In Sermon Illustrations: "Self Pity"

How Do You Make People Feel About Themselves?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 14, 2022

How do you think the people on your staff, in your family or church, or even close friends would say that you make them feel about themselves?? Consider these great quotes on how we treat others: John Maxwell – "People may hear your words, but above all, they feel your attitude. Your ...read more

Tags: Feelings, Self Worth, Love, Leadership, Importance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pressure Washing

Contributed by Jack Kale on Apr 6, 2016

Pressure Washing The wooden fence around our yard was black from mildew in parts, but it was mostly sun bleached gray. The grime was heaviest around the sprinkler heads where Florida humidity turns the porous wood into a mildew factory. I had grown accustomed to the funk and had gotten so ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:10

Tags: Pressure Washing, Spring Cleaning, Self Examination, Cleansed

Denomination: *other

Seven Wonders Of Grace

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

SEVEN WONDERS OF GRACE. Text - Galatians 2:20.  There are seven spiritual wonders in this marvelous text: 1. That the Son of God should love a persecutor like Saul. "Who loved me." 2. That the Son of God should be crucified. "Crucified with Christ." 3. That Christ ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Faith, Grace, Discipleship, Christian Life, Death To Self  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Augustine's 3 Stages Of Dealing With Sin

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 22, 2024

Augustine's three stages of dealing with sin in the life of a believer: STAGE ONE -- "Lord make me good, but not yet!" STAGE TWO - "Lord, make me good, but not ...read more

Tags: Sanctification, Sin, Growth, Discipleship, Understanding, Maturity, Self  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church Is Not Selfish - President Kennedy Quote

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2025

Our society ... the world in which we live ... is a self-first ... a self-oriented society. The big question ... often asks by those in the world is ... "What's in it for me?" or "How will I benefit from this?" However, ... we as followers of the Christ ... are a new ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:4, James 3:8-10, John 13:15, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Body, Self, Selfish, Individual, Benefit, Caring, Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Presence Of His Love Send By ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jan 2, 2003

THE PRESENCE OF HIS LOVE Send by Adams7745P@aol.com The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Love

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bitter And Resentful

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

"Bitterness is like taking poison, and waiting for the other person to die." - Malachy McCourt I once knew a woman whose heart had been broken by disappointing relationships. She became very sarcastic towards the opposite sex and could often be overheard making disparaging remarks about ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:31

Tags: Resentment, Bitterness, Bitter Root

Denomination: Charismatic

Being Crucified With Christ

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Aug 11, 2016

As I was typing up the many pages of notes I would use for my weekly podcast sermon, I needed to replace some letters in a name in part of my document with "M-E," so it would read correctly as I recorded. I was trying to use the ’Find & Replace’ command, but it looked a little ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Sin, Flesh, Self, Crucified With Christ, Crucify Flesh, Crucified  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

We Died Before We Came Here

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

When James Calvert went as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the captain of the ship sought to turn him back, crying out “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages” Calvert only replied, “We died before we came here.” In ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Missions, Christian Life, Dying To Self, Crucified With Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Add To Your Faith

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 9, 2026

“We must not be content, Peter suggests, with a B- in “goodness” or “knowledge” or “self-control” or “godliness” or “brotherly kindness” or “love.” We should not be content until we have an A+ in each one.” (Moo, p. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-7

Tags: Love, Godliness, Knowledge, Goodness, Self Control, Brotherly Kindness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Room  PRO

Contributed by Ely Lambert on Aug 19, 2002

The Room In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Identifying With Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

During the Civil War a man by the name of George Wyatt was drawn by lot to go to the front. He had a wife and six children. A young man named Richard Pratt offered to go in his stead. He was accepted and joined the ranks, bearing the name and number of George Wyatt. Before long Pratt was killed in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-13

Tags: Christ Our Substitute, Identifying With Christ, The Exchanged Life, Crucifixion To Self

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are Your Own Worst Enemy.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

"Cain slew Abel, but Cain’s worst enemy was himself". - R E Neighbour “There is an old Icelandic legend that contains its own lesson. There was a man who was constantly pursued by a terrible spirit which took the form of a dwarf. His grain ricks were fired, his barns unroofed, his ...read more

Tags: Offerings, Enemies, Murder, Self, Hate, Cain, Abel, Blood Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kurt Cobain Died About 8 Years Ago. I Remember ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Weber on Mar 23, 2001

Kurt Cobain died about 8 years ago. I remember the day I picked up the newspaper and read about it. He was the founder and lead singer of the rock group "Nirvana." His death was a suicide. He took a shotgun, pointed it to his head, and killed himself. The newspaper was filled with the words of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11

Tags: Hope, God Brings Purpose, God Brings Hope, Meaning, Self-Control  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Recently, I Saw A Letter Written By A Relatively ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on May 2, 2001

Recently, I saw a letter written by a relatively new Christian to the person whose life had influenced hers so greatly. She actually lists about a dozen qualities she found contagious in the life of this older Christian. Listen to some of what she wrote: You know when we met; I began to discover a ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith, Self Esteem, Great Commission

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

The Idolatry Of Cell Phones

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2023

t’s no surprise that 45% of Americans say that their phone is the most valuable possession. What is surprising is how far our obsessions with cell phones go: Over one-third of Americans (36%) say they’d give up their pets to keep their cell phone. 53% say that in a house fire or other disaster, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23, Galatians 6:1-2

Tags: Cell Phones, Lust, Faithfulness, Idolatry, Time, Fruit Of The Spirit, Self Control  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Victorious As We Follow God's Redemption Plan.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 20, 2025

I may have mentioned this previously to some of you that as a teen I was not able to even read a passage from a book in class, I could read, but to read out loud was something else, I was very insecure having been told at a young age, around 9 or 10 that I was hopeless and would never amount to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-17, John 3:1

Tags: Victorious Living, The Spirit Of Truth, Self Estime, Advocate, God's Love, Struggling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

God Knows Where We Are  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 23, 2011

GOD KNOWS WHERE WE ARE Ken Gaub wrote about an experience he had back in the 1990s: "Do you believe that God not only loves you, but knows where you are and what you’re doing every minute of the day? I certainly do after an amazing experience I had several years ago. "At the time I was driving ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-18

Tags: God's Omniscience, Love Your Enemies

Stubborn

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 19, 2021

.A customer walked into my clothing shop and asked to see the pants that were advertised in the paper that day. “We don’t have an ad in the paper today,” I told her. She insisted I was wrong, so I got a copy of the paper, and we went through it, eventually landing on an ad for pants from another ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3

Tags: Ego, Stubborn, Admit, Nerve, Self Centered, Truth, Wrong, Pride, Confess, Arrogance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible