In Sermon Illustrations: "Prayer Before Meals"

A Friend Of Mine Shared This With Me A Few Days ...

Contributed by Robert Harmon on Aug 8, 2009

A friend of mine shared this with me a few days ago after suffering the loss of his beloved wife. She sent this to him the day she was involved in a serious car accident. He has found a great deal of peace from the words... G U I D A N C E Author Unknown When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-6

Tags: Humility, God's Guidance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Andrew Jackson Needs To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2009

ANDREW JACKSON NEEDS TO REPENT I heard about a famous preacher by the name of Peter Cartwright. He became one of the leaders of what we now refer to as the 2nd Great Awakening. Cartwright personally baptized over 12,000 people during his ministry. He was a Circuit rider and spent most of his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38

Tags: Revival

Courage: Breaking The Barrier

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

COURAGE: BREAKING THE BARRIER Seek courage and strength to move out of your comfort zone. You will need it. Even the smallest of changes even if they are for the best disrupts our relational systems. Without courage, without trusted companions, and with strength, growth and maturity will never ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:13

Tags: Growth In Christ

Missionaries Martyrdom In Turkey At The Hand Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Missionaries Martyrdom in Turkey at the Hand of Muslims in 2007 On April 18, 2007, five Muslims entered a Christian publishing company and killed three believers in the southeastern province of Malatya. The 3 believers, Tilmann Geske (a German missionary), Turkish Pastor Necati Aydin and Ugur ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

Tags: Missions

On Self-Control  PRO

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 2, 2010

ON SELF-CONTROL When I’m at the pizza buffet and I’ve already had more than enough to eat, and I know there’s a good chance another slice will make me miserable for the next 3-4 hours and I eat it anyway .... I lack self control. When I decide to stay up late and play video games or surf the ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist

Learning To Play One's Instrument To God's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

Learning to Play One’s Instrument to God’s Glory Does anyone here remember taking music class in grade school? When you first join a music class you are given an instrument to play. You really don’t have much of a choice in what you play. The instructor simply assigns you the instruments based on ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Tags: Body Of Christ, Gifts General

Others

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Contrasting Poems on Servanthood Matthew 20:28 "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." If He came to serve, what must we do? ILL.- “I gave a little party this afternoon at three— ’Twas very small Three guests in all Just I, Myself, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:28

Tags: Servanthood

I Want To Close By Sharing Something Gary Gunn ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 11, 2010

I want to close by sharing something Gary Gunn told us about at our last Men’s Prayer Breakfast. Several years back, Steven, a young man with AIDS started attending our church. (This was back in the time when AIDS was scary to most people and we didn’t know a lot about it.) The sickness slowly ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It's Ok To Clap

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

IT'S OK TO CLAP In 1989, I was an intern pastor at Boston Avenue UMC, a 8,300 member church in downtown Tulsa, OK. Let me give you an image of our worship service. We wore full robes and vestments, we processed with a choir of more than 60 people with the the cross leading the way. We sang hymns ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Methodist

Shoot The Moon

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jul 17, 2011

SHOOT THE MOON The other day I needed to take my mind off things, so I opened my computer and played a game of hearts. Now, like all card games, no matter how diligent you play, there's time when the unexpected happens, and you're hand turns to disaster. One sneaky move from an opponent and it's ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Lutheran

Consecration To God--Making A Personal Stand For Jesus

Contributed by Richard Tow on Dec 14, 2017

I read the story of a young woman who out of curiosity entered a little Presbyterian church one evening. She heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Later she heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. She was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-50

Tags: Sacrifice, Missions, Consecrated Life

Denomination: Charismatic

7 Ways To Build Self-Control

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

To be self-controlled is to restrain ourselves by not giving in to our depraved desires. We can say “no” when everything in us is saying “yes” for all the wrong reasons. We deny worldly lusts when we withhold our consent from them and when we refuse the delight they suggest. God will give us the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Temptation, Character, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Giving

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 22, 2023

I was raised in the church. My dad pastored 65 years. I graduated college and was married. We returned home for Christmas. We all gathered around the tree. I remembered my speedometer and God’s goodness. My wife and mom handed out the presents. Each family member had several gifts. In the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Jesus, Giiving

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Significance Of The Manger

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 9, 2023

If you try to point out something to a dog, the dog will often look at your finger instead of the object you’re trying to point to. This is frustrating, but it illustrates a natural mistake we all make from time to time. It’s the mistake many people make when reading the Christmas story in Luke’s ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Sign, Messiah, Christmas, Manger, Shepherds  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Seminary Professor (Fred Craddock) Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

A seminary professor (Fred Craddock) was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table ...read more

I Know This Is Going To Sound Surprising To Those ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Jan 16, 2010

I know this is going to sound surprising to those of us who live near, in, or work and/or play in the City of Chicago, but I once saw a police officer turn down free coffee and doughnuts. Yes, that’s right. I was on a “ride along” with an officer in Redondo Beach, California. It was a graveyard ...read more

Tags: Debt

Denomination: *other

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Beginners Guide To Giving Thanks

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 21, 2023

You would think giving thanks would come easily and naturally but, for me and I suppose others, it often times doesn’t. So, with the season of Thanksgiving upon us I thought I’d write this little guide for my benefit and hopefully for yours. Give thanks for the good things This is the easy one. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1

Tags: Thanks, Gratitude, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Christians Do Get Divorced. Some For Biblical ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 22, 2000

Christians do get divorced. Some for Biblical reasons. According to researcher George Barna, the ratio of Christians who have been divorced is higher than the percentage of non-Christians. In his sample of almost 4000 adults, Christians led non-Christians in divorce by a margin of 3 percentage ...read more

Tags: Faith, Divorce, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Baptist

A Mother Crab Who Was Having A Hard Time Teaching ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 23, 2001

A mother crab who was having a hard time teaching her young the right way to walk went scurrying at the beach one day. Before too long, the mother crab again chastised her son: "How many times do I have to tell you to walk straight! Stop walking sideways! It¡¦s much more becoming to stroll ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible