In Sermon Illustrations: "The Path Ahead"

Gen. Douglas Macarthur Wrote This Prayer For His ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 19, 2001

Gen. Douglas MacArthur wrote this prayer for his son. He prayed: "Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, & brave enough to face himself when he is afraid. One who will be proud & unbending in honest defeat, & humble & gentle in victory. "Build me a son ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Goals, Children, Father's Day, Father, Dreams  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When The Spiritual Leaders Fail To Lead People ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 18, 2005

When the spiritual leaders fail to lead people toward God and teach the people His way then people will break the faith they have with God. Breaking the faith is common in a society when the leadership breaks down and fails to do its job. Breaking the faith means the people of God walk away from ...read more

Tags: Divorce, Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Soil And Spiritual Seasons  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 19, 2009

SOIL AND SPIRITUAL SEASONS Jesus says these people resemble the soil next to the path which in Palestine could look like decent soil but only an inch deep. Because the soil has settled there maybe blown by the wind or pushed there by the run off from the rain, it can be very fertile. People are ...read more

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

Denomination: Church Of God

Ignoring The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

IGNORING THE WARNINGS On Sep. 28, 1986 heavy rains flooded many low-lying areas of the Midwest. Two years before, there was a flood that many remember as the "Memorial Day Massacre" that claimed the lives of twenty people in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as small creeks and drainage ditches became killer ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 18:30-32

Tags: Evangelism, Evangelism Urgency

Spiritual Fruit: "This Has Been Plastered"  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

SPIRITUAL FRUIT: "THIS HAS BEEN PLASTERED" Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster sown in the fields would make things grow. He told his neighbors, but they did not believe him and they argued with him trying to prove that plaster could be of no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while, ...read more

Scripture: John 13:35, Mark 4:1-9

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

When Church Is Miraculously Moved (Illustration: ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

When Church Is Miraculously Moved (Illustration: 7606) The faith that moves mountains is borne out by the church that was moved by the Hand of God. Such a church stands to this day in the village of Swan Quarter, North Carolina. Before it was built in 1874 the congregation eyed with longing a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:20-21

Tags: Miracles General

As A Pastor I Learned A Valuable Lesson Early In ...

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Nov 10, 2010

Early in my ministry, I learned a hard but necessary lesson. I was deeply concerned about offending people in the congregation. I carefully guarded my words, avoiding anything that might make someone uncomfortable or rub them the wrong way. Part of that came from fear—fear that if I preached tough, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:10

Tags: Preaching, Pleasing The Father

Denomination: Other

The Best Thing For Her

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

THE BEST THING FOR HER Ida M. Clark writes that she was still overwhelmed with grief as she approached the church on the Sunday morning after her mother had died. Just outside the door, a 7-year-old boy met her. He stopped, planted his feet solidly on the path in front of her, and with tearful ...read more

Scripture: John 15:7

Tags: Prayer Answered

Supreme Sacrifice

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

SUPREME SACRIFICE In January 2001, Seiko Sakamoto, a Japanese plasterer in a Tokyo subway station, fell into the path of an oncoming train. Lee Su Hyun, a Korean student in Japan, leaped down on the tracks to save Sakamoto. Both Hyun and Sakamoto were killed. This selfless act by the Korean ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:7-9, Hebrews 1:3-4

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Renewal And New Life

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 1, 2013

RENEWAL AND NEW LIFE Henry David Thoreau, in his classic book, Walden, told of a powerful custom of the Mucclasse Indians. Once each year, they had a village clean up called a "busk." First they would make new clothes for themselves as well as furniture and cooking utensils. They would keep all ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Light Of The Word

Contributed by Taiwo Oyadiran on Mar 23, 2019

I like to tell this story about my son as a 2-year-old. I always liked to give him a shower/bath and like most kids that age, he liked playing with the water. Many times, when there’s water and soap on his head and face, he, of course, had to close his eyes. That part he didn’t like. No kid would ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Tags: Faith, Revelation

Footprints

Contributed by Matthew Koscielski on Jun 17, 2007

How I once truly felt: One night I had a dream-- I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Henry Blackaby, The Author Of Experiencing God, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, tells this heart wrenching story about a situation he encountered early in his ministry. He writes, “The first funeral I ever conducted was for a beautiful three-year-old. She was the first child born to a couple in our church, and the first ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

If We Want The Respect Of Others, We Must Also ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

If we want the respect of others, we must also give them the respect they deserve. This is a lesson that Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa learned at a very young age. When he was a child growing up in South Africa, Racism was still a big problem. If a black person and a white person met while ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

A Squirrel In The Road

Contributed by Jim Heidebrecht on Jul 2, 2007

A Squirrel in the road: This week as I was thinking about roads and signposts and choices, I was on our road right out here and as I turned the corner, I saw a squirrel He was halfway across when he noticed me I didn’t have room to stop He froze in the middle, he started across, started back, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Translation Of Psalm 23

Contributed by Richard Francis on May 10, 2008

TRANSLATION OF PSALM 23 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Took Our Place At Calvary

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Sep 19, 2008

Jesus Took Our Place At Calvary A man named Goho rose to be chief of the tribe. He was a good man, and far wiser and advanced in understanding than his fellow tribesmen. The year he became chief, the tribe brought in 40 heads. He judiciously suggested that the tribe use one head each year as a ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Baptist

Our Family Pet Dog, Avalon, Was A Beautiful ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 17, 2009

Our family pet dog, Avalon, was a beautiful rottweiler and she was a good dog. She loved to follow me around. When I would come home from work she would get all excited – wagging her tail with glee. She would rush towards me while snorting with anticipation and celebration. Avalon loved to be ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Baptist

The Cork And The Whale

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jul 6, 2025

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 offers a portrait of spiritual buoyancy. Paul, in other places, invites us to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Cor 11:1). His spiritual practices caused him to float above the difficulties that he faced over and over again in his life and ministry. One of the greatest things ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Tags: Poem, Buoyancy

Denomination: Pentecostal

Building Bridges

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 8, 2026

WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE, 1860 TO 1934. She wrote over 7,500 poems and 5,000 essays. Her works are recorded in 13 books. My Dad, Wade M. Hughes (1931) committed this poem to memory and would often use it when speaking to leaders. I love this poem. ***THE BRIDGE BUILDER AN OLD MAN, GOING DOWN A LONE ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:6-12, Philippians 4:11-13

Tags: Bridge, Build

Denomination: Assembly Of God