In Sermon Illustrations: "unconditional"

My Daughter Came Home From School One Day With ...  PRO

Contributed by Shawn Rose on Nov 28, 2004

My daughter came home from school one day with tears in her eyes. "Tori said that she won’t be my friend unless I sit with her on the bus." Just like that, a seven year old had placed conditions on a friendship that should have been unconditional. Sometimes we forget that Jesus loves us ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Baptist

The Longing Of The Soul

Contributed by Charles Jones on Sep 7, 2011

THE LONGING OF THE SOUL Now I want you to imagine this: The moment that you take your last breath, it will be your first breath in Heaven, and the Lord and His angels will be right there to welcome you. One of the first faces you will see is Jesus! He will be there with His arms wide open to ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Pentecostal

Too Often Our Gratitude Is Dependent Upon The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Roy on Jan 29, 2001

Too often our gratitude is dependent upon the circumstances of life. A beautiful hymn was written by Martin Rinkart during the thirty-year war to help us look beyond our circumstances and see the hand of God. Rinkart was a pastor in Saxony, Germany as the turbulent years of the war dragged on. For ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Joy, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: *other

Ten Things To Know About The Love Of God - Devotional

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 12, 2023

There are 10 key points about the Love of God in I John 4:7-21: 1. LOVE IS OF GOD (4:7) - not that God is love only. He is not limited or bound by anything. So, what is love? Study I Corinthians 13...... There are 3 Greek words (agape, phileo, eros). This love is agape, unconditional, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21, Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Agape, God's Love, Hate, Unforgiveness, False Prophets, Unbelievers, Evangelism, Love, Christ, Holy Spirit, Missions, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I've Got To Get Grandma On One Of These Machines!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 29, 2022

Grandpa was way up in years before he ever had the opportunity to go to an airport. He also had never seen an escalator in his life. He stood in amazement watching the escalator go up and down for the longest tme. Then, just as he was about to leave, he saw a whole bus-load of ladies from the ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Love, Marriage, Agape, Humor, Spouses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Was A Great Theologian Who Came To The Usa ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 6, 2002

There was a great theologian who came to the USA from England and was being interviewed by a group of seminary students. The question was asked, “What is the most profound thought that ever occupied your mind.” The answer was, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” You may go ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Amazing Love, Ultimate Gift, Unconditional Love, Love For God

Denomination: Baptist

The Best Gift—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2002

THE BEST GIFT- COMMUNION MEDITATION In his book The Life of God in the Soul of Man, Henry Scougal, the seventeenth-century Scottish minister, said: “God hath long contended with a stubborn world, and thrown down many a blessing upon them; and when all his other gifts could not prevail, he at ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Communion, Humanity Of Christ, Greatest Gift, Love, Unconditional  (view more)  (view less)

Love Is The Key. Joy Is Love Singing. Peace Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Nov 4, 2004

Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long-suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love’s touch. Goodness is love’s character. Faithfulness is love’s habit. Gentleness is love’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:14, Luke 2:15-20, 1 Thessalonians 16:14, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 John 4:16, Luke 2:15, Luke 2:15-20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Conflict, Fruit, Marriage, Love, Love For God, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean To Be Real?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 18, 2020

Excerpt from the Story of the Skin Horse “The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Love, Children, Marriage, Family, Relationships, Real, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Miraculous Story Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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

Story: At A Comparative Religions Conference, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 31, 2003

Story: At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8, John 3:16

Tags: God's Love, God The Father, Love

Denomination: Anglican

There Is Story About A Chinese Artist, A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Feb 26, 2003

There is story about a Chinese artist, a new Christian who wanted to paint the parable of the prodigal son. In his first attempt, he painted the father standing at the gate with his arms folded looking sternly down the road at a son coming. Another Christian explained to him that was not the ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Wesleyan

What Is Secret Of Spiritual Success?

Contributed by Usman Raza on Mar 15, 2015

We all have questions in our mind, and the Lord Jesus put these key factors in my heart: 1- Faith in God and in His presence (Romans 3:22), (Psalm 42:5) 2- Walking with Him in His Fear (Deuteronomy 6:13,Proverbs 14:2) 3- Continuous Prayers not just for yourself but for your ministry, the people ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 12:18-19

Tags: Spiritual Success, Spiritual Life

Denomination: Evangelical Free

How To Turn A Disagreement Into A Feud

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 12, 2001

How to turn a disagreement into a feud: 1. Be sure to develop and maintain a healthy fear of conflict, letting your own feelings build up so you are in an explosive frame of mind. 2. If you must state your concerns, be as vague and general as possible. Then the other person cannot do anything ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Anger, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dick Alexander, Raw  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Apr 15, 2004

Dick Alexander, Raw It’s a word I never liked Raw carrots are too hard Raw oysters too slimy Raw humor is too dirty Raw skin is too painful In fact raw applied to anything human sounds painful But we live in a world of raw human need It’s all around us Do you ever wonder how many people struggle ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Once Read A Story About A Mother Whose Love ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Apr 11, 2002

I once read a story about a mother whose love went the distance for her child. The mother in this story went to help out during harvest time. She took her child with her. She was following the custom of harvest time in Scotland, where the women would help. She placed her child in reach. But, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Mother's Day

Denomination: United Methodist

The Covenant Of Faithfulness  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 25, 2002

THE COVENANT OF FAITHFULNESS In modern times we define a host of relations by contracts. These are usually for goods or services and for hard cash. The contract, formal or informal, helps to specify failure in these relationships. The Lord did not establish a contract with Israel or with the ...read more

Tags: Covenant, God's Provision, Faith, Faithfulness

Denomination: Mennonite

In Modern Times We Define A Host Of Relations By ...

Contributed by Keith Davis on May 5, 2003

“In modern times we define a host of relations by contracts. These are usually for goods or services and for hard cash. The contract, formal or informal, helps to specify failure in these relationships. The Lord did not establish a contract with Israel or with the church. He created a covenant. ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Many Times Would You Forgive Your Dog?

Contributed by Scott Berry on Aug 13, 2009

HOW MANY TIMES WOULD YOU FORGIVE YOUR DOG? Think for a minute, how forgiving would you be as if your pet messed the carpet several times a day? I think eventually you’d give up on your pets and take them out into the wilderness and set them free, you know what I mean - dump them. God’s love and ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Baptist

Greek Words For God's Love

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 8, 2011

GREEK WORDS FOR GOD'S LOVE The Hebrew words for love are more meaningful than the Greek ones, especially two of them. aheb, "...The intensity of the meaning ranges from God's infinite affection for his people to the carnal appetites of a lazy glutton..." (Theological Wordbook of the Old ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible