Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 15, 2008
HAPPINESS VS. JOY
There is a pretty common belief that differentiates between happiness and joy. This is one that I believe. Happiness is based on circumstances. Expensive gifts and good food and parties and celebrations and Christmas lights can bring happiness. But they are only temporary. They
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Church Of God
Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 29, 2007
Give A Birthday Present To Jesus.
One year our church celebrated Christmas by giving a birthday present to Jesus. On the first Sunday in December, I asked the congregation to think about what Jesus Christ really meant to them, and to offer a gift on the altar to symbolize their love for Him and
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Martin Kim on Oct 5, 2004
based on 10 ratings
| 5,583 views
Win Arn, a leading church consultant conducted a survey:
He surveyed members of nearly a thousand churches asking the question, “Why does the church exit?? The results? Of the church members surveyed, 89 percent said, “The church’s purpose is to take care of my family’s and my needs.? For many,
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Adventist
Contributed by Stephen Wright on Oct 10, 2004
based on 6 ratings
| 2,751 views
Years ago the gospel was preached to a number of tribes in Central Africa. Many people responded to the message and received new life in Christ. Since they had no church building where they could gather for a time of prayer, they cleared a central spot in the jungle for that purpose. Soon
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Denomination:
Baptist
De Vries, Smeenge, “As a society we tend to avoid talking about unpleasant things, and death is in that category. We want to focus on happy thoughts, the beginnings rather than the endings. We work hard to accumulate and achieve, striving to do our best among the many challenges and difficulties of
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Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on Nov 21, 2006
President Roosevelt had a dog he thought was a good fighter, One day while out for a walk, and old mangy dog jumped on the President’s dog and almost killed him. The FBI agents rescued the dog. One the way back to the White House one of the agents said, “Mr. President, I thought that dog was a good
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010
MAKE THEM THIRSTY
The young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager he lamented, "I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink." The manager replied,
"Son, take my advice: your job is not to make him drink.
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Brethren
Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 18, 2007
I think hell is a place of selfishness and lack of sympathy. I heard of a group that agreed to go through a psychological test of receiving only minimal food for two weeks. Some were eager to participate in order to lose some weight. The first day they were encouraging and congratulating one
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Denomination:
Pentecostal
Contributed by Mike Rexroat on Aug 5, 2007
Aren’t we like that sometimes? We have so much that when we lose something it isn’t that big of a deal? I read this week about an actual Ebay listing for a 1962 Ford Thunderbird Convertible...it had 5,487 original miles...in perfect showroom condition. A man called about it and he asked the
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Denomination:
Christian/Church Of Christ
Contributed by David Ward on Dec 30, 2007
based on 4 ratings
| 1,439 views
During the filming of the big chariot race in the movie "Ben Hur," Charlton Heston kept losing his footing and slipping out of the chariot. After several ruined takes, director William Wyler asked Charlton what the problem was. Heston explained that while trying to act as though he was winning
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Denomination:
Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2002
based on 4 ratings
| 2,364 views
AND WE WERE AFRAID
Writer and naturalist Anne Dillard tells of a cold Christmas Eve when she, then a young girl, and her family had come home from a late dinner out. Ginger ale and a plate of cookies sat on a special table. Dillard had taken off her winter coat and was warming herself on the
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Contributed by Eric Hickman on Dec 16, 2002
based on 3 ratings
| 3,174 views
It was a chilly December evening in downtown Chicago, and about a dozen people from a suburban Christian college were Christmas caroling. A few people stopped to listen. A black man edged closer as they sang. His head nodded in rhythm with the melody. He was probably in his 20s, but his tired and
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Denomination:
Church Of God
Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 16, 2003
based on 8 ratings
| 6,810 views
[illustration]
Imagine how a parent would feel if on Christmas day when the gifts for their children were handed out, the children just took them, said “Thank you,” and laid them aside with no attempt to open the gifts not even to find out what they were!
Imagine how the Lord must feel when he has
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Denomination:
Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Nov 4, 2004
I played Santa this week at the nursing home - The outfit was fine but the beard was rank, so I had to spray it with something. - I hugged - asked if they were good little boys and girls, passed out gifts and even danced with some of the ladies. I couldn’t tell who really believed in Santa and
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Denomination:
Baptist