In Sermon Illustrations: "Time Is At Hand"

God, Send Us Bigger Rattlesnakes  PRO

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 26, 2012

GOD, SEND US BIGGER RATTLESNAKES There was a farmer who had three sons: Jim, John, and Sam. No one in the family ever attended church or had time for God. The pastor and church members tried for years to interest the family in the things of God, but to no avail. Then one day, a rattlesnake bit ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Tempered For Christ

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Apr 4, 2012

TEMPERED FOR CHRIST A blacksmith, about 8 years after his conversion to Christ, was asked by an unbeliever, "Why is it you have so much trouble? I have been watching you since you trusted Christ as your Savior and began to 'walk square' and seem to love everybody, and you seem to have twice as ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Key Called Promise

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

THE KEY CALLED PROMISE In John Bunyan's great allegory, Pilgrim's Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle. Eventually he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20

Tags: Promises Of God

Ornamentals

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on May 5, 2012

ORNAMENTALS Back in 1960, my family moved from Ohio to Arizona. The first time we went to the Phoenix Airport, I was impressed by the beautiful orange trees that lined the drive. It was the first time this Ohio boy had ever seen citrus trees. The oranges were big as grapefruits. They looked so ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Tragic Dream Fulfilled--The Case Of Robert ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

A TRAGIC DREAM FULFILLED--THE CASE OF ROBERT BURNS Robert Burns, the famous poet, occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man walking amidst the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

The Journey Of Jonathan Aitken

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Nov 5, 2012

THE JOURNEY OF JONATHAN AITKEN Jonathan Aitken was a British war correspondent in Viet Nam, Chief-Executive of TV-AM, and for 23 years an MP including time as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and a Defence Minister. Jonathan Aitken's life fell apart after he was caught telling a lie under oath in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Anglican

Busyness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

BUSYNESS Busyness is no sign of spirituality or any kind of a full life. In fact, it’s more likely the sign of an empty life. Tim Kreider, in an article he wrote for The New York Times called The Busy Trap put it this way: “If you live in America in the 21st century, you’ve probably had to listen ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Complaining

Last Lap Of The Race

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jul 4, 2014

May 29, 2011 it looked like it was destiny, the day Dale Earnhardt Jr. was rounding the last lap of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. You could just imagine the script that was being set; it was memorial day, he was being sponsored by the national guard, and He was going to finally win for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Finish The Race, Gas Tank

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Weakness

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 13, 2021

When I was in my early 20s and a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, I was, believe it or not, in pretty good shape. I jogged regularly. I was a karate student. I went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I truly was in good shape. Now that I’m older, I’m realizing that I’m not what I used to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31

Tags: Weakness, God's Strength, God Sustains

Denomination: Baptist

Obstacles To The Goal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 29, 2021

COLLEGE: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE HIT REAL HARD. ROY RIEGELS WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS “WRONG WAY ROY.” Roy played for the University of California from 1927 to 1929. Back then freshmen and sophomores never played on varsity. On January 1, 1929 Roy played in the ROSE BOWL. The GOLDEN ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:12-15, Matthew 13:45

Tags: Goal, Obstacle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Who Is Praying For Me?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Pastor Jim Cymbala's daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could. But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her. And someone was. The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, James 4:1-2

Tags: Petition, Intercessory Prayer, Interceding For Sinners, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

Moving Story Of A Godly Father

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

Hear our Lords Words: BIBLE Be merciful ... even as your Father (in Heaven) is merciful. END (Luke 6:36) Some time ago ... I heard a touching story .... about a humble, ... consecrated pastor ... whose young son had become.... Extremely ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:36, Proverbs 1:8, Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Father, Father's Day, Salvation, Godly

Denomination: Anglican

How Do You Use Your 18,000 Words Per Day?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 6, 2024

Do you have any idea how many words you use in the course of an ordinary day? To illustrate, let’s take the books of Tom Clancy. I’m sure you have read or heard of those techno-thrillers: “Hunt for Red October,” “Cardinal of the Kremlin,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Sum of All Fears,” “Without ...read more

Tags: Conversation, Mouth, Words, Tongue, Talk  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Only Jesus Can Give This Kind Of Forgiveness!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

Bruce Goodrich was being initiated into the cadet corps at Texas A & M University. One night, Bruce was forced to run until he dropped -- but he never got up. Bruce Goodrich died before he even entered college. A short time after the tragedy, Bruce's father wrote this letter to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Eternity, Parents, Cross, Prayer, Lord's Prayer, Forgiving Others, Enemies, Fathers, Forgivness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Return Good For Evil - Martin Luther King

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 11, 2025

Jesus doesn’t just ask us to avoid revenge—he calls us to actively do good in return. Not because the other person deserves it, but because he deserves our obedience. And we’ve seen it lived out—not just in Bible times, but in our own history. Perhaps one of the clearest modern examples is Dr. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Tags: Evil, Martin Luther, Doing Good

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How Can We Know That We Are Truly Saved

Contributed by Hylton Davidson on Aug 13, 2025

Having assurance that one is saved is linked to the process called regeneration. Regeneration is not something a person initiates; it is a sovereign act of God. A person is born again when the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life, enabling them to repent and believe in the gospel. This transformation ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Assurance, Saved

Denomination: Christian Church

When God Says No

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 24, 2026

Back in 1991, Garth Brooks released a song that went to #1 on the Country Chart. “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers” tells the story of how our prayers may not align with what is best for us. It’s a story about our timing not being God’s timing. Just in case you don’t remember, here’s the story ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-9

Tags: Prayer, Garth Brooks

Denomination: Methodist

A Recent Poll By The Barna Research Group In ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Jan 2, 2001

a recent poll by the Barna Research Group in America found that only 37% of adults thought the birth of Jesus is the most important aspect of Christmas. 44% of the respondents said family time is the most important part of the Christmas celebration. 3% said presents or parties were the most ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-21, John 1:19-28

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus, Jesus Christ

Denomination: Anglican

Os Guiness Gives A Very Helpful Definition Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 21, 2000

Os Guiness gives a very helpful definition of doubt in his book In Two Minds. He says, "When you believe, you are in one mind and accept something as true. Unbelief is to be of one mind and reject that something is true. To doubt is to waver between the two, to believe and disbelieve at the same ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:1, James 1:6-8

Tags: Emotions, Doubt, Faith

Denomination: Baptist