In Sermon Illustrations: "Nearness Of God"

Corrupt Form Of Godliness

Contributed by Charles Jones on Sep 6, 2011

CORRUPT FORM OF GODLINESS Their are individuals who are hanging around the Church that don't know God, "they have a form of godliness but they are denying the power thereof." The Bible gives us a word about 2 people who were in this kind of predicament. In 1 Samuel 2:12-36 with focus ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

Tony Evans Writes: "Make No Mistake About It. No ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 6, 2011

Tony Evans writes: "Make no mistake about it. No matter how big a church's staff may be, there is always a primary leader who has been invested by God with authority and responsibility. This leader is not a despot, and he is accountable to the body of elders...There has to be a place where the buck ...read more

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Geddie's Mission

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Sep 2, 2012

GEDDIE'S MISSION Dr. John Geddie was a Scots-Canadian missionary who was known as "the father of Presbyterian missions in the South Seas." In 1848 he pioneered missionary work in the New Hebrides islands, Aneityum (Anatom) and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Brethren

Prayer For Revival - Charles Spurgeon

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 24, 2018

Oh! men and brethren, what would this heart feel if I could but believe that there were some among you who would go home and pray for a revival: men whose faith is large enough, and their love fiery enough to lead them from this moment to exercise unceasing intercessions that God would ...read more

Tags: Prayer, Revival

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What's Wrong With The Music?

Contributed by James Chandler on Jul 2, 2019

People complain about the new music. Remember, hymns used to be the new music! What is wrong with the inspiring hymns we grew up with? When I go to church, it is to worship God, not to be distracted with learning a new song. Last Sunday’s was particularly unnerving. The song was un-singable ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:19-20

Tags: Worship, Unity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sharing Your Testimony!

Contributed by Tony Abram on Apr 4, 2021

My wife Marge said she was 8 years old when during a time of revival in Alberta, Canada she received Jesus as her own personal Saviour. This was in 1948 and the next day she could hardly wait to tell all her friends about Jesus and how she was saved. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Salvation, Testimony

Successful Parenting - Two Hands

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

The secret of all successful marriages ......... of all successful parenting...... always rests ... in two sets of hands. First and foremost, ... in the hand of God ...... and secondly ... in our hands. If we allow those hands ... (Clasp them) to be linked together ...... the results are ... ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Father's Day, Hands, Fathers, Families

Denomination: Anglican

Six Misunderstandings About Temptation

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

Misunderstandings regarding temptation: 1) Temptation itself is sin. 2) We fall into temptation. 3) God is disappointed and displeased when we are tempted. 4) To be strongly tempted means we are as guilty as if we had actually committed sin. 5) We overcome all temptation by separation ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Satan, Temptation, Failure, Tests, Trials, Sin, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Selective Memory

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 6, 2025

Three old friends are talking about memory loss. The first says, “Sometimes I go to the fridge and forget why I opened it.” The second says, “I forget what I’m doing in the middle of a task!” The third says, “Thank God I don’t have those ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5, 2 Peter 1:12

Tags: Humility, Remembrance

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Backing Out Of Life's Garage!" Exodus 20:18-21 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 20, 2005

“Backing Out of Life’s Garage!” Exodus 20:18-21 Key verse(s): 20:“Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning’.” Graduating from a reel mower to a power mower, was a very big step in my life. I began ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:18-21

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Sometimes I Feel Like A Nut! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 25, 2005

Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut! (07.27.05--Appreciation--Isaiah 12:1-6) Sometimes you feel like a nut-- and sometimes you don’t. Just another one of those advertising jingles that has bored its way deep into my subconscious. As innocuous as many of these little ditties might seem (and as irritating ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 12:1-6

Tags: Joy, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

Cross Bearing  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cross Bearing "The Christian's Passion" There is a powerful question that is too often avoided by preachers and church attendees alike, "Who took the rough edges off the Cross?" Modern day Christianity and the world have generally turned the cross into a nice piece of harmless jewelry, all shiny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ministering To ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Ministering to Christ In The Midst of Disaster “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom… For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Prayer--Part ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

ON PRAYER--PART 2 Samuel Pepys was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament in the seventeenth century, who is now most famous for his diary. "Prayer is not a lazy substitute for work. It is not a shortcut to skill or knowledge. And sometimes God delays the answer to our prayer in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer How To

Why Did Jesus Need To Be Baptized?  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 3, 2013

Why would Jesus need to be baptized by John? Well... Jesus' baptism by John was the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Mark 1:1 starts out: "The BEGINNING of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" and then Mark starts telling us about Jesus' baptism by John. In Luke 3:23 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-15

Tags: High Priest, Water Baptism, Jesus' Ministry, Baptism, Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grandma's Hands

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 23, 2016

Grandma’s Hands When I stand at the graveside for an elderly person, I think about the life they have lived, that dash between the birth date and date of death. I think about all they have seen, all they have experienced. And I think about this story that is told: Grandma, some 90+ years, sat ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:8

Tags: Hands, Graveside

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Magnify Yourself Against Those That Are Fallen

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 9, 2020

DON'T MAGNIFY YOURSELF AGAINST THOSE THAT ARE FALLEN "If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach" (Job 19:5) 1. Many people forget their own frailty, how easy is it for them to fall. We should be taught by the mistakes of others to avoid being ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:5, Psalm 35:26

Tags: Love, Exaltation, Correction

Denomination: Pentecostal

[004]. Message From A Poem - A Memorial To Kent Harrison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 19, 2024

[004]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A MEMORIAL TO KENT HARRISON This was written after Kent’s death in Townsville maybe in April 2005. We had known him since early Mt Isa days, then later when he moved to Charters Towers and then to Townsville. Kent suffered a few massive strokes but battled on after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1, 2 Samuel 1:17, 2 Samuel 1:26

Tags: Death, Compassion, Friend, Memorial, Tribute, Prayer Warrior, A Christian Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[040] A Message From A Poem – Chaotic Times Are Meant To Be

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[040] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHAOTIC TIMES ARE MEANT TO BE This world is in chaos and your understanding of that depends on your assessment in the scriptures. Right now in the United States there is a new presidency under Trump, and the sick state of American society is being revealed with ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 2 Timothy 3:12-13

Tags: Last Days, Chaos, Leaven, Poetry, United States, President Trump, Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[084]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three "fs"

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 16, 2025

[084]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Fs There are 9 poems in this Trilogy series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the third one in the first set - FOR ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:14, James 4:4, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Friendliness, Fellowship, Faithfulness, Poetry, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational