In Sermon Illustrations: "Why Suffering"

In Youngstown Ohio One Of The Individuals That ...

Contributed by Bruce Rzengota on Dec 8, 2009

In Youngstown Ohio one of the individuals that was a part of a group I drank coffee with was a young volunteer firefighter and newly trained EMT. One day working a part time shift for an ambulance company in Boardman, OH, John was a part of a response team called to a house where a live alone ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

M. Scott Peck, In The Road Less Travelled Wrote ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jan 11, 2010

M. Scott Peck, in The Road Less Travelled wrote that he spent much of 9th summer on his bike. About a mile from house was a road with a very steep hill that ended with sharp turn at the bottom. One morning he was riding down the hill and felt the gathering speed to be ecstatic! Applying brakes and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Be Like Mike...?  PRO

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 2, 2011

BE LIKE MIKE...? Gary Thomas, in his book Authentic Faith, describes a friend of his named Mike. He met Mike when he went to college. Mike was a leader among students. He had everything: a contagious personality, athletic ability, good looks, and natural appeal. And everybody wanted to be around ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:10-14

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Birth Of Jesus - An Ordinary Time But An Extraordinary Birth

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

The Romans dominated the country. The Jewish people were captive to Roman law and Roman ways. That is what compelled Joseph to travel with his pregnant wife Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem (some 80 miles). To return to his ancestral home for the purpose of registering for the Roman census. Just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Tags: Christmas, History, Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian Church

Five Facts About Valleys

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

God designs valleys for His sheep to grow and sometimes He has to "make us lie down" there to teach us how to trust Him. Here are 5 facts about valleys we need to remember: 1. Valleys are INEVITABLE. Jesus promised valleys would come in this world (John 16:33). 2. Valleys are UNPREDICTABLE. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4

Tags: Character, Tests, Trials, Valleys Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Really Dumb Thief

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

A REALLY DUMB THIEF Any thief knows that the easiest way to steal gasoline from a car is to siphon it from the other guy’s tank into your own. Stick a rubber hose in his gas tank, suck on the other end of the rubber hose until you get a mouth full of the gas, then spit it out. From then on, the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Revenge, Wages Of Sin

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Victory After Discouragement

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 13, 2019

Let’s talk about discouragement George Washington after suffering major defeats at Brandy wine Creek and Germantown finds himself facing one of the worst winters in history. He has 12,000 troops Left to fight the entire British army and winter’s howling breath is breathing down his neck. He ...read more

Tags: Victory, Overcoming

Denomination: Pentecostal

Beatitudes For Marriage

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 30, 2020

We all know and love the Beatitudes for what they mean to our own personal lives, but recently I sensed the Lord leading me to write down how these guidelines for Kingdom citizens affected the lives of married couples. The results were received very powerfully by our amazing church family: Poor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Marriage, Prayer, Beatitudes, Couples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In A Charles Schulz' Peanuts Comic Strip Charlie ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In a Charles Schulz’ Peanuts comic strip Charlie Brown was playing catch with Lucy to prepare their old hapless losing team for the new baseball season. Charlie Brown proceeded to throw a high ball across the field to her. Lucy was ready for the ball to fly into her mitt. She lifted her head up to ...read more

Tags: Humility

Let Me Tell You A Story Of A Man You Know. He Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Let me tell you a story of a man you know. He is called by some a man of sorrows. He was born into a poor family in 1809. His mother died when he was 9 years old. He ran for state legislature when he was 22 – lost. His fiancées died when he was 26. He marries at the age of 33 – she suffers from ...read more

Tags: Children

The Word Translated As "Vision" In The Kjv And ...

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 24, 2007

The word translated as “vision” in the KJV and “revelation” in the NIV and HCS means, a God-inspired sight. It’s not talking about a vision for the future, nor a picture of things coming later. It refers to godly insight. Godly insight about what? According to the second part of the verse, it ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Francis Of Assissi Teaching On Perfect Joy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

Francis of Assissi teaching on perfect joy: “Perfect joy he taught one of the brothers does not come when their groups succeeds in giving a great example of holiness and edification to all lands. Nor would a great ministry of healing and raising of the dead. Nor would possession of all languages ...read more

Tags: Joy

An Emergency-Room Doctor Wrote, "Recently We Saw ...  PRO

Contributed by Curtis Rowe on Aug 4, 2008

An Emergency-room doctor wrote, "Recently we saw another preview of hell in the Parkland Hospital in Dallas. A woman struck down by a drunken driver. A college student lying semi-conscious following a head on collision with another drunk driver who himself was critically injured. The drunk's ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-12

Tags: Alcohol

Denomination: Baptist

Identify With The Lost

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IDENTIFY WITH THE LOST In her famous book and film, "The Hiding Place" Corrie ten Boom tells the story of a Dutch Christian family, her family, who had a heart for the Jewish people. Her grandfather Wilhelm started a weekly prayer group in 1844 in the city of Haarlem, near Amsterdam for the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

How Can We Be A Friend To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

How Can We Be A Friend To The Suffering? 1. We can be there for them. 2. We can feel their pain. 3. We can encourage them. 4. We can listen more than we talk. 5. We can be honest: I don’t know… don’t try to explain everything. 6. We can look beyond their faults and look to their needs. 7. We can ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

Bearing The Mark

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

BEARING THE MARK Joseph Damien was a nineteenth-century missionary who ministered to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. Those suffering grew to love him and revered the sacrificial life he lived out before them. One morning before Damien was to lead daily worship, he was ...read more

Tags: Christmas

True Poverty

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

TRUE POVERTY The second theme in our passage is to strengthen and support the weak and the suffering. My friend at the Gazette also mentioned visiting his daughter in Kenya when she was a Peace Corp volunteer out in the desert areas in the western part of the country. He said that trip had ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

He Went To Hell For Me

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Mar 12, 2009

HE WENT TO HELL FOR ME Kay Arthur, well-known Christian author and speaker, has influenced tens of thousands. As a young girl, she went to church. She wrote, "I would listen to the messages, and go to Sunday School, but I never really committed my life to Jesus." She grew up and got married, ...read more

Tags: Grace

Deprived Of God's Light

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

DEPRIVED OF GOD’S LIGHT I was reading in one of the CIA espionage or spy books I love to read, and the writer was discussing the strange effects we suffer when we are deprived of sunlight during the winter months. Drs. Michael Terman and Jamie Rifkin wrote: "During the cold war with Russia, B-52 ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Diana Grew Up In A Strict Islamic Family In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Diana grew up in a strict Islamic family in Pakistan. Her life was pretty typical until she met a girl named Mary who was a Christian. Now Diana is also a Christian and on the run. When Diana’s family learned that she had become a Christian, they repeatedly beat her and insisted she return to ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony