In Sermon Illustrations: "Shaping"

There Is A Problem, However. Buglers Are Not ...

Contributed by Jay Winters on Jun 28, 2008

There is a problem, however. Buglers are not common musicians anymore. It’s hard to find someone to fulfill this role given as a “right” to veterans. In order to allow the bill to continue being fulfilled, a new “bugle” has been developed. This bugle is actually no bugle at all, but an mp3 player ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Lutheran

The Value Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

THE VALUE OF STUFF It’s interesting the values people put on stuff. It’s amazing what sells on E-bay. A Brazilian manufacturer put a UFO detector with AA batteries included on E-bay. The detector could detect fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field caused by visitations from alien spacecraft. ...read more

Tags: Materialism

Middle Age Is Miserable

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

MIDDLE AGE IS MISERABLE Middle age is truly miserable, according to an 80-country study showing depression is most common among men and women in their 40s. Researchers found happiness follows a U-shaped curve where life begins cheerful before turning tough during middle age and then returning to ...read more

Tags: Aging

In A Speck Of Watery Material Smaller Than The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

In a speck of watery material smaller than the dot over this i, all the future characteristics of the child are programmed—the color of his skin, eyes and hair, the shape of his facial features, the natural abilities he will have. All that the child will be physically and mentally is contained in ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

The Story Is Told Of An Aspiring Artist Who Was ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 26, 2009

The story is told of an aspiring artist who was commissioned to do a large sculpture for a famous museum. At last he had the opportunity to create the masterpiece he had long dreamed of. After laboring over the work for many years, he saw it grow not only in shape but in beauty. But when it was ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Other

A. W. Tozer In His Priceless Book The Root Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Jun 13, 2005

A. W. Tozer in his priceless book The Root of the Righteous shares the story of Rutherford who could shout in the midst of serious and painful trials, “Praise God for the hammer, the file, and the furnace.” The hammer is a useful tool, but the nail, if it had feeling and intelligence, could ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Joy

Denomination: Methodist

Boy Survives In Wilderness By Obeying Father's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Boy Survives in Wilderness by Obeying Father’s Instructions More than ninety people conducted an ALL-NIGHT SEARCH for an eight-year-old boy named Dominic. While on a skiing trip with his father, this little boy apparently had ridden a new lift and skied off the run without realizing it. They hoped ...read more

Scripture: John 15:7-11

Tags: Obedience

Tozer: God's Tools

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 21, 2011

TOZER: GOD'S TOOLS A.W. Tozer once talked about God's tools: "The HAMMER is a useful tool. But the nail, if it had feeling and intelligence, could present another side of the story. For the nail knows the hammer only as an opponent a brutal, merciless enemy who lives to pound it into submission, ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 51:20-24

Tags: Discipleship

On The Anvil

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 26, 2022

With a strong forearm, the apron-clad blacksmith puts his tongs into the fire, grasps the heated metal, and places it on the anvil. His keen eye examines the glowing piece. He sees what the tool is now and envisions what he wants it to be - sharper, flatter, wider, longer. With a clear picture in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-7

Tags: Character, Suffering, Grief, Iron Sharpens Iron

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Man Lost His Job And A Sizeable Fortune During ...

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Mar 13, 2005

A man lost his job and a sizeable fortune during a recession. To add to his sorrow, his precious wife died; yet he tenaciously held to his faith - the only thing he had left. One day when he was out searching for employment, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

For Example, In Late Fall Of 1777, General ...

Contributed by J. Martin on Apr 12, 2005

For example, in late fall of 1777, General George Washington and his rag tag army of militiamen suffered 2 defeats at the hands of the British at Brandywine and Germantown. He and his 11,000 men retreated to Valley Forge, PA to establish winter headquarters. It was a dark time for the revolution. ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Goal

Denomination: Assembly Of God

It Seems That Stephen Had A Good Reputation That ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 13, 2005

It seems that Stephen had a good reputation that suited him well for selection to this program. There is an important lesson for us here. It is that our character and reputation count for something in the life and ministry of the church. ‘Why is that?’ you ask. Two reasons: First our character is ...read more

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Church Of God

What Makes A Good Church?  PRO

Contributed by Al Edmonds on Dec 27, 2005

"WHAT MAKES A GOOD CHURCH?" If all the lazy folks will get up, And all the sleeping folks will wake up, And all the discouraged folks will cheer up, And all gossiping folks will shut up, And all the dishonest folks will confess up, And all the estranged folks will make up, And all the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Apostolic

7 Kinds Of Pharisees

Contributed by Richard Dayringer, Thd on Aug 21, 2006

The Talmud lists 7 kinds of Pharisees. 1) SHECHEMITE, who kept the law for what he could profit thereby. 2) TUMBLING, who, to appear humble, always hung their heads down & thus often fell. 3)BLEEDING, who, to avoid seeing women, walked with closed eyes & were often wounded, 4) MORTAR, who wore ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Denomination: Baptist

This Week I Heard About A Couple Who Was Having A ...

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Oct 23, 2006

This week I heard about a couple who was having a lot of conflict over balancing the checkbook. Tired of having to balance his wife’s checkbook, the husband made a deal with her; he would look at it, but only after she had spent a few hours trying to wrestle it into shape. The following night, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

William Herbert Carruth's Poem, "Dreamer Of ...

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 25, 2007

William Herbert Carruth’s poem, “Dreamer of Dreams,” shows how the rise and fall of dreams shapes our lives as well as creating congregational health. We are all of us dreamers of dreams, On visions our childhood is fed; And the heart of the child is unhaunted, it seems, By the ghosts of dreams ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-11, Joel 2:28-29

Denomination: Baptist

You, " Said The Doctor To His Patient, "Are In ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on May 15, 2001

You, " said the doctor to his patient, "are in terrible shape you’ve got to do something about it. First, tell your wife to cook more nutritious meals. Stop working like a dog. Also inform your wife you’re going to make a budget , and she has to stick to it. And have her keep the kids off your ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fank Sat In The Prison And Pondered Over The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Kallan on Dec 5, 2002

Fank sat in the prison and pondered over the moment in which he hit his colleague Donald in a fit of rage. Frank had worked in a furniture factory. He knew that his colleague Donald disliked him for the way he prospered in life. As he chiselled, dressed and shaped wood into beautiful furniture, he ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Bread Tree

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Aug 14, 2009

BREAD TREE Some might ask, 'If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?' And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Poinsettia

Contributed by David Simpson on Dec 19, 2014

There are a lot of symbols at the Christmas season. All represent something. Santa Claus, mistletoe, wreaths, candles, etc. I’ve always admired the beauty of poinsettias, and decided to do a little research on them. You may know that they were named after Joel Poinsett, who happened to be the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Tags: Christmas, Wise Men, Star Of Christmas, Poinsettia

Denomination: Christian Church