In Sermon Illustrations: "Lover Of My Soul"

Growing Potatoes Takes Time

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 24, 2018

Be thankful while you wait. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. My Aunt Grace had a large garden. One time she showed me how to cut seed potatoes so that each piece had at least one eye, and we planted them in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Thankfulness, Patience, Waiting, Being Prepared

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Claim Your Seat At The Table

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Dec 25, 2018

Illus. Story of Sam the dog, Growing up we had a farm dog and his name was Sam. Sam never had any of the frills dogs nowadays enjoy. Sam was never allowed to beg at the table, because Sam was never allowed in the house and was only fed table scraps my mom turned into some kind of gravy ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:19, Psalm 103:1-5

Tags: Entitlement, Relationship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Good Intentions

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 29, 2021

In our younger days, my husband and I sign up for a “boot camp” fitness class. This class costs $300 per person for ten classes. At the start of the first class, our instructor. Tara, does a quick roll-call. She frowns and comments: “Hmm, Susie isn’t here. That’s a shame; attending the first ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14-33

Tags: Unrealized Intentions, Excuses, Discipline, Follow Through, Explanations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Power For Holy Living

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2022

Ludwig Nommensen traveled to begin mission work with a tribe in southeast Asia. The village chief welcomed Ludwig and said, "You have 2 years to learn our customs and convince us you have a message worth hearing." After 2 years, the tribal leader asked the missionary how Christianity ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Tags: Holy Spirit, Law, Obedience, Power

Letting Go

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jan 27, 2023

Letting Go “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 ESV She was only five years old. It was her first day of school. Her mommy will never forget crying all the way back as she walked to the house after letting her go and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8

Tags: Survival, Letting Go, Funeral, Grief

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sowing And Reaping

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 16, 2023

John Smith was a loyal carpenter, working for a very successful building contractor who called him into his office one day and said, "John, I'm putting you in charge of the next house we build. I want you to order all the materials and oversee the whole job from the ground up." John ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7, Numbers 32:23

Tags: Sowing, Reaping, Cheating, Stealing, Judgment, Selfishness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Did Jesus Really Die On The Cross?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

One lady sent in a letter to a religious question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health because he just fainted on Good Friday. He didn't really die and he wasn't really raised ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, 1 John 2:1-2

Tags: Easter, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Son Of Man, Cross, Son Of God, Empty Grave  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Traveling To Heaven

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 29, 2024

Throughout my life I had always wanted to go to Germany. It wasn’t until my son moved over there and got married that we finally were able to do so. The trip wasn’t always easy, as we were stranded in New Jersey for a night after a flight was canceled. We were tired from the journey. But once ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:26

Tags: Resurrection, Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

Don't Let The Sun Confuse You

Contributed by Tim White on Mar 10, 2025

When Laura and I were blessed with a gift of a cruise, we had a blast. On the way back from the western Caribbean, we opened the cabin curtains to watch another sunset. But, there was no sun. I checked the television station that had mapped our trek and displayed our current location. The cruise ...read more

Scripture: John 12:46

Tags: Confusion, Direction, Guidance

Denomination: Baptist

A Letter To Santa  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 21, 2002

A LETTER TO SANTA: Dear Santa Claus: You’ll probably be surprised to receive this letter from an adult. You may be even more surprised as you read it to find that the writer is neither a maiden aunt nor a disgruntled bachelor. I’m a young mother. It isn’t my intention, Santa, to hurt your ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Read A Recent Magazine Article About A Pastor ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 10, 2005

I read a recent magazine article about a pastor and his encounter with some unbelievers while having breakfast. Here is how he tells the story: “My wife and I were vacationing in Estes Park, Colorado, and had breakfast in a coffee shop. It was empty except for four men at another table. One was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:17-31, John 13:34-35, Jude 1:3-16, Galatians 5:6, Luke 16:1-15, Acts 2:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Determination, Surrender, Truth Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

Swallowed Alive? (08.22.05--Under ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 18, 2005

Swallowed Alive? (08.22.05--Under Pressure!--Genesis 25:32-33) When you are captive to pressure, there are only two ways to go. You can either lose you temper and flail against the wind or you can wait it out and eventually overpower it. I lost the chock to my power drill the other day. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:32-33

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

16 Year Old] Nathan Johnson Dreamed Of Starting ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Sep 10, 2006

“[16 year old] Nathan Johnson dreamed of starting a revolution for Christ. [He wrote in his diary, “God’s] will for me is to radically impact my school for Him." But before he could see the revolution become a reality, Johnson’s life was cut short by an automobile accident [after] striking a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-13, Colossians 3:1-7

Tags: All Things

Fear And The Deceits Of The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

FEAR AND THE DECEITS OF THE HEART I think Edward Welch chose brilliantly the title for his book on overcoming the fear of man: When People are Big and God is Small. Maybe you can relate to his personal awakening to this problem when he was a high-school senior: "I had always been shy and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-13, Isaiah 51:12-16

Tags: Ransom, Fear And Worry

Evidences Of Pioneers' ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

EVIDENCES OF PIONEERS’ PRESENCE When we lived in eastern Kansas one of my past-times was walking over an historic Santa Fe Trail spot called the 110 Mile Crossing. The Santa Fe Trail originated in Independence, Missouri and wandered a path of least resistance for some 775 miles to Santa Fe, New ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:19-20

Tags: Creation

Thoughts On The Body Of Christ

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 18, 2012

THOUGHTS ON THE BODY OF CHRIST Here are some thoughts on The Church from a few 30 on down in age individuals from the book "The Relevant Church": Quotes: Brian Kay, "It is impossible to be a follower of Christ and not be part of a local church!" "No one can have God as Father who does not also ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

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

Make This Muddled World A Better Place

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 5, 2018

Make This Muddled World A Better Place January 24, 2018 Lanier Christian Church David Simpson The Academy Award Nominations came out yesterday. Of the movies nominated, one of them is about famous British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, entitled: Darkest Hour. Churchill left us with many ...read more

Tags: Bless Others, Give Of Self, Be A Blessing To Oth, Service, Compassion, Winston Churchill  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

[003] Message From A Poem – A Simple Farmer’s Ditty

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 13, 2024

[003] MESSAGE FROM A POEM – A SIMPLE FARMER’S DITTY You will note that each line of the poem ends with the “ay” rhyme. The following poem is simple in structure but an attempt to relate to the simplicity of the land. I used to spend my holidays as an early teenager on the land with a farming ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 26:23-25, Ezekiel 14:13

Tags: Nature, Poem, Farming, Farmers, A Ditty, God Keeps Us, Agrarian Society  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational