In Sermon Illustrations: "Isaiah 58 1 9a 9b 12"

Rock Soup

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 31, 2020

CONCLUSION: DO YOU EVER FEEL SO ALONE AND EMPTY? We often say the words “I CAN’T.” Maybe the real truth is “I WON’T.” I read a story about a poor little village and the village was so poor and because there was a terrible drought. There was a very old man in the village. He was old and feeble. He ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:3-4, Amos 3:3

Tags: Victory, Encouragement, Share

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Crisis Of Covid-19

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 4, 2020

The 20th century... What if you were born in 1900 - my grandparents for example were born in 1904 in Newfoundland. At age 14 , World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. Later in 1918, the Spanish Flu epidemic kills 50 million people in those two ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6, Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Hope, Second Coming, Perspective, Crisis

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God With Us - Immanuel (Charles Spurgeon)

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 5, 2021

(Charles Spurgeon December 24, 1854) Do you know the full meaning of that name Immanuel, “God with us”? No, he who knows it best knows little of it. Alas, he who knows it not at all is ignorant indeed, so ignorant that his ignorance is not bliss, but will be his damnation. Oh! may God teach you the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:10-15

Tags: Heaven's Hallelujah, Sufferer's Comfort, Christmas, Immanuel, God With Us, Charles Spurgeon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Divine Laws Sow-Reap, The King

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 14, 2022

THERE ARE SOME DIVINE LAWS: Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. This mighty king invites all the young men from his kingdom to gather at the gate of the castle. The King has a challenge to all that would like to be the next ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7, Isaiah 40:29-30

Tags: Work, Honesty

Denomination: Assembly Of God

"i Found Jesus There."

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 24, 2022

I heard a story about a little boy that was to have heart surgery. The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed and his parents sat across from him. The surgeon said to the little boy, "Tomorrow morning, I'll open up your heart." The little boy interrupted the surgeon and said; ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:40-56, Isaiah 43:1-2

Tags: Faith, Death, Jesus, Children, Heaven, Salvation, Crisis, Surgery  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Obedience And Acceptance

Contributed by Shawn Buser on Jan 19, 2024

"You aren't accepted because you obey, you obey because you are ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Faith, Love, Acceptance, Obedience, Works  (view more)  (view less)

Why Palm Sunday Is Important

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 26, 2024

In 1997 I traveled to Pittsburgh to attend a Promise Keepers Meeting at Three Rivers Stadium. Men from the Ashland Area Churches rented a bus and traveled there together. Promise Keepers was created to issue a calling to men to live up to their biblical responsibilities to be good Husbands, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11, Isaiah 50:5-7

Tags: Faith, Palm Sunday

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Watch?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 18, 2024

I read the story of a young boy that lived on a farm in the mountains. The grandparents, parents, his brothers and sisters lived in the old farm house. Every time the young boy got a chance he told anyone that would listen: HE WANTED A WATCH. His grandfather had a pocket watch, so did his dad. The ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:37, Isaiah 21:11

Tags: Watch, Ready

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Word Of Encouragement For Discouraged Pastors

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A great evangelist, Dr. Chapman, has often told an amazing story about himself. He had been in business and became minister of a great church in Philadelphia. One Monday he was more than usually dispirited. (Mondays are hard on pastors!). The Sunday had been a poor one, and he felt, as ministers ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Faith, Ministry, Hope, Encouragement, Anointing, Discouragement, Pastors, Calling, Quitting, Resigning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fullness Of Time

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” Part of the “fullness of time” is that Jesus would be condemned to die, and it would include being bruised and bleeding. It would include a whipping so we can know “by His ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6, Galatians 4:4

Tags: Bleeding, Fullness Of Time, Stripes, Healed

Denomination: Methodist

Repent For Better Health

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Since this is the season of Lent, it’s a good time to repent of the unhealthy habits we have developed over the years. That means we tell God: “You’re right, and I’m wrong.” That’s the beginning of repentance. Then we need to make a plan. There’s an old saying: Those who fail to plan, plan to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6, Acts 3:19

Tags: Diet, Food, Repent, Health, Sleep, Exercise, Bible Reading  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Modern Day Idols

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

Iniquities are on the inside. They are driving forces that manifest as sins and transgressions. In the Old Testament, idolatry was connected to the gods of those folks around Israel. Those gods had names like Baal and Asherah. These gods were worshiped by temple prostitutes and through the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:9-20, Jeremiah 10:1-16

Tags: Football, Idols, Ji Packer

Denomination: Methodist

Understanding Isn’t Faith

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 16, 2025

The universe is vast. God is infinitely wise. We will never master every “why.” Years ago, I told a friend how much the problem of evil troubled me. “I want to understand how God could permit it.” He listened, then asked—bluntly—“Why do you think you’ll solve what the greatest minds haven’t? Who ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 55:8-9

Tags: Trust, Mystery

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

When The Heart Says Yes

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 12, 2025

I have often thought that the most beautiful sound in a service is not the organ, not the choir, not even the preacher’s voice, but the sigh of a surrendered heart—the moment when a man or woman stops ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Surrender, Yielding

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Pierced By The Word Of God - The Hell Fire Club

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

When God wills it, ... his word can pierce anyone. As a certain Mr. Thorpe in 18th century Bristol ... found out. Thorpe was a part of a band of men who called themselves, ... the "Hell Fire Club." Their reason for existence ... was to mock and ridicule the work of the famed ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Isaiah 55:11

Tags: Pierce, Word, Scripture, Sword

Denomination: Anglican

Rose?

Contributed by David Dunn on Dec 10, 2025

John had always been famously forgetful. Everyone knew it—birthdays, appointments, even his own anniversary once. So when he ran into his friend Bill at the grocery store, he could hardly wait to share the news. “Bill!” he said, grinning. “You’re not going to believe this. My memory problem? I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:14, Isaiah 49:15-16

Tags: Identity, Memory

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Light Is Powerful (And Sometimes Annoying)

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 20, 2026

I had a teacher in high school who used to do an experiment with a light bulb. He had a static electricity machine and when you put a light bulb near the source of static electricity, the bulb would burn. The only problem was that he was also holding on to the electrical cord attached to the light ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16, Isaiah 49:6

Tags: All Nations, Mission, Sent, Evangelism, Light  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Don’t Hide The Light: The Blackberry Pocket Parable

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 20, 2026

When I first got my Blackberry (throwback, anyone?), it had an annoying habit of opening up to the camera and taking literally hundreds of pictures of the inside of my pocket with the flash going. The camera was not intended to take pictures of lint covered peppermints or the amount of change I’ve ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16, Isaiah 49:6

Tags: Evangelism, Light, Light To The Nations, Hiding The Light

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Word Is Alive - Let It Flow Through You Even Once

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 28, 2026

A man told his pastor that he received no inspiration ... from reading trough the Bible. His response speaks volumes: "Let it flow through you once," replied the elderly pastor ... "Then you will tell a different story!" Beloved ... it is so alive that you must not look to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-16, Isaiah 55:11

Tags: Alive, Word, Scriptures

Denomination: Anglican

The Ring In Witness Protection

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Have you ever had one of those moments where, as the words are leaving your mouth, you know you're making a terrible mistake? I had one of those back in 2014. I had just started my first real job at an advertising agency, and I was so excited that I went straight from work and bought an ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:2-3, Isaiah 40:3

Tags: God's Timing, Waiting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational