In Sermon Illustrations: "Sharpening Your Ax"

When We Raise Our Hands, God Will Intervene

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 18, 2025

WHEN WE RAISE OUR HANDS, GOD WILL INTERVENE Heavenly Father, I have just realized how Almighty You are, even though I have known this for a long time. Forgive me, Father, for often facing various problems relying only on myself. It turns out that I am limited and have no strength of my own. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:11

Tags: God, Raised Hands

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Life Full Of Gratitude

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 22, 2025

Life Full of Gratitude My Father in Heaven, forgive me if I have been negligent in giving thanks to You, even though the blessings I receive are always abundant. Although I am not wealthy, I am not poor, thanks to God's grace. Thank you, Lord, Thank you. Give thanks in all circumstances; for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Life, Gratitude

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin Of Achan

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

We struggle with someone suffering for the actions of another. In that day, they were not so individualistic as we are in this Western World. Whenever I share the Sin of Achan from the book of Joshua, modern folks like to protest. Here’s the story: The Israelites are given a great victory over ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:5, Joshua 7:24-26

Tags: Sin, Consequences

Denomination: Methodist

[303]. A Message From A Poem - They Did This To My Saviour Lord - Easter

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 3, 2026

[303]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THEY DID THIS TO MY SAVIOUR LORD This is not a complex poem and is written with Easter in view. It recounts some of the events of the Trial and hearing before Pilate. I have put a refrain into this poem, but I am not sure if it is one to be sung. Here and there ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-3

Tags: Jesus Mocked, Jesus On Trial, Christian Poem, The False Trial, Jesus Scourged, The Crown Of Thorns, Easter, Pilate, Jesus Before Pilate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Plimsoll Line!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Mar 4, 2026

For the uninitiated, a Dictionary definition of the term “Plimsoll line” is that it is a line drawn on the lower end of ships, marking the maximum level to which the ship can sink into water after its tare capacity is full. Simply put, it is an indication of the vessel’s maximum loading capacity. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13, Romans 5:3-4

Tags: Temptations, Capacity

Denomination: *other

[315]. A Message From A Poem - Thoughts Prompted By Romans Chapter 1

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 20, 2026

[315]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THOUGHTS PROMPTED BY ROMANS CHAPTER 1 This is not taking the bible’s verses for Romans 1 and refashioning them for a poem as I do sometimes. The poem is based on thoughts from the reading of the chapter, not on exposition of the chapter. The opening chapter of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:15-16, Romans 1:18

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Righteousness, The Wrath Of God, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Am/Pm Alarm Mishap

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Some mornings I don’t walk out of the house feeling good. Some mornings I wake up, look at my phone, and realize I set my alarm for 6 PM instead of 6 AM. Which means I didn’t set an alarm. Which means I’m now late. Which means that quiet, unhurried morning I had planned, Bible, coffee, a few ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1

Tags: Conflict, Sinful Nature

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Eating Thing  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Sep 29, 2002

The Eating thing Let me share with you a fairly personal issue that I’m working through that has caused me to ask this question about loving God. Last year – in fact for a number of years now I have been aware that I have been struggling with an addiction. As soon as I say the word it arouses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Hidden Mud And Leaves!" Ephesians 6:10-17 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 14, 2004

“The Hidden Mud and Leaves!” Ephesians 6:10-17 Key verse(s): 10: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” We moved to Beech Springs valley some sixteen summers ago now. We had been looking for a place that could afford us peace, quiet and some room for our growing family to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17

Tags: Battle, Doubt, Enemy, Stand, Strong  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

It Was An Unusually Cold Day For The Month Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004

It was an unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was alive with color. But a cold front from the north had brought winter’s chill back to Indiana. I sat with two friends in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town squire. The food ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:5-7

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines, Consequences, Choice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Door Knights Without Maidens!" John 17:13-19 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 28, 2005

“Door Knights Without Maidens!” John 17:13-19 Key verse(s): 17-19:“‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.’” Ingratitude. Doesn’t it seem sometimes that we ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13-19, Romans 6:1

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Passing Through The Shadows!" 1 Corinthians ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 21, 2005

“Passing Through The Shadows!” 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 Key verse(s): 26:“‘For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes’.” “Smile and the world smiles with you! Cry and you cry alone.” Walking through life with a smile on our faces is something to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

Denomination: Lutheran

The Spirit Of Power That We Receive Is Not Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

The Spirit of Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong. It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own. A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:57-67, Zechariah 4:6, Psalm 33:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Quantum ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Quantum Leaps The best discoveries are the discoveries made by accident, the things you did not set out to find, but found anyway. The five dollar bill tucked in between the pages of the book you picked up to read. The charming little boutique around the corner from where you really intended to ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Relentless For Justice  PRO

Contributed by Bishop Johnathan Hester on Sep 22, 2009

Relentless for Justice IN the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, we meet an extraordinary woman who refuses to accept her fate. She voices opposition to injustice without relenting. As a result of her persistence, even the unjust judge is prompted to act. If even an unjust judge can be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Luke 18:7-8

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Apostolic

Father Teaches Disobedient Daughter About Grace ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

Father Teaches Disobedient Daughter About Grace and Consequences I’ve given you all the acronym before of “GRACE- God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” I’ll always remember a daddy-daughter moment with my oldest girl when she was maybe three years old. We raised our girls with loving discipline ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:18-25

Tags: Grace

Keeping Faith In The Midst Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Keeping Faith in the Midst of Trials The story is told of a man who was walking across the road when he was hit by a car. The impact knocked him on his head which caused him to be in a coma for a couple of days before he finally regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, his loving wife was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Afghan Spiritual Harvest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

AFGHAN SPIRITUAL HARVEST In his book What Good Is God?, Philip Yancey writes: "This is a true story from Afghanistan that took place in the early 1970s, before the Russian occupation or the Taliban regime. At the time, the government allowed a small Christian church to service internationals who ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:9-11, Mark 19:1-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

The King  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 19, 2011

THE KING What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “The king is dead - long live the king!”? It is an historical phrase coined in France and said after the death of a monarch through the streets and the countryside of their realm. Phil Morgan recalls: "Not too long ago I watched part of ...read more

Tags: Memories

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

False Teaching: Sinlessness  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 1, 2012

FALSE TEACHING: SINLESSNESS The Apostle John wrote: "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." Now I want to digress for a moment and address a false teaching ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ