In Sermon Illustrations: "Trouble"

Talk About Doing Good, Or Do Good

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Sep 11, 2008

Talk About Doing Good, or Do Good In A Pretty Good Person, Lewis Smedes wrote: A federal judge had ordered New Orleans to open its public school to African-American children. The white parents decided that, if they had to let black children in, they would keep their children out. They let it ...read more

Tags: Justice

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Fine Lad Entered The Army. He Faced A Real ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Jan 22, 2009

A fine lad entered the Army. He faced a real test the first night he went to be in the barracks. He had formed the commendable habit of placing his Bible on his bed at home, and kneeling down to read a chapter while having his daily prayer time before retiring. Surrounded by scores of rough men ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian Church

The Power Of Shame

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE POWER OF SHAME I remember how troubled I was after attending the funeral of an old lady who used to be my visitation partner for many years in a two-person team at a former church. Her brother and sister-in-law were deacons at the church. When I heard she had cancer some years after I left, I ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:33

Tags: Guilt

You'll Never Know

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 8, 2009

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW You may be going through some troubles right now. But trust in the Lord, because He will surely take care of you. He has already blessed and cared for us in countless ways. This week I thought back to one example from my life. It was over at Emmanuel Baptist Church in the ...read more

Tags: Shelter, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

If You Care, Give Your Testimony

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

IF YOU CARE, GIVE YOUR TESTIMONY God wants us to be concerned about other people. And one of the best ways we can show our concern is by giving them testimonies about Jesus. One of my all-time favorite teachers was Don Wilton. One day in class, Dr. Wilton told us about getting to serve on Billy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Rooting For You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2010

ROOTING FOR YOU Zig Ziglar tells of the time he took his young son golfing. The boy was still relatively new to the game, so Zig was very impressed by his son’s performance on one of the par 4 holes. At the tee, the boy lifted the ball straight and true down the fairway. A second shot got him ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:1

Tags: Father's Day

Reality Therapy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2011

REALITY THERAPY Aaron was an eleven-year-old boy whose behavior was described by Dr. William Glasser, his psychiatrist, as horrible. In his book, Reality Therapy, Glasser says Aaron was the most obnoxious child he had ever met. The boy would kick, scream, run away and hide, become withdrawn, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Parenting

Fitted For Service Through Suffering

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

FITTED FOR SERVICE THROUGH SUFFERING I grew up as a military brat and later my dad was a missionary to the military. When I was growing up, I was never exposed much to suffering. When we lived overseas, if someone got too sick, they shipped them back to the States, or (when we were stationed in ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Non-Christians Can Be Happy  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 23, 2011

NON-CHRISTIANS CAN BE HAPPY I didn't say that non-Christians can't be happy or that they can't be content. Sure they can be happy...as long as life goes the way they want it to go. As long as our health is good, we enjoy our job, people love us and the sky is blue, anybody can be fairly content ...read more

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Preparing You For Great Things  PRO

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jun 11, 2011

GOD'S PREPARING YOU FOR GREAT THINGS SOME believe that they have been unfairly treated by circumstances in life. Consider my high school friend. At the age of 19, he found himself as the leader of a camping trip with a group of young teens. One of those teens drowned in a lake about an hour’s ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:10-12

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Worry Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2012

DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY The song Don’t Worry Be Happy was a late 80’s chart buster as it gained phenomenal success for such a simple song. The lyrics written by Bobby McFerrin were copied from original Indian sage from the late 1800’s whose mantra was one of peace. I remember the first time I heard ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Worry

Irresponsibility

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 5, 2012

Bill Hybel’s in His book “Making Life Work” states this about this kind of mindset – he words it this way: 1. “Some way, some day my life will improve. Some way, someday I’ll drift into more satisfying circumstances. Some way, some day what I want will come to be. Built on the fantasy that rewards ...read more

Tags: Misconceptions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ten-Dollar Cure For Fear  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 11, 2012

THE TEN-DOLLAR CURE FOR FEAR Stanley went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," he said, "I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under ... you gotta help me, I'm going crazy!" "Just put ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Entry-Level Faith

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

ENTRY-LEVEL FAITH During World War II, a young teenager tried to enlist in the navy. Only fifteen but large for his years, he told the recruiting officer in Richmond, Virginia, that he was sixteen. The officer looked at him and shook his head. "Sorry, son, you're not old enough." Two months ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:1

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

The Importance Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2014

Life assurance is far more valuable and important than life insurance. One famous atheist said, "The one thing I envy about you Christians is that you have someone to forgive you." A man by the name of Val Patterson died on July 12th of this year due to cancer. He knew the end was coming, so he ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-5

Tags: Confession Of Sin, God's Forgiveness, Guilty Conscience

Where Are The Men?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

WHERE ARE THE MEN? Churches in America are needing more than just a few good men. Here are the statistics from God Facts: *** The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. *** On any given Sunday, there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-10

Tags: Men, Church Attendance, Ministry To Men

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Grief Observed

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 20, 2022

C.S. Lewis married when he was older to a woman named Joy. Joy got cancer and died just some years after they were married. Lewis, being a writer, wrote down his thoughts after she died in a journal. He turned that journal in a book called, “A Grief Observed.” The first few pages are somewhat ...read more

Scripture: John 11:35, Psalm 88:9

Tags: Peace, Grief, Loss, Where Is God, Answers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Kidnapped

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 8, 2022

It was December 5 - and I was turning 50 years old. My wife and I went out for dinner with some close friends. During dinner I was informed that we were staying at a hotel by the airport tonight because we had to catch a flight in the morning. Surprise! Happy birthday! Fred, we are taking you on ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1, John 14:1-17, Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Peace, Birthday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mothers - How We Relate Through The Years

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 8, 2023

Moments with mothers ... and with grandmothers.... Often become the foundation ...of memories ... that in turn ... become stories ... that are shared within the family... for many years. And as Children ... I have found ... we relate....... to our mothers ...differently .... through the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Luke 18:20, John 19:25-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Children, Mom, Mothers Day, Mothers, Memories, Motherhood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Necrotizing Fasciitis

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 7, 2024

It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it’s real. In recent years, scientists have discovered a kind of bacterial infection called necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly called flesh eating bacteria. Once this bacterium enters a human body, it can multiply rapidly. Within 24 hours, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Bitterness, Unforgiveness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ