In Sermon Illustrations: "Self Deception"

Whitney Houston ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on Dec 10, 2012

Whitney Houston sang "Because the greatest love of all is happening to me I found the greatest love of all inside of me The greatest love of all Is easy to achieve learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all" Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all. I’ll admit I’m ...read more

Tags: Love For God, Self Esteem

Denomination: Baptist

Oswald Sanders Said, "Only The Disciplined ...

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Dec 22, 2012

Oswald Sanders said, "Only the disciplined person will rise to his highest power. He is able to lead ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General, Self-Discipline

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Have To Stop Trying To Save Yourself

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 13, 2014

You Have to Stop Trying to Save Yourself Watchman Nee relates a story from one of his experiences as a Christian leader in China. A group of young Christian brothers were gathered together to take a swim in one of the many creeks that run throughout the countryside there. Since most were not good ...read more

Tags: Rock Bottom, Self-Sufficient

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Secure In My Pocket

Contributed by Larry Turner on Jul 28, 2014

My phone was secure. I had it shoved far down into my pants pocket. There was no way it could fall out; no way could I lose it. I denied it at the time but I saw the signs. They read “Please put any items that you do not want to lose in the bins or lockers before getting on the ride.” I chose to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:35

Tags: Dying To Self, False Confidence

Denomination: Foursquare

Distractions Along The Way

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, 200 miles from the coast. And yet our local Wal-Mart has a random smattering of seagulls that soar overhead and eat French fries and other debris from neighboring fast food restaurants. The truth is the seagulls are lost. They’ve taken a wrong turn. And instead ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:14

Tags: Lust, Distractions, Self Discipline

Denomination: Charismatic

Who Needs Twitter!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 20, 2019

We all want our lives to matter, and we believe they only matter if they are noticed by someone. I wonder if this desire for a witness isn't what fuels a lot of blogs, Facebook, and especially Twitter. We want someone, anyone, to take notice … to care about us … to watch us and by their ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12

Tags: Communication, Self Esteem, Relationship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Wants To Play By The Rules?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 3, 2020

Wouldn’t life, or sporting events, be easier if there were no rules? Nobody to tell you what you can or can’t do, no restrictions, and anything goes. Easy, right? I can recall a couple of times when it sure seemed that some folks either didn’t want to play by the rules. Maybe they just plain ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:31

Tags: Wrong, Right, Rules, Self Will

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For Unity

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

As I think of the unity of God’s Gospel to us, I’m reminded of the unity I’ve experienced over the years with other saints on short term mission trips, volunteer positions at a crisis pregnancy center and a “Rescue Mission”, Promise Keepers (Men’s nationwide Ministry), and the Urban-Suburban ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Self Image, Reflecting Christ

Before You Hit Send

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Think about the last text thread that went completely sideways. You typed something fast because you were frustrated. You hit send. And three seconds later your stomach dropped because you realized you said it wrong, or you said too much, or you said the exact thing that was going to make the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Slow To Speak, Self Control

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Can You Conquer Yourself?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

GREAT QUOTES ON SELF-CONTROL Edmund Hilary the first man who conquered Mount Everest was asked by an interviewer about his passions for climbing mountains. He gave this reply: "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." Peter the Great of Russia is quoted as saying, "I have ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Holy Spirit, Self, Self Denial, Crucified With Christ, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During The Height Of The Cold War, A Former Fbi ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Hensley on Nov 5, 2000

During the height of the Cold War, a former FBI agent wrote a book about Soviet spies working in Washington, and how the KGB would solicit workers in the FBI and CIA and in the military to work for them. The KGB would never start by approaching an American and asking him or her to steal "top ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Habits Are First Cobwebs, Then Cables". "The ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Jul 11, 2001

"Habits are first cobwebs, then cables". "The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too ...read more

Tags: Character, Discipleship, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Pentecostal

Each Snowflake In An Avalanche Pleads Not ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Jul 19, 2001

"Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty." ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Sin General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Man Discovered Weapons, Invented Hunting. Woman ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 2, 2001

"Man discovered weapons, invented hunting. Woman discovered hunting, invented furs. Man discovered colors, invented painting. Woman discovered painting, invented make-up. Man discovered agriculture, invented food. Woman discovered food, invented diet..." I won’t go on, because you get the ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: *other

Girolamo Savonarola Was One Of The Great ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Girolamo Savonarola was one of the great preachers of the fifteenth century. He preached in the great cathedral of Florence, Italy, which contained a magnificent marble statue of the blessed virgin Mary. When Savonarola started preaching at this great cathedral, he noticed one day an elderly woman ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-10

Tags: Humility, Emotions, Deceive, Deception

Sin Has A Diminishing Factor To It. It Always ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Sin has a diminishing factor to it. It always gives it’s best in the beginning. It never gets better after that ... ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Sin Deceptive

Iron Eyes Cody

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2002

Iron Eyes Cody Iron Eyes Cody is a native American actor who once did a TV spot for the Keep America Beautiful campaign. He was an Indian drifting alone in a canoe. As he saw how our waters are being polluted, a single tear rolled down his cheek, telling the whole story. This powerful public ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Sin Deceptive

An Indianapolis Patrolman Ran Into Trouble While ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 15, 2002

An Indianapolis patrolman ran into trouble while investigating a routine traffic mishap. His problem began after he had interviewed witnesses, arrested one of the drivers, and written up the accident report. He suddenly noticed that the offending motorist was chewing on something that wasn’t gum. ...read more

Tags: God's Judgment, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

We Are Sometimes Like The Man Who Was Eating ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 7, 2002

We are sometimes like the man who was eating Limburger cheese and got it in his mustache. He first stated that the room smelled rotten. Then the front porch, he then stepped out into the yard and exclaimed, “The whole world is ...read more

Tags: Sin General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Baptist

I Once Talked To A Man About Becoming A Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 13, 2002

I once talked to a man about becoming a Christian who tried to convince me that he “wasn’t really a bad person." He didn’t think he had really sinned all that much. Sensing that he was trying to avoid accepting his sinfulness I gave him this illustration: I told him to imagine I had invited him ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Tags: Sin General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ