In Sermon Illustrations: "Prayer Closet"

If People Are Coming.....the Product Must Be Good!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

In his awesome book, Selling Jesus, by Douglas D. Webster, the author gives an incredible quote about the lack of spiritual discernment in American church growth and marketing today: "American Christianity is increasingly tolerant of any and all methods, as long as they bring NUMERICAL results. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Tags: Discernment, Truth, Church Growth, Marketing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Our Faith Be In God And Not In The Things Of This World.

Contributed by Greg Burcham on Sep 2, 2016

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 NKJV What a beautiful verse! Jesus declares His desire to be your Savior and friend. This verse comes at the end of Christ’s rebuke of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Laodicea, Open Door, God Cares For You

Denomination: Baptist

Five Facts About Valleys

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

God designs valleys for His sheep to grow and sometimes He has to "make us lie down" there to teach us how to trust Him. Here are 5 facts about valleys we need to remember: 1. Valleys are INEVITABLE. Jesus promised valleys would come in this world (John 16:33). 2. Valleys are UNPREDICTABLE. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4

Tags: Character, Tests, Trials, Valleys Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Funny Church Feuds

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Church feuds are not uncommon, especially among cliques in the congregation. But when the pastor and worship leader get into it, stand aside. In one church, the preacher preached one weekend on commitment, and how you should dedicate yourselves to service. The worship leader then led the choir in ...read more

Tags: Church, Unity, Hymns, Division, Church Fights  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Putting God First

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 18, 2022

I woke up this one morning recently around 7am which is fairly late for me, still very tired, and about 10 minutes into reading the Word trying to drink my coffee to wake up, I knew I would not be able to stay awake through all my prayers at that level of fatigue. But I was trying to make sure in ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16, Psalm 63:1

Tags: Word Of God, Priorities, God First, Seek God Early

Denomination: Charismatic

Here's A Funny New Approach To Evangelism!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

There was a barber that thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So. the next morning when the sun came up and the barber got up out of bed he said, "Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door." Soon after ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Sermon Intro, Barbers, Evangelism, Gospel, Humor, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remembering Our Heavenly Connection

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

In one of the YouTube videos, Neil deGrasse Tyson shares his observation that humans, unlike most animals, sleep on their backs, naturally facing the sky. This position may have fostered a deep connection with the heavens. However, from a Christian perspective, this curiosity and upward gaze might ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:16-18

Tags: Celestial Connection, Spiritual, Genesis, Creation, Adam And Eve, Remembrance, Night Sky  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Worship Is Showing Up

Contributed by Rob Roy on May 22, 2024

How does Jesus know we love him, what is the proof? By your witness, your gifts, your tithes, your prayers or presence. Did you know I joined twitter? I think the day I did I read several tweets, but never tweeted, and that was long before the 2020 election, and long before I came to Mt. ...read more

Scripture: John 21:15-19

Tags: Worship, Showing Love

Letting Go Of The Branch!" Luke 1:5-15 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 31, 2005

“Letting Go of the Branch!” Luke 1:5-15 Key verse(s) 13“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” Trusting in God is fine, as long as it is something you believe He can do. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Lee Thomas On Praying For The Lost

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

LEE THOMAS ON PRAYING FOR THE LOST Prayer is really the starting place for all of our evangelistic efforts. We need to be like Paul in Romans 10:1, when he said: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." *Lee Thomas is a great teacher on praying for the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

There Once Was A Man Who Very Adamantly Believed ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2001

There once was a man who very adamantly believed in living by faith. He believed that, so long as he prayed in Jesus’ name, believing in faith that God would provide his need, he would receive whatever he asked for. One day he stood up in church and declared that from that day forward, he was ...read more

Tags: Faith, Money, Poverty, Provision, God's Provision, God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

A Better Plan

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jul 8, 2007

Illustration: A Better Plan When in college Robert J , Morgan came across a poem written by a teenage girl looking for a husband. It was written as a prayer, and this is what she said: Dear God, I pray all unafraid / As girls are wont to be I do not want a handsome man / But make him, Lord, like ...read more

Denomination: Other

Servanthood And Spiritual Growth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

SERVANTHOOD AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH I surveyed my church to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth. When asked, "To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?," 92 percent answered positively. None responded that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Servanthood

Forgiveness - Emanuel Ame Church And Renee Napier Stories

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Aug 19, 2018

Christians of all people should lead the way in forgiveness. And some do. On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof entered a Bible study group at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Even though he was white, he received a warm welcome from the all-black congregation. When the group closed ...read more

Tags: Moving Forward, Anger, Second Chance, Releasing To God, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[011] A Message From A Poem - A Very Present Help In Times Of Trouble

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[011] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE Stanza 1 - Psalm 54:1-4 Stanza 2 - Psalm 56:3-4 Stanza 3 - Psalm 50:15,23 Stanza 4 - Psalm 55:22 This poem of four stanzas has a stanza dedicated to each of four verses in the Psalms. I love the Psalms and at times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:1-4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 50:15, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 50:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: A Present Help, Save Me, The Day Of Trouble, Help, Burden, Deliverer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[109]. A Message From A Poem – Groaning Takes Its Toll On Me (Psalm 6)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[109]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GROANING TAKES ITS TOLL ON ME (Psalm 6) This poem is a retelling in poetic form of Psalm 6. We can gather from the Psalm that David was having a dreadful time. This is the beauty of the Psalms, for they cover the whole range of human emotions and failures, and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 6:2-3, Psalm 6:6-8, Psalm 6:9-10

Tags: Christian Poems, Despair, Upset, Weeping, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Corrie Ten Boom

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 28, 2025

Corrie Ten Boom was a Jew that worked with the underground resistance against Hilter. 6 million died. Corrie, her dad Caspar and sister, BETSY were arrested. They were taken into captivity by the Germans in the Jewish Death Camps. Corrie and her sister were captives. In her book THE HIDING PLACE, ...read more

Scripture: Job 42:10, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Faith, Plan, Trust

Denomination: Assembly Of God

J. B. Phillips Writes In The Preface To The ...  PRO

Contributed by Duane Smith on Jul 18, 2005

J. B. Phillips writes in the preface to The Young Church in Action, that one cannot spend several months in close study of this book, “without being profoundly stirred and, to be honest, disturbed. The reader is stirred,” he says, “because he is seeing Christianity, the real thing, in action for ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Tags: Pentecost, Holy Spirit, Church, Unity

Denomination: Baptist

Robertson Mcquilkin, Former President Of Columbia ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Buriff on Aug 13, 2006

Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia International University (Columbia, South Carolina) wrote this testimony: Life was heavy on me. My dearest friend and intimate companion, my delightful wife Muriel, was slipping away, one painful loss at a time, as Alzheimer’s disease ravaged her ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Church Of God