In Sermon Illustrations: "Trials Mature Us"

Is He Real Or Pretend?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

IS HE REAL OR PRETEND? I think George Reeves was the first actor to be Superman on TV. Back in the 50's, TV actors were not quite as "elite" as some seem to be now. They would throw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles little league game. They would fire the starting pistol for a soap box derby ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Hypocrisy, Sincerity

Denomination: Baptist

Some Thrilling Davis Cup Matches!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 26, 2011

Some thrilling Davis cup matches!!! First things first. Why are so many miracles recorded in the Scriptures? For us to be awed by the all-powerful ways of Almighty God and spontaneously praise Him in the spirit of adoration! The very purpose of our Creation is to worship Him (the very first ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: *other

Don't Do Change Alone

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 5, 2012

DON'T DO CHANGE ALONE With a new year just around the corner, most of us are busy scribbling down resolutions. We desire radical change in the way we look, the way we behave, the way we make our living. But if research regarding New Year's resolutions is at all true, most of us will fall short of ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unusual Banquet

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 22, 2013

Unusual Banquet Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet. Accompanied by her fiance, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-14

Tags: Feed, Banquet, Repay

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hush Puppies

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Aug 27, 2014

Are you familiar with the brush-suede shoe called Hush Puppies? It was popular when I was a kid. The brand was all but dead until late 1994. Sales were down to 30,000 pairs a year, mostly sold in backwoods outlets and small-town family stores. Wolverine, the company that makes Hush Puppies, was ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 6:10

Tags: Prayer Power, Importance Of Prayer

Denomination: Baptist

Good Gossip

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” – Benjamin Franklin I knew a woman once who took a temporary job working for a large ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:28

Tags: Gossip, Evil Tongue, Encouraging Others, Power Of The Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

Just Let Go !

Contributed by Bruce Simpkins on Mar 11, 2015

In my younger years I thought it would be an exciting adventure to try sky diving. After checking into it, I found I could get a big discount if I brought 5 friends to jump with me . . . so I did. It was a beautiful sunny day in California when we arrived for a half day training and then an ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Tags: He Is Strong, I Am Weak

Denomination: Baptist

A Teaching On Hospitality  PRO

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Oct 1, 2016

My wife’s grandmother was a real character. Her name was Ora Gee Craycraft . Everyone in the family just called her Mom. She was a loving lady, always smiling, full of compassion, always putting others before herself. Her strong suit was nurturing. If you were sick, or someone hurt your ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-14, Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Compassion, Practicing Faith, Faith And Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Living Word

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Ravi Zacharias tells of ministering in Vietnam in 1971, and one of his interpreters was Hien Pham, an energetic young Christian. He had worked as a translator with the American forces, and was of immense help both to them and to missionaries such as myself. Hien and I traveled the length of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Scripture, Romans, Living Word, The Bible, Persevering Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Why Did Jesus Come?

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

For many people, Christmas is a time of sadness. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmastime when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:4-19

Tags: Christmas, Born Again, Merry Christmas, Happy At Christmas

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Faith: Taking God At His Word

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Jun 22, 2018

A little girl was walking through the hallway of her home and she came to the place where they had a cellar door, It was one of those trapdoors on hinges, and it was open. She looked down into the darkness, heard a noise down there, and said, “Who’s down there?” And her daddy said, “It’s me, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Strength, Darkness, Love, Father, Children, Light, Parents, Trust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

War

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

WAR My life fell apart in the summer of ‘68. One minute I was the happiest man in the world then wham! It was all over. My countenance changed from a look of total contentment into one filled with agony and anguish. Here I was living in total rapture, married to the woman of my dreams. It’s hard ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: War, Battle

Denomination: Pentecostal

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 Modern Day (Sports) Parable

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 21, 2019

The Parable Of The Free Agent Hockey Players “For the kingdom of heaven is like a rich sports owner who went out at 6 AM on July 1st , free agency day, to find players for his hockey team. At the local Starbucks he found a Superstar player. He said, “I’ll make you a good offer. - $5 million per ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Grace, Gospel, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Man Who Made A Pet Out Of A Rattlesnake

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 2, 2019

ILLUSTRATION: the story of the man who made a pet out of a rattlesnake. The "Memphis Commercial-Appeal" tells of a man across the river in Arkansas who had a pet rattlesnake. He had found it as a baby snake, taking it, fed it, and made a pet of it. The reptile would come when he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Death, Sin

The Only Thing Left Was The Sign

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 14, 2020

A number of years ago, I drove by a small shopping center in a Midwestern city. The display of signs stated there was everything from a bookstore to a pet shop to—my favorite—a hobby shop! I’ve been interested in model trains and aircraft for many years, and thought this would be a good place to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5

Tags: Forsaken Things, Closed Churches

Denomination: Baptist

Do You Have A "chip On The Shoulder"?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

Hebrew scholar Gensenius, says that the meaning of the Old Testament word for "meekness" involves "a lowly, pious, and modest mind, which prefers to bear injuries rather than return them." Meekness is not only the opposite of pride, but of stubbornness, fierceness, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Meekness, Beatitudes, Anger, Sensitivity, Sermon On The Mount, Chip On The Shoulder, Spirit Controlled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mad Mike Hughes

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 26, 2020

Mad Mike Hughes had a mission, to launch himself into outer space. He believed the earth was flat, and the only way to prove it was to go up into space and take a photo of the flat earth. He did not trust others to document the truth, he would only believe it if he saw it with his own eyes. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Tags: Sin, Foolish, Self Importance, Self Righteousness, Flat Earth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Shemaiah, A Man Of God

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 21, 2020

Text: 1 Kings 12:22, KJV: But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:22-24

Tags: Man Of God, Men Of God, Shemaiah

Denomination: Baptist

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