In Sermon Illustrations: "Perseverance In Faith"

The Blessing Of Fatherhood

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

Sometimes you want to run away to a land far, far away! But unless you are Peter Pan, flying to Never-land is hardly a good idea! You see, your presence is more important than you know. Feelings of inadequacy bombard every dad, so at times you may not think you’re a good father! You may even think ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:6

Tags: Father, Baseball, Family Relationships

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: He Helped David With The Sheep

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 14, 2020

Text, 1 Samuel 17:20-21, KJV: 20And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21For Israel and the Philistines had put the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:20-21

Tags: David, Sheep, Shepherding

Denomination: Baptist

Tis The Season For ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

‘Tis the Season for Praise Psalm 118:1-4 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good… Let Israel say… Let the house of Aaron say… Let those who fear the LORD say: ‘His love endures forever.’” The writer of this psalm is very careful to give recognition to the Lord and it is right that the whole ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:1-4

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Does God's Voice Sound Like?  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Feb 4, 2009

WHAT DOES GOD'S VOICE SOUND LIKE? Erwin McManus, a pastor in Los Angeles, tells a great story about recognizing God's voice. My son, Aaron, was five or six when he began asking me, "What does God's voice sound like?" I didn't know how to answer. A few years later, Aaron went off to his first ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Tags: Hard Heart, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Thief On The Cross - Alistair Begg

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 19, 2023

If you were to die tonight and you were getting entry into heaven, what would you say? If you answer that, and if I answer it in the first person, we've immediately gone wrong. “Because I believed”, “Because I have faith”, “Because I am his”. Loved ones the only proper answer is in the third ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:33-44, Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Pride, Arrogance, Thief On The Cross, Alistair Begg, Easter, Good Friday, Crucifixion, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[011] A Message From A Poem - A Very Present Help In Times Of Trouble

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[011] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE Stanza 1 - Psalm 54:1-4 Stanza 2 - Psalm 56:3-4 Stanza 3 - Psalm 50:15,23 Stanza 4 - Psalm 55:22 This poem of four stanzas has a stanza dedicated to each of four verses in the Psalms. I love the Psalms and at times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:1-4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 50:15, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 50:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Help, Burden, Deliverer, A Present Help, Save Me, The Day Of Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[203]. A Message From A Poem - On The Eve Of Trial

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 17, 2025

[203]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ON THE EVE OF TRIAL This poem was written at the airport when I had to go away for a very unjust hearing before a wicked, unjust Commissioner/Judge, and the whole setup was so evil. If you ever feel the dragon’s breath then you will know what I mean. I don’t wish ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 16:33

Tags: Unjust, Trials, Trepidation, Peace, Overcome, Tribulation, Control, Trial, Injustice, World, Fear, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[214]. A Message From A Poem - Paul’s Prison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 28, 2025

[214]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PAUL’S PRISON This is my oldest surviving poem. I had parts of others but they are gone. The poem came about when thinking of Paul in prison in Rome. Everything seemed against him there, but he was never forsaken by God of course. When Paul was in prison he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:10, Philippians 1:23

Tags: Luke, Paul In Prison, Christian Poems, Devotion, Asia, Defection, Departure, Desertion, Demas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ricochet Evangelism

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 9, 2023

Lee Strobel tells the story of a time when he felt God prompting him to go and share an Easter invitation in the business office of the newspaper where he worked. He didn’t know why. But, he listens to God. When he arrived, he saw his friend who was working in the business office. It was an ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-31

Tags: Evangelism, Easter

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[233]. A Message From A Poem - Remember Me Until I Come

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 21, 2025

[233]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REMEMBER ME UNTIL I COME This poem was written as a Communion meditation with the view of being a Communion hymn. It uses a Metre 12 in the four lines. I adapted this for another poem based on this one using a Metre 10 that can be sung to various tunes. At the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Tags: Passover, Cup, Remember Me, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Until I Come, Communion, Bread, Remember  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of The Best Ways To Bear Everlasting Fruit Is ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Apr 19, 2010

One of the best ways to bear everlasting fruit is to share your Christian testimony with other people. This morning we have a YouTube clip with part Drew Brees’ Christian testimony. Drew gave this testimony earlier this season in an interview with Jill Ewert from the Fellowship of Christian ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

[046]. A Message From A Poem – Christians In Response

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[046]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANS IN RESPONSE This is another poem where I make use of rhyming patterns. Each line has an internal rhyme separated by one syllable. Here it is explained – “My life was SPENT, and WENT its way, with worldly discord gained.” The rhyming scheme for the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Revelation 5:11-13

Tags: Praise, Christians, Response, Poetry, Poem, Death Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[198]. A Message From A Poem – O Forest, How You Weep In Pain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 13, 2025

[198]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – O FOREST, HOW YOU WEEP IN PAIN This is a serious poem and I like it very much. Like most of my poems it comes out of some personal experience. If this was a musical composition it would be in a minor key. The summary is, “O forest, how you weep in pain, but ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:22-23, Amos 4:7-8

Tags: Signs Of The Times, Christian Poems, Rainforest, Tropical Rainforest, Forest, Barren, Dryness, Drought, Weeping, Barrenness, Pain, World, Sin, Persecution  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nothing Can Choke The Heart And Soul Out Of ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 11, 2001

Nothing can choke the heart and soul out of walking with God like legalism. Consider the story of Hans the tailor. Because of his reputation, an influential entrepreneur visiting the city ordered a tailor-made suit. But when he came to pick up his suit, the customer found that one sleeve ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:33-35, Mark 5:1-12

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Christian Love, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Mush God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

THE MUSH GOD The Mush God has been known to appear to millionaires on golf courses. He appears to politicians at ribbon-cutting ceremonies and to clergymen speaking the invocation on national TV at either Democratic or Republican conventions. The Mush God has no theology to speak of, being a ...read more

Power In The Cross-Communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 7, 2002

POWER IN THE CROSS-COMMUNION MEDITATION There is power in the cross. It's undeniable. Even unbelievers seem to squirm when considering its potential. David Brooks, of the Weekly Standard, reports "of the conniption being thrown by the American Atheist, the group founded by the late ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18

Tags: Crucifixion, Cross Agony, Lord's Supper

There Is An Appropriate Historical Example Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 11, 2002

There is an appropriate historical example of this folly of ruling out something ahead of time because it does not fit with one’s view of the world. When explorers first came to Australia, they encountered an animal the defied all known laws of taxonomy. They discovered a semiaquatic, egg-laying ...read more

How Many Of Us Have Watched Trading Spaces On Tlc ...  PRO

Contributed by Mitchell Skelton on Jun 10, 2003

How many of us have watched Trading Spaces on TLC or seen Bob Villa and became inspired to finally do something about our own tired and outdated homes? It’s easy to get inspired to do something. Once inspired by seeing a weeks work condensed into a one hour TV show we can easily envision the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 6:1-12

Tags: Growth In Christ, Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Of Us?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 16, 2003

ONE OF US? One of 1995’s biggest singles was Joan Osborne’s “One of Us.” The song earned 7 Grammy Award nominations, and made a virtually unknown singer an overnight sensation. It’s a song of spiritual questioning and about conceiving of God in a modern age. These are some of the words of that ...read more

Tags: Descriptions Of God, God The Father

It Seems That Hell Isn't As Hot As It Used To Be. ...  PRO

Contributed by Corey Arnold on Nov 17, 2003

It seems that hell isn’t as hot as it used to be. Hell has become "more of a deep funk than a pit of fire." A January 2000 U.S. News & World Report poll reveals that 64 percent of Americans believe there is a hell, 25 percent say there isn’t a hell, and 9 percent don’t know. Most respondents think ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ