In Sermon Illustrations: "Hearing From God"

When God Opened An Unexpected Door For Cliff Barrows

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 10, 2024

Dr. James Dobson wrote a book entitled When God Doesn’t Make Sense, and, in his book, he shared an illustration that is very applicable to the point being drawn from this particular verse. Take a moment and reflect upon the following story: In 1945, a young associate pastor named Cliff married his ...read more

Tags: Will Of God, Call To Ministry, Open Doors, Sovereignty Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Ingenious Teenager, Tired Of Reading Bedtime ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister, decided to record several of her favorite stories on tape. He told her, "Now you can hear your stories anytime you want. Isn’t that great?" She looked at the machine for a moment and then replied, "No. It hasn’t got a ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, God's Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When A Believer Considers How Much God Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 30, 2004

When a believer considers how much God has forgiven him, he is able to extend pardon to others no matter what they have done. A Christian husband found this to be true when his wife, who had become an alcoholic, told him of an affair she had had with his best friend 10 years earlier. She said she ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:23-33, 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Trust

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Has A Very Specific Purpose, Calling, Mantle ...  PRO

Contributed by Emilia Florio on Feb 15, 2008

God has a very specific purpose, calling, mantle for you. Maybe you’re finding yourself right now in a place, spiritually or physically, where you don’t quite belong. Where you are struggling and gasping for breath, like a fish floundering around on the shore. Take that fish and put it in the ...read more

Tags: Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[032] A Message From A Poem – Before The Lord We Are His

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 21, 2025

[032] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEFORE THE LORD WE ARE HIS To start with I want to say that all my poems are copyright in the sense that I own them and don’t want them altered without permission. All my poems God gave and therefore can be used in your ministry or for your enjoyment. I wish the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:16, Philippians 3:20, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Tags: Savior, King, Poetry, New Bodies, The Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[158]. A Message From A Poem – Gathered At The Great White Throne

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[158]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GATHERED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE This poem was written in conjunction with a series of articles I was doing on the Great White Throne and the Judgement Seat of Christ found on SermonCentral. We ought not be flippant about the judgements to come for both are very ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:11

Tags: Judgment, Great White Throne, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Be Saved Now, Christian Poems, Judged According To Deeds, All Will Be Judged  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[112]. A Message From A Poem – Has Warmth Of Nearness Changed To Coolness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[112]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAS WARMTH OF NEARNESS CHANGED TO COOLNESS? INTRODUCING THE POEM: Our walk with the Lord is not always one on a smooth, sinless road. There is joy; there are times of peace, times of praise, times of contentment, but there are also times of hardship, times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-4, Psalm 42:5-8, Psalm 42:9-11

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Waning, Failure, Forgotten, Despair, Cold, Backsliding, Cast Down, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Do We Usually Want To Know God's Will? When ...

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Jul 29, 2008

When do we usually want to know God's will? When we've run out of answers. Thank God for the times the answers run out and we must look to him! Tony Dungy is the coach of the Indianapolis Colts who won the Super Bowl last season. He is a devout Christian and has written a book, not about ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Wesleyan

Folks In The Arkansas Hills Have A Tradition Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Folks in the Arkansas hills have a tradition of strong family ties, which has sometimes led to unfortunate results. Like the time that Jeb Hollings stole a mule from the McCrary place. When the McCrary boys went to recover the mule, one of the Hollings clan shot Frank McCrary for trespassing. ...read more

Tags: Will Of God, God's Omnipotence

Groans From Within! (06.09.05--Family--Prov. ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 7, 2005

Groans From Within! (06.09.05--Family--Prov. 11:29) I turned the engine over but oh the groans from within! My old leaf vacuum hadn’t been run in about a year and it was time to put it back into service redeeming the lawn and pathways of the carpet of the beech leaves blown down in a recent storm. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 11:29

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Lutheran

[033] A Message From A Poem – Belshazzar’s Time Had Ended

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 21, 2025

[033] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BELSHAZZAR’S TIME HAD ENDED The purpose of this poem is to retell the story from Daniel in poem form. There is not much to say about it for it follows the biblical narrative, but it is the last stanza that is important in defining biblical principles. God’s word ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Daniel 5:24-30

Tags: Wrath, Daniel, Judgment, Babylon, Belshazzar, Found Wanting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Do We Know God Is Here With Us?  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 15, 2005

*Christmas is a time when God came near. And God comes near today. *Joe McKeever told the story of a little girl named Rachel. Like many preschoolers, Rachel had a problem waking up in the middle of the night, scared and crying. The only thing that would sooth her fears was crawling into bed with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Emmanuel, Nearness Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Since Jesus Is God And Has Been Since Before ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Jan 20, 2007

Since Jesus is God and has been since before creation, he is responsible for whatever is created. As John says in verse 3, “All things came into being through him…” That means that Jesus is the creator, and that everything else is a creation. As difficult as it is to believe that the universe was ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

[201]. A Message From A Poem – Peace In Life’s Storms

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 16, 2025

[201]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PEACE IN LIFE’S STORMS We may say things and write things, then one day God may put us to the test. Just as I am writing an introduction for this poem – just today in 2025, a problem has arisen for one of my family, and caused by satanic workings of a certain ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Luke 8:22-25

Tags: Faith, Fear, Afraid, Peace, Trust, Disciples, Trials, Jesus Calms The Sea, Storm On The Sea, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

O God, Don't Let That Be All There Is?" John 1: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 22, 2004

“O God, Don’t Let That Be All There Is?” John 1: 14-18 Key verse(s): 14-18: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The recent news story of the pregnant Missouri woman who was ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:1-14, John 1:14-18

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Lutheran

God's Plan For Pain!" Matthew 16:21-28 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 6, 2005

“God’s Plan for Pain!” Matthew 16:21-28 Key verse(s): 25:“‘For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.’” “And whatever you do, make sure you don’t hurt yourself!” The tractor tire was heavy; definitely a two man job. Perched on the back of his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

[138]. A Message From A Poem – If You Live In Sin You Will Never Win

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 19, 2025

[138]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF YOU LIVE IN SIN YOU WILL NEVER WIN There is nothing truer than the title of this poem. Those who live in sin and claim it as their own will never win in the end. Asaph who wrote Psalm 73 had a problem when he observed people. The godless were always ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:2-5, Psalm 73:9, Psalm 73:13-14, Psalm 73:16-17, Psalm 73:27-28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sin, Obedience, Judgment, Accountability, Asaph, Sinners, Live In Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Years Ago, I Cut Out A Little Story From Reader's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

Years ago, I cut out a little story from Reader's Digest that speaks volumes about a personal relationship with God: John Dulmage said during Sunday mass at the church where his mother attends, the priest told of a conversation he had had with a young parishioner. When the priest asked the little ...read more

Tags: Faith

[233]. A Message From A Poem - Remember Me Until I Come

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 21, 2025

[233]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REMEMBER ME UNTIL I COME This poem was written as a Communion meditation with the view of being a Communion hymn. It uses a Metre 12 in the four lines. I adapted this for another poem based on this one using a Metre 10 that can be sung to various tunes. At the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Tags: Passover, Cup, Remember Me, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Until I Come, Communion, Bread, Remember  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[321]. A Message From A Poem - Uniquely First In Many Ways - Cain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 25, 2026

[321]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - UNIQUELY FIRST IN MANY WAYS - CAIN Cain is never considered in a good light. He is mentioned three times in the New Testament and this is one of them – {{1 John 3:12 “not as Cain who was of the evil one and slew his brother, and for what reason did he slay him? ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-7, Jude 1:11, 1 John 3:12

Tags: Sacrifice, Unique, Rejection, Cain, Abel, Disobedience, Murderer, The Way Of Cain, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational