In Sermon Illustrations: "The Heart"

2 Weeks Ago In Boston I Had Dinner In The Hotel ...

Contributed by Paul Searight on Oct 1, 2008

2 weeks ago in Boston I had dinner in the hotel with one of the other speakers at the conference I was at. He was from Los Angeles and I made a fairly instant judgement about him when he ordered a beer and then went outside to smoke while he waited on his food. In the course of the evening I told ...read more

Tags: Opportunity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Speaking In Tongues Has Continued On Through The ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 9, 2008

Speaking in tongues has continued on through the history of the church and reveals why it is not to be forbid even today: Early Church history reveals this gift as legitimate and being practiced (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#Church_History_.28A.D._100_to_500.29) 1. For the ...read more

Tags: Gifts Tongues

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Vacation: Willing To Follow

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

VACATION: WILLING TO FOLLOW In a movie classic - National Lampoon's Vacation - Chevy Chase - otherwise known as Clark Griswold - leads his family across the country to their dream vacation at Wally World. Along the way, Clark gets lost several times. One time happened to be in St. Louis. As time ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Rocky

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 12, 2008

ROCKY One of the biggest movies of modern times, "Rocky" starring Sylvester Stallone, almost never got made. Stallone was struggling to find work as a screenwriter. He saw a fight against Ali and little-known Church Wepner. Wepner went 15 rounds, and it gave Stallone an idea. Three days later, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Powerful Prayer Delivered To The Kansas State Senate

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 22, 2022

This prayer was delivered on January 23, 1996 by the Rev. Joe Wright in Kansas. It was said that most of those in attendance were outraged and some walked out. Without a doubt, it is a blunt and direct indictment on modern culture. Within just a few weeks, the Central Christian Church, where ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Politicians, America, Prayer, Revival, Repentance, Holiness, Government, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Corrie Ten Boom On Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

Corrie Ten Boom had her entire family killed in a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home. In her book, “The Hiding Place” she writes: It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, a former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

How To Get Rid Of Your Pastor!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 9, 2023

What a blessing it is to have a pastor who loves the Lord, who teaches the Word, and who leads his "flock" aright. I thank God we have a man like that in the church which I attend. In these days of apostasy, when there is such a tragic departure from an emphasis on the Word, how we ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11

Tags: Division, Preachers, Ministry, Pastors, Apostasy, Man Of God, Churches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Son Of Sam Serial Killer Is Now A Servant Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

The story of David Berkowitz, infamously known as the “Son of Sam,” is a remarkable tale of redemption and transformation. 1. Background: In the late 1970s, David Berkowitz terrorized New York City as a serial killer. He shot and killed six young people and wounded seven others during a spree ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Forgiveness, Salvation, Conversion, Redemption, Transformation, Prison Ministry, Saul Of Tarsus, Miracle  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Is Still In The Healing Business Today.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 11, 2024

JAMES CHAPTER 5 - our pathway to healing in time of need Larry Miley grew up in the northeast corner of the Ivory Coast, where his father was a missionary physician. When he was 14, he was laid low by a bout of malaria, and his father gave him an injection. All seemed well at first, and Dr. Miley ...read more

Tags: Faith, Healing, Obedience, Prayer, Miracles, Sickness, Elders, Fasting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Good Man Wants To Get Into Heaven

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 21, 2024

I was recently at the gym having a conversation with someone I just met. Within a matter of 10 minutes, I realized that this man was a better man than me. He had volunteered in more countries than I could count in 10 minutes of our conversation. He was a teacher, he served the poor in many ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16, Romans 3:23

Tags: Grace, Justification, Good Works, Works Righteousness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

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

[064]. A Message From A Poem – Dull The Sight - Life’s Not Right

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 21, 2025

[064]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DULL THE SIGHT - LIFE’S NOT RIGHT This short poem is a bit like a person trying to read with glasses that are smeared and hazy. What is read will be distorted and the wrong message will be gained. If he/she tries to walk around then an accident is a ...read more

Scripture: James 5:19-20, Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 1:7

Tags: Poem, Dull, The Bible, Light, Vision, Prayer, Sight, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How The Philippian Jailer Got Saved - Crisis

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Oct 2, 2025

How the Philippian jailer got saved - Crisis This Philippian jailer was saved! He was saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And if you have never trusted in the Lord, He wants to save you the same way. But let's take a closer look at how the Lord touched the jailer's ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Tags: Crisis, Christian Service, Philippian Jailer, Demon Possession, Spiritual Transformation, Evangelism, Paul, Salvation, Missions, Silas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

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

The King Who Humbled Himself

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

In John's Gospel, Jesus shared these words: BIBLE "If I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet." Jesus did this as an example. Then Jesus took the bread and the cup and set another example. "Do this, in remembrance of me." ...read more

Scripture: John 13:14, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:27

Tags: Body, King, Visit, Humbled, Blood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

I Can Do All Things (Hand In Glove Illustration)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jan 20, 2026

The change in Peter happened when he stopped believing: .... "I can do all things" ... and started to understand that: Hear God's Word BIBLE "I can do all things through Christ ... who strengthens me." END (Philippians 4:13). Beloved ... We ... You and I ... can do all ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Glove, Hand, Strengthens

Denomination: Anglican

Let Me Give You An Example To What I’m ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Lobbs on Nov 4, 2000

Let me give you an example to what I’m saying by sharing with you a story that I recently read in one of the history books in my library. I read how on July 3l, 1838 on the Island of Jamaica, a man named William Knibbs, gathered 10,000 slaves for a great praise gathering. They were celebrating ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:12, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Freedom, Great Commission, Gospel, Lordship Of Christ, Ignorance, What Is Evangelism?  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Josh Mcdowell, A Dedicated Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 23, 2001

Josh McDowell, a dedicated Christian intellectual, wrote, "I was invited to speak in a university in South America. Because of the university’s Marxist leanings, I was the first American to speak there in four years, & it was a tense situation. "Big photographs of me had been posted all over ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Faith General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Saturday Afternoon A Father And His Six-Year ...  PRO

Contributed by Brent Zastrow on Apr 18, 2001

One Saturday afternoon a father and his six-year old son Mickey were fishing near a bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir when a woman lost control of her car, slid off the bridge and hit Mikey at a rate of about 50 mph. Sheriff Marr, the boys grandfather, had seen the results of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:10

Tags: Saint, Miracles Of Jesus, Jesus Christ, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ