In Sermon Illustrations: "How To Pray"

A Reality Check On How We Sabotage Ourselves: Do ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

-A reality check on how we sabotage ourselves: Do you at times, long for days gone by where you did certain activities that do now do not do. This is our unredeemed flesh working on a mind that is not renewed by the word of God. We need to immediately cast out these unhelpful distractions, ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

How To Get Kicked Out Of Church On Christmas Eve  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 15, 2008

HOW TO GET KICKED OUT OF CHURCH ON CHRISTMAS EVE Christmas Eve 1990. I came this close to being physically thrown out of church. We were new to town and we heard that a certain church in town had a fantastic Christmas Eve service. So, we went with some friends, about ten of us total, to this ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Christmas Eve, Hymn, Hymnal, Hard To Believe, Way, Choir, New Jersey, Shut Up, Kicked Out, Go Away, Eject, Sing, Quiet, Song, Silent Night, Usher, Funny  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Heard A Comedian Complain: "How Come The Jews ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 16, 2008

I heard a comedian complain: "How come the Jews get to have SEVEN celebrations? As far as I can see the Christians only get to have three: Christmas, ...read more

Tags: Holidays

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Was Reading The Other Day How Some Computers ...

Contributed by Michael Russell on Jan 12, 2009

I was reading the other day how some computers get taken over as slaves. The owner doesn’t know it, but somehow their computer gets used to send lots of email ads, or to try and gain credit card numbers and passwords to steal money. All sorts of evil goes on, your computer is a slave,, and you ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

I Know How It Works. I Built It.

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jan 12, 2009

"I KNOW HOW IT WORKS. I BUILT IT." Years ago, the early part of the last century, a man’s car broke down on the side of the road. He was out working on the car, unsuccessfully trying to get it started, when another man stopped to help. The second gentleman looked at the engine, worked on it for ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Baptist

How Can You Tell When A Church Is Dying?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

FUNNY STORY!!! Calvin Coolidge, our thirtieth president, was an extremely quiet and reserved man with very little personality. When questioned, he rarely answered in more than two or three words—a tendency which earned him the nickname, “Silent Cal.” The public saw him as a stiff and emotionless ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Acts, Death Of A Vision, Church, Revival, Renewal, Church Growth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Do You Recognize An Idol In Your Life?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 13, 2022

Jacob was told to lay down his idols and come back home to Bethel to serve God. Is there an idol in your life that you need to forsake. How do you know if something is an idol in your life? Here are 3 ways we can we identify or recognize the idols in our lives: 1. The feeling of: If I have ...read more

Tags: Revival, Repent, Idolatry, Idols

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Often Do You Preach On The Resurrection Of Christ?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

Peter spent one verse on Jesus' life/incarnation (Acts 2:22) and one verse on His death/crucifixion (Acts 2:23), but now proceeds to spend 9 verses on His resurrection. In fact, the resurrection of Christ could well be called the main theme of the apostolic preaching in Acts. In fact, notice ...read more

Tags: Pentecost, Preaching, Word Of God, Simon Peter, Book Of Acts, Resurrection, Teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Do We Know That Jesus Is The Son Of God?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

As we approach the last of the last days, we see an alarming trend among many pastors to drift away from the basic truths of Scripture. We should not be surprised. Jesus promised this day would come (Matthew 24, II Timothy 3). So, how do we know for sure from Scripture that Jesus is the very ...read more

Tags: Apostasy, Jesus, Truth, Last Days, Heresy, Deity, Son Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Susannah Wesley Defined Sin To Her Son

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

This was how Susannah Wesley defined "sin" to her young son, John Wesley: "If you would judge of the lawfulness or the unlawfulness of pleasure, then take this simple rule: Whatever weakens your reason, Whatever impairs the tenderness of your conscience, Whatever obscures your ...read more

Tags: Disobedience, Homeschoolers, Children, Sin, Mothers, Parenting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Wide And Long And High And Deep Is The Love Of Christ?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 14, 2024

In the last century, Napoleon's armies opened a prison that the Spanish Inquisition had used. They found the remains of a prisoner who had been incarcerated for his faith. The dungeon was underground. The body had long since decayed. Only a chain fastened around an ankle bone cried out his ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19, Romans 8:38-39

Tags: Hope, Suffering, Unconditional Love, Christ's Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How Can I Get My Sneeze Back?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 28, 2024

I've had a lot of health issues during this past year, and now that I seem to be over them, something else has taken their place. I have had a sneezing fit for the past two weeks that I've never experienced before. Every time I sneeze, it is in triplets. I don't know why I have to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Health, Sneezing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Sin Is Sin It Leads To Death No Matter How It Isillustrated.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 25, 2024

We the Church need to be aware of the danger there is from those who prophecy falsely, there is a great push within Christian circles to accept people's immorality in the name of God’s love, and grace. Sin remains sin, those of us who have repented of our sins know the release and joy that ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-41, 2 Corinthians 5:15

Tags: Grace, Acceptance, Salvation, Joy, Power, Redemption, Denial, Punishment, Repentence, Recrucifying Christ, Immorality, Danger, False Teachers, Release, Sanctification, Regeneration  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

How Can We Know That We Are Truly Saved

Contributed by Hylton Davidson on Aug 13, 2025

Having assurance that one is saved is linked to the process called regeneration. Regeneration is not something a person initiates; it is a sovereign act of God. A person is born again when the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life, enabling them to repent and believe in the gospel. This transformation ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Assurance, Saved

Denomination: Christian Church

How God Fulfils His Promises In Our Life?

Contributed by Samuel M on Sep 24, 2025

Every true promise of God passes through the stage of death before its fulfilled. The stage of death- is where we lose all hope, and the fulfilment of the promise looks impossible. The mere thought of the promise becomes burdensome. Sometimes we will forget the fact that we have such a wonderful ...read more

Tags: Faith, Hope

A 30 Part Study Of Prayer Keys During Our ...

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 4, 2011

A 30 part study of prayer keys during our Wednesday night prayer meetings? You may think it will become boringly repetitive. No, No, NOOOO! During this study, we will hear how Mary, Queen of Scots, feared the prayers of John Knox more than the combined armies of Europe. We will hear Jonathan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:5, Luke 11:1

Tags: Prayer, Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

Larry Lea, Who Used To Serve As A Pastor In ...

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 6, 2010

Larry Lea, who used to serve as a pastor in Rockwall, Texas, has a course on the Lord’s Prayer. When he teaches people how to pray this petition -- “Your kingdom come” -- he asks them to draw an imaginary circle around themselves and not to emerge from that circle until all their priorities are in ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Richard Meyer On Reasons For Our Lack Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

Richard Meyer on Reasons for Our Lack of Prayer C. Richard Meyer gave three reasons for our lack of prayer in his chapter on praying for one another, in his book “One Anothering.” 1. First, he said that we don’t pray because we don’t know how to pray. a. And that certainly can be a reason. b. Many ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18-20

Tags: Prayer General

How Do We Repent? I Want To Show You A Great ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jul 4, 2004

How do we repent? I want to show you a great example of repentance from a recent film. Jim Carey, in the film Bruce Almighty, finally comes to the end of himself and surrenders to God in prayer. His prayer is a good model to follow. (Show clip) As Bruce kneels he says to God, “You win. I’m ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist

Graffiti With Meaning!" Matthew 14: 22-24 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 15, 2004

“Graffiti With Meaning!” Matthew 14: 22-24 Key verse(s): 23: “After he had dismissed the, he went up on a mountainside by himself to prayer. When evening came, he was there alone . . .” “Isolation is not all that bad . . . it just depends on who you spend it with.” At first glance this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-24

Tags: Boat, Prayer How To

Denomination: Lutheran