In Sermon Illustrations: "Accepted By Grace"

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: "Don’t Ask Me, It Just Happened!”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 2, 2024

Introduction: Chances are either you, me, or someone we know has tried to excuse something that whoever it was, did. Excuses vary, but more often than not, the reply is something along the lines of “I don’t know how this happened!” One of the clearest cases of “I-don’t-know-itis” took place at the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:21-24

Tags: Moses, Aaron, Golden Calf

Denomination: Baptist

You Break It, You Fix It

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2024

Every once in a while, I hear or see something that reminds me of my father. He’s been gone for over 15 years, but his memory is still fresh in my mind. His most famous saying, that I remember, was, “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.” He lived that to the very end of his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-6

Tags: Wisdom, Fixing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It All Boils Down To One Thing

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 23, 2024

Of all the things I have learned, one has made a difference in my life. I hear stories about how married couples are unhappy. Today, something must be wrong with you if you haven't been divorced and remarried five times. I always figure that the person who has been married five times ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Marriage, Relationships

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unlocking Your Godly Potentials

Contributed by Godsgift Bee Willie on Feb 13, 2025

Deus Vocatio (Called of God) and the Mission Idea of The Called of God and God's Mission However; The idea of the called of God in systematic theology by Louis Berkhof point it out clear that "Calling precedes or predate regeneration; this mean calling go back to Jeremiah 1:5 that reveals ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 61:1-7

Tags: Potential, Unlock, The Call Of God

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Coffee Has Changed My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 1, 2025

Recently, I was sitting drinking a nice hot cup of coffee. It's the first thing I do, and I can't get anything done until I do. I was thinking about this coffee as I was drinking it and remembered there was a time when I did not like coffee at all. When I was young, my parents made coffee ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32

Tags: Life Change, Coffee

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[202]. A Message From A Poem – Pictures From A Counting Song - (Part 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 16, 2025

[202]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PICTURES FROM A COUNTING SONG - (PART 1) THIS IS PART 1 OF THE POEM WITH PART 2 TO FOLLOW IN THE NEXT POSTING. “ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE” OR “1, 2, BUCKLE MY SHOE” is a counting song dating back to late 18th century in the USA. It was heard for the first time ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:2-5

Tags: Nursery Rhyme, Christian Poems, Wrentham Massachusetts, Christian Application, Counting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Truth Is As The Truther Says

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 8, 2025

One thing I have learned in life is that for many people, truth is a relative thing. The truth is what they say it is, and you can't convince them otherwise. I wrestle with telling the truth all the time. If you tell the truth, you do not have to remember what happened. But when you lie, you ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32

Tags: Family, Truth, Lies

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When I First Came To Reno To Start A Church, Now ...

Contributed by James Wallace on Nov 12, 2009

When I first came to Reno to start a church, now about 22 years ago, my church planting advisors pointed me toward two men, two pastors who had had an extremely positive and successful experience in their church planting experiences. They had both planted churches in the past decade which had ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Bible Church

Grateful Allen, An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2009

Grateful Allen, An Outsider We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37

Tags: Parable Good Samaritan

I’m Not Diabetic But I Am A Sweet Guy

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 20, 2024

Lately, I've been very tired, which has nothing at all to do with my age. Rather, it has everything to do with all these spam calls I get every day. It seems most spam calls come during lunchtime when I’m eating. How dare they? I don't know who created this idea of spam calls, but I would ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:3

Tags: Diabetes, Age

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[072]. A Poem Message – Excerpts Certain Psalms Part 3 – Psalms 40, 31

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 1, 2025

[072]. A POEM MESSAGE – EXCERPTS CERTAIN PSALMS PART 3 – PSALMS 40, 31 {{Psalm 33:1-3 “SING FOR JOY in the LORD, O you righteous ones. Praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre. SING PRAISES TO HIM with a harp of ten strings. SING TO HIM A NEW SONG. Play ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:1-3, Psalm 31:15, Psalm 40:3, Psalm 40:6-8, Psalm 31:14, Psalm 31:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sacrifice, Psalms, Trust, Deliver, New Song, Secret Place  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Man's Life Provides A Dramatic Answer To The ...  PRO

Contributed by James Dunn on Mar 12, 2002

One man’s life provides a dramatic answer to the question, can God indeed bring positives out of troubled times? This young man’s name is David, and he is an awesome picture of God’s using difficulties for good. For years he viewed trials as something that affected only his external world, and any ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 2:6, 2 Samuel 6:6

Tags: Growth In Christ, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago, I Spent A Couple Of Years At Purdue ...

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 14, 2012

Years ago, I spent a couple of years at Purdue University and some of the classes I took were in Philosophy. In one of those classes, the professor (who was an atheist) stood up in front of the class and said “Jesus didn’t die on the cross, and I can prove it.” His proof? He said that when a ...read more

Tags: Crucifixion

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I’m So Poor I Can’t Pay Attention

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 25, 2023

Occasionally I go to my computer and search for the wealthiest preachers in America. I am curious to know who came up with this idea, but I check it out occasionally to see who they are. As often as I have checked this information, I have never found my name on that list. I so much wanted to see ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Tags: Poor, Wealth, Rich

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Knowing Everything Is A Blessing And A Curse

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 5, 2023

If you ever spent more than five minutes with me, you would conclude that I do not know everything. I would agree 100%. It is not bad that I don't know everything. I know today more than I knew ten years ago, if that is any consolation. The thing that is surprising to me is that I do not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Blessing, Curse

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Making Decisions Is The Hardest Part Of My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 3, 2024

If it were not for decisions, my life would be perfect. After all these years, I still wrestle with decision-making. I admit that I often don’t make good decisions. I'm not sure, so don't repeat this, but I think The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage knows this and uses it to her ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Decisions, Choices

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Didn’t Lose My Marbles They Just Retired

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 24, 2024

For some people, getting old is a real challenge. And it probably is for many people, but it hasn't been too much of an issue for me. Don't let this get out, but getting old has been more of a blessing than a curse for me. I thought it would be terrible and didn't know what I would do ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 143:5

Tags: Age, Memory

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I’m Not Old Just Young Challenged

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 18, 2025

Most people are fascinated by their age as if it makes any difference in their lives. Some people are very intimidated by getting older and struggle against it. When I was young, I couldn't wait to get older. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to get a driver's license. Why does it ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:29

Tags: Youth, Age, Old

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[098]. A Message From A Poem – Genesis Synopsis

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

[098]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GENESIS SYNOPSIS How can you possibly put the book of Genesis into a poem? The answer is, be brief and try not to miss the main events. I had the desire to write a Genesis poem and this is the result. The poem begins of course with Chapter 1 and works to the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:13, Genesis 12:3, Genesis 15:18, Matthew 24:37-38, Genesis 1:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Genesis, Creation, Egypt, Isaac, Nimrod, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Abraham, Noah, Jacob, Adam, Joseph, Cain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational