In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Goal"

Other Faiths On Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 14, 2002

OTHER FAITHS ON HEAVEN Heaven has many cartographers, and through the centuries many different heavens have been charted. To the variety of celestial landscapes in the West, Islam and Buddhism have raised their own particular paradises: the Koran details a heaven filled with beautiful, large eyed ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Heaven, World Religions

A Recent Front-Page Story In The Wall Street ...  PRO

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

A recent front-page story in the Wall Street Journal (January 6, 2004) reported U.S. Marines being trained for duty in Iraq are getting drilled in people skills as well as heavy weaponry. They are receiving instruction about staying respectful as well as about staying alive. Marines are still ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:8-14

Tags: Gifts Wisdom, Gifts General

Denomination: Lutheran

The Tassels And The Braids!" Hebrews 10:5-10 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 1, 2005

“The Tassels and the Braids!” Hebrews 10:5-10 Key verse(s): 14:“Since than time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” When I was a junior in high school I was inducted into the National Honor ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:5-10

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 6, 2005

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 16:26) The world teaches this--You can never have too much of a good thing! We must always have enough or we are being somehow cheated of that which we truly deserve. If one were to ever wonder why we live in such a greedy world, this tenet, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

See Life As A Squint! (09.13.05--Heavenly ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 11, 2005

See Life as a Squint! (09.13.05--Heavenly Citizens!--Romans 8:25) What is easily taught but not soon learned: easily preached, but not soon believed: good advice, but not easily followed: well spoken but hard to do?. The answer? Patience. If there is one thing that none of us is capable of doing ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:25

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

When Things Are Just Working Out! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 24, 2005

When Things Are Just Working Out! (10.26.05--Making It!--Judges 18:27) IF life is going well and I am in all things successful, does that me that God is pleased with me? That’s a good question! If I am successful in the things that I do, does that necessarily mean that God is behind that success? ...read more

Scripture: Judges 18:27

Tags: Joy, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

When I Was In The Military Ministry I Knew A ...  PRO

Contributed by Edward Williamson on Nov 6, 2006

When I was in the military ministry I knew a retiree friend that worked at a local antique shop. I ran into him at a local furniture store one day and he proceeded to tell me the secrets to separating the true antiques from the clever reproductions. He showed me a four drawer dresser and he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31

Tags: Authenticity

Denomination: Baptist

A Better Plan

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jul 8, 2007

Illustration: A Better Plan When in college Robert J , Morgan came across a poem written by a teenage girl looking for a husband. It was written as a prayer, and this is what she said: Dear God, I pray all unafraid / As girls are wont to be I do not want a handsome man / But make him, Lord, like ...read more

Denomination: Other

On The Weekend Of June 7 My Honey And I Went To ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jun 16, 2009

On the weekend of June 7 my Honey and I went to Cookeville, TN, to observe the move in 1809 of one of her ancestors over the mountains from Virginia to the White Plains area of Tennessee. He was William Pennington Quarles, a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. His daughter married a Burton, so my ...read more

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Life At A Time: Rudy's Story

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

ONE LIFE AT A TIME: RUDY'S STORY Rudy Rasmus learned the family business from his father when he was just five years old. His dad brought home a set of blueprints and unveiled his business plans. He said, "This a motel and other people's husbands are going to come and give us money to spend time ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-31

Tags: Conversion, Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Methodist

I Must Honor My Country

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 1, 2012

"I MUST HONOR MY COUNTRY." A foreign diplomat who often criticized American policy once observed a United States Marine perform the evening colors ceremony. The diplomat wrote about this simple but solemn ceremony in a letter to his home ministry. Quote: "During one of the past few days, I had ...read more

Tags: America

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize The year Pete Rose was about to break Ty Cobb's all-time hits record in spring training, he was being interviewed. One reporter blurted out, "Pete, you only need 78 hits to break the record. How many at-bats do you think you'll need to get the 78 hits?" Without ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Character

I Can't... The Giant Defines Me?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 26, 2021

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? FACE YOUR UNCONQUERABLE LIMITATIONS. YOU CAN BE AN AGENT OF CHANGE IF YOU WANT TO… From 1886 to 1954 track and field had HIT THE WALL, SPLAT… SPLATTING IS A TERM IN LONG DISTANCE RUNNING. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:27, Philippians 4:13

Tags: Opportunities, I Can't

Denomination: Assembly Of God

[145]. A Message From A Poem – In The World But Not Of It

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 27, 2025

[145]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT We are citizens of this world but we are not bound to that, for as Christians, we have a higher citizenship which is in heaven – {{Philippians 3:20 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 11:13-14

Tags: Living In The World, Christian Poems, In The World But Not Of It, Citizens Of The World, Strangers, Heavenly Citizenship, Pilgrims, The World, Exiles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Boulder With Your Name On It!" Numbers ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 1, 2005

“A Boulder With Your Name On It!” Numbers 13:25-29 Key verse(s) 27:“They gave Moses this account: ‘We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But . . .” Sometimes the things that we are able to do surprise even ourselves. Have you ever had ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:25-29

Tags: Doubt, Faith General

Denomination: Lutheran

I’ll Tell You When I’ve Had Enough

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 15, 2024

It was evening, and the day was just about over. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were chilling in the living room, watching TV. It is always lovely when the day ends, and you can relax. Doing nothing can become a habit. I’m not sure what we were watching on TV; it really doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Pleasure, Desires, Ice Cream

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

With The Dust Settling From Our Recent Elections, ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Dec 8, 2000

With the dust settling from our recent elections, I had an opportunity to review some sound bites that were overlooked by mainstream media. One reporter asked the presidential and vice-presidential candidates a very simple question. “Why did the chicken cross the road?” After some thoughtful ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Independence Day, Workplace

Denomination: *other

I Had The Occasion To Travel To India In 1996. ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Feb 19, 2001

I had the occasion to travel to India in 1996. During that trip several of us visited a village near Madras. We wanted to learn about a people group called the “- a tribe of low-caste Indians that lived at the bottom of the social strata. Eric Derry (our missions minister), Toni Wright (a ...read more

Tags: Supernatural

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Oil Was Discovered On Some Oklahoma Property ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Lobbs on Mar 1, 2001

Oil was discovered on some Oklahoma property belonging to an elderly Indian. All his life he had been poverty stricken, just eking out a living. But the discovery of oil had suddenly made him a very wealthy man. The first thing he bought was a very big Cadillac. He wanted the longest car in the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-6

Tags: Excercising Faith, Essentials Of Faith, God's Omnipotence, Gift, Holy Spirit Attributes, Prosperity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

When I Was In Bible College I Meet An ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jul 23, 2001

When I was in Bible College I meet an interesting young man by the name of Shannon. What made him interesting were his looks. His hair was a different color each week, his ears were loaded with earrings, and he wore the big loose grunge style clothing. But the most interesting point of style was ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-15

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts, Disciples, Temptation Pride

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational