DANGEROUS TRICKS John Turpin, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, California, told this true story at a recent Pastor's Conference at Asilomar Conference Grounds. It seems that two Presbyterian denominational executives were out…
Sermon Illustrations
PRAYER A farmer asked the district superintendent to assign a pastor to his community. "How big a man do you want?" asked the superintendent. "Well," the man replied, "we're not overly particular, but when he's…
PRAYER, PUBLIC PARADING Hugh Sidey, writing on The Presidency in Time magazine, gives some advice to the new President in the Jan 5, 1981 issue. He suggests that there is a need for the President…
THE POTENT HOUR Lord, what a change within us one short hour Spent in thy presence will prevail to make! What heavy burdens from our bosoms take, What parched grounds refresh as with a shower!…
CHILDREN'S CANDID RESPONSES Our Kindergarten class went to the fire station for a tour and some instruction in fire safety. The fireman was explaining what to do in case of a fire. He said, "First,…
A METHOD OF PRAYING Be simple and direct in your secret prayer. The grace of simplicity is not to be despised in public prayer; but when we call on God in secret, any formality or…
COMMUNICATING PERSPECTIVE They tell us that the following prayer was offered by Dr. Blake Smith before a football game in Texas: "In thy presence we know that no issues of great importance are going to…
MEETING HIM IN CHURCH I love to step inside a church, To rest, and think, and pray; The quiet, calm and holy place Can drive all cares away. I feel that from these simple walls…
I SAID A PRAYER FOR YOU TODAY I said a prayer for you today And know God must have heard -- I felt the answer in my heart Although He spoke no word! I didn't…
LUTHER AND MYCONIUS It was a sense of being in the center of God's will that gave Luther his great boldness in prayer. In 1540, Luther's great friend and assistant, Frederick Myconius, became sick and…
WHO SHOULD NOT PRAY Bion was a Second Century B. C. Greek Philosopher who was born in what is now southern Russia. When he was a boy he was sold as a slave to a…
PRAYER Before me, closed doors -- Why, I know not! He promised to provide, has He forgot? I cannot seem to find the proper key; O God, why do the doors stay locked to me?…
PREPARATION FOR PRAYER I have a friend who took his little 6-year-old boy fishing with him one day. They put out the line and then went up to the cabin. After an hour, they went…
GOD IN US "Many men, in their earnest desire to enter fully into the Christian experience, strain after a realization of God's presence as though by some violence and stress of the will it could…
PRAYER TOO AVAILABLE? Our failure to think of prayer as a privilege may be partly due to the fact that we can pray any time. The door to prayer is open so continously that we…
UNCEASING PRAYER You've heard people say, "I don't know what to pray about." Or, they will get a prayer list and pray for missionaries because they don't know what else to do. A lady said…
THE GUEST A pious father always closed grace for the evening meal with these words: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and bless what thou hast provided." "Papa," said the little son, "every evening you…
COMMODORE'S PRAYER Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every…
YOUR BEST PRAYER Listen, my friend! Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the…
THE PROPER FOCUS OF PRAYER There is a shrine in the French Pyranees where people come to pray for healing. A war veteran who had lost a leg appeared at the shrine sometime after World…
