In Sermon Illustrations: "Lover Of My Soul"

He Strives With God.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 10, 2024

A bit of an aside, I can remember when I have pulled a few all night jobs out of necessity back in my power distribution days when a fault would require repairing, nothing like a 24 plus hour day to exhaust you. Lack of sleep is never a good thing, but in Jacob’s case it led to a change in the man ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Tags: Night, Jacob, Exhaustion, Wrestling With God, Deciever, Lack Of Sleep, Israel Tehman, 24 Hours Awake, God Strives, He Strives With God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Taking Your Cut

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

A lady lost her handbag in the bustle of Christmas shopping. It was found by an honest little boy and returned to her. Looking in her purse, she commented, "That's funny. When I lost my bag there was only a $100 bill in it. Now there are five $20 bills." The boy quickly replied, ...read more

Tags: Self Interest, Shrewd

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Look Different

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

These folks to whom Peter is writing used to look like everybody else. They were a part of the world, so they partied and did all the other things average folks did back then. The Roman world in which Christianity first spread was highly sexualized, and many of the practices today that are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:3-4

Tags: Change, Sexuality, Gender, Roman World

Denomination: Methodist

Flying Turtle

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

An ancient Indonesian parable tells of a turtle who flew through the air by biting hard on a stick that was carried by two geese. The turtle was enjoying his flight, but when he heard what the onlookers from the ground were saying, he became troubled. The onlookers were saying, "Aren’t those ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18, James 4:10, Philippians 2:3, Proverbs 27:2, 1 Corinthians 4:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humility, Gratitude, Pride, Restraint, Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Charles Colson Told The Following Story In An ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Oct 12, 2005

Charles Colson told the following story in an address at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi: I love the illustration about a man named Jack Eckerd. A few years ago I was on the Bill Buckley television program, talking about restitution (one of my favorite subjects) and criminal ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

Remission

Contributed by Lou Butterfield on Sep 5, 2011

REMISSION While a graduate student at Indiana University and also serving as youth minister at the North Central church in Bloomington, I had an experience I will never forget. I woke up early on this particular Sunday morning to get to the building in time to drive one of the church buses to ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If It Was Up To Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 13, 2021

Fifty years ago, I was a teenager. Boy, do I miss those Days of Yore. It's not that I would like to relive them, but I was a much different person back then. As a teenager, I knew everything, and all you had to do was ask me. Even if you didn't ask me, I still would tell you what was on my ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:19

Tags: Wisdom, News, Politics

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Don't Judge A Person By Their Cover-Up

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 31, 2021

Have you ever had one of those Déjà vu moments? The other week I was in the shopping mall to pick up some items for the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She shops so much that I have to help her on occasion. On this occasion, I was walking down the mall and stopped dead in my tracks. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3

Tags: Judgement, Humor, Encouragement, Judging

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Beverage Drinking Woes

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 19, 2022

Introduction: The Bible doesn’t mention coffee, tea, soft drinks, or other beverages such as what we have these days but there’s still a verse that comes to mind when I think about it. Here’s the verse, and I’ll share some thoughts in a moment: Text: Revelation 3:16, KJV: 16 So then because thou ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16

Tags: Water, Lukewarmness

Denomination: Baptist

You Break It, You Fix It

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2024

Every once in a while, I hear or see something that reminds me of my father. He’s been gone for over 15 years, but his memory is still fresh in my mind. His most famous saying, that I remember, was, “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.” He lived that to the very end of his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-6

Tags: Wisdom, Fixing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[202]. A Message From A Poem – Pictures From A Counting Song - (Part 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 16, 2025

[202]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PICTURES FROM A COUNTING SONG - (PART 1) THIS IS PART 1 OF THE POEM WITH PART 2 TO FOLLOW IN THE NEXT POSTING. “ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE” OR “1, 2, BUCKLE MY SHOE” is a counting song dating back to late 18th century in the USA. It was heard for the first time ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:2-5

Tags: Nursery Rhyme, Christian Poems, Wrentham Massachusetts, Christian Application, Counting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[230]. A Message From A Poem - Redemption Through Death – No Other Way

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 18, 2025

[230]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REDEMPTION THROUGH DEATH – NO OTHER WAY The concentration in this poem is “No other way.” Why did heaven’s best, God the Son, have to die? You know I can not answer that. The omniscient God knew from eternity past what was going to happen. I can’t give an answer ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 53:10, Ephesians 4:8-10, Hosea 11:7-8

Tags: Sin, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Full Atonement, Heart, Salvation, Compassion Of God, The Heart Of God, Overturn, Emotions Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[233]. A Message From A Poem - Remember Me Until I Come

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 21, 2025

[233]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REMEMBER ME UNTIL I COME This poem was written as a Communion meditation with the view of being a Communion hymn. It uses a Metre 12 in the four lines. I adapted this for another poem based on this one using a Metre 10 that can be sung to various tunes. At the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Tags: Passover, Cup, Remember Me, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Until I Come, Communion, Bread, Remember  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Have Probably Never Heard Of The Island Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Damien Spikereit on Dec 7, 2000

- You have probably never heard of the island of Molokai. Well, it’s located in the state of Hawaii. And it has quite a history. You have to go way back to the late 1800’s to understand its significance. You see, back then, there was no cure for the highly contagious and deadly disease called ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Compassion, Humanity Of Christ, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The American Businessman Was At The Pier Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2001

The American businessman was at the pier of a small costal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11, John 2:1, Acts 7:54-60, Ecclesiastes 5:18

Tags: Stand

Crystal Michelle, A 10th Grade In Bigelow, ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

Crystal Michelle, a 10th Grade in Bigelow, Arkansas isn’t buying it. She won’t settle for anything but extreme intimacy, here’s an excerpt from an essay she wrote. "Hey, My name is Crystal Michelle. I decided to wait for sex among other things a while back. I have pledged to God that I would not ...read more

Tags: Sexuality, Wait, Love, Marriage Singleness, Intercourse, Intimacy, Affection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Claude And Amanda Tackett Were A Typical Young ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

Claude and Amanda Tackett were a typical young mid-western couple, living in Louisville KY. They were members of the Southeast Christian Church. Claude had recently completed law school and was doing well in his first job as a lawyer. In January of this year, Amanda gave birth to their first ...read more

Tags: Disappointment, God In The Hardships, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Tony Campolo Tells Of Being Invited To Speak At A ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 10, 2001

Tony Campolo tells of being invited to speak at a ladies meeting. There were 300 women there. Before he spoke the president of the organization read a letter from a missionary. It was a very moving letter. In the letter the missionary expressed a need for $4,000 to take care of an ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Giving General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pres. Teddy Roosevelt Once Told Of A Very ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

Pres. Teddy Roosevelt once told of a very interesting incident in his own life. He wrote, "On the beautiful little island of Islamorada, there are several hundred homes that belong to people who come to stay for the summer. I fell in love with that island & spent 4 summers up there." "I had ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wally Was A 7th Grade Student Who Was Bigger Than ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 6, 2001

Wally was a 7th grade student who was bigger than any of the other students in his Sunday school class. His mother had been an alcoholic when he was born, & as a result, Wally just did not have all the mental capabilities that the rest of his classmates had. But somehow he managed to get ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:7

Tags: Christmas Eve, Jesus Teachings, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ