“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 4:16). There was a book published several years ago called, “Looking Out For Number One.” In it, the author argued strongly…
Sermon Illustrations
“The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to His Heavenly Kingdom” (II Timothy 4:18). In a modern parable, the story is told of a community of people…
“But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him” (Luke 10:33). A national magazine ran a story that began with a picture of a man lying prostrate on…
“God sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). More often than not in our culture, being somebody means being…
“I’m O.K., You’re O.K.“ is the title of a best-selling book published a number of years ago. In the book, Dr. Thomas Harris, a practicing psychiatrist, insists that one of the basic problems we all…
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him…” (Genesis 1:27). Anthony Campolo, the popular author of many inspirational and spiritual books, sums up the reason for our self-esteem…
“People will be self-centered…Have nothing to do with people like that” (II Timothy 3:2,5). After Church, a woman went to the zoo. As she was walking around the various animal sites, she came upon an…
In a rare moment of remarkable religious insight, the “Wall Street Journal” ran a full-page treatment which sounded very much like a modern-day application of St. Paul. “How important are you?” the article began... More…
I paid a dime for a package of seeds. The clerk tossed them down with a flip. ”We have them assorted to every man’s needs,” he said, with a smile on his lips — Pansies,…
“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). Once upon a time, in a small Russian village, there lived a rabbi who had…
“Faithless and perverse generation!…How much longer must I be among you and put up with you” (Luke 9:41). There is a daily syndicated newspaper cartoon strip called “The Small Society” in which the author seems…
“I have come to call, not the self-righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). A preacher from the Southwest tells the story of a man he describes as the “undisputed chief of the village bums in our…
“...go on growing in the Grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (I Peter 3:18). You hear a lot of singing and talking about saints in Church. What is a saint…
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19). An eighty-five-year-old woman was interviewed on her birthday by a reporter from her small-town weekly newspaper. “You seem so at peace with yourself and the world,”…
“…remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you” (Romans 11:18). Nature has a beautiful way of illustrating the growth process. Take the Chinese bamboo tree, for instance. The…
“…follow Christ by loving as He loved you” (Ephesians 5:2). What is the difference between “romance” and “authentic love”? According to the popular inspirational writer, Marjorie Holmes, the difference amounts to “turning ’sweet nothings’ into…
“Now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship” (Acts 27:27). A famous theologian wrote a parable in which a young…
“Love one another” (John 13:34). The following letter, written by a mother to a Criminal Court Judge, is part of an “Impact Statement” requested by the Court prior to sentencing the man who murdered the…
“…He became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of His poverty” (I Corinthians 8:9). A poor old man bowed his head to say Grace. He prayed, “I thank you Lord for my…
“You have heard that it was said, ’An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’...But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:38,44). Late…