In Sermon Illustrations: "Positive Thinking"

The Secret Garden Is A Fascinating Children's ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jun 20, 2009

The Secret Garden is a fascinating children’s classic. It is the story of a British child, Mary Lennox, who lived in India but is orphaned because of her parents’ death due to a cholera breakout. They send her to England to live with her only surviving relative, her uncle who is still mourning the ...read more

Tags: Love For God, Love God

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Road To ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Aug 5, 2009

“The Road to Safety” A news correspondent, forced to jump from a crippled plane over New Guinea, landed safely. He sought a way out of the jungle. Up mountains, down the rivers, through the thick jungle growth he traveled, only to return discouraged to his starting point. Day by day, week by ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Christian Church

What's Valuable

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 11, 2009

WHAT'S VALUABLE Helen Frankenthaler’s The Bay is an abstract painting on display in the Detroit Institute of Arts. It’s valuable. This work of art is worth about 1.5 million dollars. Or I should say it used to be worth 1.5 million dollars, until a 12 year old boy on a field trip decided to put his ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Devil Is A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 16, 2009

The Devil Is A Liar A well-paid, recently-promoted young executive dreamed he died and stood at the Pearly Gates. Peter asks: "Do you want to go to heaven or to hell?" "Let me know my options," he says. "Show me hell." Up pops a giant screen with a video playing. Girls in bikinis and well-built ...read more

Scripture: John 8:44

Tags: Satan

Somebody Once Wrote A Book ‘men Are From Mars And ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 4, 2009

SOMEBODY ONCE WROTE A BOOK ‘MEN ARE FROM MARS AND WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS WHICH REALLY SPEAKS ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT MEN AND WOMEN REALLY ARE. I THINK IT STANDS OUT THE MOST ON THE WEDDING DAY ITSELF. THE BIG DAY ARRIVES AND THE HUSBAND TO BE WAKES UP, RELAXES MIGHT HAVE A FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST THEN ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Baptist

Augustine And The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 3, 2009

AUGUSTINE AND THE BIBLE For 2,000 years the Bible, often unaided by any human intervention, has transformed the lives of those who read it, many times dramatically so. St. Augustine is a good example. For most of his life he was a famed academic in the Roman Empire. He was very successful in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-19

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Pentecostal

Gorilla And Lion

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2022

There is a story about a college student who was desperately in need of a summer job. He discovered the local zoo was looking for help. He couldn’t think of a more creative way to spend the summer, but he wasn’t prepared for the job description. When he went to apply, the zookeeper explained ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: Lion, Gorilla, Zoo

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Covenant?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 20, 2022

Devotional - Genesis 9:7-28 (also glance at Chapters 10-11) What was the command to Noah and his family? – populate the earth (we exist today because of Noah and family) Covenant – “berith” – a brand new word! What can we learn about this word in context? – a promise and commitment to do ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:7-28

Tags: Agreement, Covenant, Promise, Population

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Make Sure Your Ax Is Sharpen

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Feb 16, 2023

When we were young we did not have central heating and air. As a matter of fact I do not remember us having a window unit. What we had was a fireplace in the winter time and a screen door in the summer. I remember that old fire place. If it was real cold we would put a blanket over the door ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:10

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sharpening Your Ax

Denomination: Church Of God

The Story Of The Chair

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 22, 2024

Those of you who have heard of Evangelism Explosion by D. James Kennedy know the illustration of the chair. You know, a person can say ‘Yes, I see that chair. That’s a chair. I acknowledge that’s a chair. I believe that’s a chair. And I think that chair could hold me up if I sat in it.’ But ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:10-13, Ephesians 4:30-32

Tags: Cross, Assurance, Blood Of Jesus, Faith In Christ, Works, Grace, Mercy, Trust, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Church Makes You Throw Up!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 12, 2024

Marty, a little boy, was in church one Sunday with his mother Doris, when he started feeling sick. 'Mummy,' he inquired, 'can we leave now?' 'No,' his mother replied, 'the service isn't over yet.' 'Well, I think I'm about to throw up.' Marty ...read more

Tags: Church, Children, Mothers, Sick

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Need A Push

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 a.m. by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. “Not a chance,” says the husband- “It’s three o’clock in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed. “Who ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Luke 6:31

Tags: Service, Compassion

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Stewardship Billfold Story - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

When I think of stewardship it brings to mind a story about a minister who was baptizing his new converts in a farm pond not far from the church. One of the gentlemen that was being baptized was a prosperous farmer known in his community for his tight grip on the dollar. When his name was called ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:8-12, Hebrews 7:1, Matthew 25:18, Matthew 6:21, Proverbs 3:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Money, Steward, Stewardship

Denomination: Anglican

Your Last Meal?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 14, 2026

WHAT MEAL WOULD YOU ORDER IF YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR LAST? WHAT TALE ARE YOU TELLING? SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS WITH A 38 YEAR OLD MAN ON DEATH ROW. At midnight we would take a walk to the death chamber. He was given his last request what to eat. He had ordered 2 REUBEN SANDWICHES AND CURLY FRIES. He ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14-15, Psalm 90:9-10

Tags: Death, Last Meal

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Resisting A False Culture

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In the late 1980s, the world witnessed the collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe. One of the central figures in the Velvet Revolution of Czechoslovakia was Václav Havel. Havel had been a playwright and dissident long before he became president. He spent years imprisoned because ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47, Colossians 4:2-6

Tags: Culture, Scattered, Resisting, Gathered

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

One Of My Favorite Columns By Erma Bombeck Tells ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 22, 2001

One of my favorite columns by Erma Bombeck tells of God in the act of creating mothers. She says that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. And an angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one." The Lord turned & said, "Have you read ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 21:8-14

Tags: Communication General, Commitment, Hypocrite, Pride, Sacrifice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Erma Bombeck Wrote This Essay Entitled, When God ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Sep 26, 2002

Erma Bombeck wrote this essay entitled, When God Created Women. “By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one?" And the Lord answered and said, "Have you seen the spec sheet on her? She ...read more

Tags: Share, Mother's Day, Parenting, Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

While Serving As A U.s. Marine In Iwakuni, Japan ...

Contributed by Troy Mason on Nov 1, 2002

While serving as a U.S. Marine in Iwakuni, Japan I had an experience that I thought I would share. The date was Friday, Nov 1st, 2002. Just to set the stage, that means it was a payday Friday compounded by the fact that military promotions occur on the 1st, so there were many Marines of all ranks ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion, Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Baptist

Perpetual New Year's Resolutions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2002

PERPETUAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day, Bucketlist, Christian Values

9998; Imagine You Have Moved To A Beautiful ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jan 7, 2004

✎ Imagine you have moved to a beautiful beach front home on the Pacific coast (we’re using our imagination, so you may as well have your dream house). The movers have just left and you are faced with the daunting task of getting settled in. That’s when the phone rings. I call and say, ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Assembly Of God