In Sermon Illustrations: "Running From God"

God's Glory And Our Happiness

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Nov 27, 2012

GOD'S GLORY AND OUR HAPPINESS Jonathan Edwards writes: God in seeking his glory seeks the good of his creatures, because the emanation of his glory ... implies the ... happiness of his creatures. And in communicating his fullness for them, he does it for himself, because their good, which he ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:20-23

Tags: Glory, Jonathan, Common Good, Jonathan Edwards

Denomination: Baptist

The God Who Is Three In One

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The Trinity is seen clearly at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3. The Father speaks from Heaven. The Son is baptized by John. The Spirit descends upon Jesus to anoint His ministry. The Father is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Son, Trinity, Godhead, Triune, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The Beginning God Created The Heavens And The ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Apr 14, 2007

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” so read the American astronauts – Andres, Lovell and Borman as they gazed in Awe at the earth from their orbit around the moon on Christmas Eve 1968. These three men experienced a deep ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

God Just Needs A Voice  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

GOD JUST NEEDS A VOICE John Stott, a well-known British pastor and theologian, was invited to preach at the University of Sydney in Australia; but after he got there, he lost his voice. He describes his experience as follows: "What can you do with a missionary who has no voice? We had come to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:14-15, Matthew 1:18-24

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Our Thoughts About God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD A.W. Tozer said this, "Whatever comes to our mind when we think of God is the most important thing about us." We are all theologians, because theology is really simply the study of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 48:9-10

Tags: Thought

Finding God's Will With A Mentalist: Pick A ...

Contributed by Ronnie Knight on May 9, 2008

Finding God’s will with a mentalist: Pick a number between one and ten. Multiply that number by two. Add eight to the new number. Divide that number by two. Now subtract your original number from this result. Remember that number. If ...read more

Tags: Wonder

Denomination: Baptist

How Big Is Your God?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? Tony Campolo was once confronted by an atheist who was one of his students. The young man told Campolo, "For me to believe in God, I have to have a God that I can understand." And Campolo replied, "God refuses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 53:1

Tags: Atheism

Is It Really Possible To Be In Love With God? ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 11, 2004

Is it really possible to be in love with God? Gloria Gather answers this question for us by noting: His Love ... Reaching Right from the beginning God's love has reached, and from the beginning man has refused to understand. But love went on reaching, offering itself. Love offered the eternal ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Did Not Walk Away

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

GOD DID NOT WALK AWAY Simon Wiesenthal wrote The Sunflower in 1969. It speaks of the pain he experienced at the hands of the Nazis during WWII. He describes being taken from a Nazi death-camp to a makeshift hospital. He was ushered by a nurse to the side of a Nazi soldier, who asked to have a ...read more

Tags: Christmas

God's Currency

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

Jesus might have asked, when presented with the coin with Caesar's image on it: "Whose image do you bear, whose image is stamped on you?” And the answer would have been - or should - have been: "We are carrying God’s image, we are carrying God’s name.” He coined us in his image. He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40, Matthew 22:19-21

Tags: Coin, Image Of God, Jesus The Stranger, Circulation, Joseph G Donders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Facts About The Sovereignty Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2021

GOD'S RESUME – what the Bible teaches about the Sovereignty of God 1. He existed before anything else. Ps. 90:2: "Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God." 2. He created all things. John 1:3: "All ...read more

Tags: Lord, Will Of God, Judge, King Of Kings, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Restores Banged-Up ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

GOD RESTORES BANGED-UP PEOPLE Gary Inrig’s story in his book, Quality Friendships: Years ago, one family had a son who was in the Korean War. They had not heard from him for 10 months and were very concerned. Time went on and the war ended. Finally their son called home. The mother was excited. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Restoration

God Shows Up In The Humblest Dwellings

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 15, 2009

GOD SHOWS UP IN THE HUMBLEST DWELLINGS Tommy Welchel describes the miracles of Azusa Street: "The thought that God visited us in a barn to introduce His Son...confounds the minds of scholars a skeptics. These miracles were happening in and old, run-church that once used to house animals. By the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Pentecostal

God's Provision: The Holy Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

GOD'S PROVISION: THE HOLY SPIRIT Without the Holy Spirit the church could not exist. It is He who inspired the writers of Scripture, and He who dwells in every Christian, giving us life in Christ. All our efforts are dust and ashes apart from Him. A young man asked an old rich man how he made his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Tags: God's Provision

Washington And Madison On God's Law  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

WASHINGTON AND MADISON ON GOD'S LAW James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: ’"We have staked the whole future of our new nation NOT upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Romans 13:1

Tags: Independence Day

God's Assurance

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

Have you ever been in a store and see a child that has gotten separated from his parents? The fear is very evident on the child's face as well as the parents’ face. It's a horrible feeling when the child turns around and can't find his parents. They frantically look through every ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:15-22

Tags: Assurance, God's Plan

Denomination: Baptist

Making God-Hugs Possible! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 10, 2005

Making God-Hugs Possible! (10.12.05--Sacrifice!--Matthew 19:21) Does God place limits on how far He wants us to go when it comes to committing to His will? If His will is our sacrifice, can there be any limits? Is our God reasonable when it comes to our ability to forbear or to bear? God, of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:21

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

God Redeems A Child's Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

GOD REDEEMS A CHILD'S DEATH These are bad things God allows in order to reveal Himself and accomplish some larger good that supersedes or overcomes the bad. Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships

God's Taking My Picture  PRO

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Jan 23, 2013

GOD'S TAKING MY PICTURE I heard a story of a little girl who walked to and from school daily. The weather one morning was questionable and clouds were forming, yet she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Johnny Cash Died In 2003 - That Same Year He Had ...

Contributed by Robert Azinger on Dec 14, 2006

Johnny Cash died in 2003 - that same year he had his last hit - The song’s Title was "Hurt" - It was a song from the heavy metal rock band nine inch nails. In the song, the protagonist has already killed himself - and he is now reflecting on his life. After all his escapades, involving drugs, ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran