In Sermon Illustrations: "Hard Heart"

A Timely Testimony

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Feb 23, 2012

A TIMELY TESTIMONY Jim Cymbala tells an amazing story of one Sunday in his church: (Fresh Faith pp. 78-82) During the choir anthem, Pastor Jim was touched by the words of one of the young men who was featured as a soloist during the song. As the song concluded, Pastor Jim was strongly prompted ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

The Unending Wish

Contributed by Tim White on Mar 5, 2012

THE UNENDING WISH When I was a boy, my dad asked me if I could have one wish be granted, what would it be? We played that game as a family, and every time my brother or one of my sisters thought of a better wish than I thought about, I would change my wish. Then my dad unplugged all the fun by ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Baptist

Make It Your Aim Not To Sin

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 24, 2012

MAKE IT YOUR AIM NOT TO SIN The whole purpose of John's letter, he says, is that we not sin. One day as I was studying this chapter I realized that my personal life's objective regarding holiness was less than that of John's. He was saying, in effect, "Make it your aim not to sin." As I thought ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Baptist

How To Eat A Cessna Airplane

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2012

HOW TO EAT A CESSNA AIRPLANE Michel Lotito was an extraordinary man. This elegant Frenchman had a love for food and a fondness for eating unusual objects like bicycles, shopping carts and televisions. His odd appetite earned him the nickname Monsieur Mangetout (Mr Eat Everything). I first heard ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Character

God, Please Save My Son

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2012

"GOD, PLEASE SAVE MY SON." Imagine what went through Moses’ mother’s heart when she turned her just weaned child over to Pharaoh’s daughter. Pharaoh’s daughter was a stranger, a foreigner, living in an anti-Semitic home, whose father was pursuing genocide, trying to wipe out the Hebrew race. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Tags: Prayer Answered

Henri Dunant, Founder Of The Red Cross  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2012

HENRI DUNANT, FOUNDER OF THE RED CROSS Henri Dunant was a wealthy 19th century Swiss banker when the Swiss government sent him to Paris to work on a business deal with Napoleon. When he got to Paris, they told him that Napoleon was off fighting a war against the Austrians in Solferino, Italy. So ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-14

Tags: Compassion

Praying The Armor Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2019

PRAYING THE ARMOR OF GOD This is a prayer I shared with our congregation after teaching a series on Spiritual Warfare based upon an exposition of Ephesians 6:10-18. "Good morning, Lord. It’s going to be a great day because I am preparing to win spiritual battles for Your glory and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Corrie Ten Boom Had To Forgive

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 30, 2020

Corrie Ten Boom's example of forgiveness (from The Hiding Place) in which she describes an unexpected encounter with one of the Nazi guards who had mistreated her at Ravensbruck concentration camp, where her sister had Betsie died and she herself had been subjected to horrible indignities. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Mercy, Forgiveness, Beatitudes, Holocaust

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Mother Is A Real Diva

Contributed by Wayne Solomon on May 8, 2021

Your mother is a real Diva. In the kitchen she is no Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemima But she is your mother And she’s a real Diva. Just remember Rachel Ray still can't make chitlins. And Emeril can't make collard greens. But your mother can, she's a real Diva. She can take you to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-3, Proverbs 31:25

Tags: Mothers Are Amazing, Mothers Are A Blessing

Denomination: Church Of God

Guidelines For Praying Succesfully

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 31, 2021

GUIDELINES FOR PRAYING SUCCESSFULLY Devotional by Larry Petton Text: John chapter 15 Our devotional time with the Lord must be a balanced blend of the Word and prayer, truth and Spirit touching the head and heart. If you only focus on Bible study, you will dry up. If you only focus on prayer ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7

Tags: Prayer, Will Of God, Seeking God, Answers To Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Graduate's Call

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Graduate's Call (Powerful thirst and hunger for the Word of God) The first step to walking on the path to Biblical success is to find God's plan for you through a powerful thirst and hunger for the Word of God. The New American Standard Bible holds this truth for the Christian graduate, "And ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Graduate's Call

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Graduate's Call (Are Only Stewards) A disciplined feeding on the Word of God and surrendering to the Lord in prayer leads to an understanding that mankind are only stewards to what God has given them. A man does not become a steward after he has been saved, nor after he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:2

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ever-Flowing Stream Of Grace

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Ever-flowing Stream Of Grace Isaiah 40:28-31 says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:28-31, Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Walking In The Confidence Of God  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Walking in the Confidence of God Christians walk in confidence because they serve a "Providential God:" Christians serve a Lord whose plans and purposes come about. Psalms 33:4-11 says, "For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The LORD loves righteousness ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:4-11

Tags: Confidence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Go Home, Daddy

Contributed by Chris Surber on Dec 22, 2008

"I Go Home, Daddy." Christ offers the lasting hope and promise of a new and lasting home. My three-year-old son Sebastian is a wonderful little boy. My children’s antics and lives provide me with a wealth of sermon illustrations and stories. Not long ago, Sebastian had to go through some ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Christian Church

Science Proves Creationism

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jan 12, 2009

SCIENCE PROVES CREATIONISM Allen Rex Sandage, the greatest observational cosmologist in the world--who has deciphered the secrets of the stars, plumbed the mysteries of quasars, revealed the age of globular clusters, pinpointed the distances of remote galaxies, and quantified the universe’s ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Baptist

Giving

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Apr 17, 2022

Henry Parsons Crowell contracted tuberculosis when a boy and could not go to school. His Father and brother died of tuberculosis, and he should have died of it too. He made a contract with God. If he were spared he would use his abilities to amass large sums of money for evangelism. For the next 50 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Tags: Giving, Purpose Of Giving, Cheerful Giver

Denomination: Baptist

How God Changed Ireland Through A Dream

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 3, 2022

One incident helped change Western civilization—Paul’s vision of a man from northern Greece led him to take the gospel westward into Europe instead of eastward into Asia—with far-reaching results. Nearly 400 years later, a remarkably similar dream changed all of Irish history. Patrick, a ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Missions, Trinity, Dreams, Will Of God, Church Planting, Saint Patrick, Sovereignty Of God, Ireland  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grief

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 17, 2022

On Death and Loss… He was 50 years old. The cancer was aggressive and relentless. The pain was unmanageable and agonizing. In two months he was gone. I didn't have the opportunity to say good-bye and if I did, what would I say? Could I get the words out? Our last communication, me in Port ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25, Psalm 90:1-12, 2 Corinthians 1:1-7

Tags: Death, Grief, Sickness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Marks Of A Christian

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

Galatians 2:1-10 THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN BY THEODORE EPP Four marks of a Christian are set forth in Galatians 2:20: First, a Christian is one who has the living Christ living in him. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Christ, Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Discipleship, Christian Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational