DETERMINATION

There is a big difference between a mere desire to do a thing & a burning passion to do it - a determination to accomplish it at any cost.

A mere desire is like warm water in a locomotive - it will never produce steam. It takes fire & force & enthusiasm to generate the things that propel the successful character.

- Better Way (moreillustrations.com)

1 Chr 28:10 (GNT): “You must realize that the Lord has chosen you to build his holy Temple. Now do it—and do it with determination.”

“The real difference between men is energy. A strong will, a settled purpose, an unstoppable determination, can accomplish almost anything; and in this lies the distinction between great men and little men.” -  Thomas Fuller.

TRAILS

A jeweler gives as one of the surest tests for diamonds the `water test'. He says: 'An imitation diamond is never as brilliant as a genuine stone.

If your eye is not experienced enough to detect the difference, a simple test is to place the stone under water. The imitation diamond is practically extinguished. A genuine diamond sparkles under water & is distinctly visible. If you place a genuine stone beside an imitation under water, the contrast will be apparent to the least experienced eye.'

Many seem confident of their faith so long as they have no trials; but when the waters of sorrow & affliction overflow them, their faith loses its brilliancy. It is under these circumstances that the true children of God shine as genuine jewels.

- (moreillustrations.com)

Js 1:2-4 (GNT): “ My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

“The man who has an easy way through life, will be spiritually weak, flabby and impoverished. He won't be able to do all that God wants him to do. But the one who has gone through trials and testing successfully, will be strong and capable of doing all the will of God.” -  Zac Poonen.

WEAK MADE STRONG

Many years ago a company of slaves were sold by auction in a Nigerian market place. When the market was almost over, a poor little boy was placed on the auction block.

He presented such a miserable appearance that the slave buyers laughed at the suggestion to bid for him. At last the boy was purchased for a roll of tobacco & was made to walk with a gang of slaves to the coast where he was put in the hold of a ship bound for America.

But the ship was captured by the British who took the slaves to Freetown in Sierra Leone & set them at liberty. The little boy was put in charge of the missionaries.

Many years later there was an interesting ceremony in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. In the presence of church dignitaries, nobles & statesmen there was consecrated the first bishop of Nigeria.

It was the little boy who was sold for a roll of tobacco. Bishop Samuel Crowther did a wonderful work for God in Nigeria where his name is still revered as a true hero of the Lord Jesus Christ.

- J. S. Hall, in the Sudan Witness. (moreillustrations.com)

1 Cor 1:27 (NET): “But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.”

“Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.” - Hudson Taylor.

WAITING ON THE LORD

Frequently a merchant receives - a day or two ahead - a card from a firm of manufacturers or suppliers to this effect:

“Our Mr. — — will have the pleasure of waiting on you on such & such a day.”

The commercial traveler arrives & waits, not outside the shop door, but inside. He sits or stands in the presence of the merchant, converses with him in a friendly way & expects to receive an order for supplies. If he receives none, he takes leave & promises to wait on him again when the merchant's stock is less.

In exactly the same way God wants us to wait upon Him, not at a distance, but in His presence.

Isa 40:31 (KJV): “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

- (moreillustrations.com)

“To wait on God is to live a life of desire toward Him, delight in Him, dependence on Him, and devotedness to Him.” -  Matthew Henry.

PREACHING

A young preacher in a college town was embarrassed by the thought of criticism that he was likely to receive from such a cultured congregation.

He sought out his father, an old & wise minister of the Gospel & asked:

“Father, I find it hard to outline a sermon I can preach to these people. If I cite anything from geology, there is a geology professor, before me. If I use an illustration from history, there is a Professor ready to trip me up. If I choose English literature for some illustration, I am afraid the whole English department may rise & challenge me. What shall I do?”

The godly old man replied: “Preach the Gospel, my son! They probably know very little about that.”

“Dear brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I told you the secret truth of God. But I did not use fancy words or great wisdom.  I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.” – Paul (1 Cor 2: 1-2 ERV)

- (moreillustrations.com)

“I fully intend to preach the word of God to you until there's a difference between how you walk out of here and how you walked in here.” -  T.D. Jakes.

BACKSLIDING

"The symptoms of spiritual decline," says Dr. Payson, "are like those which attend the decline of bodily health. It generally commences with the loss of appetite & disrelish for wholesome food, prayer, reading the Scriptures & devotional books. Whenever you perceive these symptoms be alarmed! Your spiritual health is in danger. Apply immediately to the Great Physician for a cure." 

- Gospel Herald (moreillustrations.com)

“Among the signs of backsliding are indifference to prayer and self-examination; trifling or unprofitable conversation; neglect of public worship; shunning the people of God; association with the world; thinking lightly of sin; neglect of the Bible; and often gross immorality.” - C. Buck.

“Demas has fallen in love with the present world and has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica…” – Paul (2 Tim 4:10 CEB)

Heb 10:38 (GNT): “My righteous people, however, will believe and live; but if any of them turns back, I will not be pleased with them.”

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

A certain king had a magic ring. The ring was on his finger as any other ring, yet it had mystic qualities.
 
Whenever an evil thought came into the mind of the prince, or he was tempted to do an evil deed, or had done a wrong thing, the ring pressed painfully upon his finger.
 
Such a ring, by virtue of His creation, belongs to every man, prince or peasant; and the name of it is Conscience.
 
- (moreillustrations.com)

 “Conscience is the voice of God in the soul.” -  James H. Aughey.
 

“And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and people.” – Paul (Acts 24:16 GNT).
 

“It is neither safe nor prudent to do anything against conscience.” -  Martin Luther.

A GOOD EXAMPLE

A certain preacher closed his sermon with the declaration that "no man can live without sin." "No one," said he "can keep the commandments. I break them all myself, every day & hour."

He called upon a staunch old saint to close with prayer. The brother prayed about as follows:

"0 Lord, have mercy on us! Thou hast said: 'Thou shall have no other gods before me,’ ‘Remember to keep Sabbath day holy,' and `Thou shall not bear false witness;' but here is a preacher who says he breaks them all every day & hour.

Thou hast said, 'Thou shall not steal,' 'Thou shall not commit adultery,' & Thou shall not kill,' but here is a preacher who says he breaks every commandment every day & every hour.

Lord show mercy to us & send us a good preacher. Amen!"

- The Pentecostal Herald. (moreillustrations.com)

Titus 2:7 (GW): “Always set an example by doing good things. When you teach, be an example of moral purity and dignity.”

“A good example is the best sermon.” - Benjamin Franklin.

LAUGHTER THERAPY

One Sunday morning a certain young pastor in his preaching announced nervously:

"I will take for my text the words: 'And they fed 5 men with 5000 loaves of bread and 2000 fishes.'"

At this misquotation an old parishioner from his seat in the amen corner said audibly:

"That's no miracle - I could do it myself."

The young preacher said nothing at the time, but the next Sunday he announced the same text again. This time he got it right:

"And they fed 5000 men on 5 loaves of bread & 2 fishes."

He waited a moment & looking at the amen corner, he said:

"And could you do that too, Mr. Smith?"

"Of course, I could," Mr. Smith replied.

"And how would you do it?" asked the preacher.

"With what was left over from last Sunday," said Mr. Smith.

- (moreillustrations.com)

“Laughter is the most beautiful and beneficial therapy God ever granted humanity.” -  Chuck Swindoll.

Pro 17:22 (GW): “A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength.”                             

WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK OF YOUR SERMON?

A Christian of discernment had the privilege of hearing Dr. Talmage. When asked his opinion of the preacher, he remarked:

“A wonderful preacher.”

The same man went to hear C. H. Spurgeon, and when asked concerning him, he gave his opinion expressing it in the words:

“What a wonderful Savior!”

The man had not been impressed so much by Spurgeon's oratory as by the Saviour Whom he preached.

2 Cor 4: 5 (NLT): “You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

- (moreillustrations.com)

“The first step toward a daily following of Christ is the denying of self.” -  A.W. Pink.

WHEN DEVILS LAUGH AND ANGELS WEEP!

A certain British bishop, hearing a young preacher in his first church, said to the young man that his method of preaching was not getting results.

The bishop volunteered to preach a sermon to show how it ought to be done. He took as text:

"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."

When he had finished, a humble parishioner was asked by the beaming bishop how he liked the sermon,

"It was very fine," said the parishioner, "but somehow, in spite of all that you said, I still believe there is a God."

And the bishop did no worse than many of us - trying to be impressive with big words & thus covering up the real meaning.

- Newark, Ohio. (moreillustrations.com)

“The sermon which does not lead to Christ, or of which Jesus Christ is not the top and the bottom, is a sort of sermon that will make the devils in hell laugh, but make the angels of God weep.” -  Charles Spurgeon.

2 Tim 4:2 (NOG): “Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.”

RICHES

Pro 11:28 (NLT): “Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.”

Pro 28:20 (CSB): “A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.”

“Any desire for promotion, pleasure, riches, or fame will quickly make one a servant of The Beast. And, I'm afraid, that is exactly what many of today's pastors and preachers have become.” -  Chuck Baldwin.   

1 Tim 6:10 (GNT): “For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.”          

“You had better be a poor man and a rich Christian, than a rich man and a poor Christian.” - Thomas Brooks.

THE RESULT OF DRINKING

Someone once sent the following words about his experience with alcohol to a newspaper columnist: 

We drank for happiness and became unhappy.      

We drank for joy and became miserable.

We drank for friendship and made enemies.

We drank for sleep and awakened without rest.

We drank for strength and felt weak.

We drank “medicinally” and acquired health problems.

We drank for relaxation and got the shakes.

We drank for bravery and became afraid.

We drank for confidence and became doubtful.

We drank for sociability and became argumentative.

We drank to forget and were forever haunted.

We drank for freedom and became slaves.

We drank to cope with life and invited death.

Source: Bits and Pieces, (ministry127.com)

Pro 20:1 (ISV): “Wine causes mocking, and beer causes fights; everyone led astray by them lacks wisdom.”

“Drunkenness is the devil's back door to hell and everything that is hellish. For he that once gives away his brains to drink is ready to be caught by Satan for anything.” -  Charles Spurgeon.

HE PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR FREEDOM

There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying an old bird cage & set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised & as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak...

"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold & fear.

I stopped the boy & asked, “What you got there son?”

"Just some old birds," came the reply.

"What are you going to do with them?" I asked.

"Take them home & have fun with them," he answered. "I'm gonna tease'em & pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."

"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?"

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take'em to them."

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want these birds, Mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing - they aren't even pretty!"

"How much?" the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy & said, "$10?"

The pastor reached in his pocket & took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage & gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree & a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door & by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit & then the pastor began to tell this story...

One day Satan & God were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

“What are you going to do with them?" God asked.

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to divorce each other, how to hate & abuse each other, how to drink & smoke & curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns & bombs & kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" God asked.

"Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.

"How much do you want for them?" God asked.

"Oh, you don't want those people. They aren't good. Why, you'll take them & they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you & kill you!! You don't want those people!"

"How much?" He asked again. Satan looked at God & sneered, "All your tears & all your blood."

God said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage & left the pulpit.

- (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com)

Heb 2:3 (CEV): “So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape?”

“No sacrifice should be too great for Him who gave Himself for us.” -  Harry Ironside.

SOWING & REAPING

People get back in this world just about what they give.

If we think the world is hard on us, the probability is that the hardness is in ourselves & that it is the echo of our own speeches that we hear, the reflection of our own ugliness of temper that we see, the harvest of our own sowing that we gather into our bosoms.

If we are untrue to anyone, it is quite likely that someday somebody will be untrue to us.

If we are unjust to another, there is little doubt that sometime someone will deal unjustly with us.

- J. R. Miller. (moreillustrations.com)

Gal 6:7 (CEV): “You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant.”

“Many, I fear, would like glory, who have no wish for grace. They would want to have the wages, but not the work; the harvest, but not the labor; the reaping, but not the sowing; the reward, but not the battle. But it may not be.” -  J.C. Ryle.

HIDING SINS

In May of 1948, 3 men robbed a bank in Kansas, getting away with $1,000. Shortly thereafter 2 men were killed in a car wreck & police thought they were the robbers the case was closed.

Four years later, however, something unusual happened. On a Sunday morning at the Seward Avenue Baptist Church a young man named Al Johnson revealed to the congregation that the day before he had gone to the district attorney & confessed his role in the crime.

“I thought about the bank robbery many times,” Johnson, who was a teenager when the crime occurred, said, “I prayed about it & asked the Lord to give me an answer. It seemed that He would give me only one answer & that was to give myself up.”

Johnson also revealed that he had borrowed the money to repay the bank his share of the stolen funds. He said that even if it meant going to prison, he could not keep the secret any longer.

Johnson agreed to help the authorities locate the other 2 men, who had not been, as was previously believed, the men involved in the car accident.

Sometimes we think the best approach is to hide our sin, either to avoid embarrassment or to avoid the consequences. It is far better for us to confess & seek the forgiveness of God.

Pro 28:13 (GNT): “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.”

Source: Lewiston Evening Journal, (ministry127.com)

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

After businesses were ravaged by bombs during World War II the owners would often clear away the rubbish & place a sign out front that said:

“Business as usual”

When God saves us, His desire is that we would put out a sign that says:

“Under new management”

- (ministry127.com)

Mat 3:8 (NLT): “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”

“Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.” -  George Mueller.

PATTERN OF LIFE

"Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will work out a rose by-and-by.

Life is like that.

One stitch at a time taken patiently & the pattern will come out all right, like the embroidery."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes. (moreillustrations.com)

“We will stand amazed to see the topside of the tapestry and how God beautifully embroidered each circumstance into a pattern for our good and for His glory.” -  Joni Eareckson Tada.

Js 3:13 (GNT): “Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.”

“The Christian life is a life that consists of following Jesus.” -  A.W. Pink.

THE DEVIL’S FUNERAL

A little girl took much too long returning from the store where she had been sent on an errand by her mother and she was asked:

"What on earth took you so long?"

"I was watching the devil's funeral," she replied.

"What do you mean - the devil's funeral?" her astonished mother asked.

"Well, I was watching the cars of the funeral go by & counting them and a man next to me said the poor devil was only sick for a week."

- Capper's Weekly (moreillustrations.com)

John 6:70 (NCV): Then Jesus answered, “I chose all twelve of you, but one of you is a devil.”

“The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still.” -  A.W. Tozer.

“Do you think the devil is impressed by anyone's Bible knowledge or degree certificates? Not at all! Satan fears only holy, humble men and women who know God.” -  Zac Poonen.

THE GOSPEL

In the historical sketch of an Ohio Church one can read with interest how a Bible with raised letters was presented in 1863 to the blind organist, Walter L. Campbell.

In the words of presentation, spoken or written by the pastor of the church, it expressed the following pious wish:

"May the precious truths of the gospel of Christ be your comfort in life, your support in death & your portion in eternity."

How well & truly was that spoken! … Our comfort in life, support in death & in eternity our everlasting portion.

- (moreillustrations.com)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” – Paul (Rom 1:16 NIV)

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” - Augustine.

SUBMISSIVE PRAYER

Terry tells how she "was in the habit of praying very specifically for what she wanted. She told God in great detail about the kind of job, the kind of husband, the kind of life that she envisioned for herself.

And Terry was frequently frustrated.

But one day, Terry's friend suggested that she try a different tack. 'Give God a blank sheet of paper,' the friend suggested, 'and let God give you His list for your life.'

"Not long afterwards, Terry went back to school—something she hadn't anticipated doing. And she met a wonderful new man, whom she eventually married.

He didn't fit the criteria of her earlier lists, but he was everything she wanted in a husband.

When Terry turned her life over to God's will, God provided for her needs in ways she couldn't have imagined."

- Terry Fitzgerald Sieck (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com)

Pro 3:5 (CEB): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence.”

“There is always death at the end of your plan and life at the end of God's plan.” -  Rod Parsley.

SELF-RESPECT

I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human.

What matters is not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself.

 To undermine a man's self-respect is a sin.

 - Antoine de Saint-Exupery (moreillustrations.com)

 Acts 16:37 (CEV): But Paul told the police, “We are Roman citizens, and the Roman officials had us beaten in public without giving us a trial. They threw us into jail. Now do they think they can secretly send us away? No, they cannot! They will have to come here themselves and let us out.”

 “To encounter Christ is to touch reality and experience transcendence. He gives us a sense of self-worth or personal significance, because He assures us of God's love for us. He sets us free from guilt because He died for us and from paralyzing fear because He reigns. He gives meaning to marriage and home, work and leisure, person hood and citizenship.” -  John Stott.

SACRIFICE

On the night of March 16 some hooligans set fire to the church in Soonchun Leper Colony, Korea.

In vain were efforts to stay the flames. 

The lepers were heartbroken. To repair the damage will cost $1,250.

This sum the lepers have pledged themselves to raise by going without dinner every Sunday for two years.

- Missionary Review of the World. (moreillustrations.com)

“No sacrifice should be too great for Him who gave Himself for us.” -  Harry Ironside.

1 Sam 15:22 (ICB): But Samuel answered, “What pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obedience? It is better to obey God than to offer a sacrifice. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of male sheep.”