In Sermon Illustrations: "Think Before You Speak"

Marriage Takes Hard Work

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Aug 28, 2012

MARRIAGE TAKES HARD WORK Good marriages are designed in heaven, but they are made on earth. And it takes hard work. It reminds me of the pastor of a big city church who ran an ad for a caretaker/housekeeper. The next day, a well-dressed young man appeared at the pastor's door. But before he ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Churches Closed Due To Lack Of Power!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 10, 2023

Bill Crowder gives us a pithy Illustration of Need for Power. The first winter that my wife Marlene and I were married was marked by severe blizzards. I can vividly remember one Sunday when we awoke to find that the electricity had been knocked out by an ice storm. Huddled around a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Church, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Power, Acts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prayer

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 9, 2025

I read where a family bought a PRAYER BOOK for their son. Each night the boy would read a prayer before going to sleep. He was faithful to read a prayer. One night the boy was tired. He turned the light off and crawled into bed. He remember the prayer book. That night he called out to God: ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1, Matthew 21:13

Tags: Faith, Prayer

Denomination: Assembly Of God

More Than 3,000 Fans Packed San Francisco’s ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Aug 27, 2001

More than 3,000 fans packed San Francisco’s Masonic Auditorium. Many had driven for hundreds of miles to see their idol. Others held up signs reading, "We Love You John!" Then the man they came to see strode onto the stage - - an unlikely superstar, to say the least. As the Washington Post put it, ...read more

Tags: Paranormal

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Boss Of A Big Company Needed To Call One Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Oct 10, 2001

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialled the employees home telephone number and was greeted with a child’s whispered, "Hello?" Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster, the boss ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Jesus Teachings, Parable Lost Coin

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Prayer And Happiness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 7, 2003

A PRAYER AND HAPPINESS In his book Living Life on Purpose, Greg Anderson shares the story of one man’s journey to joy: ... his wife had left him and he was completely depressed. He had lost faith in himself, in other people, in God—he found no joy in living. One rainy morning this man went to a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Joy, Prayer Adoration, God Brings Hope

Looking For The Lost  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

LOOKING FOR THE LOST The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the employee’s home telephone number and was greeted with a child’s whispered, "Hello?" Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-31, Luke 15:1-31, Luke 15:1-31

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep, Evangelism The Lost

The Boss Of A Big Company Needed To Call One Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the employee’s home telephone number and was greeted with a child’s voice, "Hello?" It was a quiet little voice. Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32, Matthew 18:1-5

Tags: Obedient, Hearing, Parable Prodigal Son

Without Appearing To Work As Hard, The Highly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Without appearing to work as hard, the highly creative person appears to learn as much as, if not more than, the one with a high IQ. My guess is that these highly creative people ...read more

Tags: Art

Hatred Is A Low And Degrading Emotion And Is So ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Hatred is a low and degrading emotion and is so poisonous that no man is strong enough to use it safely. The hatred we think we are directing against some ...read more

Tags: Anger

We Have Heard Much Of The Phrase, Peace And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"We have heard much of the phrase, peace and friendship. This phrase, in expressing the aspiration of America, is not complete. We should say instead, peace and friendship, in freedom. ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom

Every Single One Of Us Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Every single one of us is handicappedphysically, mentally, socially and spirituallyto some degree; and although we seldom think about it, the person without faith ...read more

Tags: Disability

Spiritual Health Checks (Breaking Of Bread)  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Spiritual Health Checks (Breaking of Bread) There are four signs that show that the child of God is a healthy Christian. One is a heart hungry for God's Word, second is his desire to be involved in Christian fellowship. When the Holy Spirit was poured into the spiritual hearts of believers in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Run The Race

Contributed by James Chandler on Apr 18, 2024

Run the Race ”Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Hope, Perseverance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Laughter Is Not For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 12, 2022

Since birth, I have been infected with a Laughter-Virus. I’m not sure which side of the family it came from, or it could’ve come from both sides. But the least little thing will make me laugh. Sometimes I have a hard time stopping laughing. I have yet to find a mask big enough to cover my face ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 126:2

Tags: Virus, Laughter

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Alan Was A Pretty Normal Boy From A Medium-Sized ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeffrey Samelson on Mar 23, 2004

Alan was a pretty normal boy from a medium-sized town. And he loved his dog. Alan had been after his parents for a dog since he was five, and on his ninth birthday they finally granted his wish. He named the dog “Rover” because he’d always thought that was about the best name a dog could have. ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Promises Of God, Parable Prodigal Son

Denomination: Lutheran

Bill Hybels Recalls A Time When Dr. Gilbert ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 21, 2002

Bill Hybels recalls a time when Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian was speaking for a leadership conference at Willow Creek Community Church. He writes about it like this… “Dr. Bilezikian said there’s life-changing fellowship in biblically functioning community. That was a far cry from the childhood ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Community, Church Small Groups, Friendship General, Money  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Paradox Of Our Time In History  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 8, 2005

The Paradox of Our Time in History The paradox of our time in history is that.... We have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

That's The Vision Dr. Nixon's Congregation ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Jun 5, 2007

That’s the vision Dr. Nixon’s congregation caught at Lakeview Church. He challenged that congregation and calls on us to “Focus attention on winning lost people.” God “increased Lakeview’s territory” when they “focused their attention on reaching and winning people to Jesus.” The Holy Spirit ...read more

Denomination: Methodist