"I am regularly asked where I get my illustrations. My answers is always the same: everything for me is an illustration, because I have learned to think illustratively. The wonders of God's creation make everything that exists, as well as all the events that occur, possible illustrations. The key is to learn to view everything through this lens.

"It is my prayer that God will use this volume to help enhance the effectiveness of the user to bring home the truth of God to those who desperately need to hear a word from Him. In addition, it is my hope that it will encourage and inspire you to look at life illustratively, so that your speaking, preaching, and teaching will be full of fresh, relevant illustrations that will enhance your audience's understanding of God's truth and enable them to see how really relevant and applicable God's Word is to their lives." - Dr. Tony Evans - Introduction

Tony Evans' Book Of Illustrations is arranged alphabetically by topic, and is easy to use and fun to read. And you will find beneficial subject index and scripture index. Here is an example...

"Many people after our services on Sunday line up to get a CD of the message. When I speak on Sunday mornings, the messages are taped and made immediately available for purchase when the service is over. People each week line up to get the CD. What they get is a copy of the master. There is a master CD that holds the original recording; then there are the copies that are made available to people who want to listen to the sermon again or share it with someone else. All the people can purchase are the replicas. The replicas of the master sound like the master, look like the master, and feel like the master, but they are not the master. However, they are so much like the master, it's as good as having the master itself.
Jesus is the Master, but what He wants to do is copy Himself onto His followers, so that when people see you or me, they are getting a recording of the Master, as we are committed to following our Master who has all authority. This is the essence of discipleship."
Matthew 10:24-25; Ephesians 5:1-2