In Sermon Illustrations: "Come As A Child"

Twinkies And Root Beer - Unknown ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Buchner on May 23, 2005

[Illustration – Twinkies and Root Beer - unknown source] A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Methodist

No Fire Without Heat And Smoke! (06.14.05--The ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 12, 2005

No Fire Without Heat and Smoke! (06.14.05--The Tie That Binds--1 John 4:19) It’s been hot here lately at Beech Springs. It has been unusually hot and humid. The beech woods understory that blankets our little valley are getting crisper under foot daily. The trilliums came and went and are withered ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

A Click And A Pop-Up Menu! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 28, 2005

A Click and a Pop-Up Menu! (06.30.05--Direction--John 21:15-19 ) Just being in love is not enough especially when you are considering spending the rest of your life in that condition. Internet romance is on a real boom swing around the world. Only a few short years ago anyone who “dated” on ...read more

Scripture: John 21:15-19

Tags: Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

No Dragons--Just God! (07.14.05--Tomorrow--2 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2005

No Dragons--Just God! (07.14.05--Tomorrow--2 Timothy 2:11-13) There’s an old adage that a little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing. Often what we think we know, based only on a scattering of a tidbit of knowledge here and there, can prove to be our undoing when we base our actions largely on ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:11-13

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Lutheran

Streaming After Dreaming! (08.01.05--Boldness ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 28, 2005

Streaming After Dreaming! (08.01.05--Boldness Too!--Deuteronomy 33:27) Do you consider yourself a cautious person? I don’t know about you but mom and dad always taught me to “look before you leap.” A cautious approach to things can keep you out of a lot of trouble in this life. Did you also know ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 33:27

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

Rejoice In The Shade! (08.16.05--Envy!--Duet. 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 12, 2005

Rejoice in the Shade! (08.16.05--Envy!--Duet. 5: 21) Standing in the shadows can be lonely at times. When others are taking the bows and hearing the accolades it is sometimes impossible not to be envious. Recognition is something that each one of us by nature yearn for. To be recognized for what ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:21, Micah 6:8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

Burn The Books!  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 16, 2005

Burn the Books! (08.18.05--Envy!--Prov 14:30) “Envy cannot read; therefore its will is that all books should be burned.” If we can’t have it then it should not be possible for others to know what we ourselves have not be given. When we equate envy with justice, we travel a very rocky road. Denying ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:30

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Lutheran

Only A Risk Away! (08.26.05--Under ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 25, 2005

Only A Risk Away! (08.26.05--Under Pressure!--Judges 6:25-30) Is it worth Risking? It used to be that life was a matter of “this I will risk” but “this I will not.” Risk was something that was weighed on a daily basis. It was a part of life. You picked one thing over another because you had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, Judges 6:25-30

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Cut To Fit!  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 25, 2005

Cut To Fit! (08.29.05--Sickness!--Hebrews 12:6) Arthritis is a real drag. As active as you would like to be this day or any, if you are weighted down with joints that are sometimes swollen and often stiff, the day always seems sometime a bit longer, somehow harder to bear. I’ve been an arthritis ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:6

Tags: God In The Hardships, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Penguins And Eagles! (09.02.05--Sickness!--Psalm ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 31, 2005

Penguins and Eagles! (09.02.05--Sickness!--Psalm 4:3) Soaring like eagles may sound good, but flopping around like a penguin can be a whole lot easier. Keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground may not always be the most glamorous of occupations, but it sure is safer and more accommodating ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 4:3

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Lutheran

Perhaps You Are Familiar With The Greeting Or ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 6, 2005

Perhaps you are familiar with the greeting or call to worship whereby the pastor or liturgist declares, “God Is Good,” and the people, respond, “All the Time.” The pastor affirms, “All the time,” and the congregation declares, “God is Good.” Many United Methodists use it frequently as a ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Methodist

Got My Life, Got My Jesus! (09.07.05--The ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 6, 2005

Got My Life, Got My Jesus! (09.07.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 5:3) In order to have all things, you must forsake all things. Tell that to those struggling with forsakeness in flood-ravaged New Orleans or storm-crushed Gulfport this morning! My guess is that few if any would understand the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

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

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

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

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

It's The Fruit And Not The Tree! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 20, 2005

It’s The Fruit and Not The Tree! (10.24.05--Making It!--Psalm 1:3) Each year as the seasons change, so does the selection of fruit that is available at my local Piggly Wiggly. In early summer there are the tangy apricots and sweet plums along with nutty peaches and nectarines. As summer passes, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Ask The Coach! (10.27.05--Making It!--Joshua ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 25, 2005

Ask the Coach! (10.27.05--Making It!--Joshua 9:14-15) I grew up in a time and place of heroes. Mostly my heroes were TV cowboys like Roy Rogers or the Cisco Kid. In those days there was something common to nearly every TV show--the hero had someone else standing beside him. Roy had Dale, his wife; ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 9:14-15

Tags: Character, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

Head-Up And Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2005

Head-Up and Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian Soldiers!--James4:7) When you are afraid to take an action, it’s the first step that’s the hardest one to take. Our little dachshund Webley is a living example of that. Webley has always been afraid of stairs. It doesn’t matter if he is going up or coming ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 9, 2005

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian Soldiers!--Ephesians 6:16-17) Beech trees tend to bend and grow at odd angles. When it comes to felling one, you have to do a bit more than simply cutting it down. First you need to determine which way the tree is leaning. Then you need to size-up the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-17

Tags: Angles, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran