In Sermon Illustrations: "Set Apart"

Nothing Is More Satisfying Than Doing Nothing

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 26, 2024

We were facing a very severe hurricane, and everything was being shut down. The hurricane was to hit us on a Wednesday night. Because we were in the center of where that hurricane was supposed to come, we were not allowed to get out and drive on the streets. I knew that I had to finish all my work ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:2

Tags: Hurricane, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Didn’t Know I Loved It That Much

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 16, 2024

One important thing I have learned is that you don’t appreciate something until it’s missing. I’ve learned that by many things that I just took for granted. Last week, for example, I had some problems with my truck, so I had to take it in for service. It took longer than I had expected, but ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Tags: Love, Appreciation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unwanted-Zimri, The King For Seven Days

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 2, 2025

Introduction: Some kings in Old Testament days had very long reigns, like Uzziah (52 years), Manasseh (55 years) and Jeroboam II of the Ten Northern Tribes (Israel, 41 years). The reigns of others were sometimes very short, but nothing like the week-long reign of Zimri, one of history’s most ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 16:8-20

Tags: Palace Coups, Zimri, Suicides

Denomination: Baptist

Swimming In An Ocean Of Pills

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 6, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder I have a confession to make. I never realized that the older I get, the more difficult life seems to be. Oh, for those good ole days. As a young person, I thought that when I got older, all of my problems would be solved. At the time, I did not know all the problems I was ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22

Tags: Health, Old Age, Doctors, Pills

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[211]. A Message From A Poem – Panoramic View From The Pinnacle (Part 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 24, 2025

[211]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PANORAMIC VIEW FROM THE PINNACLE (PART 1) NOTE: When I went to post this it could not be sent because it said the whole thing was too long. Therefore I had to split it into two Parts.. This is Part 1 and Part 2 will follow after this. This is a longer poem. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 16:9, Hebrews 4:13

Tags: Reprobates, Christian Poems, Pinnacle Of A Rock, Tech Companies, Faith Way, World System, Wickedness, Delusion, Reprobate, Humanism, Allegory, Images  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Not A Mess, It’s My Creative Décor

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 24, 2026

The greatest joy I have every morning is not only getting up but also stepping in my office. I step inside, pause for a moment, and look around at all the books on my shelves. I have almost 10,000 books. And yes, I read every one of them. Well, except for commentaries and dictionaries. I love ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Tags: Mess, Organize

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In August Of 1983, I Started My Sophomore Year ...  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Apr 28, 2004

In August of 1983, I started my sophomore year in high school. At that time I made the conscious decision not to be the good little girl anymore. I had a crush on someone I had known for the past 3 years and I was going to date him. Well, not only did he become my boyfriend, before long he had ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Discipleship Calls For Wholehearted Commitment To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 31, 2009

Discipleship Calls for Wholehearted Commitment to Christ “I have seen the most horrible things, but I have met people who are still full of faith in spite of what they have endured.” That was the opening statement to a gathering of leaders and supporters of Samaritan’s Purse, the organization led ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Tags: Missions

The Mission Of David Livingstone  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

THE MISSION OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE The modern missionary movement really got started about 150 years ago with people who were concerned about the continent of Africa. There was a Scottish preacher by the name of Robert Moffatt who was serving in South Africa. He returned to Scotland to try to enlist ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14-24

Tags: Missions, Intercessory Prayer

Finishing Well

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

John Baker was too short and too slight to be a runner for his high school track team but he loved to run. His best friend was tall and lanky and had the perfect build to be a runner but wanted nothing to do with the sport. So John went to the track coach to convince him to let John on the team ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tags: Finish, Running The Race, Overcoming, Ending Well

Denomination: Methodist

Why Do I Have So Many Toes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 19, 2021

I must confess that I'm not always obvious to everything that is before me. I admit I miss a lot of things set before me. I don’t do this intentionally. For example, sometimes, when I come home from the church office, I pass the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, and she is waving at me, but ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:25

Tags: Sight, Ignoring

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

From Roast Turkey To Reindeer

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 9, 2023

Nothing is more confusing than being in the middle of two holidays. I have just finished Thanksgiving, and now Christmas is before me. Each year, it gets more difficult to adjust to the next holiday. It’s hard for me to keep up. For months, the focus was on that roast turkey for Thanksgiving. And ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Turkey, Reindeer, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Saint Arnold Janssen

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Jan 10, 2025

Saint Arnold Janssen: A Prophetic Vision of Divine Encounter in a Transformative Century Intro: In a world often fragmented by ideological, cultural, and religious divisions, Janssen's vision offers a hopeful alternative—a spirituality of connection, respect, and mutual ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Tags: Leader, Mission, Founder, Saint Arnold Janssen, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[240]. A Message From A Poem – Smothering Of Delusional Creep

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 20, 2025

[240]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SMOTHERING OF DELUSIONAL CREEP This is a very serious poem. It is about delusion that is now a feature of this world in many ways. What does the title mean? Well first of all we have delusion that creeps along like a snail, but creeps steadily. As it goes it ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:9, 2 Timothy 3:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9, Colossians 2:4

Tags: Homosexuality, Delusion, Climate Change, Marxism, Evolution, Deception, Islam  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Resolutions Of Jonathan Edwards  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Jan 5, 2003

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Tags: Discipleship, New Year's Day

Denomination: Baptist

The Following Words Come From The Language Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 24, 2002

The following words come from THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE, by Gary Smalley and John Trent: His leaving had been abrupt and unforeseen. His wife had come home from shopping one day and found the note on the refrigerator. The words were brief and cold. He was tired of trying to make their marriage work. He ...read more

Tags: Divorce, Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Of A Famous Person Being Filled And ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 8, 2012

Illustration of a famous person being filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit from Evangelist John Rice's book called, How Great Soul Winners Were Filled with the Holy Spirit published in 1949. He wrote this book to show how its the Holy Spirit's power which empowered the great men of faith of ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Blood And Water  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 24, 2013

THE BLOOD AND WATER Before I became a minister I attended a secular college for a couple of years. While I was there I took several classes I thought would help me when I went to Bible college, and some of those classes were in Philosophy. Now Philosophy and Christianity are somewhat at odds. ...read more

Tags: Blood Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[055]. A Message From A Poem – Death For The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 12, 2025

[055]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN We deal with a subject today we often like to forget about. When we are young we give it little thought but when we are old, it tends to preoccupy our minds a lot more. This poem is not so much about the subject of death itself, as it is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Egypt, Poetry, Poem, Christian Death, Absent From The Body, Keys Of Death And Hades, Death, Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational