Sermon Central
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About 25 Years Ago, Cruz And Debbe Santiago Met ... PRO
Contributed by Clyde Grimes on Dec 28, 2002 (message contributor)
About 25 years ago, Cruz and Debbe Santiago met at Coney Island beach in New York City. They were homeless. They were addicted to drugs. They were experimenting with witchcraft. They were involved in gangs. They lived in the meager shelter underneath the Coney Island boardwalk. That was their home, except when they were in jail. Jail was their second home—their home away from home.
Then, one evening when Debbe was in jail, something happened. It was a little thing—such a little thing that you wouldn’t think it would make a big difference—but it did. The little thing that made a big difference was a Bible. A jail matron handed Debbe a Bible.
What about that matron? Did she expect her two-dollar Bible to make a difference? She had given Bibles to prisoners before. She had seen them leave without changing. She probably felt like you and I feel sometimes—that we do our best, but nothing happens. Perhaps she still feels that way, because Debbe didn’t change either—not right away.
While she was in jail, Debbe read the Bible. She read it every day. It fascinated her—and what else did she have to do? But then she fell into using drugs again. She ended up in the hospital in a coma. She woke up to the hissing rhythm of the respirator at death’s door. She woke up to the path of death on which she was walking. She had been there before. But this time it was different, because she had been reading the Bible. This time she knew what to do. This time, she asked God to release her from the drugs—and He did. This time, she dedicated her life to Christ—and Christ made the difference.
When she was released from the hospital, Debbe went to the jail to visit Cruz. Cruz noticed the difference. He said, “She was clean. She talked about the Lord. She left me a Bible.” Cruz became a Christian. In 1988, Cruz and Debbe were married.
But there’s more! (If Paul Harvey were telling this story, he would say, “And now the rest of the story!”) The rest of...
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Dear God, So Far Today I've Done All Right. I ... PRO
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 17, 2004
Dear God, So far today I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get ...read more
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The Story Is Told Of The Pioneer Days In Our ...
Contributed by Fred Mueller on Dec 16, 2004
The story is told of the pioneer days in our country. A man was making his way west when he came to the Missouri River. It was winter and the ice covered the river from bank to bank. But how could the man be sure it would hold his weight? He knew people often drowned in that river when the ice ...read more
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John Maxwell Tells A Story About 2 Boys On Their ... PRO
Contributed by Mike Harris on Sep 24, 2002
John Maxwell tells a story about 2 boys on their way to school…and –talking about their families.. One boy said—“I’ve figured out a SYSTEM for getting along with my MOM…. ...read more
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In His Retirement, Thomas Jefferson Founded The ... PRO
Contributed by Michael King on Jul 20, 2003
In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Because Jefferson trusted that students would take their studies seriously, the code of discipline was lax. Unfortunately, his trust proved misplaced when the misbehavior of students led to a riot in which professors who ...read more
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A Survey Was Done Of Boys Before Father's Day. ...
Contributed by Fred Mueller on Dec 16, 2004
A survey was done of boys before Father's Day. The surveyors asked what the most important things about a father were. The answers were things like, he plays catch with me. He shows me his work. He takes me on errands with him. Every single answer in the top ten had to do with a father ...read more
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