In Sermon Illustrations: "War Heroes"

To Fly By The Seat Of One's Pants" Does Mean ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 29, 2005

"To fly by the seat of one’s pants" does mean "to do a job the best you can by instinct, training, or experience, without outside aid or instruction," and seems to have been popularized during World War II, though the phrase itself is probably a bit older. It originally meant to fly an airplane ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Why Pray? Prayer Has Real Power!  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 14, 2005

WHY PRAY? PRAYER HAS REAL POWER! A. The atomic bomb is a very powerful weapon. Its great explosive force comes from a sudden release of nuclear energy through fission. B. On August 6, 1945 the USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and three days later on Nagasaki, Japan. C. These two atomic ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Assembly Of God

According To The Centers For Disease Control ...

Contributed by John Shearhart on Mar 30, 2006

According to the Centers for Disease Control domestic violence affects more than 32 million Americans, that is more than 10% of the U.S. population A woman is battered at least once every 15 seconds in the U.S. Battering is the single largest cause of injury to women in the U.S. 3 to 4 million ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

R. G. Letourneau Was Known As The "Father Of The ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 17, 2006

R. G. LeTourneau was known as the “Father of the Modern Earthmoving Industry.” His company was Caterpillar’s biggest competitor. His firm supplied seventy percent of all the earthmoving equipment used by the allied forces in World War II. He invented the bulldozer and had over 297 patents with ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Tithing

Denomination: Methodist

In Ancient Rome, Military Commanders Who Had Been ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Feb 25, 2007

In ancient Rome, military commanders who had been victorious in battle, killing at least 5,000 enemy troops, were honored publicly in a huge civil and religious ceremony called a Roman Triumph. The “triumphator,” as he was called, was paraded through the city ahead of his troops. In front of him ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

In Ancient Rome, Military Commanders Who Had ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In ancient Rome, military commanders who had been victorious in battle, killing at least 5,000 enemy troops, were honored publicly in a huge civil and religious ceremony called a Roman Triumph. The “triumphator,” as he was called, was paraded through the city ahead of his troops. In front of him ...read more

Tags: Humility

In 1992 America Watched The La Riots After The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In 1992 America watched the LA riots after the Rodney King beating trials. Thousands of people in Los Angeles joined in what has often been characterized as a race riot, or a mini-civil war, involving acts of law breaking compounded by existing racial tensions, including looting, assault, arson and ...read more

Tags: Satan

We Use The Word "Hell" Glibly Or To Describe The ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Feb 20, 2008

We use the word "hell" glibly or to describe the worst things we know here. Brad Paisley’s Song "I’m gonna miss her" begins... Well I love her But I love the fish I spend all day out on this lake And hell is all I catch But today she met me at the door Said I would have to chose If I hit that ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Law Shows Us The Way Home

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

THE LAW SHOWS US THE WAY HOME During World War II American planes flew from British airbases to missions over Germany. Finding their way home to base was often difficult because of horrible weather conditions. Churches with tall, stately spires dotted the English landscape. On overcast days the ...read more

Tags: Commandments General

No Hands But Ours

Contributed by C Jordan on Jan 31, 2009

NO HANDS BUT OURS After World War II ended, a group of German students volunteered to help rebuild a Cathedral in London. It had been severely damaged by bombing. They did well with most of the Cathedral, except one statue that had been broken into many pieces...a marble statue of Jesus. It once ...read more

Denomination: *other

A Voice That Doesn't Shout  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Marquardt on Mar 30, 2009

A VOICE THAT DOESN'T SHOUT On the Easter just before he died, D. William Sangster painfully printed a short note to his daughter. A deeply spiritual Methodist, he had been spearheading a renewal movement in the British Isles after World War II. Then his ministry, except for prayer, was ended by a ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Sleeping The Night Before Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

SLEEPING THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR EXECUTION In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley’s execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:7

Tags: Peace

Peace On ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Dec 2, 2009

“Peace on Earth” Peace on earth, with a world at war? O what were the angels singing for That far-away night when the Star shown down With a glorious light on Bethlehem’s town? Peace on earth! They were singing of Him Who was born that night to redeem from sin; Who still has the power to cleanse ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Christian Church

When That Mighty Ship Sank With A Loss Of Over ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 22, 2009

When that mighty ship sank with a loss of over 1500 passengers, it was referred to as an act of God. Yet the reality is that the Titanic was allowed to sail with only 16 lifeboats – enough for only the ship’s crew - instead of the minimum 48 that had been recommended. If there had been 48 lifeboats ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Old-School Church Discipline

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

OLD-SCHOOL CHURCH DISCIPLINE The Amish practice shunning – ignoring, turning away from, avoiding. When a person is disciplined by the community, relationships are severed between parents and children, or brother and sister, or even husbands and wives. Because the Amish are so isolated from those ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17

Tags: Church Discipline

A Champion Blood Donor

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 10, 2010

A CHAMPION BLOOD DONOR Joe Kerkofsky is America's blood-donor champion. The American Association of Blood Banks will honor the 62-year-old retired security guard at a special presentation in Chicago. Mr. Kerkofsky lost an arm in an accident when he was six. He was thence rejected for military ...read more

Tags: Blood Of Christ

Denomination: *other

Achieving Virtue

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

ACHIEVING VIRTUE The word "virtue" is taken from the Latin word virtus and actually means "strength" or "manliness." So you see that the real strength of this life is found by successfully winning the inner war of faith. It is because of weakness that we are ruled by passions and controlled by ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Lutheran

Why Say No When Everybody Else Is Saying ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2012

WHY SAY NO WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING YES? Writing in the aftermath of World War II, Elton Trueblood looked back to those few brave German Christians who had the courage to oppose Adolph Hitler. When so many others went along or simply kept silent, a few, a courageous handful, would not go along ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:36-38

Tags: Love For God

Very Few Things Take Away The Power Of Someone As ...

Contributed by Kevin Barron on Dec 30, 2012

Very few things take away the power of someone as much as being ridiculed. In Von Ryan’s Express by David Westheimer, they do it by burning their clothes. The book is an account of Allied prisoners during World War Two. One of the trials of prison camp is that their Italian guards will not give ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: United Methodist

Death Without Blinking An Eye

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would sweep into town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived, except the Zen Master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Death, Hope In Death

Denomination: Methodist