In Sermon Illustrations: "On Time"

The Baby's Smile

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Dec 28, 2022

The Baby’s Smile “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21 We are in the last few days of the year. Most of our thoughts on Christmas is that it is ...read more

Scripture: John 16:21

Tags: Smile, Hope, Cross, Baby Jesus, After Christmas, Cradle To The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Revivals In The Bible

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 20, 2023

A revival is a return to spiritual health after a long period of sin, darkness and apathy. It is a restoration of the soul of an individual, family, church or nation back to right relationship with the Lord. Some of these recorded revivals listed by the author are more evangelism than revival, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 85:6

Tags: Holy Spirit, Revival, Repentance, Return, Awakenings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes-The Lad Who Helped Samson

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 24, 2023

Introduction: The story of Samson is one of the saddest in the Bible. He started off well but ended his days as a captive of the Philistines, Israel’s greatest enemy at the time. Even then, there was an unsung hero who helped him when Samson couldn’t help himself. Text: Judges 16:23-26, KJV: 23 ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:23-26

Tags: Samson, Philistines, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is God Working?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 21, 2023

Pastor Henry Blackaby, of Faith Baptist Church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada began to sense God leading them to an outreach ministry on the college campus. He had never done student work. Their church had never done student work. Their denominational student ministries department recommended ...read more

Scripture: John 5:17-20, Romans 3:10-11, John 6:44

Tags: Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Discipleship, God At Work, Joining God At Work  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Highest Calling Of The Bride Of Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Revelation 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her ...read more

Tags: Praise, Heaven, Purpose, Bride Of Christ, Calling, Glory, Church, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Still Has One More Move

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Sep 22, 2023

This is a story about a painting in a famous art gallery in France. The painting depicts two chess players, one of whom is Satan, who appears arrogantly confident, and the other is a man who looks forlorn. If Satan wins, he wins the man's soul. (The painting is now popularly known as ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4, 1 Corinthians 10:13, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:8-9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Painting, Control, Player, Chess

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Encourage: Plant A Tree

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 6, 2024

There was a man that looked around the barren community where he lived. The man wanted to do something to help the lifeless areas around his community. The man decided there was nothing he could do to help his neighbors. He prayed and asked God to help him help his family and his friends to bring ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:22, Ezekiel 11:19

Tags: Help, Encourage, Make A Difference

Denomination: Assembly Of God

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

Why Are So Many Not Healed?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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: Faith, Healing, Prayer, Miracles, Health, Sickness, Medicine, Gift Of Healing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Selfishness

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

A while back I was in store getting some groceries as I observed a mother battling with her child. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and lying on the floor kicking and lashing out at his mother. The mother was really embarrassed by the child’s behavior, and she seemed overwhelmed and shocked ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-4

Tags: Selfish, Me Focused

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mr. Welch

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

Stories of pivotal prayers: Story from Tim Elmore “Pivotal Praying” (Page 1): His life’s dream was to be a missionary, and it looked as though it was finally coming true. As the nervous young man sat in the mission’s agency’s office, he assured the interviewer that he and his new bride were ...read more

Tags: Giving, Story, Welch

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Born Between 1930 To 1970?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and 1970's! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6, Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9

Tags: Humor, Risks, Reflecting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Miracles Through Prayer In China

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 15, 2024

In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. Nee had a contact ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Elijah, Missions, Prayer, Miracles, China, Rain  (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: Authority, Sadness, The World, Sin, Suffering, Mirror, Distress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Was Jesus Involved In Politics?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 4, 2024

WAS JESUS INVOLVED IN POLITICS? I hear that all the time as the excuse for Christians not voting. Is that biblically true? I spent hours searching through the Gospels for the truth and found these key teachings that describe Jesus' attitude and involvement toward the issue of government and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:1, John 10:10, Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Jesus, Evil, America, Corruption, Elections, Rulers, Presidents, Politics, Second Coming, Government, Return Of Christ, Voting, Kings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Brownies Teach Stewardship

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Nov 26, 2024

A 6th grade Sunday school teacher was struggling with a lesson. She was preparing to teach a lesson on how Christians manage their material blessings. She knew that when her students were in confirmation class the pastor would share what the Bible says about stewardship of time, talents, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Tags: Offerings, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing

Denomination: Lutheran

[041] A Message From A Poem – Christ - Our Support In Hurt

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[041] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST - OUR SUPPORT IN HURT We can pass through stormy seas and feel like those disciples in the boat when calm gave way to anxiety, but Jesus was in the boat resting in peace. The disciples focussed on the conditions and not on the Lord. Is that like us as ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 56:11, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16, Mark 4:37-40  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Always With You, Hurt, Afraid, Support, Alone, Anxious  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[094]. A Message From A Poem – Forgetting The Past, Look Ahead

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[094]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORGETTING THE PAST, LOOK AHEAD Someone posted to a Christian forum I was on, a four line stanza once, that in effect said that you can not go back and fix the past, i.e. to go back and alter the beginning but you can start from here and make a brand new end. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Regret, Hope, Past, End, Failure, Start, Look Ahead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[168]. A Message From A Poem – Leave The Future With Your God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 18, 2025

[168]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LEAVE THE FUTURE WITH YOUR GOD I think it is true to say that we all run around making plans and trying to resolve problems in the ordering of our lives. We are creatures of this earth, though we are citizens of heaven. (Philippians 3:20). Things in this life ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:11, 2 Timothy 3:13, Matthew 6:34, Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:25, Philippians 3:20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Do Not Worry, Christian Poems, Future, Anxiety, Worry, Wait On The Lord  (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