In Sermon Illustrations: "Coming Home"

A Refugee For Thanksgiving  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2002

A REFUGEE FOR THANKSGIVING In her book entitled "It’s Not in the Ministry Manual," Mary Ann Cejka relates a time when her students welcomed a refugee for Thanksgiving dinner one year. The following is an excerpt from this story: , taken from the Fernando did not look like what I thought a ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy, Compassion

In His Book, "Just As I Am", Billy Graham Writes ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

In his book, "Just As I Am", Billy Graham writes of the following event. "One summer while in New Jersey, I was having lunch at a roadside diner when I was greeted by a big, smiling man whose eyes grew large as he studied me. "Hallelujah!" he shouted, grabbing and pumping my hand. "What an answer ...read more

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Day Of The Fire Storm!  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 1, 2005

My Story: The Day of the fire storm! I was at Boy Scout Camp when I discovered the terrible damage a fire storm could do to my life. It was a lazy afternoon very hot and dry. John and I were sent back to camp to start dinner for the guys. When I got back to camp I discovered that the camp fire ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Building A Relationship With God (Running The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

Building a Relationship with God (Running the Race) It was the summer before my Senior year at Jamestown College. I had taken up riding my bike several times a week and had gotten up to riding 10-20 miles in a single go. Needless to say… I was feeling pretty good about myself. So when school ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Sports

The Ring Of Salvation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2011

THE RING OF SALVATION It began at West Point in 1835. It is a practice that has endured almost 200 years. You may have chosen to obtain one, and undoubtedly you waited anxiously for it to arrive. Others of you weren’t really that into it and decided to pass. Some of you in the room may still wear ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:22-24

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Vernon And Joey

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Oct 13, 2012

It is fitting that we begin with a true story involving three main characters: an elderly man nearing death, a kindhearted woman in robust health, and a deceased boy very much alive. Five months earlier, physicians had diagnosed sixty-five-year-old Vernon Samuels with terminal lung cancer. They ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:3-4

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

In My Humble Opinion

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 29, 2020

It was a busy week last week. I was chasing my tail so much, I thought I would actually catch it. What I would do after I caught it is beyond my imagination. However, I was quite busy, and then the mail came. Whenever the mail comes, I’m always expecting “the check.” Rarely do I get it, but my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Humility, Opinion

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Those Used To Be The Days

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 20, 2020

Being limited as to travel and outside activities can sometimes get rather boring. You can be inactive only so long, and then you get in that car that drives you to crazy land. Finding something to do to keep me from being bored has become somewhat of a challenge. However, the Gracious Mistress ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51

Tags: Humor, Change

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

A Family Stare Off Competition

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 4, 2020

During the last several months, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I have spent some quality time together. I’m assuming this is quality time, but I will have to get second opinion evidence about that. Overall, we have been enjoying our time together without any interruptions, as usually ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 26:27

Tags: Humor, Competition, Movies

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

If I Had A Nickel For Every Blunder I Made…

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 18, 2020

I am not very agile when it comes to finances. Do not get me wrong, I know how to spend money; it is just that I do not know how to save money. Somewhere I lost my little piggy bank. One of my father's favorite quotes was, "A penny saved is a penny earned." It never made sense to me, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:8-9

Tags: Remember, Mistakes, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: The Servants At The Wedding In Cana

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 12, 2020

Introduction: Wedding feasts were happy times, especially in the days of the Bible. This story describes how a handful of people kept a disaster from taking place! Text (John 2:1-11, KJV): 1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Tags: Weddings And Marriages, Miracles, Jesus Christ, Servants, Cana Of Galilee  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Riding The Hallelujah Train To The End

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 16, 2021

We had a long, hard week with problems and difficulties that took time to solve, if they even were solved. It is quite interesting to me that when I solve one problem, two other problems appear. I think they’re all waiting in line. In particular, one day was rather difficult and zapped both of us ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:20

Tags: Politics, Happy, Hallelujah

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

New Normal: If It's Free, It Ain't For Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 13, 2021

Once when I wore a younger man's suit I would take anything free. I assumed it was my right to get something free. Then I had a conversation with my grandfather. If anybody knew how to squeeze a buffalo out of a nickel, it was my grandfather. But you couldn’t trick him by offering him ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 7:1

Tags: Free, Scam

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Be Careful What You Smile About

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 20, 2021

Dr. James L. Snyder I am a student of smileology and have been just about all my life. If you can't smile at something, it's not worth thinking about. Of course, certain things in life are serious, but not that many. Too many people take everything seriously and ruin their life. These are ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-5

Tags: Humor, Facebook, Lockedout

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

A Shortcut Is Not Always That Short

Contributed by James Snyder on May 1, 2021

I have always appreciated shortcuts in life. If I can find a shortcut, I will take it because time is valuable to me. I take pride in coming up with a shortcut that actually saves me time. However, not all of my shortcuts have really been that short and I have paid the price. Last week, for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:8

Tags: Humor, Shortcut, Wrong Way

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s My Tongue I’ll Wag It If I Want To

Contributed by James Snyder on May 29, 2021

Like everybody else, I have my share of trouble. It’s not that I want to get into trouble, but trouble always seems to be somewhere near where I am at the time. I regret that time when I was first introduced to trouble. Some trouble I can't prevent. It just happens, and no matter what I do, ...read more

Scripture: James 3:5

Tags: Tongue, Trouble

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Can Never Have Too Much Ice Cream

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 30, 2021

It was one of those hectic weeks that flew by, and I didn’t know it until the end of the week. Friday night at supper time, it was one of those sneaky crashes. But, unfortunately, all the energy during the week had been pushing both of us forward, and we had no options but to keep plowing ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 56:11

Tags: Greed, Discipline

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

One Mouth Too Many Words

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 5, 2022

I read somewhere where the average woman speaks 20,000 words a day, and the average man speaks 7,000 words a day. I’m not sure if that’s true because I never believe everything I read, particularly on my computer, unless I write it. If this is true, who came up with it and how did they get to this ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:27-28

Tags: Speak, Silence, Worde

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s All In The Script

Contributed by James Snyder on May 14, 2022

Everybody is concerned about details in various aspects of life. I like overseeing the details of my life to make sure I'm going in the right direction. I'm not always going in the right direction, as you can imagine. However, everybody's idea of detail management is not always the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5

Tags: Script, Commercials

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Harmonious Melody Of Hummingbirds

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 27, 2022

A few months ago, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage bought a harp and began teaching herself how to play it. She can play the piano, organ, flute, and sometimes me. Now she has graduated to the harp. So I guess she’s preparing for heaven, where she’ll play a heavenly harp. She was quite quick ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:12

Tags: Music, Hearing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance