In Sermon Illustrations: "Time Is At Hand"

You Already Have Happiness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

YOU ALREADY HAVE HAPPINESS The angel asked, "You aren’t happy. How can I help you?" The poet replied, "I have everything. But I lack only one thing. Can you give it to me?" To which the angel happily said, "Sure. I can give you anything you desire." The poet stared right into the angel’s eyes, "I ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:19

Tags: Happiness

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 Same Gospel For The Same ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Feb 26, 2009

“The Same Gospel for the Same Needs” Some months after our arrival in China, an old experienced missionary came to my husband with the following advice: “Do not attempt to speak of Jesus the first time on preaching to a heathen audience. The Chinese have a prejudice against the name of Jesus. ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Christian Church

Come Hell Or High Water

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 2, 2009

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER Glen and Jo Ann live in Orange County, California in a low lying area. It flooded one year and the local newspaper sent a reporter, in a boat, out to Glen and Jo Ann’s neighborhood. The reporter found Jo Ann, sitting on their roof watching large objects floating by, so he ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic

Cycles Of Dying Churches

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 16, 2022

Almost all churches go through “lifecycles” - they start with a MAN, a visionary leader has a passion to to accomplish a God-given Vision -- then they become a MOVEMENT. At this stage the people are nearly 100% committed. They spend time together at each other’s homes and in Bible studies. Then ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Dying Churches, Church, Revival, Seven Churches

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bring A Bigger Basket!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"A missionary in Africa had a farm some miles from the mission station. The season had been very favorable, and he had a large crop of corn on the mission farm. When the crop was ready to harvest, he made a public appeal to the Africans, asking them to help him carry his corn from the farm to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38

Tags: Harvest, Giving, Basket, Receiving

Denomination: Pentecostal

Trust Issues

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 18, 2022

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. As I ...read more

Scripture: John 2:23-25

Tags: Trust, Opposition, Betrayal, Brethren, Opposers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Brooklyn Bridge Scam

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

The greatest con artist in American history was George C. Parker. After the Brooklyn Bridge opened in NYC in 1883, George C. Parker saw a tourist admiring it, so he decided to try selling it to him. It was so easy, he decided to sell it again. Over a period of years he averaged selling the Brooklyn ...read more

Tags: Sin, Deception, Cheating, Fraud, Liars, Bewitched  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Do You Still Live As A Slave?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2023

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln presented what came to be known as the Emancipation Proclamation, an official document condemning human slavery. Abraham Lincoln, realizing that slavery is completely against human dignity, officially abolished it from the United States on ...read more

Tags: Grace, Holy Spirit, Freedom, Legalism, Racism, Liberty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Alone

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

I'm not sure if I am the only one that does this or not. Growing up, if I was ever walking down a dark country road by myself, I found myself whistling, or singing, or humming an old familiar gospel song. It seemed like it made everything safer. It made me feel protected as I drew myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-17

Tags: Alone, God's Presence

Denomination: Baptist

Sometimes I Feel A Little Tugging On The Line!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 20, 2023

A little boy was flying his kite in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois one day. He sent the kite up and let the line out as the wind took it away to the cloudy sky. About that time, an elderly man walked past the little boy and asked him a question. "What are you doing there, son?" he ...read more

Tags: Answers To Prayer, Prayer, Will Of God, Hearing God, God's Voice, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

They Will Know What Jesus Looks Like Now

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Apr 3, 2023

Maybe you have heard the story of a young boy who was given an assignment in his elementary art class. He was asked to draw a picture of something that was priceless to him. He thought about all things he valued and then the idea came to him as to what was most important and valuable. Throughout ...read more

Scripture: John 1:18, 1 John 4:12, 1 Timothy 6:15-16, Mark 16:15

Tags: Image Of God, Share Your Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Percentage Will Go To Heaven?

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 21, 2023

[Pastor Clendennen speaking:] For many years, in the church I pastored, we had an all-night prayer meeting the last Friday night of every month. One such Friday night, out of four-hundred members, there were forty-one of us present. As I was praying, I heard this Word from the Lord: “You are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:40-42, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 1:7

Tags: Rapture, Bride Of Christ, Return Of Jesus

Denomination: Charismatic

I Can't Remember When I Was Saved!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 12, 2023

If you have not realized it yet, over time you are going to forget some things. I think of the two older men that were playing golf. One had trouble seeing and other had trouble remembering. The one with a seeing problem said to the other, "Now, watch my ball, for I can’t see where it ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 5:1-13

Tags: Memory, Salvation, Gospel, Assurance, Lost, Saved  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trapped

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 15, 2024

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. When my son was practicing with his little league baseball team there was a practice field. The practice field was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:18, Galatians 5:7

Tags: Change, Trapped

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Are Here To Live, Not To Just Make A Living.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2024

In 1923 a very important meeting was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Attending this meeting were nine of the world's most successful financiers: Charles Schwab, steel magnate: Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company: Howard Hopson , president of the largest gas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Greed, Life, Riches, Suicide, Fame, Death, Money, Wealth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Yesterday Today & Tomorrow

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 22, 2024

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control. All the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:34

Tags: Worry, Tomorrow, Today, Yesterday, Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Miraculous Story Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something miraculous happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged. He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else. When ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-32

Tags: Atonement, Sacrifice, Forgiveness, Cross, Unconditional Love, Death Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational