In Sermon Illustrations: "Self Justification"

The Magazine "Discipleship Journal" Asked Its ...

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 21, 2008

The magazine “Discipleship Journal” asked its readers to rank the areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them. The results came back in this order: (the top 5 were) 1. Materialism 2. Pride 3. Self-centeredness 4. Laziness 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness and Sexual lust The respondents also noted that ...read more

Rick Warren ("Purpose Driven") Accurately ...  PRO

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Mar 4, 2008

Rick Warren (“Purpose Driven”) accurately observes: “We can measure our servant’s heart by how we respond when others treat us like servants. How do you react when you’re taken for granted, bossed around, treated as an inferior…? Unfortunately, a lot of our service is often self-serving. We serve ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Someone Wrote: What Is Your God? "Whatever You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Someone wrote: WHAT IS YOUR GOD? "Whatever you love most, serve most, seek out most, give to the most, worship the most, and care about the most is your god. Your “god” can be your career, your bank account, the way you look, a particular position or degree, influence, power, or physical ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Run To The Refuge

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

RUN TO THE REFUGE Bunker gear, over 1,000 degrees of heat, protection from fire scene elements, provides a refuge/safety for self... importance of ARFF truck...refuge, responsible for protection of firefighters, T3000 3,000 gal. of water, large truck, nozzles, discharge 1,000 gpm...truck was place ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 35:6-34

Tags: God In The Hardships

In Closing I Remember A Time When I Was Walking ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Jones on Oct 8, 2004

In closing I remember a time when I was walking in a town and saw a young lady that was to say the least intoxicated. She was having a serious problem walking, let alone know where she was going, or have a clue of how to get there. I carefully avoided her, as I was embarrassed at the thought of ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Pentecostal

Well Over 100 Years Ago, Charles Spurgeon Put It ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 2, 2004

Well over 100 years ago, Charles Spurgeon put it this way, discussing how conversion can inadvertently make one self-absorbed: “….One of the first works of the Holy Spirit is to make the man look at home, and to consider the condition of his own soul. When the Spirit of God has made a man thus to ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Try This On For Size. These Are Twelve Questions ...

Contributed by Robert Castile on Jan 2, 2007

Try this on for size. These are twelve questions for the purpose of self-examination proposed by the famous Methodist missionary John Fletcher of Madeley. He called them "Self-examination Questions for Spiritual People." And he meant that we should ask ourselves these questions each and every ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:26

Denomination: Holiness

I Read The Book By Robert Bellah Habits Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I read the book by Robert Bellah Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life not long after it came out in 1985. It is about the rise of radical individualism in our culture which is committed only to the self. It is even more relevant today than when it was written. He ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Praying The Beatitudes

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

PRAYING THE BEATITUDES Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Heavenly Father, I want the humility not to be impressed with myself and my accomplishments. Increase in me (John 3:30). More of You, God, none of me. I am overwhelmed with the sense of my spiritual need. I recognize my true ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Prayer, Beatitudes, Poor In Spirit, Blessed Are The Meek, Matthew 5, Blessed Are The Pure In Heart  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cross Bearing  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cross Bearing "The Christian's Passion" There is a powerful question that is too often avoided by preachers and church attendees alike, "Who took the rough edges off the Cross?" Modern day Christianity and the world have generally turned the cross into a nice piece of harmless jewelry, all shiny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Fight  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Goettsche on Oct 18, 2000

John White, Have you ever gone fishing in a polluted river and hauled out an old shoe, a tea kettle, or a rusty can? I get a similar sort of catch if I cast as a bait the word holiness into the murky depths of my mind. To my dismay I come up with such associations as: thinness hollow-eyed ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Disciplines General, Apologetics General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Recent Survey Of Discipleship Journal Readers ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Nov 10, 2001

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them: 1. Materialism. 2. Pride. 3. Self-centeredness. 4. Laziness. 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness. 5. (Tie) Sexual lust. 7. Envy. 8. Gluttony. 9. Lying. Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Temptation General, Temptation Pride

Denomination: Baptist

My Father  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 24, 2003

My Father is very patient and kind. My Father is not envious, never boastful. My Father is not arrogant. My Father is never rude, nor is He self-seeking. My Father is not quick to take offense. My Father keeps no score of wrongs. My Father does not gloat over my sins but is always glad when truth ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The Gospel Writers Simply Wrote "They Crucified ...

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Mar 16, 2004

The gospel writers simply wrote "They crucified Jesus". Who crucified him? I’ll tell you who crucified him. I did - and you did, and they did, those groups around the cross. The old Negro spiritual asked the question, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" “They” crucified the Lord? It ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

The Author Inside You: Americans Write 750,000 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

The Author Inside You: Americans write 750,000 book-length manuscripts a year, of which fewer than 60,000 are published. A ‘02 Jenkins Group survey found: 81% of Americans feel they should write a book., 28% see it as a self-help or DIY book, 27% a non-fiction book, 27% a fiction work, and 20% ...read more

Tags: Entertainment

Multi-Tasking Genes

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 28, 2009

MULTI-TASKING GENES According to Creation Magazine, "When geneticists found that there were only 20,000 to 30,000 genes in the human genome, [gee’ nome] on par with a 'simple worm,' they were surprised...But...new research shows that our genes can multi-task. By a process dubbed 'alternative ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Neglect Of Community

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jun 15, 2009

NEGLECT OF COMMUNITY "If God designed the Church to function like a body with every member ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit to other members, in regular interpersonal relationship, then would it be surprising to find that the neglect of this regular interpersonal, spiritual ministry ...read more

Tags: Church Small Groups

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Is Told Of A Lady Who Became Very ...

Contributed by Paul Green on Jul 14, 2009

The story is told of a lady who became very angry at the pastor. When she finally caught up with him, she said, "I called you all morning at the church and dropped by to see you in the afternoon on Tuesday and you were not there." The minister said, "I’m sorry Madam, but Tuesday is my day off." ...read more

Tags: Prayer, Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Culture?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2010

WHAT IS CULTURE? What is culture? It is the ways of thinking, living, and behaving that define a people and underlie its achievements. It is a nation’s collective mind, its sense of right and wrong, the way it perceives reality, and its definition of self. Culture is the morals and habits a mother ...read more

Tags: Culture

The Two Coats

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Feb 17, 2011

THE TWO COATS A friend of mine once saw a tramp and decided to help him. He noticed he was wearing a dirty old coat. It was ripped and fit only for the bin. So my friend offered the tramp his coat. The tramp took it but to my friends surprise, instead of taking off the old coat and putting on the ...read more

Tags: Change, Old Coat, New Coat, Two Coats

Denomination: Brethren