In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus blesses children" showing 10,041-10,060 of 12,360

The Relationship We Share

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 2, 2014

While many people hunger for family closeness, we often miss the opportunities that stand immediately before us. Tammy Harris of Roanoke, Virginia, began searching for her biological mother when she turned 21. A year of searching proved fruitless. Tammy did not realize, however, that her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:34-35

Tags: Family, Church Family

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When God Speaks

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 7, 2016

WHEN GOD SPEAKS Did you hear about the old golfer who was standing in front of the first tee, a hazardous hole with a green surrounded by water, and wondering if he should use his new golf ball? Deciding that the hole was too dangerous, he chose an old ball that he could afford to lose and placed ...read more

Scripture: John 10:28-30

Tags: The Good Shepherd, Voice Of God, Will Of God, Hearing God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Through The Eyes Of A 3-Year-Old

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Rena was 3 years old when she went to her first baptismal service. It was new for her and a bit mystifying. As events transpired, she looked up at her father with surprise in her eyes, “Daddy, he pushed that guy under the water? Why did he do that?” The father tried to quietly answer her question ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Baptism, Good Works, Water Baptism, New Start

Denomination: Charismatic

Forgetting What Is Past And Straining Toward The Future

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Oct 8, 2017

Commentator Gordon Fee recalls the famous “miracle mile,” the first time two milers ran under four minutes in the same race. Roger Bannister and John Landy competed in Vancouver, B.C. in 1954. Landy had led all the way, but coming off the final turn toward the finish line he looked over his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Forgetting The Past, Heavenward Calling, Future Oriented

Denomination: Baptist

The New Never Gets Old

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on May 5, 2019

Saw a guy with his new car the other day, or at least it sure seemed new the way he admired it walking away backwards from it almost to the point of stumbling over the curb. You know one thing we like to do, is show off the new. I could relate with the man, he couldn’t stop looking at the shiny ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Relationship, New, Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Denying The Flesh What It Wants

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 16, 2020

When you get saved later in life like I did (I was 36), your spirit gets recreated, you’re all in on this salvation deal, but your flesh is still out there in the world, and it don’t know yet the program has changed. It’s like when you go on a diet. You stop eating all the ice cream, and donuts ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Galatians 2:20, Luke 9:23

Tags: Sin, Flesh, Fleshly Desires, Denying The Flesh, Walking In The Spirit, Crucifying The Flesh, Dieting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

Don't Go Back

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Feb 20, 2021

Several years ago, Karen and I was up in the Ruidoso area; and I decided to try a short cut that I thought I knew about. The problem was, the road turned into a very rough dirt road; and the further we went, the worse the road became. We came upon a farmer’s house and land; and there was a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:8-9

Tags: Freedom, Forward

Denomination: Baptist

I Cannot Say The Lord's Prayer If...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

An unknown author put together an interesting (convicting) summary of how we cannot pray the Lord's Prayer, which should be actually referred to as the Disciples’ Prayer, for Jesus had no sin to confess. I cannot say “our” if I live only for myself. I cannot say, “Father” if I do not endeavor ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Sermon On The Mount, Forgiveness, Prayer, Temptation, Holiness, Lord's Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Narrow Definition Of Neighbor

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2022

With their passion for definition, Jewish Rabbis sought to define who a man's "neighbor" was. They confined the word "neighbor" to include only their fellow Jews. For instance, some of them said that it was illegal to help a Gentile woman in her time of childbirth for ...read more

Tags: Levites, Priests, Rabbis, Parable, Neighbor, Kindness, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Do Road Rage If You Have A Christian Bumper Sticker!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 29, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Tags: Humor, Hypocrisy, Police, Obedience, Satan, Stress, Testimony  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contamination Is Another Word For Sin

Contributed by Dave Hensman on Sep 29, 2022

I once lived in Vancouver Canada. Above the city in the mountains there is a lake which serves as the city water supply. That lake is fenced, you can't swim in it, boat on it, or even hike around it. It's pure and will kept pure at all costs. To defile it would defile all. What flows out ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23

Tags: Redemption, Sin

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Ted Turner Turned Away From God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Cable television mogul Ted Turner criticized conservative Christianity and said, "Jesus probably would be sick at his stomach" over the way his ideas have been "twisted" by today's preachers, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Turner made his remarks at a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: False Professors, Bitterness, Apostasy, Deception, Denying The Truth, Unbelief, Last Days  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be A Christian But Don't Act Like One!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 28, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Satan, Kingdom Of God, Hypocrites, Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Am More Alive Than Ever - D. James Kennedy

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Apr 3, 2023

D. James Kennedy wrote a book called "Skeptics Answered" and in this book, he made this observation that has always stuck with me. It reminds me of a quote from D.L. Moody many years before. Kennedy wrote, "There will, in fact, come a time when some of you will probably be standing ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26

Tags: Eternal Life, Easter, Death, Resurrection, Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Genesis In The New Testament

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

There are at least 165 passages in Genesis that are either directly quoted or clearly referred to in the New Testament. Many of these are alluded to more than once, so that there are at least two hundred quotations or allusions to Genesis in the New Testament There exist over one hundred ...read more

Tags: Adam, Abel, Cain, Eve, Genesis, New Testament, Old Testament, Moses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Story Is Told About A Meeting Satan Had With ...  PRO

Contributed by Adam Deibert on May 7, 2004

A story is told about a meeting Satan had with his chief demons. Christianity was spreading rapidly and growing fervently, and they needed to devise a way to undermine the work. The arch deceiver called for suggestions. “We could bring some more hypocrites into the church” said one. “No,” said ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Gettin' Up A Load Right Now!" Psalm 39: 5-13 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 26, 2004

“Gettin’ Up a Load Right Now!” Psalm 39: 5-13 Key verse(s): 5: “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” It was the end of the church year and Pastor Smith was really into his preaching. He loved “end times” because ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:5-13

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

Donald Miller Tells This Story In Blue Like Jazz: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Jul 26, 2005

Donald Miller tells this story in Blue like Jazz: Don had gone to hear a folk singer who ended up telling the story of a friend of his who was a Navy SEAL The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: *other

When You First Met "J.e.", You Could Tell He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

When you first met “J.E.”, you could tell he was a very angry man. In fact, at age 54 he’d been an angry person for many years. In a Bible study that night, many questions had been raised in his mind. Talking with the leader afterward, J.E. said, “I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 years ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-7, Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Mind

Denomination: Baptist