In Sermon Illustrations: "Prayer In The Spirit"

The Weak Ones

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Feb 20, 2008

1 Peter 5:8 – Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Any of you watch those nature shows? Growing up, we’d always watch “Mutual of Omaha’s ‘Wild Kingdom,’” with Marlin Perkins. Remember that? We loved that show. My ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Gary Larson, The Artist Responsible For The Far ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Apr 5, 2008

Gary Larson, the artist responsible for the Far Side cartoons that used to appear in the Sunday comics Had a knack for making us realize the obvious In one particular cartoon There were a group of scientists gathered around another scientist The one is the middle was normal looking But the others ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Turn To Me

Contributed by Dale Hummel on May 2, 2008

TURN TO ME Dallas Willard in his book, Hearing God, tells the story of a businessman: Robert C. McFarlane was a well-known businessman in the Los Angeles area. He moved to California from Oklahoma in 1970, and within just a few days of his arrival--due to a disastrous misunderstanding with a ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Someone's Consistent Help  PRO

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Be Someone's Consistent Help Paul, in his letter to the Hebraic Christians, makes this point: "…exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." [Hebrews 3:13] I will be the first to admit that when it comes to the inner-workings ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: *other

Max Lucado Explains Grace This Way In His Book In ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 26, 2008

Max Lucado explains grace this way in his book In The Grip of Grace pages xii-xiii: Surely God is impressed with my garments, I often thought. Occasionally I strutted into his presence so he could compliment the self-tailored wear. He never spoke. His silence must mean admiration, I convinced ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Friend Allen

Contributed by Jesse Bennett on Nov 19, 2008

MY FRIEND ALLEN After many years of prayer by friends and family, Allen finally surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. Initially when I met Allen he hadn’t surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. There was just something about Allen, even when he was upset with you, you couldn’t help but like the ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

Children On Silence  PRO

Contributed by Carl Greene on Feb 16, 2009

CHILDREN ON SILENCE Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence." The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Methodist

Power Of The Flesh  PRO

Contributed by Daniel Olukoya on Apr 17, 2009

POWER OF THE FLESH A certain man was in very big trouble. He was sacked from five jobs. When he could not feed his family again, his wife ran away, leaving him with three daughters. To worsen his sorrow, his first daughter became pregnant while in form three. When he tried to beat her, she said, ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Pentecostal

Weathering The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

WEATHERING THE STORMS Pastor Ron Ritchie once talked about a friend of his named Jack who called him one night many years ago. He sensed immediately that his heart was heavy with grief. A few months prior his wife Cindy had become pregnant for the first time after years of waiting on the Lord to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:10

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Little Boy Sees The Parade But Misses The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2009

Little Boy Sees the Parade but Misses the Circus Lowell Ogden tells the story of a little boy who lived out in the country around the turn of the century. He had never seen a traveling circus, and one was coming to his town on Saturday. The lad asked his father for permission to go and his dad said ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Tags: Worship Definition

14 Years Ago Florida State’s Sports ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 16, 2010

. 14 years ago Florida State’s sports information department had big news for Clay Shiver last year: Playboy magazine had selected him for its preseason All-America football team. But quicker than he snaps the ball, the 6-foot2, 280-pound center said, “No thanks.” he went on to say, “My mind was ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Bill Hybels: Difficult Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2010

BILL HYBELS: DIFFICULT FORGIVENESS Everything we have seen about how to deal with difficult people when put to action will bring glory to God. We find this in an illustration from Bill Hybels: "A couple of years ago, a member of my church’s vocal team and I were invited by a Christian leader ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Lucado On Alcoholism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2011

LUCADO ON ALCOHOLISM Max Lucado, one of America's great Christian leaders, found that out earlier in his ministry. He once said, "I come from a family of alcoholism. If there's anything about this DNA stuff, I've got it." For more than 20 years, drinking was not a major issue for Lucado, but about ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-5

Tags: Alcohol

Vacant Homes, Vacant Lives  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2011

VACANT HOMES, VACANT LIVES TIFTON, GA — The most interesting thing about Tifton is an abandoned Victorian house filled with thousands of bats. Tift County declared the once-elegant house in the town’s historic district off limits after a bat specialist said that maybe 20,000 bats had moved in, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:11-16, Luke 11:1-13, Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 84:1-12, John 2:13-23, Luke 7:36-50, John 1:46-56, James 2:14-26, Luke 11:24-26, Matthew 12:43-45, Matthew 12:44-45  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bible Influence

Come Down Off The Chair

Contributed by Michael Milton on Sep 11, 2011

COME DOWN OFF THE CHAIR There is a pastor who was once a professor--a very creative professor--at RTS in Jackson, Mississippi. One day he had the responsibility of leading the chapel service. Most of us prepare for chapel messages by Bible study and prayer. This professor prepared by not only ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Declaration Of Dependence

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 11, 2011

DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE The Declaration itself laid the groundwork for our freedom as a Nation: And that declaration was to be based upon the nation’s faith in God. It was quite literally a declaration of “Dependence upon God.” In the first two sentences of the Declaration of Independence - ...read more

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Call To War

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Sep 29, 2011

CALL TO WAR Have you ever heard the "trumpet" call to do battle in our culture? On every side we are bombarded with things and teachings that are anti-God. There is the lasciviousness where "free-sex" reigns as supreme. It is the Christian’s God ordained duty to confront this sin against God ...read more

Tags: War

Denomination: Baptist

A True Church Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

A TRUE CHURCH FAMILY Fred Sigle, preaching minister at Garfield Christian Church in Indianapolis tells about Mark Knutson. On August 28, 1993, he was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer. When diagnosed, he was already in the late stages and was only given a short time to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

For An Animation Of Psalm 42, Please Go To ...

Contributed by Jessica Johnson on Aug 5, 2012

for an Animation of Psalm 42, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMfZ1u9DHU&feature=plcp . 'As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the Living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11

Tags: Water, Wave, Enemy, Night, Call, Pants, Countenance, Worship General, Delivery, Day, Deer, Waterfalls, Bones, Appear, Breaker, God, Soul, Rock, Help, Presence, Deep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

We Hear You Now Lord!

Contributed by David Holwick on Sep 14, 2012

On July 1, 2003, a visiting evangelist at the First Baptist Church of Forest, Ohio, was conducting an evening revival. Rev. Don Hardman had just finished his sermon on repentance and was closing with prayer. Apparently he felt that he had not accomplished what he was there for. A storm was ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: Baptist