In Sermon Illustrations: "Life And Death"

[225]. A Message From A Poem - Psalm 68 Selections

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 11, 2025

[225]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PSALM 68 SELECTIONS This poem is a breakdown in Psalm 68, and 12 of the verses have been selected. The heading in the Psalm says “A Psalm of David. A Song,” and is directed to the Choir Director. It would seem this Psalm resulted from a victory David ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:7-10, Psalm 68:18, Psalm 68:14, Luke 16:19-31

Tags: Christian Poems, A Song, A Happy Psalm, Paradise, Victory, Ascension, Psalm Of David, Lazarus In Paradise, Jesus Ascended  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[242]. A Message From A Poem – It’s All In The Saviour’s Hands

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 23, 2025

[242]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IT’S ALL IN THE SAVIOUR’S HANDS This poem came about simply by thinking of the hands of Jesus when He took the bread at the Passover on the betrayal night. That led to thinking of other incidences and that’s how the poem resulted. Each stanza covers one incident. ...read more

Scripture: John 20:25, Acts 2:23, John 13:3-14, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, Matthew 14:15-20, Luke 9:12-17, Matthew 14:25-31, Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 5:22-24, Mark 5:35-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sick Daughter, Christian Poems, Passover Bread, 5 Loaves And 2 Fishes, Peter Sinks In The Water, Stretched Out Hand, Poll Tax, Cross, Jairus, Denarius, Nails, Foot Washing, Feeding The 5000, Bread, Resurrection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[276]. A Message From A Poem – The King’s Highway

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 24, 2026

[276]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE KING’S HIGHWAY This poem is a picture. It places all Christians on the highway to heaven, one I have called, “The King’s Highway.” We are familiar with Pilgrim’s Progress which was the journey Pilgrim took on his way to the Celestial City. In a pale ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, John 3:7

Tags: Highway Of The King, Highway, Pilgrims, Pilgrims Progress, Journey To Heaven, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Rapture, Born Again  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Was An Unusually Cold Day For The Month Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004

It was an unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was alive with color. But a cold front from the north had brought winter’s chill back to Indiana. I sat with two friends in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town squire. The food ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:5-7

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines, Consequences, Choice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bring Back The Rotary Phone?" Acts 13:42-52 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 11, 2005

“Bring Back the Rotary Phone?” Acts 13:42-52 Key verse(s): 50:“But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” There are three things you can do in life when ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:42-52

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Sin Exposed, Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Lutheran

Secret Of The Fifth Man!" Mark 2:1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 12, 2005

“Secret of the Fifth Man!” Mark 2:1-5 Key verse(s) 3:“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.” Five people passed the beggar but only one stopped to help. The will it seems to get somewhere on time, a preoccupation with self, easily thwarted a fragile affection that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5, Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Compassion, Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

No Bulldozers Here!" Hebrews 3:1-6 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“No Bulldozers Here!” Hebrews 3:1-6 Key verse(s) 6:“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I grew up watching john wayne movies; courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. I remember watching ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Faith General, Doubt, Unbelief

Denomination: Lutheran

Margaret Was In Her Forties And Suffered From ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 17, 2007

Margaret was in her forties and suffered from bouts of depression and despair resulting mainly from an extremely poor self-image. She just couldn’t see herself as a person of worth. Over the years of her adult life, this image steadily grew worse. Finally reaching out in desperation, she sought the ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

For Almost Forty Years, Margaret Lived With The ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Atwood on Jan 12, 2008

For almost forty years, Margaret lived with the memory of one soul-scarring day in the one-room schoolhouse she attended. From the first day Margaret came to class, she and Ms. Garner, her bitter and harsh teacher, didn’t get along. Over the years, the animosity between them only worsened until ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Tags: Love, Healing, Encouragement, Depression

Denomination: Baptist

I Will, With God's Help

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

I WILL, WITH GOD'S HELP I read a marvelous story remembered by Reverend Mary Moore Roberson. She writes: "Some years ago, I served on the lay staff of my home parish under the supervision of the priest charged with pastoral care. Barbara took to appearing, first at the door to his office and ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Afghan Spiritual Harvest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

AFGHAN SPIRITUAL HARVEST In his book What Good Is God?, Philip Yancey writes: "This is a true story from Afghanistan that took place in the early 1970s, before the Russian occupation or the Taliban regime. At the time, the government allowed a small Christian church to service internationals who ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:9-11, Mark 19:1-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Why Do We Say Merry Christmas But Happy Everything Else?

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 23, 2019

Why Do We Say “Merry Christmas” but “Happy” Everything Else? by, Meghan Jones. "The word "merry" isn't one we use very often during the months of January through November. But as soon as Thanksgiving passes, you're bound to start hearing and seeing it everywhere—on ...read more

Scripture: Job 21:12, Ecclesiastes 10:19, Isaiah 24:7, Luke 12:19

Tags: Christmas, Merry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bump, Bump, Bump, Where’s The Scratch?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 26, 2021

Life can get crazy because there are so many crazy people in the world. I know, I’m one. Through the years, I have come to appreciate crazy people. They make life interesting and make me look less crazy than I really am. The interesting thing is that a crazy person shows up in your life when you ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:38

Tags: Temptation, Accident, Crazy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Wherever They Are I Will Find Them

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 12, 2022

Recently, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her spouse took a short vacation that was long overdue. Vacations are very hard to organize and schedule when you have a busy life. But, thanks to the ingenuity of my wife, we were able to plan out a vacation. The motel we stay in is owned by ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:22

Tags: Thriftstore, Bargin

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall, Stop Laughing

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 19, 2022

As old as I am, and I expect to get as old as possible, I have noticed that I see things differently than I did a few years ago. I’m not sure if my vision has changed or my perspective. But one thing is certain; something has changed. A lot of things are very aggravating in my life. When I think I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 5:21

Tags: Mirror, Perception

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Princess Hath Thus Spoken

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 22, 2023

In December of last year, our second great-grandchild entered our family. Our first great-grandchild was a boy, and this one is a girl. Like all our children, grandchildren and great-grandson, this great-granddaughter was a blessing to our family. If only children would stay young for the rest of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Training, Princess

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Second Thoughts Can Be Dangerous To My Health

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 30, 2024

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Obedience, Opinion, Thoughts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Some Things Do Have A Purpose

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 29, 2024

One thing I have learned in life is that some things do have a purpose no matter how bad they seem at the time. They don’t seem to have any purpose when they happen, but you later discover a significant purpose behind it. I try to prepare for everything in life, but there are many things that I ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: Purpose, Brain

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Days Of Wonder In The Hospital

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 1, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder My plans for the New Year were horribly changed by ending up in the hospital. Around the middle of the month, it seemed like I may have had the flu. After all, everybody around me had the flu, and I just wanted to fit in with society in general. I had to cancel my Sunday ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Nurse, Hospital, Sick

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance