In Sermon Illustrations: "Dig Deep"

If It Was Up To Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 13, 2021

Fifty years ago, I was a teenager. Boy, do I miss those Days of Yore. It's not that I would like to relive them, but I was a much different person back then. As a teenager, I knew everything, and all you had to do was ask me. Even if you didn't ask me, I still would tell you what was on my ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:19

Tags: Wisdom, News, Politics

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

The Epitome Of Boredom

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 25, 2021

I have never considered myself to be boring. I may be boring to other people but not to myself. As you get older, you find out that there are many boring things in this world. When younger, I can't ever remember being bored except when my father was lecturing me on how I should behave. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:15

Tags: Technology, Boredom, Generational

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What Would Life Be Without Mistakes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 9, 2021

Let me be clear from the beginning. I have made a lot of mistakes during my life. I have made mistakes that I don’t even know about to this day. Even the ones I do know about, I cannot remember very clearly. Mistakes are a part of life. Unfortunately, some people believe they live their whole life ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:12

Tags: Mistakes, Cleansing, Errors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

A Switch In Time On My Behind

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 2, 2022

Recently, I was reminded of my father’s passing 12 years ago. It’s funny how time quickly goes by, and then something happens to remind you of the past. When I was growing up, spankings were normal. And, for someone like me, those spankings were quite regular. Today my father would be arrested for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Humor, Discipline

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

If Only I Would Take Notes

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 26, 2022

As a writer, I always have a small notebook in my shirt pocket to take notes when I have an idea. I don’t have too many ideas, so I want to write down any I get so I don’t forget them. That has helped me out on many occasions. There is one exception. When The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Trust, Writer

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

How I Found Hope

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 7, 2023

HOW I FOUND HOPE By Danielle Strickland — I stole my first car when I was twelve years old. In family court, when my fate seemed to be incarceration, a leader from my church insisted I was going through a hard patch, but I could be sentenced to community service at a camp. The judge jumped at the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Tags: Jesus, Hope

Denomination: Methodist

It’s Not A Mess Unless I Do It

Contributed by James Snyder on May 2, 2023

When it comes to words, everybody has their own definition. Someone says one word and another person thinks it's altogether something else. For example, when someone says vegetable, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage thinks broccoli. On the other side of the dinner table, I think carrot ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11

Tags: Words, Mess, Organize

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

As If I Really Could

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 24, 2023

Have you ever had the feeling that you've been hoodwinked? You can't point out the specifics, but something deep inside suggests you have been. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I had a wonderful vacation at St. Augustine, one of our favorite places to go. Something happened ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Fixing, Hoodwink

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Did You See My Key?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 22, 2024

My life has been bombarded with questions from the beginning of the day until I fall asleep at night. For the most part, I don’t prioritize questions. Usually, when people ask me a question, there is something behind that question. If I don’t see what’s behind the question, I could answer it in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Tags: Lost, Saved, Keys

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ding-A-Ling There Goes Spring

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 20, 2024

In my life, time has a way of getting out of control. If I could control time, I would be a very happy dude. My one question in life is, where does time go? And, can I retrieve it? The other night, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I sat in the living room watching a little TV. I then ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:14-15

Tags: Spring, Heat

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Didn’t Know I Loved It That Much

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 16, 2024

One important thing I have learned is that you don’t appreciate something until it’s missing. I’ve learned that by many things that I just took for granted. Last week, for example, I had some problems with my truck, so I had to take it in for service. It took longer than I had expected, but ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Tags: Love, Appreciation

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

[070]. Excerpts From Certain Psalms: Part 1 – Psalms 64, 3, 103

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 29, 2025

[070]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXCERPTS FROM CERTAIN PSALMS: PART 1 – PSALMS 64, 3, 103 {{Psalm 96:1-2 “SING TO THE LORD a new song. SING TO THE LORD, all the earth. SING TO THE LORD. Bless His name. Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.”}} These next several postings ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Psalm 103:11, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 96:1-2

Tags: Psalms, East, Opposition, Poetry, Gracious, Poem, Singing, Transgressions, Adversaries, Removed, West, Removed Transgression  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Boy, Oh Boy, What A Day It Was

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 27, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder Throughout my years, I have had many crazy days. I guess it's crazy days that develop character. If so, I have a lot of character. I never had a day quite like last week. Everything seemed to go wrong for me. When we got up, our electricity was off. It had been off for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Accident, Scam

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[230]. A Message From A Poem - Redemption Through Death – No Other Way

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 18, 2025

[230]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REDEMPTION THROUGH DEATH – NO OTHER WAY The concentration in this poem is “No other way.” Why did heaven’s best, God the Son, have to die? You know I can not answer that. The omniscient God knew from eternity past what was going to happen. I can’t give an answer ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 53:10, Ephesians 4:8-10, Hosea 11:7-8

Tags: Sin, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Full Atonement, Heart, Salvation, Compassion Of God, The Heart Of God, Overturn, Emotions Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[271]. A Message From A Poem – The "I Ams” Of John’s Gospel

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 21, 2026

[271]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE “I AMs” OF JOHN’S GOSPEL There are 7 or 8 of the great “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. I have done these in a Series on SermonCentral – about 18 messages I think - ...read more

Scripture: John 6:20, John 10:7, John 6:35, John 14:6, John 10:11, John 15:1, John 8:12, John 11:25, John 8:58  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: The I Ams Of John, I Am The Good Shepherd, I Am The Resurrection, I Am The Light Of The World, I Am The True Vine, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Truth, Life, I Am, I Am The Way, I Am The Door, I Am The Bread Of Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Room  PRO

Contributed by Ely Lambert on Aug 19, 2002

The Room In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Great Quotes On Forgiveness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

When everything in you wants to hold a grudge, point a finger and remember the pain. God wants you to lay it aside. Why? Because, when you release it, you will be set free. - R.T. Kendall Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing that you were the prisoner. - Max ...read more

Tags: Forgiving Others, Forgiveness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational