In Sermon Illustrations: "Encouragement" showing 61-80 of 943

Depression And Aloneness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

Depression and Aloneness Author Bernard Anderson in "Out of the Depths" speaks of this remembering the multitudes and the house of God and makes a worthy observation. He says, "This is not a longing for a one-to-one relationship with God in mystic solitude. The poet yearns to be surrounded by the ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Depression Antidote

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

DEPRESSION ANTIDOTE Pastor and author Warren Wiersbe draws our attention to the 51 references of the writer (psalmist) to himself, his interests, desires, feelings, questions and plans. Wiersbe advises that a healthy antidote to depression is to stop looking at self and look at God; second, to ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Don't Save It For The Funeral  PRO

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 19, 2008

Don't Save It For The Funeral An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death's agony, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Will Be Queen Someday

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

YOU WILL BE QUEEN SOMEDAY When Queen Victoria was a child, she didn’t know she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors, trying to prepare her for the future, were frustrated because they couldn’t motivate her. She just didn’t take her studies seriously. Finally, her teachers decided ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

The Choice: Build Up Or Tear Down  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 11, 2009

THE CHOICE: BUILD UP OR TEAR DOWN Years ago I picked up a poem named "The Choice." I do not know where I got it nor the author, but it illustrates the importance of building others up. This poem raises the question of whether we will "tear down or build up." "I watched some men tearing a building ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Tags: Encouragement

¿desanimarme Yo...por Qué? — Why Be Discouraged?  PRO

Contributed by Luis Marquez on Jan 17, 2010

¿Desanimarme yo...por qué? Un niño está viendo su equipo jugar beisbol, el recién llegado le pregunta: ¿Cómo va el juego?, él contesta: Vamos perdiendo 18 a 0. Oh, no te desanimes, le dice el espectador a lo que el niño contesta: ¿Desanimarme yo...por qué? Mi equipo aun no ha ido a ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Baptist

Gary Smalley's Daughter Carrie Came To Him One ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

Gary Smalley’s daughter Carrie came to him one day and said, “Dad, I know that you love us and I know that you love Michael (one of his sons), but you are always picking on Michael, you are constantly criticizing Michael. Dad, what you are doing is like someone who is locked in a room and someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Kevin Hines Is One Of A Handful Of People ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

John Kevin Hines is one of a handful of people who have survived an attempted suicide jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. He claims to have told himself that if any one of the people he rubbed shoulders with on the way to the bridge noticed he was distraught, and asked him what was wrong, he wouldn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In The Play A Raisin In The Sun, There's A Scene ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

In the play a Raisin in the Sun, there’s a scene where Walter has lost all of the family’s savings, savings that were going to make his family’s dream come true. His sister, Beneatha, is so disgusted with him she says, “There ain’t nuthin’ left to love.” In an emotion filled moment, Mama puts her ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Feeling Insignificant?

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 9, 2010

Feeling Insignificant? Last night I attended Hillsong's Church's Vision Night for leaders with my daughter and son-in-law. We were in the first 3 rows and the music was awesome. I somehow ended up sitting between them and felt a little conspicuous. Completely inspiring listening to Joel Houston ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

She Believed In Me

Contributed by Jorge Acevedo on Feb 23, 2010

"SHE BELIEVED IN ME" Several weeks ago, an American Idol contestant said something like this before facing the judges, "I'm doing this for my best friend who died 4 years ago." They showed pictures of her and her friend laughing and doing things together. Then, crying she said, 'She was the only ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Baptist

Hope For An Orphanage

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2010

HOPE FOR AN ORPHANAGE Opening Video Illustration: Bluefishtv.com - "Making a wish for an orphanage." The girl in the story shares how he she came down with cancer twice, and the second time the "Make a Wish Foundation" asked her what she wanted in life – a wish. Her wish was her hope – her ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Use What Is There  PRO

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Mar 22, 2011

USE WHAT IS THERE My son Omri is large, extremely smart and very active. He has not met a tree or roof that he has not at least mentally pondered climbing. Omri's teacher runs up to me the other day and says, "Your son almost made me lose my mind, my religion and my job." This is not unusual, so I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:8

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: United Methodist

Helping The Fallen

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

HELPING THE FALLEN One of the most touching moments in NBA history took place in a 2003 playoff game between the Portland Trailblazers and the Dallas Mavericks. Actually, it happened before the game began. Natalie Gilbert was a 13-year-old 8th grader who had won the chance to sing the national ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

Tags: Encouragement

Wranglers, Not Stranglers

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 3, 2011

WRANGLERS, NOT STRANGLERS Ted Engstrom tells about a literary group that once gathered at the University of Wisconsin. The members wanted to be poets, novelists, essayists and authors--and they had the talent to be successful. These young men met regularly to read and critique each other’s work. ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pavarotti's Grandmother

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

PAVAROTTI'S GRANDMOTHER Luciano Pavarotti, the famous opera star, almost missed his calling. As a young man, he taught elementary school and sang only occasionally. But several people made the difference for him. One was his grandmother who, when he was a boy, would hold him in her lap and say, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Encouragement

The Silent Sermon  PRO

Contributed by Bishop Johnathan Hester on Nov 17, 2011

THE SILENT SERMON A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending Services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Apostolic

Our "In Jesus" Voice

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 28, 2011

OUR "IN JESUS" VOICE I'm always intrigued by the phrase some parents and care-givers use with children: "Now children, we need to use our 'indoor' voices." What Ephesians 4 is saying is that when in the church (not the building) we need to use our "in Jesus" voices. Those voices need to lift up, ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Salvation Swing

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Dec 6, 2011

SALVATION SWING I remember back, as though it was yesterday, when my daughters were just little tykes. There was a great playground just down the hill from our seminary apartment where the girls would climb, slide and swing. Day after day they’d ask, "Mom, Dad, can we go to the park and swing?" ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Lutheran

The Story Of The Gipper

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Feb 2, 2012

THE STORY OF THE GIPPER It was halftime of the 1928 Army vs. Notre Dame Game that legendary head coach Knute Rockne gave his "win one for the Gipper" speech to his beleaguered players. Notre Dame was having one of its worst seasons on record and Rockne was trying to salvage what he could of the ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational