In Sermon Illustrations: "Psalm 31 1 4 15 16"

Tony Campolo Says That His Wife Is A Brilliant ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 21, 2001

Tony Campolo says that his wife is a brilliant woman. She has a PHD & is capable of pursuing a very profitable career. But she elected to stay home with her children when they were young. Her decision didn’t bother her at all except when other women would ask, “What do you do?” She would ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-16, Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Children, Conviction, Parenting, Motherhood, Mothers, Mother's Day, Temptation, Tithes, Sacrifice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Former Under Secretary Of The Interior John C. ...  PRO

Contributed by Tj Tipton on Mar 29, 2001

Former Under Secretary of the Interior John C. Whitaker is reminded of how easy it is to get an out-of-perspective feeling about one’s importance in government whenever he thinks of an 85-year-old woman who has lived her life in one spot in Nova Scotia. The population there swells to nine in summer ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-6, Proverbs 25:6-7

Tags: College, Daughter, Independence Day, Humility, Temptation Pride, Perspective  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Possums And The Grave  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Apr 13, 2001

POSSUMS AND THE GRAVE I have heard that possums are smart animals. You wouldn’t think so because you hardly ever see one except when it’s dead on the road. There’s a joke that goes, “why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” But possums, it turns out, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 8:10-15, Luke 24:13-24

Tags: Volunteer, Victory, Missions, Resurrection, Service, Servant, Easter Resurrection, Easter, Go, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Year Or So Ago Time Magazine Published A Review ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 16, 2001

A year or so ago Time Magazine published a review of the movie, “The Birdcage.” The review said that while the movie is based on the plot of Robin Williams & Nathan Lane playing a homosexual couple, & Gene Hackman playing a conservative politician who messes up their gay lifestyle, that the movie ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Holiness, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Vicar Was Retiring After 25 Years In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 8, 2001

A vicar was retiring after 25 years in the parish. As he came to clear out his bedroom he found a small bowl with 5 eggs and £1,000 pounds in. Baffled he called his wife and said: Darling, what is this little basket under the bed with five eggs and £1,000 in. "Oh " she said " I must confess that ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-7, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Tags: Gifts Prophecy, Gifts Encouragement, Love, Leadership General

Denomination: Anglican

The Devil Has A Plan For Your Life: Doubt - To ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Nov 30, 2001

The devil has a plan for your life: Doubt - To make you question God’s word and His goodness; Discouragement - To make you look at your problems rather than at God; Diversion - To make the wrong things seems attractive so that you will want them more than the right things; Defeat - To make you feel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-9, Luke 7:18-35

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ucla Sociologist, James Wilson, Has Observed An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

UCLA sociologist, James Wilson, has observed an interesting fact about city life: The crime rate escalates on those streets where broken windows are not repaired. His study showed that the failure to replace windows makes an announcement to the public by saying the standards have been lowered and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:21, 1 Corinthians 8:13

Tags: Sin Bondage To

I Can Remember My Cousin Jenny As A Joyful, ...  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jul 29, 2007

I can remember my cousin Jenny as a joyful, delighted-with-life little girl who wasn’t like the rest of us, but could make the grumpiest of grumps smile because her love of life and underlying happiness was so infectious. The message here is that all of us have opportunity to give sacrificially to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1, 1 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Love, Worship, Give, Life, Thanks, Life Situations, Always, Giving Yourself, Ups And Downs, End Of The World, End Times, Eschatology, Last Days, Guidance, Hypocrite, Impossible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Years Ago, On June 28 (2005), Four Navy Seal ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Jul 31, 2007

Two years ago, on June 28 (2005), four Navy SEAL commandos were on a mission in Afghanistan, searching for a notorious al-Qaeda terrorist leader hiding in a Taliban stronghold. As the battle ensued, three of the SEALs were killed, and the fourth, Marcus Luttrell was blasted unconscious by a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:9, Luke 15:1-32

Tags: Hospitality, Doing God's Will

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

After The Collapse Of The Berlin Wall In 1989, No ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Feb 16, 2008

After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, no person in all of East Germany was more despised than the former Communist dictator Erich Honecher. He had been stripped of all his offices. Even the Communist Party rejected him. Kicked out of his villa, the new government refused him and his wife ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:20, 1 Peter 3:9

Tags: Divisions

Denomination: Other

A Thanks Offering For His Plans For Us  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Thanks Offering For His Plans for Us Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11-13, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Tags: God's Plan, God's Timing, God's Direction, Wisdom Of God, God's Sovereign Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Henry Blackaby In "Experiencing God" Words It ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2009

Henry Blackaby in "Experiencing God" words it this way: The crisis of belief An encounter with God requires faith. Encounters with God are God-sized. What you do in response to God's revelation (invitation to the task) ...read more

Scripture: Acts 28:1-10, 1 Kings 17:8-24

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Like To Be Blind?  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 30, 2011

DO YOU LIKE TO BE BLIND? Our grand-kids came to visit our church one Sunday, and I asked our grandson, Caleb, how he liked Sunday School. He said he didn't like it at all! I asked him why and he explained that the teacher made them close their eyes for a long time and wouldn't let them open ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-7, 1 John 4:19-21

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Does The Size Of A House Become Sinful?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2011

WHEN DOES THE SIZE OF A HOUSE BECOME SINFUL? Several years ago, Millard Fuller of Habitat for Humanity addressed the National Press Club on public radio, on which he recalled a workshop he conducted at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with 200 pastors in attendance. The assembled pastors quickly ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Daniel 1:5-16

Tags: Greed

The Stolen Baby Jesus Syndrome  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 20, 2011

THE STOLEN BABY JESUS SYNDROME A few years back, Wellington, FL had their baby Jesus stolen two years running. This was a wealthy community and their Jesus was worth around $1800. The third time around they put a GPS inside and traced the thief to her home. But the baby Jesus doesn’t have to be ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-25

Tags: Commandments Steal

Knowing The Sound Of His Voice  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

KNOWING THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE Brian Brown tells the story of being at the community pool with his family. Kids were screaming, playing, and splashing in the pool, music was playing, the lifeguard whistles were blowing and in the midst of the conversation, his wife shooshes him. He said, "What are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, John 10:4

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Methodist

Is He Real Or Pretend?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

IS HE REAL OR PRETEND? I think George Reeves was the first actor to be Superman on TV. Back in the 50's, TV actors were not quite as "elite" as some seem to be now. They would throw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles little league game. They would fire the starting pistol for a soap box derby ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Hypocrisy, Sincerity

Denomination: Baptist

When One Is Threatened  PRO

Contributed by Pramod Kumar Eleti on Feb 12, 2012

WHEN ONE IS THREATENED A Mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a Mouse-Trap Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 12:26

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Faith In The Future, No Power For The Present

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2012

NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, NO POWER FOR THE PRESENT Years ago, a small town in Maine was proposed for the site of a great hydroelectric plant. Since the dam would be built across the river, the entire town would be submerged. When the project was announced, the people were given many months to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14, 1 John 3:3

Tags: Future

The Truth Of The Book  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 23, 2012

THE TRUTH OF THE BOOK John Ortberg states "It’s a strange thing: the book has never been so accessible. According to Guinness Book of Records, L. Ron Hubbard’s writings of scientology have been translated into 65 languages; the Koran is supposed to be read in Arabic so it hasn’t been translated ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational