In Sermon Illustrations: "James On Doing"

Right Prayer For The Wrong Reason  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 18, 2011

RIGHT PRAYER FOR THE WRONG REASON I began teaching during the Wednesday night prayer meetings seven months ago. Suppose I prayed every day for all those months for God to make us into a praying church. Suppose I prayed morning, noon, and night for God to make us a praying church. Suppose I prayed ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-3

Tags: Prayer, Selfishness, Prayer How To, Motives

Denomination: Baptist

Let Me Hear You Play That Harmonica!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

Why do we need to pay attention to what is being said if it is the same old thing that we have heard before? Maybe we need practice in what we are hearing. A young American engineer named Billy was sent to Ireland by his company to work in a new electronics plant. It was a two-year assignment ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Hearing God, Listening, Hearers And Doers, Pay Attention, Paying Attention, Tests Of Faith, Tests Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Burmese Parable About A Banyan Tree ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2010

Burmese Parable About a Banyan Tree Seed Don’t pitch your tents near sin or soon you will be living in it. I have heard stories of people who have been hooked by a variety of addictions. They almost always start by just an ‘innocent’ act that did not seem like much at the time. Gamblers who started ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive

There's A Familiar Story About The New Bride Who ...

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jan 11, 2014

There's a familiar story about the new bride who is cooking a big family dinner. As the ladies are gathered in the kitchen, the bride puts the roast in the pan and asks her mother why we always cut the end of the roast and put it in another pan? They ask grandma who says, "well honey, I cut the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-2

Tags: Newlywed, Tradition, Ritual, Misunderstandings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dave Dravecky On The Impact Of Suffering On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Dave Dravecky on the Impact of Suffering on Faith Again, it’s a reminder that following Christ is risky and that suffering will come. Jesus makes it very clear: there is no avoiding the cross. Peter couldn’t avoid it, and neither can we. Dave Dravecky was a professional baseball pitcher who lost ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Enduring Trials, Trials And Difficulties

The Weak Will Become Strong  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

THE WEAK WILL BECOME STRONG The story is told of a ten-year-old boy who decided to study judo. The problem was he had been in a car accident and had lost his left arm. So he started the lessons and was doing well but he couldn’t understand why after 3 months of lessons that his coach had only ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-5

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

You Can't Come In...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

"YOU CAN'T COME IN..." There was once a town drunk who gave his heart to Jesus Christ. He immediately stopped drinking and began to look for a church and had purposed in his heart that he would attend the first church he found. Determined to turn his life around he found a church and went in. He ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Tags: Hypocrisy

If ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

IF ONLY There was a great Scotch writer and historian in the nineteenth century named Thomas Carlyle. He married a woman, who’d worked as his secretary named Jane Welsh. But Carlyle was dedicated to his writing so he didn’t spend much time with her. He just mostly wrote. At one point she became ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: Death, Remorse, Parable Ten Virgins, Regret

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

That’s Why Doctors Call Us Patients

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 17, 2021

For the past month I have been engaging with my eye doctor. I've had two cataracts removed which isn't a serious thing in itself. But what goes into this surgery is what baffles me. I've often wondered why doctors call us patients. I have figured out that the doctors are not patient, ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7

Tags: Surgery, Relationship

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Head-Up And Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2005

Head-Up and Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian Soldiers!--James4:7) When you are afraid to take an action, it’s the first step that’s the hardest one to take. Our little dachshund Webley is a living example of that. Webley has always been afraid of stairs. It doesn’t matter if he is going up or coming ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Bridle The Tongue

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 6, 2025

Now, it’s time to talk about how to bridle the tongue. A bridle is a small but powerful tool designed for communication and control. Whether with a bit or a bitless attachment, it allows a rider to guide a horse with subtle movements. A well-trained horse responds to the slightest cue, needing ...read more

Scripture: James 3:7-8

Tags: Words, Tongue, Horse, Bridle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Kaboom!  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 25, 2001

True story happened Friday in Montreal - A hospital patient who insisted on lighting a cigarette while hooked to an oxygen supply caused a small explosion, according to a hospital spokesperson. The 73-year-old, who suffered minor burns in the blast, had been told not to light up but she ignored ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13-15

Tags: Sin, God's Omniscience, Authority, Faith, Free Will, Freedom, Doing God's Will, Warning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

A Gift Of Kindness - You Never Know

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Oct 20, 2018

A number of years ago, my husband and I went to Applebees on our Anniversary for a quiet dinner together. It was, indeed, very quiet, because my husband had just been ordered to undergo an MRI, and we knew that the results might change our future forever. Still, we did what old married couples ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:31, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:39-40

Tags: Do Unto Others, Love Your Neighbor, Loving Acts, Kind Acts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Wise Heart ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Wise Heart Cry James, the half brother of Jesus, gives the Christian a powerful truth, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). The Body of Christ is called to make disciples and this calling is ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heart Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heart of Temptation “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God… does [not] tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Lost The Farm

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

"WE LOST THE FARM" Richard Culp worked in the hot California sun as foreman of a large ranching operation. He and his wife, Geneva, also owned their own farm, consisting of 200 acres of almond trees. Then years of bad weather and skimpy harvests forced Richard to take on additional work, but even ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

Deepika And Discipline  PRO

Contributed by Bala Samson on Aug 27, 2013

DEEPIKA AND DISCIPLINE James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." She is just a doll! Fair, pretty with a smile that could steal anyone's heart; her name is Deepika, four year old daughter of a couple who pick up garbage from residential quarters. She was untamed, dirty, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Intimacy With God, Drawing Near To God

Denomination: Pentecostal

F.b. Meyer Wrote About Two Germans Who Wanted To ...  PRO

Contributed by William Jewett on Nov 2, 2000

F.B. Meyer wrote about two Germans who wanted to climb the Matterhorn. They hired three guides and began their ascent at the steepest and most slippery part. The men roped themselves together in this order: guide, traveler, guide, traveler, guide. They had gone only a little way up the side when ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, God's Provision, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: *other

The Purpose Of Testing Your Faith Is To Help You ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim George on Feb 5, 2001

The purpose of testing your faith is to help you to see whether or not your faith is real and how strong that faith is. A jeweler gives as one of the surest tests for a true diamond what is called the water test. An imitation stone is never ever so brilliant as a genuine stone. A genuine diamond ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3

Tags: Growth In Christ, Doubt

Denomination: Baptist