In Sermon Illustrations: "Thinking Ahead"

The Resurrection Of Debbie" (From The Case For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 2, 2008

“The Resurrection of Debbie” (from The Case For Christ – Strobel, Pg.325) Habermas rubbed his graying beard. The quick fire cadence and debater’s edge to his voice were gone. No more quoting of scholars, no more citing of Scripture, no more building a case. I had asked about the importance of the ...read more

Tags: Dad, Father, Sincere, Talent, Time  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hot-Sync Your Marriage!

Contributed by Mike Fox on Feb 23, 2008

Hot-Sync Your Marriage! "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 We used to have just PDA’s. Now, like most, we’ve updated to PDA Phones, mainly for business. But when we had our PDA’s, we had a feature called "Hot-Sync". The ...read more

Denomination: Apostolic

I Know Your ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“I Know Your Face” Quite recently a very dear friend suffered the heartbreaking miscarriage of a child. She was devastated by this loss of life and it got me thinking about my own miscarriage some 23 years ago of our first child and how distraught I was. My husband, Terry, and I were not ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:16

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Isn't Fair

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IT ISN'T FAIR Have you ever had something happen to you which caused you to think, "This isn't fair!"? Ken Wyniemko sure has. Just like Paul, he was locked away for a crime that he did not commit. In 1994, he was convicted by a jury based of a horrible crime against a young woman on the basis of a ...read more

Tags: Anger

I Thought You Loved Me  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

I Thought You Loved Me Girls, picture this. It is a warm summer day. The birds are singing happily. The wind is blowing gently. You and that special guy are sitting outside in the sun just thrilled to be together. You have been dating now for two whole weeks and you have never known a more ...read more

Scripture: John 21:15-17

Tags: Action

The Predestination Talks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THE PREDESTINATION TALKS Ligon Duncan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, tells the following story: I well remember as a fifteen year-old boy at my grandparents’ house, reading through Ephesians 1 with grandmother and granddad and my aunt and the family for our morning ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Standing In The Doorway  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

STANDING IN THE DOORWAY John Todd was born in Rutledge, Vermont, into a family of several children. They later moved to the village of Killingsworth back in the early 1800s. And, there, at a very young age, both John’s parents died. The relatives wondered what they would do with so many ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3

Tags: Death

My Dad Wasn’t A Very Good Father To Me Or ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 25, 2010

My Dad wasn’t a very good father to me or my sisters. He drank too much and got angry at our Mum far too often. At 5 years old while my Dad had a roaring argument with my Mum, I decided to swing my fists at him and tell him I hated him and tried to push him away from my Mum. As a kid, I remember ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Mother Is Born By Regina ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

A Mother Is Born by Regina Phillips My first child, a daughter, was born on July 27, 2000, and I found I was completely unprepared. I thought I was ready for her birth. I had read my books and articles on childbirth and baby care; I had bought everything on my shopping checklist. The nursery was ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:15

Tags: Children, Mothers

Dream-Stealers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 19, 2011

DREAM-STEALERS Years ago, I heard Pastor Anthony Mangun tell a story at Because of the Times that I have never forgotten. . . . The story is told of a young man by the name of Monty, who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer, who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:14

Tags: Goals

Mothers Live For Others  PRO

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Sep 29, 2011

MOTHERS LIVE FOR OTHERS We've got all sorts of people here this morning. One thing we have got a lot of is mothers. Some of you, your children are long grown up. But you have the experience of having been a mother. So? Well, every mother lives her life for another. And that is what the church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Anglican

Ministry Meltdown

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

MINISTRY MELTDOWN My dear friends, when life seems overwhelming, don't get busy; get help! Otherwise, you'll just wear yourself out and those around you. That's what Bob Merritt, pastor of the Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota, was doing. In a recent issue of Leadership Journal he writes about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress

Walking With God

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Oct 1, 2016

“Walking with God” Sermon Opener (Humorous) Micah 6: 1-8 Years ago, in the small town of Catlettsburg Kentucky, there lived several town-drunks. These men where classic characters, each unique in his own way, and from time to time they found themselves arrested ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:1-8

Tags: Indictment, God's Requirements

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Failed Love

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 15, 2020

Thomas Carlyle lived from 1795 to 1881. He was a Scot essayist and historian. During his lifetime, he became one of the world’s greatest writers. However, he was human, and humans make mistakes. On October 17, 1825, Carlyle married his secretary Jane Welsh. She was an intelligent, attractive, ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 7:1

Tags: Love, Marriage

Denomination: Baptist

Ten Things To Know About The Love Of God - Devotional

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 12, 2023

There are 10 key points about the Love of God in I John 4:7-21: 1. LOVE IS OF GOD (4:7) - not that God is love only. He is not limited or bound by anything. So, what is love? Study I Corinthians 13...... There are 3 Greek words (agape, phileo, eros). This love is agape, unconditional, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21, Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Agape, God's Love, Hate, Unforgiveness, False Prophets, Unbelievers, Evangelism, Love, Christ, Holy Spirit, Missions, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Black Eye Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Sep 12, 2023

With football season in full swing, I often think of my high school football days. I wasn’t very good at all but, as the saying goes, the older I get the better I was. One of my few highlights from those days was a kickoff return. You may be thinking that my story is about a game winning return but ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:16

Tags: Trials, Persecutions, Persecution, Endurance, Trial, Ridicule  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, something strange happened one Christmas that I will never stop laughing about. Because it was a Christmas holiday, we were at home with our family taking a break from our normal ministry schedule. We did not go to the church campus for the weekend. But, while we ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Pastors, Tithing, Robbing God, Stealing, Surprises, Church, Giving, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice. Easier Said Than Done.

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jan 23, 2024

Do you ever find it hard to be happy for people when good things happen to them? I do. Someone gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them I’m envious. A friend’s child gets an award and jealousy is my first reaction instead of joy. Why can’t I just be happy when good things happen to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Gratefulness, Rejoicing, Thanksgiving, Celebrate, Joy, Thanks, Rejoice, Baseball, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[123]. A Message From A Poem – He Will Receive Us To Himself

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[123]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE WILL RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF Time for confession. It is no secret that the theme that occurs in a few of my poems (sometimes only a brief mention) is that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Person for all His disciples. That coming is soon and is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Tags: Jesus Receives Us, Received To Him, Caught Up, The Coming Of The Lord, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[201]. A Message From A Poem – Peace In Life’s Storms

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 16, 2025

[201]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PEACE IN LIFE’S STORMS We may say things and write things, then one day God may put us to the test. Just as I am writing an introduction for this poem – just today in 2025, a problem has arisen for one of my family, and caused by satanic workings of a certain ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Luke 8:22-25

Tags: Faith, Fear, Afraid, Peace, Trust, Disciples, Trials, Jesus Calms The Sea, Storm On The Sea, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational