In Sermon Illustrations: "The Blessed Hope"

This Life Is Just A Rental

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 14, 2024

In the last few years when our family travels instead of booking a hotel we have used an Airbnb or a Vrbo. If you’re not familiar with this concept it’s basically people renting out their homes to tourists. It’s especially convenient if we have a lot of family to house. We can all stay together, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20

Tags: Heaven, Worry, Rust, Possessions, Moths  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Secrets Of Life

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 6, 2024

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.” ~L. Wolfe Gilbert I have a dog named Bella. She is a Blue Heeler. I must confess that at the time Bella came into my life a dog was not on my wish list. My stepson is the “original owner.” ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3

Tags: Canvas, Beauty, Nature, Mystery

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[013] A Message From A Poem - Academic Christianity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[013] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY If you did a survey in universities and places of higher learning, and in liberal theological colleges in our days, you would find very few Christians. The mind of man today is bent on humanism and the search for rationalism in an existential ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25

Tags: Academic Christianity, Professing Christians, Faith, Salvation, Foolishness, Humanism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Observation About A Pair Of Hard Hats

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 15, 2024

Text: 2 Samuel 3:33-34, KJV: 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. Have you seen any roadside memorials? It ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:33-34

Tags: David, Death, Joab, Abner

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About A Billboard Worker

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 24, 2024

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, KJV: 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. How many of you have seen anybody changing the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, John 15:5

Tags: Assistance, Billboards, Clergy Appreciation Month

Denomination: Baptist

Some Thoughts On The Death Of A Child

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 1, 2024

Introduction: The death of a loved one is never easy to bear. The death of a child is no doubt even worse. Not counting wars, murder, enslavement, or any other heinous act, there were a number of people in both the Old and New Testaments who suffered the death of a child. Thanks be to God, I have ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:22-23

Tags: David, Children, Death Of Infants

Denomination: Baptist

[076]. A Message From A Poem – Expectations, Testimony And Pleading

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 11, 2025

[076]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXPECTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND PLEADING The three words in the title are what the poem is about. Firstly there is expectation of our heavenly home when we are transported from the physical life. Then there is testimony and that is about the way God looks after us, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 119:143, Psalm 119:77, Psalm 119:47

Tags: Great Things, Pleading, Expectations, Turn To The Lord, Scripture, Testimony, Poetry, New Home, Delight, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[092]. A Message From A Poem – For We Are Flesh And Blood

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[092]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR WE ARE FLESH AND BLOOD We are emotional people and emotions often influence our feelings and life and behaviour. Emotions do need controlling e.g. a person might be “in a bad mood” but must not let that become bad attitudes to others. Sometimes we can be down ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15, Romans 8:26, Revelation 21:4-5

Tags: Bad Mood, Weakness, Depressed, Human Nature, Flesh And Blood, Feeling Down, Mood Swings, Emotions, Joy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[125]. A Message From A Poem – He’s Risen – Easter Poem For Resurrection

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[125]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE’S RISEN – EASTER POEM FOR RESURRECTION This poem is an Easter poem featuring the Resurrection. There are 7 stanzas and the first line in each gives the theme of the stanza. The first one is, “He is risen from the dead.” That must be first for all the other ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, Luke 24:5-6

Tags: Risen From The Dead, Christ Is Risen, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Easter Poem, Resurrection, He Is Risen  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[176]. A Message From A Poem – Lord, May I Share My Thoughts With You?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[176]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LORD, MAY I SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU? This poem is exactly what it says; my thoughts that I share with God. There is so much I don’t understand and too many problems to solve, but I think we are not meant to do that. We just need simple, uncluttered faith in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 37:28

Tags: Christian Poetry, Guide, Knowledge, Share, Desires, Thoughts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[277]. A Message From A Poem – The Leading Road

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 25, 2026

[277]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LEADING ROAD I hope everyone has been on higher ground where you have a really great panorama and the land and hills or ranges sweep away before you. I have seen many of these in tropical rainforested country, and below you, you may see a road leading away ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 104:24-25, Job 12:7-9, Romans 1:20, Revelation 20:12

Tags: A Leading Road, Beauty, Scenery, Nature, No Excuse, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[279]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord Has Made Me Perfect In His Love

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 27, 2026

[279]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD HAS MADE ME PERFECT IN HIS LOVE The poem begins with the positive testimony of the Lord’s perfection and chorus. Perfection here is according to these two verses – {{Philippians 1:6 “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 3:15, Philippians 1:6

Tags: A New Creation, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Salvation, Perfect, Perfection, New Creation, In Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: Ebed-Melech, A Man Who Helped Jeremiah The Prophet

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 9, 2021

Introduction: The Old Testament prophets sometimes faced severe persecution. Jeremiah certainly had his share of troubles and in this instance, he had preached God’s message but was thrown into a cistern! Most likely he was going to be left there to die, but an unsung hero helped rescue Jeremiah. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 38:7-13, Jeremiah 39:15-18

Tags: Jeremiah, Persecution, Ebedmelech

Denomination: Baptist

Some Thoughts On The 4b Movement

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 15, 2024

Introduction: Ever since the November 2024 American elections, there seems to be more and more reference to the “4B” movement. That this movement began in South Korea a number of years ago seems to be of little importance to any number of American women. This is especially true of those American ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19, Romans 13:9, Acts 15:29

Tags: Women, Christian Living, 4b Movement

Denomination: Baptist

The Most Recent Issue Of Tim Magazine Was Most ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Shockley on Jun 29, 2002

The most recent issue of Tim Magazine was most revealing to say the least. Who would ever think that such a nationally known magazine would have this unique subject on its cover page and inside? (Issue: July 1, 2002) “The Bible & the Apocalypse! Why more Americans are reading and talking ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Second Coming

Our Transformed Lives Should Drive Us To Want To ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 5, 2004

Our transformed lives should drive us to want to do what is good in our lives. Christianity Today / Sports Spectrum an Article by Rick Weber notes: Bob McNair the man responsible for Super Bowl 38 being hosted in Houston has this to say about his faith in Jesus Christ and unfinished ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Direction, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Steve Bouman Tells The Story We Began To Find ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

Steve Bouman tells the story We began to find our power as a congregation in New Jersey as a matter of being a place where you can go when there’s no where else to go. When you invite the poor and the homeless, they do come such as Edgar. He is by anybody’s standards a strange character. He lives ...read more

Tags: Giving, Palm Sunday, Patience, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. Harry Ironside - When I Was A Boy, I Felt It ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Sep 1, 2009

Dr. Harry Ironside - When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on Saturdays and other times when I did not have to be in school. For quite a while I worked for a Scottish shoemaker, or "cobbler," as ...read more

Tags: Workplace, Workplace Integrity

Denomination: Pentecostal

Why Is The F*** Word And And The Sh** Word Used ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 7, 2010

"Why is the F*** word and and the Sh** word used so freely today? Jesus doesn’t directly include this in what He says about oaths in Matthew 5 but it is there by way of application and other passages enlarge on this area of sin, so I am taking a detour. The spirit of what Jesus is saying in Matthew ...read more

Tags: Tongue, Swearing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Together Communication And Attitude Have ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on May 5, 2010

Together communication and attitude have potential... either for good or for evil. Here’s what we mean… It was attitude that took out yet another marriage. They were in their twenties. They were the parents of two beautiful children. He, however, had a miserable problem. She endured it. The ...read more

Tags: Attitude General