In Sermon Illustrations: "My Sheep"

My Sister And Her Husband Pete Are On A Holiday ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 4, 2010

My sister and her husband Pete are on a holiday working their way through OUTBACK PLACES in Australia. Unfortunately they can't travel on the dirt roads at the moment because of an unexpected rainy season. They have to stick to the highways because if they get off the track they will sink in the ...read more

Tags: John The Baptist

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. Harold Sightler, My Pastor, At The Staff ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 10, 2010

Dr. Harold Sightler, my pastor, at the staff lunch table would say: “Boys, I picked every one of you green!” And so it was. He had hired each of us, with no particular experience in our field, and taught us the job. So it is with our love. It is small, selfish, incomplete. But God takes us as ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

If He Hadn't Taken My Son

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

"IF HE HADN'T TAKEN MY SON" Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his truck to get some tools. One of those boys touches a live wire and is instantly electrocuted to death. The parents are ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

He Has My Best Interests At Heart

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

HE HAS MY BEST INTERESTS AT HEART A few years ago I had a scary encounter with a masked man wielding a knife. I remember him with gratitude, though, since he was an orthopedic surgeon to whom I paid thousands of dollars to correct some problems with my left foot... For 3 months the surgeon ...read more

Tags: Commandments General

Denomination: Baptist

My Prayer For Those Who Need To Forgive

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 27, 2014

Lord, my heart has been wounded by someone who hurt me deeply. I have been very angry and bitter because this happened and I have not been able to let go of the pain. I have wondered many times where You were when this happened to me. I acknowledge that a spirit of unforgiveness has overtaken me ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-20

Tags: Forgiveness, Prayer, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

1) Christian Life Is Not My Responsibility Bu...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jul 8, 2016

1) Christian life is not my responsibility but rather only a response to His ability. 2) God would not condemn anyone for being born a Sinner but would condemn only those who die as one, having not accepted Christ in their lives throughout their lifetime. 3) On the Judgment ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Fruit, Faultless

Denomination: *other

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

My Thoughts Are Worth More Than A Penny

Contributed by James Snyder on May 30, 2020

Dr. James L. Snyder I must admit that I do gravel a lot in thinking about my thoughts. It has been a habit of mine down through the years. Thinking is what really makes life worth living, or so I believe. My father had a saying whenever he saw me staring off into the distance, “A penny for your ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:17

Tags: Thoughts, Thinking, Penny

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

If Only My Fishing Rod Could Talk

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 5, 2020

It has been a busy week, more so than any other week. Just when I thought I was caught up, something else presented itself without my permission. That seems to be what life is all about. I remember my father telling me when I complained to him how busy my life was and how my employer wanted me to ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: Humor, Fishing

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

What Would My Life Be Without A Cookie.

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 21, 2023

This past week was about as crazy as they get. When I think it can't get any crazier, somebody hears me and makes it crazier just for me. One morning I had to go across town to get some office supplies and other things. I try to ensure that when I go, it's for several things, not just ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:16

Tags: Cookie, Refreshing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Faith Is Resting My Whole Weight On God!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 23, 2023

When missionary John Paton was translating the Scripture for the South Sea islanders, he was unable to find a word in their vocabulary for the concept of believing, trusting, or having faith. He had no idea how he would convey that to them. One day while he was in his hut translating, a native came ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Faith, Revival, Faithfulness, Spiritual Fruit, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Making Decisions Is The Hardest Part Of My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 3, 2024

If it were not for decisions, my life would be perfect. After all these years, I still wrestle with decision-making. I admit that I often don’t make good decisions. I'm not sure, so don't repeat this, but I think The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage knows this and uses it to her ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Decisions, Choices

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ice Cream Solves A Lot Of My Problems

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 24, 2024

Like everybody else, I face problems almost every day. Or maybe I should say, my problem faces me. Every Monday, when I get up, I say to myself, “How many problems will I have this week? How many will I solve?” Unfortunately, myself never replies back. Problems are part of life, but it’s tough ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Prayer, Problems, Decisions

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Second Thoughts Can Be Dangerous To My Health

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 30, 2024

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Obedience, Opinion, Thoughts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What Happened To My Little Piggy Bank

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 7, 2024

This week, I had to do something I hadn't done before: go to the bank and deal with fraud in my checking account. Someone tried to write a check for $1800 from my account. Fortunately, I didn't have that much money in my account, and I was a little provoked by this incident. How dare ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Banks, Savings

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

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

How Coffee Has Changed My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 1, 2025

Recently, I was sitting drinking a nice hot cup of coffee. It's the first thing I do, and I can't get anything done until I do. I was thinking about this coffee as I was drinking it and remembered there was a time when I did not like coffee at all. When I was young, my parents made coffee ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32

Tags: Life Change, Coffee

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What Can Wash Away My Sin?

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

Your hands are wonderful creations of God! Look at your hands. But if left to do whatever we want – those hands get us into trouble. Try telling a child, “Don’t touch that!” Eve used her hand to pick a forbidden fruit. Adam received the forbidden fruit from Eve. Cain used his hand to murder ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:16, Genesis 4:11

Tags: Eve, Adam, Cain, Hand

Denomination: Methodist