In Sermon Illustrations: "Rising"

The Flood In Contemporay ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

ILLUSTRATION THE FLOOD IN CONTEMPORAY TERMS AUSTRALIA - rising flood waters stranded 500 people… The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting more heavy rain… high alert for severe weather and flooding. Local rivers are already at their peak. Many roads and bridges are underwater and the town of ...read more

Tags: Samson

Denomination: Baptist

Biting The Hand That Feeds You  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU The other week, Laura and I were watching the Animal Planet. On the show we were watching was a dog that was rescued from a neglectful family. The poor animal had a big chain collar embedded into its neck. It had been a long time since the large animal had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Sacrifice, Compassion, Trust

Denomination: Other

Holding Up The Bridge

Contributed by Jack Kale on Sep 30, 2017

Holding Up the Bridge By now you have probably noticed the construction of the new bridge spanning the gap between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze. Each week new additions to the construction have caught my eye as I’ve driven those three miles over the bay. Tug boats, barges, cranes, heavy equipment, ...read more

Tags: Support, Relationships, Bridge, Second Chair

Denomination: *other

Let Go! Let Go!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 6, 2023

LET US STUDY THE EAGLE! I read about this boy that grew up in the city of New York. The boy fell in love with “EAGLES.” He checked every book out of the school library and the public library about “EAGLES.” As he got older he watched every movie, video and documentary he could find about ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Sin, Roots

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

[017] A Message From A Poem - Altogether Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 21, 2024

[017] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALTOGETHER LOVELY ONE There are times when we feel our hearts going out in worship to our Lord. What is the difference between praise and worship? This is not a sermon so I won’t be answering that question here, but I hope you think on it and that it might warm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11, Isaiah 53:3-4, Psalm 150:1-3

Tags: Worship, Praise, Gold, Magi, Sorrow, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lovely One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[040] A Message From A Poem – Chaotic Times Are Meant To Be

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[040] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHAOTIC TIMES ARE MEANT TO BE This world is in chaos and your understanding of that depends on your assessment in the scriptures. Right now in the United States there is a new presidency under Trump, and the sick state of American society is being revealed with ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 2 Timothy 3:12-13

Tags: Last Days, Chaos, Leaven, Poetry, United States, President Trump, Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[159]. A Message From A Poem – Good Seed In The Thorny Ground

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[159]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOOD SEED IN THE THORNY GROUND This poem was written for a recent message in a series I am currently doing on the Parables of the Kingdom from Matthew 13. It relates to the third soil type in the parable known as The Sower, {{Matthew 13:22 “The one on whom seed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:31-34, Ephesians 5:11, Matthew 13:22

Tags: Thorny Ground, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Choked, Riches, Priorities, Good Seed, Parable Of The Sower, Worries  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[257]. A Message From A Poem – The Bridegroom Prepared His Bride

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[257]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE BRIDEGROOM PREPARED HIS BRIDE The fact of Christ and His Church is a remarkable story of love. It is the pursuit of a Bride for God the Son. That Bride was purchased from the slavery of sin by the highest price and that was the death of the Lord Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:26-27, Revelation 19:7-9

Tags: The Bride, The Bridegroom, Christ Prepared His Bride, Bride For Isaac, Bride For Boaz, The Bride Is The Church, Ruth, Marriage Supper Of The Lamb  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Would Like To Read You Something I Came Across ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Sep 24, 2001

I would like to read you something I came across this week. It was written by a man named Tamim Ansary– who is an Afghani-American writer [ taken from Salon.com ]. I don’t generally like to read something of this length, but I think it is important for us to hear. [start quote] I’ve been hearing a ...read more

Tags: Stand Fast, World Religions

Denomination: Baptist

The Thessalonian Error  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2012

THE THESSALONIAN ERROR The Thessalonian error was misunderstanding the purpose of end-time prophecy. The purpose is not to identify the anti-Christ or to inform us of events. Others have misunderstood the purpose of second-coming prophecy. Many people have been identified as the anti-Christ. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Tags: Second Coming

Deepika And Discipline  PRO

Contributed by Bala Samson on Aug 27, 2013

DEEPIKA AND DISCIPLINE James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." She is just a doll! Fair, pretty with a smile that could steal anyone's heart; her name is Deepika, four year old daughter of a couple who pick up garbage from residential quarters. She was untamed, dirty, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Intimacy With God, Drawing Near To God

Denomination: Pentecostal

Revealing The Spectrum Of God’s Love

Contributed by Fred Parker on Oct 23, 2014

Written by Pastor Fred Parker Sat, 4th June, 2011 Matthew 5:16 “…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” NIV Early one morning not long ago, I was reminded that the aura of God is revealed in the beauty of His light. The clouds were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Tags: Love, Light Of Truth, Spectrum, Jesus Loves

Denomination: Pentecostal

Gifted Does Not Equal "Successful"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 12, 2009

"GIFTED" DOES NOT EQUAL "SUCCESSFUL" This week, I’ve begun reading a new book by one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, titled "Outliers: The Story of Success." The premise of the book is simple: no successful person is a self-made man; everyone who gets to the top had a lot advantages, ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Five Lies About Hell

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 19, 2022

ON AN AMERICAN TROOPSHIP during World War II a new Chaplain came aboard. The rank and file of the sailors met him and they put to him this question, "Do you believe in Hell?" The Chaplain was a modernist and an unbeliever, and he said, "Men, certainly not." The men looked at ...read more

Tags: Preaching, Judgment, Lost, Inerrancy, Evangelism, Hell, Death, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[063]. A Message From A Poem – Drumming And Humming Become Obese

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 18, 2025

[063]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DRUMMING AND HUMMING BECOME OBESE This poem is not my usual style and I need to explain. Imagine the beginnings of something that multiplies itself and grows louder and louder as it advances; then will take over because nothing can stop it . . . . except ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:2, Revelation 6:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-2

Tags: Humming, Drumming, Leaven, Wickedness, Delusion, Poetry, Poem, Advance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[140]. A Message From A Poem – In Despair But Not Alone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 23, 2025

[140]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN DESPAIR BUT NOT ALONE There is some personal sorrow in this poem and some of the poem’s content comes from experience, not a pleasant one. When writing this – a task that was difficult because of the way I used the rhyme scheme – I appealed to the Psalms and my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 64:2-7, Psalm 38:12, Psalm 141:10, Psalm 35:7-8, Matthew 5:43-44, Psalm 31:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Enemies, Nets, Christian Poetry, God Helps Us, Alone, Help, Despair, Net, Snare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[193]. Message From A Poem– No One Else Is Worthy Of Such Praise

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 9, 2025

[193]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM– NO ONE ELSE IS WORTHY OF SUCH PRAISE This poem is the focus on the worthiness of the Lord for no one else is worthy. Jesus is the One who died, and was raised again for our sins. There is so much these days of showmanship that is not worship. We hear song people ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24, Revelation 5:12-13, Revelation 4:9-11

Tags: Worthy, Spirit And Truth, Christ Alone, Honor, Glory, Worship, Praise  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[209]. A Message From A Poem – Our Pilgrim Journey Home

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 23, 2025

[209]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – OUR PILGRIM JOURNEY HOME Here is an explanation – The title of this poem expresses the walk and life of a Christian who lives for a short time in this world and then is called home. There is a slight touch of Bunyan’s Pilgrim Progress here. The KJV is the only ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:20-21, Hebrews 11:13, 1 Peter 2:11

Tags: Sojourners, To Live Is Christ, Aliens, Light, Journey, Opposition, Crowd, Strangers, Pilgrims  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Dungeons  PRO

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Oct 10, 2004

"Our Dungeons" (by Rev. Terry L. Barnhill) A story tells of a man who was imprisoned within an ancient stone dungeon. A grey shadowy jailor shook the iron lock on his daily rounds. It was the only sound that reminded the prisoner he was not alone in all the hopeless, dim and dying world of his ...read more

Tags: Christian Liberty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed