In Sermon Illustrations: "Gracious"

Who’s Really In Charge

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 24, 2022

Living in the country, our family did not have a television in our home. Unfortunately, most people in our neighborhood did not have a television. That just was normal. Somehow we managed to entertain ourselves without TV, and of course, we did not have the Internet then. So how we got along ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Jfk, Tv Remote Control, Batteries, Tricking

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Princess Hath Thus Spoken

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 22, 2023

In December of last year, our second great-grandchild entered our family. Our first great-grandchild was a boy, and this one is a girl. Like all our children, grandchildren and great-grandson, this great-granddaughter was a blessing to our family. If only children would stay young for the rest of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Training, Princess

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

On Little Yellow Flower! (11.04.05--Faith That ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 2, 2005

On Little Yellow Flower! (11.04.05--Faith That Flies!--John 6:18-19) Now is the time of year when most of the flowers in my wife’s flower beds have wilted and sagged. The frost has struck more than once, making even the hardier mums droop a bit. The time of blossoming has passed for most of the ...read more

Scripture: John 6:18-19

Tags: Faith General, Devoted, Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Great Christian Leaders Have Known The Necessity ...  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on May 30, 2006

Great Christian leaders have known the necessity of coming to repentance and spending some time in intercession for those in harm’s way. President Abraham Lincoln, in a National Proclamation of Prayer and Repentance in 1863 wrote, “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Know A Family That Is Very Wealthy And Well On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2004

I know a family that is very wealthy and well on its way toward embracing the principles that have just been laid out. This is a Roman Catholic family that has inherited a vast fortune. These people live just outside a Midwestern city and, as you might expect, make their home on a large estate ...read more

Sorry--No Spare Grace Today?" Leviticus 19: 9-10 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 12, 2004

“Sorry--No Spare Grace Today?” Leviticus 19: 9-10 Key verse(s): 9: “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.’” “Is your generosity based on facts or faith?” I would imagine that most of us would answer that ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 19:9-10

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran

Wrong Priorities Illustrated In The Book, In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2009

Wrong Priorities Illustrated in the Book, In the Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work Ancient church father Augustine of Hippo once said, “Christ is not valued at all, unless he is valued above all.” Until those folks in Jerusalem moved God from the bottom of their list of ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:1-15

Tags: Workplace

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive in Suffering Scott Larson shared a personal encounter. “Annette and her husband were missionaries in Western Europe when she began to have pain in her back. When the pain became so unbearable that she could no longer function, even with muscle relaxants, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Joy In Trials

Pumping Up Balloon - Watch What ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 24, 2007

Illustration: Pumping up balloon - watch what happens when pride is in control of ones life. Kapteyn helps us see what happens with pride along with some of my observations: Pride is what hurts us in our relationships - in church, in families, (at work, at school), with friends. Pride makes us ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give Thanks In All ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Give Thanks in All Circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18) Washington, D.C. October 3, 1863 By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways That Eve Distorted The Word Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Let’s go back to Genesis 2:16-17 to review exactly what God said and then we’ll compare it to the distortion Eve came up with: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in ...read more

Tags: Eve, Sin, Evil, Satan, Truth, Temptation, Word Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[109]. A Message From A Poem – Groaning Takes Its Toll On Me (Psalm 6)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[109]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GROANING TAKES ITS TOLL ON ME (Psalm 6) This poem is a retelling in poetic form of Psalm 6. We can gather from the Psalm that David was having a dreadful time. This is the beauty of the Psalms, for they cover the whole range of human emotions and failures, and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 6:2-3, Psalm 6:6-8, Psalm 6:9-10

Tags: Weeping, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Despair, Upset  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Difference Between A Fool And Being Full

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 7, 2019

One thing truly amazing to me is how fast Thanksgiving goes. Here I am in the living room relaxing in my easy chair just one day after Thanksgiving. My ears are still ringing with all the chatter that went on around our Thanksgiving dinner table. It is so beautiful to get together with family to ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:20

Tags: Thanksgiving, Holiday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Does Santa Get His Naughty Or Nice List?

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 14, 2019

This week the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage approached me with a serious question. As far as I am concerned, life is full of questions, but coming from her, I need to be very careful. I have found out that a question with her is not merely a question. It can be a whole lot more than that ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 2:20

Tags: Christmas, Righteousness

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Oh, Those Alluring Lizardly Eyes

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 4, 2020

After months of planning and rearranging our schedule, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage finally organized a little vacation time for Christmas. It takes an awful lot of work for her and, I let her work as hard as she wants to work. That’s the kinda husband I am. She scheduled us to stay for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:3

Tags: Fear, Vacation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then It Was Silent No More

Contributed by James Snyder on May 23, 2020

During this time of exclusive lockdown, I and the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage have grown accustomed to silence. Don't get me wrong here. I do not object to noise as long as it's the right kind of noise. However, I do have a good warm feeling about silence. What was that song? ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:13

Tags: Books, Silence, Noise

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

It Was A Week That Was Shot To Pieces

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 27, 2020

I only made one mistake last week, which is something of a record for me. I try limiting mistakes to one at a time, but not always in sequential order. I once tried to make my mistakes in a logical order, but it turned out to be a mistake. The one faux pas I made was taking Monday off. I proposed ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Humor, Plans

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

A Musical Concert Or Aggravating Noise?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 12, 2020

To say the least, and I usually do, this summer has been quite a journey for the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and myself. I can't remember a summer equal to the one we just went through. The fact that we got through it is amazing. We have been staying at home more often than usual, but ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Music, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance