In Sermon Illustrations: "Personal Story"

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Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“Hope” Dedicated to All who have lost a child to a tragic early death, stillbirth, Miscarriage or even an abortion that was later regretted There is nothing quite as devastating as the loss of a child to an early death. There are always more questions than answers. There are many things we ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:8

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Freedom Isn't ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Freedom Isn’t Free “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5: 1 No, freedom isn’t free. It comes at great cost for those “buying it.” The United States found out just how high the price could be in the final days of World War II when trying to capture a Pacific Island from ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: Truth Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evidences Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Evidences of Salvation Obedience There are marks of true Christianity. The characteristics of a born again Christian are seen by all. Three evidences of a man’s acceptance of God’s great Salvation are repentance, faith, and obedience. Children who truly love their parents will strive to obey ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:5

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pastoral ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Pastoral Appreciation Pastors are very thankful to the Lord for every worker that God has given to the church of Jesus Christ. There is no greater blessing than to see obedient Christians exercise their gifts under the guidance of agape love. Whether it be the gift of helps, administration, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:11

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Head Vs. The Heart

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Head VS. the Heart Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. Ps. 31: 24 It is with the heart that we must wait upon God. As a man's heart is, so is he before God. We can advance no further or deeper into the holy place of God's presence to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:24

Tags: Confidence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christmas Adorations  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Christmas Adorations For thousands of years the Israelites had been looking for the coming of the Messiah. There in Bethlehem by the miraculous power of God, Mary, a young virgin, gave birth to the Savior of the world. Most people missed that glorious event, but a few did not. Who are the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:11

Tags: Christmas, Savior

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praying In ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Praying in Revival 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “…if my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” All true spiritual awakenings that have had a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn One of the greatest messages ever proclaimed was delivered by Jesus Christ and is referred to as the "Sermon on the Mount." His message is as relevant today as it was when it was first spoken. Our Lord opens this message not with a joke, but with the Beatitudes. The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Persecuted  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Persecuted Matthew 5:10-12 says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Several Years Ago, As I Was Just Beginning My ...

Contributed by Deborah Westbrook on Aug 13, 2008

Several years ago, as I was just beginning my serious study for ministry, I became friends with a woman about my own age, and in similar circumstances. She was a single mother of two middle school age boys. She wanted the best she could provide for her children…as we all do. Through several ...read more

Tags: Principles

Denomination: Methodist

Consistent Christians

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Consistent Christians I was getting ready to do some research for my weekly sermon so I entered my office and flipped the light switch to the "on" position. It seemed that as soon as I had touched the toggle there was an instantaneous burst of bright light from the light bulb for a millionth of a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: *other

Everybody's Doing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

“Everybody’s doing it.” This is a common phrase used today to excuse our behavior, but it is no excuse. We were shocked a decade ago when youth ministries guru Josh McDowell did an extensive survey of Bible-believing church teens that showed that more than half of them were sexually active, even ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:14

Tags: Purity

Sea Sponge Collection And The Spirit

Contributed by Chris Surber on Apr 23, 2009

SEA SPONGE COLLECTION AND THE SPIRIT When my wife Christina and I lived in Tarpon Springs, Florida, one of our favorite places to visit was the Greek Sponge Docks. We lived on a few blocks away, in fact, and we would often take evening walks past the boats, restaurants, and little shops that are ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Christian Church

Dad-Isms

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 24, 2009

DAD-ISMS Here are a few dad-isms from a recent website I visited - "Get in and get out." This applied to an open back door or refrigerator. Just because you don’t pay the gas and electric bills, that doesn’t mean you should waste energy, he’d tell us as we alternately let the cold air into the ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kindness Trumps Riches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Kindness Trumps Riches Like many American Christians, Keith Taylor has benefited from the generosity of other people in different times and different ways. For example, while Keith was attending graduate school in Tennessee, his car broke down, and the subsequent repair bill caused him to be short ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Tags: Giving General

There Are Many Who Say The Full Expression Of Our ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on May 10, 2010

There are many who say the full expression of our emotions remains the only safe way to ensure our own emotional and mental well-being. Take, for example, the following case: The situation: Mom and Dad had divorced. Their sixth grade daughter longed to see her Daddy. When she did, he was ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Adoption In Christ Frees Us From ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 10, 2010

Adoption In Christ Frees Us From Satan An illustration from history past can help us realize the significance of being children of Almighty God - an amazing concept! The image of emaciated babies and young children sitting in cribs, in a stark, ill-equipped Romanian orphanage blazed across the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5

Tags: Adoption

Cheering For The Other Team

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2011

CHEERING FOR THE OTHER TEAM I heard about an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas recently between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School. Faith Academy is a Christian school and Gainesville is located within a high-security youth correctional facility. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:27

Tags: Christian Witness

What To Do When There's No Fireworks

Contributed by John Herrmann on Jun 21, 2011

WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE'S NO FIREWORKS Around sunset one very hot summer’s eve when we (in the Army Chaplaincy) were in Iraq, about forty miles north of Baghdad, we saw the military police pull up in the building just next door. Out came two Iraqi Prisoners of War, their hands were shackled behind ...read more

Tags: Independence Day

Denomination: Lutheran

Wesley: God's Will For Marriage

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

WESLEY: GOD'S WILL FOR MARRIAGE When John Wesley was thirty-two years old, he was a bachelor missionary in the colony of Georgia. While he was serving a church in Savannah, he met a young woman named Sophia Christian Hopkey. She was pretty and intelligent, and Wesley fell head over heels in love ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Knowing God's Will