In Sermon Illustrations: "Encourage Others"

It Was One Of Those Weeks

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2019

At my stage in life, I have experienced a gazillion weeks. I thought about actually counting how many weeks I have lived, but I don’t have that many fingers or toes. It doesn’t matter how many weeks it is. I have lived enough weeks to know, when you think you have experienced everything there is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:23

Tags: Victory, Week Work

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Getting Old Is Not For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 9, 2019

I will not admit to being old, but I am older than I was 10 years ago. Those 10 years have been filled with all kinds of things helping me to get older. I saw an article that said that 60 is the new 40. I have no idea what that means, but I think out in our culture there is an obsession about age. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 145:7

Tags: Memories, Growing Old

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why Do We Say Merry Christmas But Happy Everything Else?

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 23, 2019

Why Do We Say “Merry Christmas” but “Happy” Everything Else? by, Meghan Jones. "The word "merry" isn't one we use very often during the months of January through November. But as soon as Thanksgiving passes, you're bound to start hearing and seeing it everywhere—on ...read more

Scripture: Job 21:12, Ecclesiastes 10:19, Isaiah 24:7, Luke 12:19

Tags: Christmas, Merry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In Praise Of Crazy

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 1, 2020

I made a mistake the other night of complaining out loud. It is one thing to complain under your breath so that nobody hears you or knows what you are complaining about. But when you complain out loud, then you run the chance of somebody hearing you. The somebody I was most concerned about was the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:7-8

Tags: Praise, Crazy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Sure Miss My Old Typewriter

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 15, 2020

I was going through my office the other day looking for something, and then I saw it for the first time in many years. It was my old typewriter. Most people today have no idea what the typewriter is. I remember, however, my very first typewriter. I was so excited to get it and begin writing with ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Computer, Typewriter

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Will There Be Television In Heaven?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 6, 2020

If anybody can ask hard questions, the award has to go to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She knows how to ask a question and, more importantly, when to ask a particular question. Throughout our marriage, she has become an expert in the area of questionology. There is not a question I can ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 10:4

Tags: Television, Questions, Politicians

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: He Brought Meal To Save The Meal

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 19, 2020

Introduction: This event took place in the days of Elisha, who followed Elijah as one of God’s prophets, during the days of Israel’s divided kingdom. Many of the people in both nations, Israel in the north and Judah in the south, gave up on the God of Israel and began to worship various false gods ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:38-41

Tags: Famine, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

To Scam Or Not To Scam That Is The Phone Call

Contributed by James Snyder on May 22, 2021

One day this past week, I decided to stay home and catch up on a little bit of reading. It's not often that I take a day and not go to the office and just pander around the house. Sometimes it's necessary to do such a thing, and I don’t do it often enough. The Gracious Mistress of the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Scam, Reading

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ready Or Not, Here I Quit

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 18, 2021

I do not quit easily. When I start a project, I like to work until it's finished. I hate to quit before something is completed. One thing I have learned through the years is not to start something unless I have the time and resources to finish it. How many projects I started in the past and ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Quitting, Agreement, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Didn’t Do It My Way

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 23, 2021

I don’t think I’ve learned very much during my life. I just bounce from day to day and take what comes. The one thing I did learn as I look back is, for the most part, I didn’t do it my way. Remember Frank Sinatra and his song, “I Did It My Way?” I would have liked to ask him, how’s that been ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:21

Tags: Surrender, Aggression

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Faith To Hear The Silent ...

Contributed by Bradley Berglund on Feb 4, 2009

Faith to Hear the Silent Notes for Conversations in the Marketplace by Pastor Brad Berglund (First Baptist Church) Feb 6, 2009 At a recent prayer meeting, I was told of a young pianist who is working on a doctor’s degree in performance. According to his professor, the young man has abilities ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Faith To Play The Silent Notes  PRO

Contributed by Bradley Berglund on Feb 14, 2009

FAITH TO PLAY THE SILENT NOTES by Pastor Brad Berglund (First Baptist Church) Feb 6, 2009 At a recent prayer meeting, I was told of a young pianist who is working on a doctor’s degree in performance. According to his professor, the young man has abilities that leave his peers far behind. To the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Look What I Just Made!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 27, 2024

Introduction: Idols, man-made objects of worship, have been around and have been used for thousands of years. These items were made out of stone, clay, various metals, as well as wood. Now imagine the carpenters or other craftsmen who made these objects, knowing what they had made, and what they ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:12-17

Tags: Isaiah, Idols, Types Of Trees

Denomination: Baptist

It Was A Fool’s Game And I Lost

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 6, 2024

When it comes to games, I am not a good player. I lose more times than I win, and I can’t remember the last time I won. My paternal grandfather’s favorite holiday of the year was April Fools’ Day. He often would spend the whole year developing a prank for family and friends. He had a construction ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Fool, Pranks

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: Hur, A Man Who Helped Moses

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 6, 2024

Introduction: Aaron and Joshua are mentioned often as men who helped Moses as Israel journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. There was one other man who assisted Moses, when Moses really needed some help. His name is Hur and he is another unsung hero. Text: Exodus 17:8-16, KJV: 8 Then came Amalek, and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-16

Tags: Moses, Amalekites, Hur

Denomination: Baptist

He Led Them Up The Steep Slope Out Of The River ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Anderson on Dec 8, 2005

“He led them up the steep slope out of the river valley and then slightly to the right apparently by the very same route which they had used that afternoon in coming from the hill of the stone table. On and on he lead them into dark shadows out into pale moonlight. Getting their feet wet with the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Lutheran

Another Christmas Tree In The Bag

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 26, 2020

It's hard to believe, but another Christmas has come and gone. It comes so slow but leaves so fast. I guess I'll never understand that. This Christmas was probably the most unusual that I have ever experienced. When I was young, I remember those first Christmases; they were so slow in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:35

Tags: Christmas, Humore

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

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Metamorphosis  PRO

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Aug 16, 2008

METAMORPHOSIS I can recall how taken back I was, in my fourth grade science class, when I first became aware of this almost magical phenomena of an ugly, old caterpillar becoming a beautiful butterfly. Of course at that age I had a very hard time understanding the whole biological time-clock thing ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other