In Sermon Illustrations: "Pure Heart"

Evidences Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Evidences of Salvation Repentance The truths relating to man’s acceptance of God’s great salvation are reflected through repentance, faith and obedience. The apostle Paul’s prayer for the church in Colosse was, “…That [they] live a life ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:10

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Separation Of Church And ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Separation of Church and State “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” (excerpt from Amendment I, U. S. Constitution) If our United States Constitution actually commands Congress to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-7

Tags: Politics

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Meek  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Meek As you study the character traits described in the Beatitudes, you can't help but realize one thing; these qualities are by no means natural to the human spirit. They are very foreign. Poverty of spirit, true mourning over personal sins against God and meekness does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Giving, Truth, Character, Redemption, Words, Meek  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Merciful

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Merciful In the Sermon on the Mount, we notice that Jesus' subject was not on how people are to be saved, but on the fruit of those who allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. One of the signs or evidences that a person has been converted is that he is now merciful. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Once Upon A Time...  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Once Upon A Time... ...in 1725 to be exact, a little boy was born and was named John. His sailor father was gone to sea for long periods of time leaving John’s mother to raise him. She was a kind, God-fearing woman who loved him dearly and endeavored to raise him in the love of the Lord, ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Too Soon To Quit

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 3, 2009

TOO SOON TO QUIT Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. I heard a story of a weak, sickly man. The weak man decided to withdraw from society and die. The man owned a cabin far from any other people. There was a boulder by the edge of the porch, a huge boulder. He ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Unsung Heroines-Joash's Aunt And Nurse

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 2, 2022

Introduction: These two ladies risked certain death to save the crown prince (and, it might be added, the ancestor of the Messiah!) Text: 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, KJV: 10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 22:10-12

Tags: Joash, Unsung Heroines, Jehoshabeath

Denomination: Baptist

A New Year Devotional

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 22, 2022

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other! In fact, here are some startling stats about typical resolutions for the new year in America: • 27% break their resolutions by the first week of January. • 31% lose their resolutions by the second week of January. • 41% ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33, Numbers 6:24-26

Tags: Finances, New Year, Things, Devotional, Blessings, Resolutions, Peace, Happiness, Joy, Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ten Things To Know About The Love Of God - Devotional

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 12, 2023

There are 10 key points about the Love of God in I John 4:7-21: 1. LOVE IS OF GOD (4:7) - not that God is love only. He is not limited or bound by anything. So, what is love? Study I Corinthians 13...... There are 3 Greek words (agape, phileo, eros). This love is agape, unconditional, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21, Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Agape, God's Love, Hate, Unforgiveness, False Prophets, Unbelievers, Evangelism, Love, Christ, Holy Spirit, Missions, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bring The Tithe To The Storehouse

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2023

When I was a young boy, I started mowing yards to make money so I could buy hundreds and hundreds of baseball cards! When I made my first money, my mother reminded me of what God says in the Bible about tithing. "Now, son, the word tithe means one-tenth. God asks us to bring 1 out of every ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Storehouse, Priests, Old Testament, Church, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, something strange happened one Christmas that I will never stop laughing about. Because it was a Christmas holiday, we were at home with our family taking a break from our normal ministry schedule. We did not go to the church campus for the weekend. But, while we ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Pastors, Tithing, Robbing God, Stealing, Surprises, Church, Giving, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice. Easier Said Than Done.

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jan 23, 2024

Do you ever find it hard to be happy for people when good things happen to them? I do. Someone gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them I’m envious. A friend’s child gets an award and jealousy is my first reaction instead of joy. Why can’t I just be happy when good things happen to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Gratefulness, Rejoicing, Thanksgiving, Celebrate, Joy, Thanks, Rejoice, Baseball, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Proverbs On The Words That We Speak

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 18, 2024

PROVERBS ON WORDS THAT WE SPEAK The Book of Proverbs shows us the seriousness of our words before the Lord. _________________________________________ "Violence covers the mouth of the wicked" (Proverbs 10:11). "The mouth of the foolish is a present destruction" (Proverbs ...read more

Tags: Lying, Wisdom, Mouth, Words, Speech, Lips  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[013] A Message From A Poem - Academic Christianity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[013] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY If you did a survey in universities and places of higher learning, and in liberal theological colleges in our days, you would find very few Christians. The mind of man today is bent on humanism and the search for rationalism in an existential ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25

Tags: Humanism, Academic Christianity, Professing Christians, Faith, Salvation, Foolishness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Observation About A Pair Of Hard Hats

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 15, 2024

Text: 2 Samuel 3:33-34, KJV: 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. Have you seen any roadside memorials? It ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:33-34

Tags: David, Death, Joab, Abner

Denomination: Baptist

[049]. A Message From A Poem – Christmas With The Shepherds

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[049]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTMAS WITH THE SHEPHERDS This is a very simple poem. I was asked to write a poem for Christmas by a friend who was doing religious instruction at a school and it is aimed at younger children. Although I do not agree with the trappings of Christmas as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Poetry, Poem, Shepherds, Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[059]. A Message From A Poem – Distressful Times Will Come Upon Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 13, 2025

[059]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DISTRESSFUL TIMES WILL COME UPON US Are you battling in life because of some problem that won’t go away? Are you weighed down by a stressful matter and can’t shake it? Does your life feel like it is starting to come apart? Do you feel the storms are thundering ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:20, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Anxiety, Anxious, Distress, Cast, Heavy Laden, I Am With You Always, Stressful, Stressful Living  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[083]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three Cs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 21, 2025

[083]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Cs There are 9 poems in this series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the second one in the first set - FOR MEN. ALL ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:37, Romans 13:11-12, 2 Peter 1:13, Romans 12:1

Tags: The Flesh, Be Awake, The Old Nature, Compromise, Carnality, Complacency, Poetry, Poem, Take A Stand  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[095]. A Message From A Poem – From Chains To Release

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

[095]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM CHAINS TO RELEASE This poem covers a lot of ground. It starts with, and develops the chains of sin; the work of Christ on the cross; our redeemed state in a persecuting world; God is looking for faithfulness and commitment; we praise the Lord because He ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:2, Romans 6:23, John 10:10

Tags: Captives, Bound By Chains, Chained By Satan, The Chains Of Sin, Poetry, Poem, Chains, Released  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[117]. A Message From A Poem – He Became Sin For Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 27, 2025

[117]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE BECAME SIN FOR US This poem resulted from some discussion in one of the Christian forums on Isaiah 52 and 53. I was thinking into the sufferings of the Lamb upon the cross trying to capture the stark reality of that sacrificial death. Of course God blotted out ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, He Became Sin For Us, Sin, Salvation, Endurance, Cross, Suffering, The Cross, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational