In Sermon Illustrations: "Losing Heart"

Genuine Repentance--The Case Of Genelle Guzman ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2013

GENUINE REPENTANCE--THE CASE OF GENELLE GUZMAN MCMILLAN Genelle Guzman McMillan was the last person to be rescued from the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. She had been trapped in the rubble for 27 hours when at last firefighters heard her calling and pulled her out. This ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:28-32

Tags: Repentance

You're Not From Around Here.

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 6, 2013

"YOU'RE NOT FROM AROUND HERE." There is not much you can do about it. Once you have been around it everybody else knows. I’m talking about the red dirt of western Oklahoma. It’s caused by the iron in the soil that, after being oxidized, turns to rust. It seems that nothing can erase or clean ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Nazarene

Do Not Trust Your Eyes

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 12, 2013

DO NOT TRUST YOUR EYES The enemy's strategy is to be invisible, so we have to always be on guard. Mike Slaughter tells the story of his mission trip back to Darfur and traveling from their compound in Ed Daein to Adilla Town, which is a six-hour round trip over rough desert terrain. On this ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Methodist

Abandoned At Seventeen

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

One of the characters in Kent Haruf’s novel Plainsong, is Victoria, a seventeen-year-old girl who is four months pregnant. When her boyfriend finds out about her condition, he breaks up with her. And when her mother finds out, she kicks her out of the house and says to her, “You got yourself into ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 3:1-13

Tags: Support, Abandonment

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Evangelistic Meaning Of Your Birthday Celebration

Contributed by Joel Israel Shashikumar on Jan 26, 2015

I went to bed with a heavy heart one day. All those news and reports of death for the past few weeks. Only to wake up with a thought of birthday cake and celebration. Now why do we celebrate birthdays, blowing candles and cutting cake. I admit, I do not know the meaning that has been tagged with ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Grace, Birthday

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Man Uses Gun For Backscratcher, Shoots Himself

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

Jorge Espinal was drinking beer and playing poker around 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning in his house, when he got up from the table and walked into another room. His poker buddies probably thought, "Oh, well. He has to go to the bathroom or to get something to drink." But while he as in the other ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 38:5-8

Tags: Temptation, Mistakes, Alcohol, Choices

Denomination: Baptist

A Family Went To Dine At A Restaurant And The ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 17, 2008

A family went to dine at a restaurant and the six-year-old boy was asked to say the blessing. As they bowed their heads he said, “God is great. God is good. Thank you for this food. And I would even thank you more, God, if Mom bought us some ice cream after dinner with liberty and justice for all. ...read more

Tags: Justice

Denomination: Church Of God

Around 10:30 Last Night, Our Home Phone Rang. I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Around 10:30 last night, our home phone rang. I didn’t answer it, because when it’s the home phone ringing, it’s almost always for Gladys. A minute or so later, Gladys opened the door to my office and told me the person on the phone wanted to speak to chaplain Gregory. At that news, my heart ...read more

Prayer Skit Adapted From Something I Heard On ...  PRO

Contributed by Jerry Smith on Apr 14, 2008

Prayer skit adapted from something I heard on Christian radio Jennifer says --- Ryan, I am going to spend some time in prayer. Please don’t disturb me. (goes across the room and kneels in prayer) “Oh Lord, I am your servant. I want to do your will no matter what it is.” (Ryan pokes his head in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Paul Could Have Been Filled With Bitterness, But ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 12, 2008

Paul could have been filled with bitterness, but he overflowed with the joy of the Lord, and we can too! Our hands are not in chains today. We are blessed far more than most people in the world. But if all of that was taken away, we would still have grace; we would still have Heaven; we would still ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Baptist

It Is Impossible To Rightly Govern The World ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Catt on Sep 16, 2008

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." --George Washington "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this reason peoples ...read more

Tags: Faith, America

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doug Wilson Wrote About Food Fads Among ...

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Sep 30, 2008

Doug Wilson wrote about food fads among Christians, noting how frequently we imagine that what we eat or do not eat pleases God: “There is no more defilement in ‘eating healthy’ than there is in stopping by McDonald’s. The only defilement possible is a defilement that comes out of the heart, and ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

K ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 2, 2008

Kite Once on a time a paper kite Was mounted to a wondrous height, Where, giddy with its elevation, It thus express’d self-admiration: “See how yon crowds of gazing people Admire my flight above the steeple; How would they wonder if they knew All that a kite like me can do! Were I but free, I’d ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Other

A Place In His Arms  PRO

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Dec 9, 2008

A PLACE IN HIS ARMS Monday I went to Redding to do my weekly shopping and to see my daughter, Monica and the grandkids. Monica is a single mom and works so hard at the bank, then has to come home and cook a meal for the kids and then entertain and care for them until bed time. Then she starts ...read more

Tags: Acceptance, God's Love, Adoption, Inclusion

Denomination: Holiness

Joseph Was Despised Because Of His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Joseph was despised because of his Behavior. (Vv. 8-11) Joseph was despised not for doing evil but for doing good. Joseph typifies the Lord in many ways. Sidlow Baxter observes that he was the beloved son, that he was the rejected servant, and also the exalted Savior. The way that he was despised ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

Wesley: The Faith Of A Son

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WESLEY: THE FAITH OF A SON John Wesley was an honor graduate of Oxford University, an ordained clergyman in the Church of England and orthodox in theology. He was active in practical good works, regularly visiting the inmates of prisons and workhouses in London and helping distribute food and ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Good News

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

GOOD NEWS Our world is desperately in need of some good news. Suzanne Jennings wrote this song in 1999: I woke up Monday morning, walked out on the lawn My eyes were barely open, and my mouth began to yawn Picked up the daily paper, every single headline said, That this ole world is full of ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

In The City Of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, A Muslim ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

In the city of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, a Muslim convert was hung for his faith in Christ. His assistant took over the leadership of the church. The assistant was arrested and released, but each week was interrogated by the authorities. The pressure was intense, and his wife feared he might break. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-39

Tags: Persecution

Loyalty To God Or Ourselves?

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Feb 19, 2009

LOYALTY TO GOD OR OURSELVES? When I was in seminary, I had some conversations with some fellow students, with a good mentor and friend Ron Mabry, with a Dr. Stafford and the credentialing team in Indiana. Through these interactions God was speaking to me and asking me where my loyalties to lie? Is ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Church Of God

Coronavirus And Our Need For The Transcendent

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 21, 2020

Children, as Jesus said, Don't be afraid. Your family is probably founded on some kind of faith. Listen to your parents and other adults whom you trust, and know that nearly everyone is working hard to get us through this trouble. ? In fifty years you will remember this crisis as one of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27

Tags: Fear, Forgiveness, Pandemic, Covid 19

Denomination: Catholic