In Sermon Illustrations: "Mental Focus" showing 781-800 of 892

My Name Is Dawn Stefanowicz. I Grew Up In A ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Kelly on Oct 21, 2008

"My name is Dawn Stefanowicz. I grew up in a homosexual household during the 60s and 70s in Toronto, exposed to many different people in Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, Transsexual subcultures and explicit sexual practices. My biggest concern is that children are not being discussed in this same-sex ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting, Homosexuality, Fatherhood

Denomination: Wesleyan

It’s Closer Than I Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 7, 2020

My wife and her parents used a certain brand of ketchup for many things over a long period of time. They hadn’t had any of it, though, in maybe 30 years or so. They believed this brand wasn’t available, locally, so they never got around to finding any more of it. Now, I grew up in a different part ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: God's Will, Discovery, Sharing

Denomination: Baptist

I Can Remember My Cousin Jenny As A Joyful, ...  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jul 29, 2007

I can remember my cousin Jenny as a joyful, delighted-with-life little girl who wasn’t like the rest of us, but could make the grumpiest of grumps smile because her love of life and underlying happiness was so infectious. The message here is that all of us have opportunity to give sacrificially to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1, 1 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Love, Worship, Give, Life, Thanks, Life Situations, Always, Giving Yourself, Ups And Downs, End Of The World, End Times, Eschatology, Last Days, Guidance, Hypocrite, Impossible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Old Saw Bucks On A Hill! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 25, 2005

Two Old Saw Bucks on a Hill! (06.27.05--Direction--John 21:4-6 ) How often we see things dimly in the morning light only to confront something altogether different than what we thought we saw in the first place. Not long ago I was awakened early, much earlier than I normally venture out in the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:4-6

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Foot In Mouth Disease! (07.20.05--Pride--John ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 19, 2005

Foot In Mouth Disease! (07.20.05--Pride--John 7:51) Open mouth, insert foot! There are few times in life more embarrassing than when we say something we didn’t mean to say or let something slip that should not have been said. On the occasion of a recent birthday in our household, I was given ...read more

Scripture: John 7:51

Tags: Humility, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 11, 2005

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: 20-23) “No one has done a better job of portraying envy than Dante, In his Purgatory . . .the envious sit like blind beggars by a wall. Their eyelids are sewn shut. the symbolism is apt, showing the reader that it is one of the blindest sins--partly ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-23

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Lutheran

One Of My All-Time Favorite Movies Is "Mr. ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 11, 2001

One of my all-time favorite movies is “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” It’s the story of a musician who really just wants to be a composer. Rather grudgingly, he takes a job teaching music at the local high school, supposing it will give him time to write music while providing an income for he and his wife. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers, Holy Spirit Attributes

Denomination: Baptist

John Wesley's ...

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jun 3, 2008

John Wesley’s Diary: July 7, 1739. — I had an opportunity to talk with him (some preacher friend) of those outward signs which had so often accompanied the inward work of God. I found his objections were chiefly grounded on gross misrepresentations of matter of fact. But the next day he had an ...read more

Tags: Supernatural

Denomination: Holiness

Overcoming The Loss Of Hands And Feet

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008

David and Becky Guinn have been on my mind this past week. In 1997, the Lord blessed me to go with David on a mission trip to Ukraine. It was a life-changing experience for me. David and Becky deeply love the Lord. They have faithfully served the Lord for years in college ministry, mission work and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:25-30, Matthew 12:9-15, 2 Timothy 1:1-12

Tags: Faith, Perseverance, Overcome Difficulty

Denomination: Baptist

Thy Great ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Thy Great Salvation Sanctification The truths relating to the application of God’s great salvation are grouped under three headings: 1.) Justification; 2.) Regeneration and 3.) Sanctification. The Bible ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:4

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Isn't Fair

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IT ISN'T FAIR Have you ever had something happen to you which caused you to think, "This isn't fair!"? Ken Wyniemko sure has. Just like Paul, he was locked away for a crime that he did not commit. In 1994, he was convicted by a jury based of a horrible crime against a young woman on the basis of a ...read more

Tags: Anger

Quaker John Woolman's Longstanding Anti-Slavery ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2010

Quaker John Woolman’s Longstanding Anti-slavery Campaign John Woolman was a Quaker who grew up in Pennsylvania in the early eighteenth century. He was a contemporary of George Washington. When he was a boy he was given to the things boys often do—in this case throwing rocks at a robin’s nest ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Tags: Servanthood

Ears To Hear

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

I’ve done a lot of funerals in my twenty plus years of ministry, far more than I thought I would ever do. Every service touches me in a unique way and with each funeral I seem to come away with a life-lesson I needed to hear. Recently I was taught a valuable lesson as I eulogized a certain man. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-25

Tags: Communication, Listen, Ears, Hearing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Euodia And Syntyche - Conflict At Philippi

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 24, 2016

EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE We can’t help wondering what caused disharmony between two women in the church at Philippi, but we will not find the answer--only that Paul urged these women to live in harmony. That’s all we know. Yet until the Lord shall return, Bible-readers everywhere will know there was ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Disagreement, Agree, Argument, Conflict

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Have You Seen The Rabbit - The Race

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 31, 2023

Yet as I prepared this Message ... the Holy Spirit made it clear to me ... that to be all that God has called us to be ... and before we should connect with others ... we first must be abiding with ... and be connected to the Jesus ... to the true vine. To continually abide in the Lord ... to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14, Luke 22:42, Matthew 6:6, John 10:27, John 15:5, Matthew 25:40, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Race, Prize, Chase, Connect, Cost, Endurance, Vine  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice. Easier Said Than Done.

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jan 23, 2024

Do you ever find it hard to be happy for people when good things happen to them? I do. Someone gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them I’m envious. A friend’s child gets an award and jealousy is my first reaction instead of joy. Why can’t I just be happy when good things happen to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Celebrate, Baseball, Gratefulness, Grace, Joy, Thanksgiving, Thanks, Rejoice, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Great Quotes On The Presence Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2022

If you have God's presence, you have favor. One minute of God's Presence can accomplish more than 20 years of your striving. - Heidi Baker If you have never known the power of God's love, then maybe it is because you have never asked to know it - I mean really asked, expecting an ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9

Tags: Presence Of God, Holy Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gospel Perspective On Thanks  PRO

Contributed by Rex S. Wignall on Nov 28, 2002

The Gospel Perspective on Thanks Because of the great sacrifice Jesus made for each of us on the cross, Christians should have an additional, very personal perspective on thanks. Max Lucado shares this moving story of sacrifice to remind us what Jesus has done in giving His life for us: It’s ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: United Methodist

Depression: "I Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

DEPRESSION: "I NEED HELP." Dear Sir, Hi. My name is Carole. I am seventeen years old and a senior in high school. And I want to die. My name is Brandy. I’m 13 years old and I’ve tried to kill myself six times. I had some problems with my mom and I felt I couldn’t live anymore. I don’t know what ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

A Winning Streak Of One!" 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 1, 2005

“A Winning Streak of One!” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Key verse(s) 16“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” It’s important to make sure that every day of our lives we practice gladness and condition ourselves to finding ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran