In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Drought"

How The Mighty Fall

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 12, 2013

HOW THE MIGHTY FALL Jim Collins has written a book called "How the Mighty Fall" about businesses who at one time were strong and effective and yet went from hero to zero during the last decade. Motorola was number one in cell phones in the world in 2004 and today they are on the edge of ...read more

Tags: Pride, Attitude General, Temptation General

Denomination: Methodist

An Order Of Worship Spelling Mistake

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 10, 2018

I was looking at the order of worship in a bulletin for another church recently when I noticed a spelling mistake. After the sermon, they had listed that they would have an “Alter Call.” That’s a mistake because the front of a church is referred to as an “altar.” Then I thought for a moment ...read more

Tags: Worship, Change, Transformation, Spelling

Denomination: Baptist

How Do You Give Without Enabling?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

How do you give biblically and with a Christ-like approach to needy people, yet not enable the person to become co-dependent on your giving heart? (1) Learn to distinguish between DIVINE appointments and drive-by-guiltings (Luke 10:33/ 1 Timothy 5:8/ Deuteronomy 15:11 and Galatians 6:10/ ...read more

Tags: Needs, Enabling, Wisdom, Discernment, Giving, Finances, Tithing, Good Samaritan, Sacrifice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contamination Is Another Word For Sin

Contributed by Dave Hensman on Sep 29, 2022

I once lived in Vancouver Canada. Above the city in the mountains there is a lake which serves as the city water supply. That lake is fenced, you can't swim in it, boat on it, or even hike around it. It's pure and will kept pure at all costs. To defile it would defile all. What flows out ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23

Tags: Sin, Redemption

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Sowing And Reaping

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 20, 2026

I want to remind you of a basic truth of Scripture - the Law of Sowing and Reaping that we read about in Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” I always illustrate this with the same example: if I plant an apple tree, can I expect ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Peace, Sowing, Reaping

Denomination: Methodist

Several Months Back As I Was Traveling Along One ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Several months back as I was traveling along one of the interstate routes I noticed a sign that was kind of a play off of an older advertisement scheme of the dairy industry. It was nothing more than a solid black background with a two word question in bold white lettering: “Got Prayer?” This ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: *other

Popular Ideas Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

POPULAR IDEAS OF JESUS As we consider the risk of following Jesus, we must acknowledge the same thing; we must acknowledge that Jesus is THE Christ, not some popularized version we hear about today. In a posting just this last June, Kevin DeYoung, in his Restless and Reformed blog, describes ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-29

Tags: Faith, Christ, Jesus, Culture, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Teach Your Kids!

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

God’s word instructs us to be teachers to our children. For the past 5000 plus years, children would help with the family business. If they were carpenters, the children would help doing work that was appropriate for them. As they helped, they would become masters at the skill that they were being ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Fatherhood, Teach Children, Dirty Shoes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Fog

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

The Fog! Romans 12:2 CEV: “Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.” Colossians 2:8 CEV: “Don’t let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2, Colossians 2:8

Tags: Danger, Blind, Fog, Rushing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[317]. A Message From A Poem - Transition In Time And Eternity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 20, 2026

[317]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - TRANSITION IN TIME AND ETERNITY This poem’s title means the lifespan we have from childhood, through the years until old age, then after that lies eternity. There is a physical life and a spiritual life. The physical life we know but hardly anyone knows the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:2, Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 10:4, Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Hell, Death, Eternity, Baby, Heaven, Afterlife, Salvation, Atheism, Transition, Enter, Narrow Gate, Forgiveness Of Sins, Growing Older, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John Piper Wrote A Paper--Written Years Ago ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

-John Piper wrote a paper--written years ago (1995)--on how Christian leaders should avoid sexual sin. Piper lists ten potential pitfalls and proposes ten protections against them: • PITFALL: Falling in love with the present world. PROTECTION: Think long and hard about the deadly poison of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1

Tags: Love For God, Obedience, Glory Of God, Relationships

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Apostles Were A Great Example Of The ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Jun 3, 2007

The apostles were a great example of the difficulties of loving one another, and Jesus knew it. There’s a scene in the epic Franco Zefferelli movie, Jesus of Nazareth, in which Jesus arrives at the house of Matthew, the tax collector, for dinner as he told Matthew he would. Peter and the other ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Stable Stabilizing

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Stable Stabilizing Luke 2:12 says, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord... You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Just as Christ was humble enough to be born in a stinky stable and all stables have a bad smell, no matter how ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:12

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deer Are Creatures Of Consistency. This Species ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Deer are creatures of consistency. This species of the animal kingdom pretty well knows its territory. It knows where it can always find a good meal of a few apples, acorns or grain. As for finding a source for water, this creature always seems to know of most of the local streams, ponds or lake. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: *other

Who Has Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 4, 2010

Who Has Your Back? Pastor and author John Ortberg tells the story of an evening when he was walking with some friends in Newport Beach, California. As they walked they passed one of the local bars just as a fight spilled out onto the street, like a scene from the old west. As they watched, three ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-8

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Unusual People, Unexpected Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

UNUSUAL PEOPLE, UNEXPECTED PLACES Akiane Kramarik is only 12 years old, but she has abilities far beyond her years. Her mother chose to give birth to her underwater at the family home on July 9, 1994 in Mount Morris, Illinois. The family now lives in Idaho. Akiane speaks four languages, writes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

The Impact Of Fatherlessness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

THE IMPACT OF FATHERLESSNESS Several years ago the TV show 60 Minutes ran a segment that tells us something important about fatherlessness. The park rangers at a South African wildlife preserve were concerned about the slaughter of 39 rare white rhinos in their park. It turned out that the rhinos ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Tags: Father's Day

Simeon The Pillar Hermit

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 28, 2024

Simeon was probably like most boys his age in A.D. 403. The 13-year-old spent much of his time caring for his father's flocks on the hillside of Cilicia. But one day, while listening to a sermon on the beatitudes, stirred and changed he left his home and family and began a lifelong pursuit of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Separation, Holiness, Finding God, Monks, Intimacy With God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[124]. A Message From A Poem – He’s Leading As My Head

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[124]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE’S LEADING AS MY HEAD How many are lost in this world? I don’t mean unsaved, but I mean who don’t know where they are going or what lies ahead, or what life is about; those who feel life is meaningless and has no purpose? I know it is a lot of people. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:15, John 10:10, John 12:46

Tags: Jesus, Direction, Leader, Guide, Life, Meaningless, Leading, Christian Poetry, Christian Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Wealthy Businessman, Who Was Well Known For ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on May 8, 2005

A wealthy businessman, who was well known for being ruthless and unethical, told Mark Twain that before he died, he wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He said that when he got there he wanted to climb to the top of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and there read ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist