In Sermon Illustrations: "Thinking Ahead"

The Legend Of Jose Rivera

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

THE LEGEND OF JOSE RIVERA Have you heard the folk story of the bandit Jose' Rivera, who became notorious in several little towns in Texas for robbing their banks and businesses? Finally the townsfolk, weary of the constant plundering, hired a ranger to track down Jose' Rivera in his hideout in ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Brethren

James Von Moltke: For What A Mighty Task

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

JAMES VON MOLTKE: FOR WHAT A MIGHTY TASK James von Moltke came from a long line of German warriors and soldiers. For two centuries the name Moltke resounded proudly in the history of the Prussians and Germans. But James would serve a different fate. He was just as brave and just as devoted but his ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Heroism

Temporary Castles  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

TEMPORARY CASTLES "A little boy is on the beach. On his knees he scoops and packs the sand with plastic shovels into a bright red bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created. "All afternoon he will work. ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17, Luke 12:15-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Tags: Death

The Scariest Road  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2012

THE SCARIEST ROAD Yahoo! Travel has released an article titled America’s Scariest Drives, and the results are frightening. Here is a brief list of some of the roads: Highway One that travels off the Big Sur Coast in California is both beautiful and breath-taking. This 122 mile stretch travels ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Sermon On The Mount

Hugging

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

Once at a young girl’s funeral, I had to make just such a decision. The girl’s father was a member of our church and an air force serviceman. He was an aide on Air Force One and had flown with the president many times. A few generals and lots of upper-crust brass attended the funeral. When it came ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:20

Tags: Touch, Healing Touch, Hugging

Denomination: Baptist

Great Endurance Produces Great Reward

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Jun 23, 2019

I’m reminded of the story of a man born in the late 1800s. One of several children being the oldest, took care of the younger children and began to cook for them at a young age of seven yrs old. His father died when he was young leaving him even more responsibility. He worked many jobs in his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2

Tags: Endurance, Faithfulness, Reward

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A New Year's Devotional

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other! In fact, here are some startling stats about typical resolutions for the new year in America: • 27% break their resolutions by the first week of January. • 31% lose their resolutions by the second week of January. • 41% ...read more

Tags: New Year, Blessings, Resolutions, Material Possessions, Prayer For New Year  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Temporal Vs Eternal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 21, 2021

I HAVE BEEN WITH MANY DYING PEOPLE AND LISTENED CLOSELY TO “THE REGRETS.” I was driving an elderly lady to a doctor’s appointment in Lexington. It was a four hour trip. The doctor did not have real good news. Her days were limited. On the way home we stopped and ate. Then we headed home. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9-14, Malachi 3:8-11

Tags: Eternity, Temporal Vision

Denomination: Assembly Of God

[124]. A Message From A Poem – He’s Leading As My Head

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[124]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE’S LEADING AS MY HEAD How many are lost in this world? I don’t mean unsaved, but I mean who don’t know where they are going or what lies ahead, or what life is about; those who feel life is meaningless and has no purpose? I know it is a lot of people. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:15, John 10:10, John 12:46

Tags: Jesus, Direction, Leader, Guide, Life, Meaningless, Leading, Christian Poetry, Christian Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[258]. A Message From A Poem – The Christian’s Life The Christian’s Hope

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[258]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE Nothing is more meaningful than being a Christian who knows he/she has passed from death into life. It is a precious position that those in the world do not know; nor do they care. {{1 John 3:14 “We know that we have ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 4:1, 1 John 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Tags: Expectation, Life In Jesus, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, World, Hope, Difficult, Church Members  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[285]. A Message From A Poem – The Passion Week – Easter Poem

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 5, 2026

[285]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE PASSION WEEK – EASTER POEM This poem is more appropriate at Easter time, the week leading to the Resurrection. I have covered the highlights of that week with a stanza given to each one. The poem is like a synopsis of the week, a shorthand version if you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Tags: Easter Poem, The Burial, Palm Sunday Entry, The Betrayal, Gethsemane, The Cross, The Last Supper, The Resurrection, Death Of Christ, Christian Poems, Easter  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lessons From A Gps  PRO

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 13, 2016

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Prov 16:9, 3:6. I’m sure you’ve driven a car with a Global Positioning System (GPS). A number of years ago I settled into the passenger’s seat of a fully equipped ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9

Tags: Gps, Eternally Lost, Divine Direction, Heart For The Lost, Parable Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Invitation

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Bob Goff tells the story of he and his friend Brandon going to Washington DC on business and being close to Capital Hill at midnight. They saw a bunch of cars awkwardly parked around the Library of Congress and barricades and so they decided to investigate. They discovered that it was a set for the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:21

Tags: Invitation, Gospel, Chosen

Denomination: Methodist

Christian Meditation,' Writes Joyce Huggett ‘has ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 13, 2005

‘Christian meditation,’ writes Joyce Huggett ‘has nothing to do with emptying our minds. Christian meditation engages every part of us-our mind, our emotions, our imagination, our creativity and, supremely, our will.’ ‘As Archbishop Anthony Bloom ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Church Of God

There Is No Mention Of Jesus Being Married) In ...

Contributed by John Harvey on May 10, 2006

“(There is no mention of Jesus being married) in the four gospels and not in Paul’s writing. And Paul writes about marriage. If Jesus were married, you would certainly think that Paul would at least mention it since he addresses marriage in the book of 1 ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Baptist

Dennis Prager, Author Of The Shrewd And ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 3, 2008

Dennis Prager, author of the shrewd and perceptive "Happiness is a Serious Problem." He states: "There is a 'secret to happiness, and it is gratitude. All happy people are grateful, and ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that it is being unhappy that leads people to complain, but ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In A Peanuts Cartoon Strip, Charlie Brown Says To ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 26, 2007

In a Peanuts cartoon strip, Charlie Brown says to Linus, "Life is just too much for me. I’ve been confused from the day I was born. I think the whole trouble is that we’re thrown into life too fast. We’re not really ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

David Mains Said, "When Two People Have Settled ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

David Mains said, "When two people have settled in their minds that ’We are going to love each other,’ and they take those vows before God and witnesses, then that puts an end to the practice of comparing. From that day on they are never again to compare. Each is to say, ’The whole of my ...read more

Tags: Grace

The Belief That Youth Is The Happiest Time Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are ...read more

Tags: Joy

As A Man Grows Older, He Values The Voice Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"As a man grows older, He values the voice of experience more, The voice of prophecy less. He finds life's wealth in home, health, and children. He thinks more of men's worth And less of men's wealth. He boasts less and boosts more. He ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life