In Sermon Illustrations:

In The West During The Torrential Spring Rains, ...

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 10, 2005

"In the west during the torrential spring rains, the rivers frequently rise and flood the lowlands. There was a little girl who lived In the valley of one of these mighty rivers and one weekend "he was going with her parents to visit friends. As she was packing, she placed her dearest possession in ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Making God-Hugs Possible! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 10, 2005

Making God-Hugs Possible! (10.12.05--Sacrifice!--Matthew 19:21) Does God place limits on how far He wants us to go when it comes to committing to His will? If His will is our sacrifice, can there be any limits? Is our God reasonable when it comes to our ability to forbear or to bear? God, of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:21

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Order Of The Wooden Cross! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 10, 2005

Order of the Wooden Cross! (10.11.05--Sacrifice!--1 Chronicles 21:22-24) Recently I was asked this question: “What have you sacrificed lately in light of all the sorrow, desolation and bloodshed that have gripped the world?” It was a challenge from a friend of mine who regularly gives to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19, 1 Chronicles 21:22-24

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran

Not By Might! (10.08.05--Beginning Again!--2 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 6, 2005

Not By Might! (10.08.05--Beginning Again!--2 Kings 5:12) “That’s simple--too simple!” I thought. I had been looking for a simple solution to overcoming a seemingly complex problem for a long time now. How could I get better mileage and performance on an engine that was nearly 40 years old? I had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:12

Tags: Sin General, Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Lutheran

Those Nasty Redo's! (10.06.05--Beginning ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Those Nasty Redo’s! (10.06.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) Time is one of the most precious commodities that God gives us daily. The time to do things is always limited. And, we need to balance the things we want to do with the things we need to do. Therein is the tension. I start each ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Stop The Bleeding But Heal The Wound! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Stop the Bleeding But Heal the Wound! (10.07.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) There is one good rule for starting over. If something’s broken, don’t try to fix it with anything less than your best effort. The odds are that the more you try to “band-aid” things, the longer it will take for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Fresh Starts! (10.05.05--Beginning ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 3, 2005

Fresh Starts! (10.05.05--Beginning Again!--Numbers 20:1) A number of years ago my wife had an opportunity to spend several days camping at a church camp with several of her friends. They kept the little ones and the family pets with them. The only thing lacking for the time was husbands. It was ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 20:1

Tags: Hardship Of Life, God In The Hardships

Denomination: Lutheran

An Arabian Fable

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 3, 2005

There is an Arabian fable which tells about a man who went to his neighbor and asked to borrow a rope. "I can’t lend it, because I am using it to tie up a pile of sand." his neighbor answered. "But," the man came back, "you can’t tie up a pile of sand with a rope." To which his neighbor slyly ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Lutheran

A Teenager Noticed This In His Own Life And ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 3, 2005

A teenager noticed this in his own life and sought out his pastor. A teenager was sitting in the pastor’s office saying,"Sometimes I don’t think I am a Christian. I don’t seem to have the same interest and excitement, or enthusiasm I once did. It isn’t easy for me to remember God, to come to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6, Ephesians 4:22-24

Tags: Discipleship, Baptism Adult

Denomination: Lutheran

Game's Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 3, 2005

Game’s Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning Again!--2 Samuel 12:20-24) Is there anyone who hasn’t felt the sting of regret and discovered just how bitter it is to live with the thought that if only we hadn’t done this or said that we’d be a whole lot happier at the moment? Beginning again is one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:20-24

Tags: God's Provision, Regret, Remorse, God's Forgiveness, Face Your Fears, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Knee Work! Knee Work! (09.29.05--Teach Me To ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 26, 2005

Knee Work! Knee Work! (09.29.05--Teach Me to Pray!--Luke 6:17-19) When it comes to some things in life, I’m pretty dedicated. Take mornings for instance. I am dedicated to my morning time to such an extant that even when I’ve had a difficult night with little sleep, when 4:45 comes around, I’m up ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:19

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Lutheran

A Prayer Nag! (09.28.05--Teach Me To ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 26, 2005

A Prayer Nag! (09.28.05--Teach Me to Pray!--Colossians 1:9) Does god ever weary of hearing our prayers? I mean, it’s the same old, same old–day in and day out. Does He really need to hear the same things over and over again? Being a “broken record,” the one that just can’t get over the rut in ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

On Top Of Our Game! (09.27.05--Teach Me To ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 25, 2005

On Top of Our Game! (09.27.05--Teach Me to Pray!--Psalm 122:6-7) How many things are you passionate about in life? I remember many years ago during the Lombardi days and the good fortune of the Green Bay Packers. I was passionate about them. Between 1961 and 1969 I can honestly say that I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 122:6-7

Tags: Prayer Supplication, Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

Way Cool! (09.26.05--Teach Me To Pray!--Ezra ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 22, 2005

Way Cool! (09.26.05--Teach Me to Pray!--Ezra 8:23) What’s the one thing that we despise, but it is also the one thing we most dearly treasure? The answer? It is prayer. There isn’t one of us who really wants to do it; but, at the same time, there isn’t one of us who, once it is done, does not feel ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 8:23

Tags: Prayer Answered, Prayer How To

Denomination: Lutheran

Not Mixed Veggies! (09.23.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 21, 2005

Not Mixed Veggies! (09.23.05--Grace Walks!--Isaiah 4:2-4) As we recently joined a local CSA, a farmer’s cooperative whereby we receive our vegetables on a regular basis from a local farm, our refrigerator has been pretty consistently stuffed with vegetables of all sorts. From squashes to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 4:2-4

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Late Bloomers! (09.22.05--Grace Walks!--Psalm ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 20, 2005

Late Bloomers! (09.22.05--Grace Walks!--Psalm 93:5) Fairness is a doctrine that we have gone hog-wild with. We seem as a people possessed by a sense of “all things being equal.” Unfortunately, we are so captivated by a sense of justice at all costs, we often lose sight of the fact that a doctrine ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 93:5

Tags: Beauty, Righteousness, Walk, Holiness, God's Omniscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

The Full Treatment! (09.21.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 19, 2005

The Full Treatment! (09.21.05--Grace Walks!--Hebrews 10:14) Recently I had the old corvair restored. I had given the mechanic a list and was confident he would fix everything on it. Most of the items had to do with the structural integrity of the suspension and frame, so I was confident the car ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:14

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness, Perseverance

Denomination: Lutheran

Unfinished Flower Beds! (09.19.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 15, 2005

Unfinished Flower Beds! (09.19.05--Grace Walks!--John 17:17) When we purchased Beech Springs years ago, we arrived in a valley that was purposed by trees, trees and more trees. There was little lawn because the trees shaded it out. The trees fenced in the house and driveway so that there was scant ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17, John 17:6-19

Tags: Peace, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Just Passing Through! (09.16.05--Heavenly ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 14, 2005

Just Passing Through! (09.16.05--Heavenly Citizens!--John 8:51) How disturbing it would be to take a trip and every time you came to a town or city you were compelled to stop and investigate every facet of where you were; to taste and see everything there was everywhere you went. So inclined you ...read more

Scripture: John 8:51

Tags: Soldier, Death

Denomination: Lutheran

Do Some Screaming! (09.15.05--Heavenly ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 13, 2005

Do Some Screaming! (09.15.05--Heavenly Citizens!--1 Cor 15:31) The hog-nose snake flipped over on its back and coiled itself up into a neat coil. It lay seemingly lifeless in front of us somehow waiting for us to either move on or dare to pick it up. Banking on the former, I am sure it was pleased ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:31

Tags: Discipleship, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran