In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Renewal"

Sundowning  PRO

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Oct 6, 2010

SUNDOWNING As I walked into the room I had visited only that morning I noticed that some people, had an increased CONFUSION, RESTLESSNESS AND INSECURITY. I met the Asian woman with such beautiful eyes who HALLUCINATES and HEARS VOICES each afternoon. I had a quiet conversation with a woman who, ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

War On Poverty Fails

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

WAR ON POVERTY FAILS I don't think any of us would consider ourselves to be wealthy when it comes to the top level of money makers in the USA, and while we clearly are not as well off as we were a year ago, our level of wealth and possibilities of being able to make a living far surpasses most of ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Repentance In The White House  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

REPENTANCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE In 2001, Tim Goeglein started running the White House Office of Public Liaison, providing him almost daily access to then President George Bush for seven years. Then it all ended abruptly on February 29, 2008. A well-known blogger revealed the startling fact that 27 ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:4

Tags: Compassion, Repentance

Junk-Food Addictions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

JUNK-FOOD ADDICTIONS If we’re going to get our appetite back for the pure, spiritual milk of God’s Word, then we need to get rid of the junk food of broken relationships. We need to put away those wrong attitudes of the heart that keep us from loving each other. The five things listed here are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

1 Peter 4:12 "Dear Friends, Do Not Be Surprised ...

Contributed by Brad Henry on Nov 11, 2011

1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” I have a doctor’s appointment this morning to see what is going on. I am tried all the time, can hardly move with pain and a host of other ailments. OK so I ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

On Habits

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 7, 2012

ON HABITS Someone Once Said... * Thoughts produce acts, acts produce habits, and habits produce character.--Anonymous * If we realize the extent to which we are mere walking bundles of habits, we would give more heed to their own formation.--William James* * First we ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:2

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

What Happened To King Neb Was Unique --- ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 17, 2012

What happened to King Neb was unique --- I’ve never heard of anything quite like it --- a King eating grass for 7 years like an animal. But on the other hand, the spiritual experience it represents is more common than we’d like to think. I remember a father of one of my youth group kids years ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do Not Trust Your Eyes

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 12, 2013

DO NOT TRUST YOUR EYES The enemy's strategy is to be invisible, so we have to always be on guard. Mike Slaughter tells the story of his mission trip back to Darfur and traveling from their compound in Ed Daein to Adilla Town, which is a six-hour round trip over rough desert terrain. On this ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Methodist

Life With God On Your Side Should Get Better, Shouldn't It?

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Aug 31, 2017

5 Storms in my life changed me intensely. Sometimes a storm will follow a great spiritual event just like these disciples had witnessed. … Many years ago, I was having great difficulties, and that is when I turned to Christ, and then I knew that everything in the bible was true, that Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Tags: Doubt, Storm, Difficulties, Confusion, Trials, Doubt And Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Episcopal

Growing Potatoes Takes Time

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 24, 2018

Be thankful while you wait. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. My Aunt Grace had a large garden. One time she showed me how to cut seed potatoes so that each piece had at least one eye, and we planted them in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Being Prepared, Thankfulness, Patience, Waiting

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Who Needs Twitter!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 20, 2019

We all want our lives to matter, and we believe they only matter if they are noticed by someone. I wonder if this desire for a witness isn't what fuels a lot of blogs, Facebook, and especially Twitter. We want someone, anyone, to take notice … to care about us … to watch us and by their ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12

Tags: Communication, Self Esteem, Relationship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Admission Of Guilt

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 14, 2023

There once was a governor of the state of Texas who received an invitation to speak at one of the penitentiaries in that state. He spoke to the assembled prisoners and afterwards said that he would be around for a while to listen to anything any of the convicts might wish to tell him. He could take ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-26

Tags: Confession, Testimony, Guilt, Pardon

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Praying Mother

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 12, 2025

Has your life been impacted by a sacrificial mother who would never give up? Never underestimate the power of a praying mother. Born in 1669, Susanna Wesley raised up two of Christianity’s most gifted leaders, John and Charles Wesley. Daily, as a mother, Susanna prayed, “Dear God, guide me. Make ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28, 1 Samuel 1:10-16

Tags: Prayer, Mother, Susanna Wesley

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spirit Of Gradualism

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 10, 2025

I lived in Lee County, Virginia and we would travel 68 from our house through Cumberland Gap, Tennessee to Middlesboro, Ky. We traveled through the national park. Linda and I would see a ground hog. The ground hog would stand on his hind legs to watch the traffic go by. We developed a love watching ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:3, Revelation 3:14-19

Tags: Gradual, Slow

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Gift Of Forgivness - Driving Out Bitterness - Charles Stanley

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Charles Stanley, a renowned teacher and theologian shared this story called ... The Gift of Forgiveness: "A friend of mine is a fine man and a fine pastor who loves God. His wife had cancer, ... and they sought the best of medical help. The Doctor assigned to her case ... who for a number ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Sickness, Prisoner, Forgiveness, Bitterness, Unforgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Get Your Mule Out Of The Boat- Faithing

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

When attempting the impossible... you must get your mule ... out of the boat. Peter received a word ... a command from the Lord ... and he got his rear-end out of the boat ... and walked ... walked on the water. (Matthew 14:29) Beloved Simon Peter ... (Slow & Powerful) turned his faith ... ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:9, James 2:20, Mark 6:48-50, Matthew 14:27-33

Tags: Walter, Faith, Walk, Action, Impossible, Boat  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Living The Impossible Dream!" Job 40: 1-5: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 3, 2004

“Living the Impossible Dream!” Job 40: 1-5: Key verse(s): 2 “‘Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!’” Sooner or later everyone reads or hears about Cervantes’ story of Don Quixote. Cervantes is thrown in prison in Seville. Finding himself ...read more

Scripture: Job 39:1-5

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

Tavian's Story From Insanity Of God

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 22, 2019

Story from Insanity of God Tavian, pages 183-185: Up four flights of creaking stairs, in a tiny apartment, we met a white-haired, stooped-over, shell of a man. It was clear that, earlier in his life, he had cast a longer shadow. He invited us into his apartment. The aged furnishings made the room ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:15

Tags: Joy, Tribulation, Power Of Praise

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[029] A Message From A Poem – Be Still And Know That I Am God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2025

[029] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD This is a very special poem because in a time of great difficulty, the Lord woke me from irregular sleep to give me this poem at 3 o’clock in the morning. Of course the poem flowed along because it came from God. It was a message I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 4:4, Luke 10:39-40, Psalm 46:10

Tags: Mary, Rest In The Lord, Be Still, Wait On The Lord, I Am God, Cease Striving, Seated At His Feet  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The High Cost Of Low Living

Contributed by Larry Grant on Nov 8, 2025

Judges 16:15 "THE HIGH COST OF LOW LIVING" November 9, 2025 There is an old preacher story of a large carnival that came into a country town every two years. And people from miles around would bring their children to see all the colors and sights and sounds. But there was a particular ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:15

Tags: Lifestyle, Lessons, Losses

Denomination: Baptist