In Sermon Illustrations: "Making A Difference"

An Observation About Aging—and Baseballs

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 7, 2022

Introduction: You just can’t change some facts. Aging is one of those facts! Text: Ecclesiastes 12:1, KJV: 1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; Thoughts: Like most good ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1

Tags: Sports, Aging, Baseball

Denomination: Baptist

No Room Giving?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 26, 2022

NO ROOM… THE SAD STORY CONTINUES… In the early 70’s Linda and I were at my Mom and Dad’s for Christmas. We had no children. My Dad pastored 65 years, 42 in Frankfort, Ky. There were 5 of us children. We had a traditional spot where we all sat around the tree. Mom, my wife and my sister distributed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:33, 2 Corinthians 9:6

Tags: Giving, Purpose

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Unsung Heroes-Aquila And Priscilla

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 12, 2023

Introduction: This couple is only mentioned a few times in the New Testament, but with each mention it’s clear they were serving the Lord. They are truly unsung heroes of the Bible! 1 Ministering with Paul in Corinth Text: Acts 18:1-3. KJV 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-3, Acts 18:18-21

Tags: Priscilla, Aquila, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Four Ways To Win The Battle With Lust

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 9, 2024

Four practical ways to overcome temptation: (1) Study and know yourself. Know where you’re vulnerable and devise strategies to protect yourself. Others may be able to handle situations where you will fall. Don’t go with them if it is a source of temptation for you. Develop a deep distrust in ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Adultery, Sexuality, Eyes, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Desire, Holiness, Look, Pornography, Lust, Deception  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Allenby Captures Jerusalem Without Firing A Shot 1917

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Mar 12, 2024

Allenby captures Jerusalem without firing a shot 1917 Palestine was now in the hands of a Christian nation which only twelve months previously had officially declared its interest in the return of the Jews to their own land, and promised to assist them in facilitating the creation of a Jewish ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:13-15

Tags: Jerusalem, Prayer, Children

Denomination: Baptist

A Good Start Matters

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Mar 19, 2024

I can remember it like it was yesterday. It was my sixth-grade field day when all the elementary schools gathered for a series of track and field events at the town’s high school track. It was a sunny New England spring morning and I was representing Glen Forest Elementary School in the 50-yard ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:8, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5

Tags: Prayer, Meditation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

So God Made A Farmer

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 6, 2024

In James chapter 5, we see a comparison between the patient farmer in the field waiting for his crops and the waiting believer in Christ preparing to meet the Lord at His return. Paul Harvey did a masterful job of describing the life of the farmer years ago. And on the 8th day, God looked down ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13-18

Tags: Return Of Christ, Prophets, Farmers, Waiting, End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Last Days, Rapture, Patience, Job  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Are So Many Not Healed?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 11, 2024

WHY ARE SO MANY NOT HEALED? Lack of Biblical Faith This is a slippery slope that can end with someone believing it is their fault they are not healed. Much like the people who asked Jesus if the reason someone was sick was because it was their fault. Even a little faith is pleasing to God. But no ...read more

Tags: Medicine, Gift Of Healing, Faith, Healing, Prayer, Miracles, Health, Sickness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[005]. Message From A Poem - A Mirror On The State Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 29, 2024

[005]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A MIRROR ON THE STATE OF THE WORLD We are citizens of this world, but we also are citizens of heaven. Those dear souls who are unsaved are just citizen of this world. They have singular citizenship. When we look at the awful political systems the world has, and at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, John 16:33

Tags: Sadness, The World, Sin, Suffering, Mirror, Distress, Authority  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Hurt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[078]. A Message From A Poem – Failure Leads To Hurt And Sorrow

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[078]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FAILURE LEADS TO HURT AND SORROW This poem was written one Sunday morning while waiting for a church service to start. It flowed quickly. It was around the time I was speaking on a series in the life of Peter. Identify yourselves if you have never failed the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Hurt, Forgiveness, Sin, Failure, Sorrow  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wait On The Lord - But In Silence

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 5, 2025

WAIT ON THE LORD - BUT IN SILENCE Waiting in silence with patience is almost foreign to most of us. We like action and love to be doing as Martha was in rushing around in service for her Lord, while Mary sat in silence listening to the Lord in communion. The concept of waiting on the Lord is a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42, Lamentations 3:26

Tags: Silence, Martha, Wait On The Lord, Finches, Wait Silently, Mary  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[104]. A Message From A Poem – God’s Attributes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 8, 2025

[104]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOD’S ATTRIBUTES Some people dispute the term Attributes of God. They say it can only be applied to statements such as God IS love. Others look at it in a wider sense taking in the qualities of the Godhead. In this poem, I took 4 words to make 4 stanzas ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 2:14, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Peace, Compassion, Holiness, Character Of God, Attributes Of God, Grace, Love, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[134]. A Message From A Poem – I Am With You Always

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 17, 2025

[134]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS This poem was written in a time of great trial that had been a lengthy one. It is so precious to know the Lord is with us always and never will He sleep or miss something. He knows our end from our beginning. I want to honour God in this ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4-5, Matthew 28:20

Tags: Emmanuel, Jesus, Presence Of Jesus, Delight Yourself In The Lord, Close At Hand, I Am With You Always, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Commit Your Way To The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[154]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus Christ My Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 6, 2025

[154]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS CHRIST MY LORD This is a factual poem about Jesus Christ the Lord. I won’t list all the things I said in the poem. Read through and see them as you go. Jesus is my Lord but only those who have surrendered to Him can say that. {{John 13:13 “You call Me ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14, John 13:13, John 1:1-2, Revelation 19:16, Philippians 2:10-11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Lord, The Word, King Of Kings, Lord Of Lords, Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Christ Is Lord, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[194]. A Message From A Poem– No Other Is So Worthy

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 9, 2025

[194]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM– NO OTHER IS SO WORTHY This is a worship and praise poem. When we ascribe majesty to Jesus we are worshipping Him. I have tried to do that because He is INDEED worthy of our feeble praise. When we are in heaven one day as part of the whole redeemed Church, our ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 99:9, Psalm 95:6, Psalm 29:1-2, Revelation 5:9

Tags: Jesus Is Worthy, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Worship, Praise  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Failure/ Success

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 13, 2025

DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT A FAILURE, A BASKET CASE? Let us look at a man experience in failure. 1. At 14 dropped out of school. 2. He got a job working on a farm. The work was hard labor. He hated the farm work. 3. He lied about his age and at 16 he joined the ARMY. He could stand the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:26, 2 Chronicles 16:9

Tags: Faith, Effort

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Christian Author's Miraculous Testimony On Psalm 91

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 26, 2025

Christian author, William MacDonald had a miraculous testimony about Psalm 91. He began by saying: "Psalm 91 is my Psalm. In 1922, in the Western Hebrides, a five-year-old lad was dying of diphtheria. A mucous membrane was forming across his throat, and breathing was becoming increasingly ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Fortress, Eternal Life, Refuge, Cross Of Christ, Messianic Prophecies, Fear, Protection, Resurrection, Trust, Overcome  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[223]. A Message From A Poem - Our Boast Is In The Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 10, 2025

[223]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - OUR BOAST IS IN THE LORD Last Sunday I preached on this verse - {{Galatians 6:14 “MAY IT NEVER BE THAT I SHOULD BOAST, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”}} Then we looked at how ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:31, Luke 18:10-13, Galatians 6:14

Tags: Boast In The Lord, Christian Poems, Darwall Tune, Paul, Glory, Hymn, Cross, Boasting, Boast  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Donkey That Carried A King

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 17, 2025

(Told by the donkey who carried Jesus) My name? Oh, I’m just a donkey. Not the fastest, not the strongest, and definitely not the prettiest. My legs are short, my coat’s kind of dusty, and my ears—well, they stick out more than I’d like. Most days I carry firewood or water jugs. Sometimes the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:2-9, Zechariah 9:9, Luke 19:35-38, John 12:13-15

Tags: Humility, Purpose, Willingness, Service, Praise  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist