In Sermon Illustrations: "Refuge And Strength"

God's Strange Answers

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Jul 9, 2010

GOD'S STRANGE ANSWERS He was a Christian, and he prayed. He asked for strength to do greater things, but he was given infirmity that he might do better things. He asked for riches that he might be happy; he was given poverty that he might be wise. He asked for power that he might have the ...read more

Tags: Desire

Denomination: Christian Church

Two Tombstones

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2010

TWO TOMBSTONES A tombstone in a small English village reads, "Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares." In contrast, a plain tombstone in the courtyard at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Tags: Christian Love

Let The Lion Out

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 23, 2023

Charles Spurgeon on preaching the Word: There seems to be to have been twice as much done in some ages in defending the Bible as in expounding it, but if the whole of our strength shall henceforth go to the exposition and spreading of it, we may leave it pretty much to defend itself. I do not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19:7-11, Deuteronomy 8:1-5

Tags: Bible, Gospel, Truth, Preaching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thomas Andrew Dorsey Was A Black Jazz Musician ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 27, 2004

Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a black jazz musician from Atlanta. In the twenties he gained a certain amount of notoriety as the composer of jazz tunes with suggestive lyrics, but he gave all that up in 1926 to concentrate exclusively on spiritual music. "Peace in the Valley" is one of his best known ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 77:1-12

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Psa 17:1 A Prayer Of David. Hear, O Lord, My ...

Contributed by Steven Cannon on Feb 13, 2007

Psa 17:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips. May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reconciliation: Chancing One's Arm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2009

RECONCILIATION: CHANCING ONE’S ARM A. The oldest Christian site in Ireland is said to be St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. (Slide Of St Patrick’s) 1. It is a beautiful edifice, but it also has a interesting piece of history involving one of its doors– it is known as the "Door of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Genesis 33:1-11

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Give Thanks

Contributed by Jonathan Meade on Nov 18, 2023

At 16, a mission to Honduras with my father was an eye-opening experience that left an incredible mark on my soul. I found myself in a foreign land, surrounded by poverty and heart wrenching realities that I had never encountered before. One particular night, our bus pulled into a dimly lit gas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Missions, Gratitude

Denomination: Independent/Bible

[354]. A Message From A Poem – You Are Altogether The Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 27, 2026

[354]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – YOU ARE ALTOGETHER THE LOVELY ONE This is a devotional poem, one of praise and worship. I have deliberately tried to use many descriptions of the blessed Lord, such as My Comforter, great Shepherd, wonderful Lord, and you will see others. In the third stanza ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:2-3

Tags: Honor, Glory, Praise, Power, Adoration, Devotion, Christian Poems, Praise To The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of The Greatest Marathoners In The World Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on May 29, 2001

One of the greatest marathoners in the world is a Kenyan woman named Tegla Loroupe. She is also one of the smallest. Tegla Loroupe is just under 5 feet tall and weighs a mere 88 pounds. For more than five years she’s been among the top marathoners in the world. Tegla said in an interview that ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Endurance

Denomination: United Methodist

Chaplain Ernst Gordon In His Book "Through The ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on May 8, 2006

’Chaplain Ernst Gordon in his book "Through the Valley of the Quai" tells of the hardship prisoners of War during World War II as they were imprisoned by the Japanese army. These men wrote Chaplain Gordon were reduced to skeletons, riddled with disease, and the only way they could survive was by ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Lutheran

First, Give Your Kids The Luxury Of A Mistake ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

First, Give your kids the luxury of a mistake now and then. You made a few growing up. Acceptance by you and approval from you is critical to their healthy development. Second, Give your kids room to come to their own convictions and conclusions. Parents are foundational to success. At the same ...read more

Tags: Children

The Tarsier Is One Of The Smallest Primates And ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 19, 2009

“The Tarsier is one of the smallest primates and lives in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra and the Philippines. Tarsiers have a maximum body length of 6⅓ inches and a 10½ inch tail. Their eyes are so large that they would be equivalent to grapefruit-sized eyes in a human being. Tarsiers, ...read more

Tags: Stress

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Prayer And President Lincoln  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

PRAYER AND PRESIDENT LINCOLN A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House, said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:20, Romans 1:8-17, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Philippians 1:1-11, 2 Timothy 1:5-8, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 3:1-10, Romans 8:22-27, Psalm 139:1-24, Isaiah 52:2-3, Luke 11:9-10, Luke 18:1-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Loyal, God Hears, Call Of God, Living Faith, Prayer Persistence  (view more)  (view less)

Repentance In The White House  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

REPENTANCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE In 2001, Tim Goeglein started running the White House Office of Public Liaison, providing him almost daily access to then President George Bush for seven years. Then it all ended abruptly on February 29, 2008. A well-known blogger revealed the startling fact that 27 ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:4

Tags: Compassion, Repentance

On Fasting  PRO

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Apr 20, 2013

ON FASTING The Didache, is a first or second century document that relates to us outside the New Testament the teaching of the early church. This document "prescribed two fast days a week: Wednesday and Friday." For early Christians; this was seen as a regular part of daily discipleship. John ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16, Matthew 9:14-15

Tags: Fast

Denomination: Brethren

Eragon Vs. Galbatorix

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Sep 17, 2020

Years ago I read through a children’s series called Eragon. Eragon was going to face a strong and evil sorcerer named Galbatorix who had taken over the land through murder and violence. Finally, after battle upon battle to get to him, Eragon was able to confront Galbatorix deep within his lair. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15

Tags: Sin, Confrontation

Denomination: Lutheran

Power For Holy Living

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2022

Ludwig Nommensen traveled to begin mission work with a tribe in southeast Asia. The village chief welcomed Ludwig and said, "You have 2 years to learn our customs and convince us you have a message worth hearing." After 2 years, the tribal leader asked the missionary how Christianity ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Tags: Holy Spirit, Law, Obedience, Power

A Word Of Encouragement For Discouraged Pastors

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A great evangelist, Dr. Chapman, has often told an amazing story about himself. He had been in business and became minister of a great church in Philadelphia. One Monday he was more than usually dispirited. (Mondays are hard on pastors!). The Sunday had been a poor one, and he felt, as ministers ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Faith, Ministry, Hope, Encouragement, Anointing, Discouragement, Pastors, Calling, Quitting, Resigning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Several Years Ago Time Published Some Revealing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2001

"Several years ago Time published some revealing statistics. It reported that every year 36 to 77 of every 100,000 physicians in our country commit suicide, three times the rate of the general population … Los Angeles psychiatrist Robert Litman offers his explanation: ’They believe themselves to ...read more

But I Just Have To Give!  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Busch on Oct 28, 2002

BUT I JUST HAVE TO GIVE! Eric Hulstrand writes in Leadership magazine: "While I was preaching one Sunday, an elderly woman, Mary, fainted and struck her head on the end of the pew. Immediately, an EMT in the congregation called an ambulance. As they strapped her to a stretcher and got ready to ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Church Practices

Denomination: Pentecostal