In Sermon Illustrations: "Long Life"

Can You Eat Too Many Cookies At Christmas?

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 27, 2025

Can You Eat Too Many Cookies at Christmas? Dr. James L. Snyder Christmas was over, and the house began to quiet down in a good way. Don’t get me wrong, I love the noise when all the family is together. It is a good feeling to be with your family during this wonderful holiday season. I love the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:8-10

Tags: Cookies, Christmas

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Declare You The Winner  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 29, 2004

I DECLARE YOU THE WINNER I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game- a serious game- two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn’t know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Children, Anger, Rage, Parenting, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Charles Colson Told The Following Story In An ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Oct 12, 2005

Charles Colson told the following story in an address at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi: I love the illustration about a man named Jack Eckerd. A few years ago I was on the Bill Buckley television program, talking about restitution (one of my favorite subjects) and criminal ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

Friends Forever. Wow Those Are Some Very Powerful ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Gardner on Jan 4, 2005

Friends Forever. Wow those are some very powerful words when you put them together you know? I mean, think about what this phrase means: being a friend forever; always there no matter what. This popular phrase can be found in letters from one best friend to another, on the split necklaces when put ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Salvation Army

Loving Your Enemies In Rwanda  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2010

Loving Your Enemies in Rwanda Rwanda is a tiny country in Central Africa, a bit bigger than Northern Ireland, with a population of over 8 million people, and thousands of hills. Rwanda is a beautiful country of hills, mountains, forests, lakes, laughing children, markets full of busy people, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

What To Do About The Bloopers

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on Jun 28, 2010

WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE BLOOPERS Leon Lett. Nice name. It has a bit of a ring to it. However, unless you are a true NFL football fan, it’s probably not a name that rings a bell for you. So let me fill you in on Leon. Leon played in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys from 1991 to 2000 and the Denver ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Guidance Behind Enemy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2012

GUIDANCE BEHIND ENEMY LINES Every Monday night, when I was not sacking groceries at the Piggly Wiggly, we would go to the library in Dothan. One Monday evening, I “accidentally” found a paperback copy of William C. Anderson’s book, BAT-21. It was a story about Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, a U.S. Air ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Tags: Golf, Christian Disciplines

Snakes

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 2, 2019

ILLUSTRATION: Gospel Tract Society, Inc., Independence MO -Snakes in an Atheist's Grave - Last September, while engaged in a Defenders Conference in Idaho, a gentleman by the name of Mr. C. M. Crew came to me with one of the strangest stories I had ever heard, about an atheist in Ohio who was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Atheist, Unbelief

What's In A Name, Anyway?

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 16, 2019

I cannot express how ecstatic I was when someone gave me a coupon for a free donut. Normally, I am not overly excited about “free.” All I had to do was fill out a little survey online and they would send me a code that would guarantee me a free donut. In my “daily diary diet,” I have a whole ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: Freedom, Choice

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

To One It’s Monday To Another It’s Wednesday

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 11, 2020

Time goes so fast at times that I do not always remember what day it is. I get so busy trying to get my work done that I forget if it’s Monday or Friday. It is a good thing I am getting older because I have a built-in excuse for forgetting what day it is. Recently, the Gracious Mistress of the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:13

Tags: Happiness, Joy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When Everything Fails, It’s Over

Contributed by James Snyder on May 9, 2020

During this time of seclusion, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Yours Truly has spent some significant time binge-watching some of those Hallmark mystery movies. After a while, they all look alike, but my wife loves them, therefore, so do I. The other night as we were watching, one of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6, Job 2:9, Job 13:15

Tags: Attack, Humore

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Things Have A Way Of Catching Up With Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 31, 2020

I have learned in my life, and probably just one thing: things have a way of catching up with me. I can't get away with anything. It's not that I don't try. There were a few times when I've come pretty close to getting away with something, but it didn't turn out the way I ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Money, Humor, Fraud

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Bug! Bug! Where’s The Bug?

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 14, 2020

As far back as I can remember, every time I would leave the house, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage would say, "Be careful. Drive safely." It’s as though she doesn’t think I could drive carefully without giving me some instructions. I think it has become just a routine for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Harmony, Mistakes, Together

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: She Needed Help And They Responded

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 17, 2020

Introduction: widows, especially those with young children, have faced hardships for many, many years. This young wife was now widowed, and even worse, she had a creditor demanding either payment of a bill—or she would have to give up her two sons. The LORD, however, had another plan to help this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7, Deuteronomy 15:1-6

Tags: Miracles, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Tell Santa I Tried To Be Nice

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 19, 2020

It’s that time of the year when the conversation around the dinner table in the Parsonage has to do with naughty or nice. I must admit it's not my favorite conversation because what is naughty, and what is nice? That all depends on who you're talking to. The Gracious Mistress of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7

Tags: Christmas, Nice, Naughty

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

The Good, The Bad, And The Grouchy

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 23, 2022

Have you ever had a week where everything went just perfect? Neither have I. Every Monday morning, I plan a perfect week, and I try my best to stick to that plan. My problem is simply, I do not know the meaning of the word "perfect." So I asked The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Attitude, Grouchy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Micah’s Misfortunes: "What Aileth Thee?”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 15, 2024

Introduction: Micah of Ephraim is one of the more unusual characters in Scripture. We’ve seen a couple of his misfortunes, but now, in another unintentionally humorous text, we’ll see he faced a problem he couldn’t possibly solve. Text: Judges 18:18-26, KJV: 18 And these went into Micah's ...read more

Scripture: Judges 18:18-26

Tags: Danites, Micah Of Ephraim, Idols

Denomination: Baptist

My Tok Doesn’t Always Tik

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 15, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder Throughout my life, I have always lived on a schedule. Every day is devoted to certain tasks, and it has worked for me so far. I know what day it is by what I am doing that day. Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I cannot multitask. I have to do one thing at a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-16

Tags: Schedule, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[233]. A Message From A Poem - Remember Me Until I Come

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 21, 2025

[233]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REMEMBER ME UNTIL I COME This poem was written as a Communion meditation with the view of being a Communion hymn. It uses a Metre 12 in the four lines. I adapted this for another poem based on this one using a Metre 10 that can be sung to various tunes. At the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Tags: Passover, Cup, Remember Me, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Until I Come, Communion, Bread, Remember  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational