In Sermon Illustrations: "Hard Hearts"

Grass On Your Path

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 21, 2026

Prayer sharpens perception. It tunes the heart so you sense danger before it speaks. John Bunyan once wrote, “Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.” Both can’t thrive in the same heart. Early African believers understood this. Each had a path ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:41

Tags: Prayer, Vigilance

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Satanic Duplications

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 29, 2020

A cartoon when I was a kid showed a group of aliens called Meeks who came to earth and said they only existed to serve others and wanted to give everyone the desires of their heart. The world voted to allow them to do it and everyone only had to ask and it was done. With no work to do humans ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 16:25, 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: Lion, Deception, Satan, Lies

Denomination: Baptist

The Agitator

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

Does anyone know what that piece in the middle of the washer is called? The part in the middle that moves back and forth and shakes the clothes back and forth? What is that called? I’m going to call it an Agitator. What is the purpose of the Agitator? As far as I can tell, its sole purpose is to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sanctification

Song By Paul Overstreet- God Is Good All The Time ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 30, 2007

Song by Paul Overstreet- God is good all the time He put a song of praise In this heart of mine God is good all the time Through the darkest night His ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Shadows Of Evening Lengthen About Me, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heartThe rich spoils of memory are mine. Mine, too, are the precious things of todaybooks, flowers, ...read more

Tags: Learning

Let God Put You On His Wheel And Whirl You As ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Let God put you on His wheel and whirl you as He likes, and as sure as God is God and you are you, you will turn out exactly in accordance with the ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

She Was Not Made From His Head To Top ...

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jul 19, 2009

She was not made from his head to top him, Nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, But out of his side to be equal with him, Under his arm to be ...read more

Tags: Marriage, Weddings

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When The Members Walk With The Fear Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Jan 8, 2001

“When the members walk with the fear of the Lord before their eyes and with the Spirit’s encouraging voice in their hearts, the church will be strong and will also surely multiply.” [R.C.H. Lenski. The Interpretation ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Holy Spirit Attributes, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Baptist

I Heard About A Man Who Visited A Very Formal ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 10, 2001

I heard about a man who visited a very formal church one Sunday. He said that right in the middle of the service a guy had a heart attack & died, but that the ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I. Redford And Virginia Williams, In Their Book ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 17, 2005

i. Redford and Virginia Williams, in their book Anger Kills , adapted the work of Friedman and Rosenman to the problem of anger. In their research, they show how those with a hostile personality are more prone ...read more

Tags: Anger, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Meek Endurance And Meek Obedience, The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Meek endurance and meek obedience, the acceptance of His dealings, of whatever complexion they are, and however they may tear and desolate our hearts, without murmuring, without sulking, without rebellion or resistance, ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

What A Cruel Thing Is War: To Separate And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our ...read more

Tags: War

Our Father In Heavenif We Do Not Have The Grace ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Our Father in heavenif we do not have the grace to thank Thee for all that we have and enjoy, how can we have the effrontery to seek Thy further ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Every Child Is Born With A Great Capacity For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Every child is born with a great capacity for knowledgeThe purpose of the teacher is to draw out, not to cram in. We must create interest in the heart and mind of the child that will ...read more

Tags: Learning

Oswald Chambers Said, "The Surest Sign That God ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Oswald Chambers said, "The surest sign that God has done a work of grace in my heart is that I love Jesus Christ best: not weakly and faintly, not intellectually, but passionately, ...read more

Tags: Grace

And We Have The Word Of The Prophets Made More ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 4, 2008

"And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

Pastor Dave Kinney Said, "From God's Fixed Place ...

Contributed by Dave Kinney on Jul 26, 2008

Pastor Dave Kinney said, "From God's fixed place in heaven He can powerfully fix anything broken in the human heart, and because God still reigns, ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Baptist

But The Choice Of Celibacy Has First And Foremost ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 28, 2009

But the choice of celibacy has first and foremost a nuptial meaning, . . .a profound identification with the heart of Christ, the Bridegroom who gives his life for his Bride. . .Priestly celibacy lived with maturity, joy ...read more

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: Catholic

Nbc Labor Law Violations?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 25, 2002

NBC LABOR LAW VIOLATIONS? NBC’s highly paid morning person, Katie Couric, is reportedly unhappy with her new "Today" show boss, and her job, says New York’s Daily News. Couric says, "I’m tired, the hours are brutal . . . It’s hard to make yourself go to bed at 7:30 or 8 to get up" in time for ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Joy, Money

We Shall All Be Changed  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on Mar 28, 2002

WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED The first Law of Thermodynamics says that no mass or energy is ever destroyed, that it merely changes form. When a piece of wood is burned, it is not gone. Some of it becomes heat; some deteriorates into the ashes. But it is not destroyed - it just changes. When a lake ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist