In Sermon Illustrations: "Personal Story"

[093]. A Message From A Poem – Foraging In The Depths Of Scripture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[093]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORAGING IN THE DEPTHS OF SCRIPTURE This poem deals with getting into the heart of scripture. There are images and techniques and encouragement in these stanzas. I actually make the comparison between a mudskipper that flits across the shallows on the water, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:27, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Buried Treasure, Inspired, Dig Deep, Eel, Mudskipper, Scripture, Word Of God, Workman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[184]. Poem – Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Who’s The Worst Of Us All?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2025

[184]. POEM MESSAGE – MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO’S THE WORST OF US ALL? This is an unusual poem I think, the name taken from the saying, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of us all?” Here we have a reflective poem and a challenging one in our personal lives. There is often so ...read more

Scripture: James 1:23, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Matthew 9:2, Revelation 12:10

Tags: Disgrace, Mirrors, The Accuser, Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Forgiveness, Sin, Reflection, Shame  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[191]. A Message From A Poem – My Saviour Called Me Unto Him

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 8, 2025

[191]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MY SAVIOUR CALLED ME UNTO HIM This is a generic poem, that it, it is a testimony of one coming to salvation, but it is not exactly mine for I was saved when 10 or 11. If you like, it is a synthesis of the elements contained in salvation. Certain aspects must be ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 95:7-8, John 12:32

Tags: A New Creature, Effectual Calling, A New Creation, Christian Poems, Faith, Salvation, Repentance, Conviction, Believing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[219]. A Message From A Poem - Praise God – Praise God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 4, 2025

[219]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PRAISE GOD – PRAISE GOD This is a poem written solely for the matter of praise. It could become a hymn but I am not capable of writing music and harmony. Praise is the focus being placed on the Father and Son or One or the Other. It is not a focus on ourselves. ...read more

Scripture: John 9:37-38, Psalm 150:1-6

Tags: Praise, Worthy, Praise God, Praise The Lord, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[274]. A Message From A Poem – The Instincts Of Life

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 24, 2026

[274]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE INSTINCTS OF LIFE The purpose of this poem is to demonstrate the stupidity of evolution. Evolution is an excuse not to believe in God and therefore not to be accountable, but woe to the evolutionist, for a day of accountability is coming. {{Hebrews 9:27 ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Jacana Bird, Gradual Change, Jesus Christ Created Life, Everyone Is Accountable, Creation, Evolution, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Water Birds, Jacana  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[277]. A Message From A Poem – The Leading Road

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 25, 2026

[277]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LEADING ROAD I hope everyone has been on higher ground where you have a really great panorama and the land and hills or ranges sweep away before you. I have seen many of these in tropical rainforested country, and below you, you may see a road leading away ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 104:24-25, Job 12:7-9, Romans 1:20, Revelation 20:12

Tags: A Leading Road, Beauty, Scenery, Nature, No Excuse, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[283]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord, Our Hope, Our Joy, Our End

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 31, 2026

[283]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD, OUR HOPE, OUR JOY, OUR END This is another of my earliest poems. This poem is a personal testimony to a time when I was walking in the valley of the shadow. STANZA 1 – All dark nights break forth into sunshine and my dark night looks forward to the Lord ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Psalm 23:4-5, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Joy, Sorrow, Dark Night, Blessings, Burdens, Valley Of The Shadow, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[287]. A Message From A Poem – The Prophets Made Careful Inquiry

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 7, 2026

[287]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE PROPHETS MADE CAREFUL INQUIRY The whole reason for this poem is this passage – {{1 Peter 1:9-12 “obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 9:1-3, Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 1:9-12

Tags: Christian Poems, The Prophetic Writings, Daniel, Isaiah, Truth, Inquiry, Searching, Old Testament Prophets  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Becoming An Olympic Athlete

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 4, 2026

We have to do something in order grow spiritually. What is it that we have to do? Over the past few weeks, our television screens were filled with images of the Winter Olympics in Italy. For example, you may have watched: • Luge, where they speed down an icy track at 80-90 miles an hour on what ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tags: Discipline, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth

Denomination: Baptist

The Visited Planet,

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 14, 2009

“The Visited Planet,” by J.B. Phillips Once upon a time a very young angel was being shown round the splendours and glories of the universes by a senior and experienced angel. To tell the truth, the little angel was beginning to be tired and a little bored. He had been shown whirling galaxies and ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Tags: Christmas

Welsh Revival Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 Modern world history also records times of revival due to the hearing of God’s Word undergirded with prayer. The little nation Wales once become known as “The Land of Revival.” It has its own unique spiritual heroes such as Saint David of the Celtic Church – William ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:4-7

Tags: Revival

Firestorms

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2011

FIRESTORMS I was at Boy Scout Camp when I discovered the terrible damage a fire storm could do to my life. It was a lazy afternoon very hot and dry. John and I were sent back to camp to start dinner for the guys. When I got back to camp, I discovered that the camp fire looked as if it had gone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-22, 1 Samuel 11:3-7

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Unwanted Items-The Unwanted Salary

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 11, 2025

Unwanted items-the unwanted salary Introduction: Have you ever been so angry with your employer that you threw your pay away? Something like that happened in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20)! (Full disclosure: Sermon Central has previously accepted a message on this text in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-15

Tags: Jesus, Money, Unwanted Things

Denomination: Baptist

Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving A Legacy, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jun 15, 2001

["Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving a Legacy, Citation: Mr. Holland’s Opus, (Hollywood Pictures, 1995), rated PG, written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, directed by Stephen Herek; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois] Mr. Holland’s Opus is a movie about a frustrated composer in Portland, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Tags: Family, David, Fulfillment, Gifts General, Jonathan, Legacy, Leadership General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Will Close With A Record Of Something God Did ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Belcher on Nov 26, 2001

I will close with a record of something God did 130 years go in New York City. It illustrates how God has started every harvest time in history, through the concerted prayer of his people. Toward the middle of the last century the glow of earlier religious awakenings had faded. America was ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration, God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Baptist

Blessed Are The Merciful. I Learned The Truth Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 22, 2002

Blessed are the merciful. I learned the truth of this Beatitude from Henri Nouwen, a priest who used to teach at Harvard University. At the height of his career, Nouwen moved from Harvard to a community called Daybreak, near Tornonto, in order to take on the demanding chores required by his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Five Brothers Were Walking Along A Road When ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 15, 2003

Five brothers were walking along a road when they saw a sign: “party tonight!” It announced. “Free food, drink, music, dance.” And best of all, at the bottom it said, “hosted in person by The King.” The first brother read the poster and said, “I’m not interested.” I’m going to stay home and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Baptist

What God Can Do With Your Life  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Dec 2, 2003

WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH YOUR LIFE In the recent movie, "About Schmidt" 66-year-old Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) has retired from his job as an insurance actuary. He is miserable, and after his wife (June Squibb) suddenly dies, he is also lost. He travels the country in his RV hoping to stop his ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Significance, Depression, Discipleship, Failure, Giving  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

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