In Sermon Illustrations: "Personal Holiness"

What We Really Want

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 22, 2011

WHAT WE REALLY WANT A woman lay in a hospital bed, her body ravaged by cancer. Day after day her pastor and others prayed for her healing. Each day they could see her silent disappointment that she was not being healed. Then one day she said, "Let's not pray that I'll be healed. God knows that I ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Let The River Flow

Contributed by William Akehurst on Nov 25, 2011

LET THE RIVER FLOW Maryland’s Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam on the Susquehanna River is a great architectural feat. We can drive across the Dam and see the high water on one side and the lower level rapids and flow of water on the other. This dam was not built to contain a raging river and dam up ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grimaldi

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jan 16, 2012

GRIMALDI A psychiatrist had a patient suffering from severe bout of depression. And the wise doctor’s prescription after examination: "Go and entertain yourself by seeing the famous clown Grimaldi performing in the circus in the town today, his antics are bound make you laugh...you sure would find ...read more

Tags: Comfort

Denomination: *other

Baptism Long Ago

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 23, 2012

BAPTISM LONG AGO Centuries ago the circumstances of one's baptism would come on Easter eve at midnight. In the semidarkness, he or she would disrobe and descend into the waters to be immersed three times, in the name of the Father, then the Son, and finally the Holy Spirit. The newly baptized ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Conformity

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

I first noticed this in leading people to Christ. They were beautiful before they were “church broke.” Great young converts often start out as radiant Christians and end up only as carbon-copy Baptists. Great young ministers start out as adorable mavericks, but after a business meeting or two and a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Romans 12:2-5

Tags: Conformity, Accepting

Denomination: Baptist

The Called

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

The Called are those who have been summoned by God. Called to salvation (Rom. 8:30) Called both Jews and Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:24) Called "with a holy calling" (2 Timothy 1:9) Called with a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1) Called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1Pet. 2:9) Called to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:30

Tags: Election, Calling, God's Sovreignty

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The Hole You Go!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

As a minister, I conduct many baptismal services. My denomination baptizes in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. One Sunday, my family and I went to a friend’s home in the country. Our four children went outside to play with the others. After a short while, we heard only silence ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Faith, Baptism, Church, Children, Great Commission, Salvation'  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

President George Washinton's Prayer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 24, 2024

PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S PRAYER FOR THE UNITED STATES: I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have the United States in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Intercession, Revival, Nation, United States, Presidents  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Without Exception, I Have Found That Every ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 14, 2001

"Without exception, I have found that every person who was sincerely happy, radiantly alive, was living for a purpose or ...read more

48% Of Americans Have Helped A Homeless Or Poor ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2008

48% of Americans have helped a homeless or poor person in the past week other than handing ...read more

Forgiveness Is Radical Forgiveness Dissolves ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Forgiveness is radical Forgiveness dissolves alienation, brings reconciliation, restoration and renewal. Forgiveness is the most radical force in ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

A Man To Be A Sound Politician And In Any Degree ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

A man to be a sound politician and in any degree useful to his country must be governed by higher and steadier considerations than ...read more

Tags: Government

Life Begins At 40but So Do Fallen Arches, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Life begins at 40but so do fallen arches, lumbago, faulty eyesight, and the tendency to tell a story to ...read more

Tags: Aging

I Have Usually Proceeded On The Principle That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

I have usually proceeded on the principle that persons who possess sense enough to earn money have ...read more

Tags: Giving General

You Know The Words From The Bible: Build Not On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"You know the words from the Bible: Build not on sand, but on rock... Communist leaders respect only ...read more

Tags: Government

To Exercise Contempt Is To Invite Contempt. Any ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

To exercise contempt is to invite contempt. Any person who looks with contempt upon another sets in motion ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Im Here As An Invitation Bearer. Not My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Im here as an invitation bearer. Not my invitation, but anothers. Im here to deliver it as winsomely as I can. You decide if ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

In Real Life, The Most Practical Advice For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"In real life, the most practical advice for leaders is not to treat pawns like pawns, nor princes like ...read more

Tags: Gifts Leadership

Rick Warren In His Book The Purpose Driven ...

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Mar 17, 2010

Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Church said, "Strong churches are not built on programs, personalities or gimmicks. They ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Methodist

Here Are The Percentages Of Resolutions That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Here are the percentages of resolutions that people have promised to make for 2007: Now if you are into making goals and wanting to set them there is a website just for you. It’s called mygoals.com and it helps you stay on track, but it also has trends for what people are going to make as goals ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day