In Sermon Illustrations: "Self Reliance"

Love Is Self-Sacrifice For Others. In The ...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Sep 11, 2008

Love is self-sacrifice for others. In the magazine The Christian Leader, Don Ratzlaff retells a story from Ernest Gordon’s Miracle on the River Kwai, a story based on World War II events. The Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Lutheran

This Communicating Of A Man's Self To His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"This communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects, for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves; for there is no man that imparteth his joys to his friend but he enjoyeth the more; and ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Man's Capacity For Self-Deception Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Man's capacity for self-deception ...read more

Tags: Self

Self-Respect Is The Fruit Of Discipline; The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ...read more

Tags: Self

John Newton's Self-Assessment  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 4, 2012

JOHN NEWTON'S SELF-ASSESSMENT Two or three years before the death of John Newton (former slave ship captain and eventual author of the song, "Amazing Grace"), when his sight was so dim that he was no longer able to read, a friend and brother in the ministry called to have breakfast with him. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Tags: Grace

Kyle Idleman On Dying To Self

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 18, 2013

What’s it look like to die every day? Well, dying to yourself today may mean spending your lunch hour serving food to the homeless at the shelter down the street from your office. It may mean the next time you talk to your neighbor, instead of playing it safe and keeping comfortable you bring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Dying To Self, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Self-Denial At The Threat Of Death  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

"Faith Helped Woman Confront British Terrorists" Remember a few weeks ago when the British soldier was beheaded in broad daylight outside his barracks? The Telegraph, a British paper, reported that a mother and Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, age 48, confronted the terrorists immediately ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tags: Self Denial, Dying To Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Tremendous Quote On Self-Esteem

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

TREMENDOUS QUOTE ON SELF-ESTEEM “For a very long time I considered low self-esteem to be some kind of virtue. But now I realize that the real sin is to deny God’s first love for me....because without claiming that first love and that original goodness for myself, I lose touch with my true self and ...read more

Tags: Lost, Loving God, Self Esteem, Prodigal Son, God's Love For Me  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What It Means To Die To Self

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

Self denial becomes a life pattern. Now what does it mean as a Christian?  Here are some practical things.   When you are not forgiven, or neglected, or purposely set aside, and you sting and hurt with the insult or oversight, but your heart is happy and you’re ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Discipleship, Self Denial, Following Jesus, Dying To Self

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Battles With Self Control

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 5, 2023

FOUR BATTLES WITH SELF CONTROL IN PROVERBS: Uncontrolled lust. (Proverbs 6:26: “For the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life”). Uncontrolled spending (Proverbs 21:20: “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:26, Proverbs 21:20, Proverbs 23:29-30, Proverbs 29:11, Galatians 5:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Proverbs, Lust, Spending, Anger, Alcoholism, Drunkenness, Fruit Of The Spirit, Self Control  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power To Be The Light

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jun 3, 2024

Smartphones are amazing pieces of technology. Everything my generation went to RadioShack to purchase is now all together in the palm of our hand, including our flashlights. My grandfather loved flashlights. It was okay to get him a new one each year for Christmas or his birthday. He would take a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, John 15:5

Tags: Light, Holy Spirit, Power

Denomination: Pentecostal

God's Supply

Contributed by Clarence Clough on Jul 25, 2010

GOD'S SUPPLY Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God's faithfulness. In his journal he wrote: "Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning... He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness ...read more

Tags: Trust, Action, Weakness, Reliance

Denomination: Church Of God

Too Wicked For Ministry

Contributed by Keith Foskey on Apr 16, 2014

Paul Washer is a powerful preacher and evangelist. He once had a seminary student send him a message. He was afraid that he was too bad to enter the ministry. He sent him a message that simply said, "I think I am too wicked to be in the ministry." And Paul Washer wrote him back and said, "You are ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:19-26

Tags: Assurance, Confidence, Reliance On God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Self-Righteous Service Requires External ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 28, 2001

"Self-righteous service requires external rewards. It needs to know that people see and appreciate the effort. It seeks human applause -- with proper religious modesty of course. Self-righteous service is highly concerned about results. It eagerly waits to see if the person served will reciprocate ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Temptation Pride, Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist

America's Sin Of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Nov 1, 2002

[America’s Sin of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: Richard Halverson, "The Question Facing Us," Preaching Today, Tape 46.] In 1863 President Lincoln designated April 30th as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. Let me read a portion of his proclamation on that occasion: "It is the duty ...read more

Tags: Christian Values, God's Provision, Political Freedom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Full Acting Out Of The Self's Surrender To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"The full acting out of the self’s surrender to God therefore demands pain: this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey, in the ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Tears Shed For Self Are Tears Of Weakness, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 9, 2006

“Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Warren Jeffs, Described As A Prophet And Self ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 22, 2006

Warren Jeffs, described as a Prophet and self proclaimed Prophet at that is head of a renegade Mormon splinter group called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is accused of arranging marriages between underage girls and older men. He is charged with child sexual ...read more

Tags: Disobedience

Self Sufficiency Is The Idol Of Choice In Today's ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Aug 30, 2006

Self Sufficiency is the idol of choice in today’s ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: Baptist

A Lot Of People Think They Are Self-Acclaimed ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 5, 2007

A lot of people think they are self-acclaimed experts. Take this health food advice: Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true? A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it... don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Independent/Bible