In Sermon Illustrations: "Personal"

God Thought About My Future Before I Even Had A ...

Contributed by Randall Bergsma on Dec 5, 2006

God thought about my future before I even had a present! Let me explain. I know that some of you are already saving money for sending your kids to future education. And you don’t even have kids yet! You are pre-planning! That’s awesome. That’s the love of a parent, getting ready to give that ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

G. K. Chesterton, In His Book Orthodoxy, Writes ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 17, 2006

G. K. Chesterton, in his book Orthodoxy, writes about creation and the creative enthusiasm of God. He says: “A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

The Highest Honour A Nation Can Bestow Upon One ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Jan 22, 2007

The highest honour a nation can bestow upon one of her sons is to name him “The Father of his country.” This is a title given to heroes as far back in history as the Roman Empire. “When a Roman citizen had done some brave, beautiful deed of infinite value and of noble self-denial, while soldiers ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Taking The Plunge—readers' Digest Online, As Kids ...  PRO

Contributed by Jon Dart on Mar 6, 2007

Taking the Plunge—Readers’ Digest Online, As Kids See It, Stephen McCormack, St. Joachim, ON, 1997 To my five-year-old son, Alex, jumping off the diving board that first time seemed an insurmountable challenge. He was too timid to manage it that day. On the drive home I tried to bolster his courage ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Stages Of The Christian Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

THE STAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE Several years ago I heard someone describe the Christian experience as similar to that of a piano player, and suddenly the commands of the Bible made more sense and seemed less daunting. When a person begins playing piano, do we expect them to play a piece by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

: A Bank President Came To His Pastor ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 31, 2009

Illus.: A bank president came to his pastor concerned about one of his teller’s soul. He asked his pastor to talk to him, but the pastor said, “It would be better if you would do that. He would look upon my visit as a professional task.” “All right,” said the banker, “but, will you go with me?” ...read more

Tags: Testimony, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Wesleyan

Staring At The Gates Of Hell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

STARING AT THE GATES OF HELL Auguste Rodin was a French impressionist sculptor. He created The Thinker. The Thinker was originally meant to sit on top of Rodin’s greatest masterpiece, the Gates of Hell. The Thinker is contemplating an eternity of judgment separated from God. Author Neil Cole ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Key To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

THE KEY TO FREEDOM The great "prince of preachers," Charles Haddon Spurgeon, used to tell the story of a duke who boarded a galley ship and went below to talk with the criminals manning the oars. He asked several of them what their offenses were. Almost every man claimed he was innocent, blaming ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38-40

Tags: Salvation

Suffice It To Say That No Revival Is Of Sudden ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 30, 2009

Suffice it to say that no revival is of sudden origin. When the revival manifests itself in a mighty way it comes suddenly as in the days of Hezekiah, but even so, its origins begin with the Holy Spirit of God moving effectively in individual lives in private. Let no one pray for revival—let no one ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Baptist

Everyone Needs This List To ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Aug 20, 2009

Everyone Needs this List to Live. * The most destructive habit: Worry, * The greatest Joy: Giving, * The greatest loss: Loss of self-respect, * The most satisfying work: Helping others, * The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness, * The most endangered species: Dedicated ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Effects Of Divorce

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 22, 2009

EFFECTS OF DIVORCE Focus on the Family states: With more than 30 years of research, we now know divorce seldom leads to a better life. Consider that: 1. Life expectancies for divorced men and women are significantly lower than for married people (who have the longest life expectancies).3 2. A ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Community Stores Refuse Kind Acts Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2009

Community Stores Refuse Kind Acts of Service The story is told of a minister who was organizing opportunities for people in his church to do small acts of kindness as a demonstration of Christ’s love in the community. 1. He phoned several neighborhood grocery stores and Laundromats and asked for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Servanthood

Gary Smalley's Daughter Carrie Came To Him One ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

Gary Smalley’s daughter Carrie came to him one day and said, “Dad, I know that you love us and I know that you love Michael (one of his sons), but you are always picking on Michael, you are constantly criticizing Michael. Dad, what you are doing is like someone who is locked in a room and someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Pow's Will To Live--French Surgeon Removes His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

A POW’s Will to Live--French Surgeon Removes His Own Appendix When the French surrendered to General Giap and the Vietnamese at Dien Phen Phu, the long line of survivors were led on foot toward Hanoi. A French army surgeon among the prisoners realized that his appendix was in trouble. What would he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Endurance

Moving To Sydney From The Whitsunday's In ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 2, 2010

Moving to Sydney from the Whitsunday's in Australia is like moving to a new country - it has a culture of it's own which is vastly different. Moving into a new ministry also has it's challenges and so I can identify with Abram as God brought him out of his comfort zone in Ur of the Chaldeans to the ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Circumcision? Why Not A Tattoo On The Arm Or ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 10, 2010

WHY CIRCUMCISION? Why not a tattoo on the arm or something similar? Circumcision was a hidden sign. It seems to me it has something to do with the promise of Abraham having many descendants, being fruitful and multiplying. The sign reaffirms God's promise right at the very place where the sexual ...read more

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Customer ...

Contributed by Jerry Blaxton on May 2, 2010

(ILL: Customer Service) Have you ever had to call a company about a product, and had to deal with customer service? It can be a nightmare, can’t it? I have had to call the IRS a few times in the past. You see, ministers are given some benefits in regard to their taxes, but you have to record the ...read more

Tags: Taxes

Denomination: Baptist

Amazing!

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 25, 2010

AMAZING! When dementia had taken its course, Bess (not her real name) was left with just a couple of words, but one word which she used to respond to almost any situation was the word "AMAZING!" After a lifetime of words, what a great word to have on your lips at the end of your life. Matthew ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stolen Art  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

STOLEN ART I was surprised to learn that if you had a museum that contained the world’s stolen art, it would be one of the biggest in the world. It would contain 174 Rembrandt’s, 43 Van Gogh’s, over 500 Picassos, and works by Renoir and da Vinci. You may remember that a few years back someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Right, Caesar, Render, Don't Give Up  (view more)  (view less)

During One Of His Great Campaigns, D L Moody Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on May 20, 2011

During one of his great campaigns, D L Moody was approached by a man who had been to a number of the services and who, although convicted of his need for Christ, had kept on postponing a decision. Now the last night had come. The appeal was over, the people were going home, the work crew was busy ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Salvation, Justification