In Sermon Illustrations: "Psalm 1:1-90:4"

Occupational Hymns  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Jun 21, 2001

OCCUPATIONAL HYMNS ~ Astronaut: "Nearer My God, To Thee" ~ Baker: "I Need Thee Every Hour" ~ Barber: "A Parting Hymn We Sing" ~ Baseball Batter: "Seek Thee First" ~ Builder: "How Firm A Foundation" and "The Church’s One Foundation" ~ Canoeist: "Flow, River, Flow" ~ Carpenter: "The Nail Scarred ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7, James 3:1-12, Psalm 32:11, Exodus 33:12-23, Galatians 5:1-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Reed, River, Peace, Joy, Mind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Like The Story Of The Boy Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jun 25, 2001

It’s like the story of the boy who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he was in his Grandma’s backyard one day, h spied her pet duck. On impulse h took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. “The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Guilt, Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Could Have Turned Around  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

He could have turned around A 20-year-old man was arrested by the Omaha Police on the “suspicion of robbery and giving police false information,” which was one of many wrong turns for this young man. His first wrong turn was the desire to make some quick, easy money for whatever reason. His ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:14, Proverbs 29:6

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Sin Wages Of, Repentance

A Famous Actor Was An After Dinner Speaker At A ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 9, 2001

A famous actor was an after dinner speaker at a big function and when he stood up to speak, he invited his audience to choose a poem for him to recite. There was a long silence until a retired clergyman raised his hand and asked for Psalm 23. The actor was slightly taken back, but agreed to do ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-7

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Anglican

Today In Sunday School The Teacher Told Us A ...

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 13, 2001

Today in Sunday School the teacher told us a story about Gaylord and his old dog that wouldn’t bite anybody. Seems that the dog liked to run alongside when Gaylord rode his bike. Gaylord either did not have a chain guard on the bike or this was in the days when they did not use them. Anyway, one ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 36:7, Revelation 21:4

Tags: Trust, Pain, Distrust

Denomination: Baptist

Steeped Study Time  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jul 15, 2001

Steeped study time from autoillustrator.com Consider the difference between a strong and a weak cup of tea. The same ingredients water and tea are used for both. The difference is that the strong cup of tea results from the tea leaves’ immersion in the water longer, allowing the water more time to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:2-3

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Kentucky Farmers Who Owned Racing Stables Had ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Aug 10, 2001

Two Kentucky farmers who owned racing stables had developed a keen rivalry. One spring, each of them entered a horse in local steeplechase. Thinking that a professional rider might help him outdo his friend, one of the farmers engaged a crack jockey. The two horses were the leading the race at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:1-12

Tags: Provision, Uncertainty, Giving, Doing God's Will, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

In Her Book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

In her book, THE HIDING PLACE, Corrie Ten Boom relates an incident that taught her to be thankful for things we normally would not be thankful for. She and her sister, Betsy, prisoners of the Nazis, had just been transferred to the worst prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-5, Romans 8:28, Psalm 33:10-11, Job 42:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Captain, God In The Hardships, God's Omniscience, Joy, Peanuts, Ship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Of Us Get So Used To The Adrenaline Rush Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2001

Some of us get so used to the adrenaline rush of handling crises that we become dependent on it for a sense of excitement and energy. How does urgency feel? Stressful? Pressured? Tense? Exhausting? Sure. But let’s be honest. It’s also sometimes exhilarating. We feel useful. We feel ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 3:1-9, Psalm 3:3

Cocoon  PRO

Contributed by Michael Demastus on Oct 22, 2001

ILLUSTRATION: “Cocoon” The cocoon of the Emperor moth is flask like in shape. To develop into a perfect insect, it must force its way through the neck of the cocoon by hours of intense struggle. Entomologists explain that this pressure to which the moth is subjected is nature’s way of forcing a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1-2, Psalm 51:1-19, Psalm 27:14

Tags: Process, God In The Hardships

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Have You Heard About The Little Boy Who Attended ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 3, 2001

Have you heard about the little boy who attended church for the first time and was asked how it went? He replied, "The music ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 11:1-3

Tags: Church General, Church Purpose Of, Foundation

Denomination: Church Of God

What To Do With Loneliness  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 20, 2002

WHAT TO DO WITH LONELINESS Lee Strobel writes: People today will admit any problem - drugs, divorce, alcoholism - "but there’s one admission that people are loath to make, whether they’re a star on television or someone who fixes televisions in a repair shop. It’s just too embarrassing. It ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 63:1-11

Tags: Compassion, Disappointment, Friendship New Friends

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Have You Tasted Jesus?  PRO

Contributed by Jan Spencer on Mar 19, 2002

Have you tasted Jesus? One divinity school hosted an annual picnic, to which they invited one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center. One year, the guest lecturer was a professor, who spoke for two and one-half hours "proving" that the resurrection of Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Divinity Of Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Was A Church Growing So Fast It Ran Out Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Tom Evans on Apr 1, 2002

THERE WAS A CHURCH GROWING SO FAST IT RAN OUT OF PARKING SPACE. THEY WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO A SUPER-MARKET THAT WAS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS AND MADE A DEAL WITH THE OWNER OF THE SUPERMARKET TO USE THEIR PARKING LOT. THE OWNER OF THE SUPERMARKET SAID, "YOU CAN USE THE PARKING LOT 51 SUNDAYS OUT OF ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1-10

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Adventist

Herbert Schlossberg, In His Book Idols For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

Herbert Schlossberg, in his book Idols for Destruction, astutely observed: “Western society, in turning away from the Christian faith, has turned to other things. This process is commonly called secularization, but that conveys only the negative aspect. The word connotes the ‘turning away from ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:12

The Refiner's Fire  PRO

Contributed by Tim Harrison on Apr 9, 2002

THE REFINER'S FIRE The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study. While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 66:10, Isaiah 48:10, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:3

Tags: Character, God's Image, Refine, Purify, New Creation, Time  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

Lucky Guess?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2002

LUCKY GUESS? It was a case of rags to riches and back to rags again for a Thai street hawker who briefly became a millionaire when a computer glitch on a popular TV game show fed her the answers intended for the host. Lertrak Panjanawaporn, 44, stunned the producers of the popular "Who Wants to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:3, Joshua 6:12, James 2:14-26, James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith, Leadership General, Truth

The One True God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2002

THE ONE TRUE GOD "Back in my Bible college days I struck up a friendship with a man from the Far East. Before his conversion to Christianity, the worship of man-made wooden images and human-like deities was a way of life. As a little boy, the question came to his mind one day, 'Why do I worship ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:12-121, Leviticus 26:1

Some Years Ago At A Drawing-Room Function, One Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2002

Some years ago at a drawing-room function, one of England’s leading actors was asked to recite for the pleasure of his fellow guests. He consented and asked if there was anything special that his audience would like to hear. After a moment’s pause, an old clergyman present said: "Could you, sir, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, John 10:27-30, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Shepherd

A Traveler Fell Into A Deep Pit And Couldn't Get ...  PRO

Contributed by John Knight on May 2, 2002

A traveler fell into a deep pit and couldn’t get out. Several persons came along and saw him struggling in the pit. The sensitive person said, "I feel for you down there." The reflective person said, "It’s logical that someone would fall into the pit." The aesthetic person said, "I can give you ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-2

Tags: Promises Of God, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Holiness