In Sermon Illustrations: "Relationship To God"

Meliorism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

MELIORISM Have you ever heard of Meliorism? Here is what one person said about it. "I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I am a Meliorist. Meliorism cancels out optimism as being too bright, too airy; and rejects pessimism as being too dull, too heavy. Take life as it is, says the meliorist, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Author, God Brings Purpose

Tribes And Nations

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 29, 2022

Genesis 11:10 – Gen. 12:5 Shem (oldest son of Noah, in the lineage of David, Joseph, and Jesus Christ) We note Shem’s genealogy both in Genesis 10 and here in Genesis 11; why? – Abraham and eventually Israel came from the lineage of Shem; Genesis 11 gives details and sets up Abraham Shem ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:10-32

Tags: Faith, God, Israel, Population

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Peanut Parable

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

The kingdom of God is like a man who looked in a new way at a food grown and eaten only by poor folks, the peanut, and developed over three hundred by products from it: cereals, oils, dyes, soaps, and food substitutes. It turned out that the crop restored the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-52

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Lavish, Growth

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Come And See

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 22, 2023

Come and See ~ When was the day you received the invitation? Come and see. Come and see. When was the day you heard the Master’s voice? When was the day you made Christ your choice? When was the day you allowed the Savior in? When was the day you were cleansed from sin? That was the day He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28, John 4:29

Tags: Christ, Invitation, Knowing God

Denomination: Baptist

Is A Blue Whale The Biggest Thing There Is?

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jun 16, 2024

Leave it to a children’s book to help us see how big our universe is. In a book entitled "Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?" Robert Wells takes us from a size we can grasp to one we can’t. The largest animal on earth is the blue whale. Just the flippers on its tail are bigger ...read more

Tags: Creation, Omnipresence, Power Of God

Denomination: Pentecostal

Daily Warrior's Prayer

Contributed by William Akehurst on Jun 29, 2025

DAILY WARRIOR’S PRAYER HEAVENLY FATHER, I praise and worship you because YOU are GOD. I am honored to be YOUR servant and I take my stand today against the devil and his schemes against me, my family, and my ministry. FATHER, as I take up each piece of the armor, please secure it in place on ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Warrior's Prayer, Armor Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thief And Parrot

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Aug 7, 2025

One night, a thief broke into a big, rich house. He wanted to steal expensive things. He looked around and started putting gold and jewelry into his bag. As he walked through the house, he suddenly heard a voice say: "Jesus is watching you." The thief stopped. He looked around but didn’t ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 5:21

Tags: Parrot, God, Thief, Watching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Having A Guide  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 5, 2002

HAVING A GUIDE In A Slow and Certain Light, Elizabeth Elliot tells of two adventurers who stopped by to see her, all loaded with equipment for the rain forest east of the Andes. They sought no advice, just a few phrases to converse with the Indians. She writes, "Sometimes we come to God as the two ...read more

Tags: Knowing God's Will, Obedience, Prayer How To, Surrender, Guidance, Descriptions Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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)

The Streams Of Mercy Are Still Flowing

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2019

Robert Robinson was a wild young man who came to repentance listening to a George Whitefield sermon. He later became a pastor and wrote a couple of hymns, particularly the famous, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", which was written in 1757. Later in life, Robinson wandered from the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1

Tags: Promises Of God, No Condemnation, Backsliding, Mercy Of God, Come Thou Fount  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What A Pastor Is Called To Do!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

A biblical Pastor is not called to entertain the goats…. he is called to feed the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: The Word Of God, Preachers, God's Sheep, Church, Teaching, Preaching, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Ears Heard You, But My Legs Didn't!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

One day a man's little granddaughter was playing with her toys. Her mother, who was folding laundry across the room, noticed the child's shirt was dirty and needed to be changed. After calling two times with no response her mother called out as loud as he could to her stubborn daughter, ...read more

Tags: Word Of God, Rebellion, Hearing God, Hearers And Doers, Stubborness, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

In 18th century Wales, a young man named William Williams graduated from the university as a physician, but quickly changed professions to become a physician of the soul -- a clergyman. Being warned against the "fanatical dissenters" such as Wesley and Whitefield, Williams decided to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Evangelism, Missions, Guidance, Providence, Will Of God, Missionaries, Preachers, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Swift To Hear

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

Ropes suggests that the phrase “swift to hear,” used in James 1:19 (tachus eis to akousai), relates primarily to the hearing of or the ready obedience to the Word (referring to 1:18). It is not just an imperative concerning normal social interaction or communication. It is, in fact, ...read more

Tags: Listening, Worship, Discipleship, Obedience, Prayer, Word Of God, Hearing God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Have Spiritual Wax In The Ears?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

JAMES 1:21 - "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." A person must put off every dirty thing and lay it off to the side away from himself. If he enjoys the dirt and filth, then his mind is ...read more

Tags: Followers Of Jesus, Worhsip, Word Of God, Voice Of God, Cleansing, Hearing God, Filth, Listening, Discipleship, Confession  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

D) How Does The Earth Compare In Size And Space ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jan 22, 2008

d) How does the earth compare in size and space to our sun’s closest neighbor star Proxima Centauri? 1. Proxima Centauri is a red dwar star and part of the Alpha Centauri star system. This closest neighbor is 4.22 light years away or 270,000 times farther than the earth is from the sun. If the ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Make This Muddled World A Better Place

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 5, 2018

Make This Muddled World A Better Place January 24, 2018 Lanier Christian Church David Simpson The Academy Award Nominations came out yesterday. Of the movies nominated, one of them is about famous British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, entitled: Darkest Hour. Churchill left us with many ...read more

Tags: Bless Others, Give Of Self, Be A Blessing To Oth, Service, Compassion, Winston Churchill  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

Lesson Of The Good Samaritan

Contributed by Darian Hybl on Aug 21, 2013

Recently I read an article that convicted me of my ‘blind spots’ where I have not wanted to ‘cross the road’ or enter deeper into relationship. Alex Early penned an article entitled, “A Pastor Walked into a Gay Bar And…” At first I avoided the article because I thought this article was more a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:23-37

Tags: God As Judge, Real Friend, Parable Good Samaritan

Denomination: Lutheran

World War Ii Prison Camp Inmates In Burma ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 6, 2010

World War II Prison Camp Inmates in Burma Transformed by God’s Love and Grace, the Case of Ernest Gordon Ernest Gordon was serving as a captain in the British army during the Second World War when he was captured by the Japanese, marched with other prisoners into the Southeast Asian jungles, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Christian Love