from the book Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli. “In a book by New Zealand author Mike Riddell, Vincent has met and fallen in love with a young girl named Marilyn. Neither one of them is seeking a relationship, but a relationship is seeking them. Swept up by their ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Adventist

A Number Of Years Ago A Woman Living In A Nursing ...

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 3, 2005

A number of years ago a woman living in a nursing home in Scotland wrote the following little piece that wasn’t found until after her death. However, it demonstrated the reality that life flies by even if you live to a ripe old age. I think you will be touched as I was. It’s entitled, "Crabby Old ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness

Denomination: Baptist