In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Life"

Can We Love Someone We Find Unloving? Galatians ...

Contributed by Clifford Good on Jul 18, 2008

Can we love someone we find unloving? Galatians 5:13-14 says that we are given freedom to serve one another in love. Whenever I take a trip I come home with lots of stories that come out of the things I see and the people I meet. Here is a story from the last trip to highlight this point about ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What It Was, Was A Peach Tree

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 15, 2020

For some reason, this week, I had been thinking of my maternal grandfather. I was named after him, and therefore we had a connection. I was thinking about him because this month I turned the same age as he was when he passed. I hope there's no connection there. As a young boy, I would spend a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Tags: Faith, 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

All In Due Time, So She Says

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 17, 2020

For several weeks, or has it been years, I’ve been waiting for an important package to come through the mail. I don’t know why they call it snail mail because I have seen snails crawl faster. With all our technology today, you would think that mail could come in on a particular schedule, and ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Tags: Time, Humor, Patience

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Don't Judge A Person By Their Cover-Up

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 31, 2021

Have you ever had one of those Déjà vu moments? The other week I was in the shopping mall to pick up some items for the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She shops so much that I have to help her on occasion. On this occasion, I was walking down the mall and stopped dead in my tracks. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3

Tags: Judgement, Humor, Encouragement, Judging

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Did The Summer Go?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 14, 2023

This past week started out as the best week of the whole year. At least, I thought so at the time. I finished my book manuscript and sent it to the publisher. I caught up with some other projects that were lagging. And I had time to balance my checkbook. What could be better than that? The ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:24

Tags: Summer, Time

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

It’s Not Always What I Don’t Know

Contributed by James Snyder on May 17, 2025

I would be the first to admit one truth about myself: I don’t know everything. To quote a politician, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” That has been the theme of my life for as long as I can remember. It all began with my parents. Whenever I got into trouble, they would usually respond, “Don’t ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 2:1-2

Tags: Wisdom, Memory

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[112]. A Message From A Poem – Has Warmth Of Nearness Changed To Coolness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[112]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAS WARMTH OF NEARNESS CHANGED TO COOLNESS? INTRODUCING THE POEM: Our walk with the Lord is not always one on a smooth, sinless road. There is joy; there are times of peace, times of praise, times of contentment, but there are also times of hardship, times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-4, Psalm 42:5-8, Psalm 42:9-11

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Waning, Failure, Forgotten, Despair, Cold, Backsliding, Cast Down, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On The Battlefield Discernment Is Critical. An ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 8, 2004

On the battlefield discernment is critical. An officer leading his men into battle must be able to make decisions quickly and accurately. Decisiveness can spell the difference between victory and defeat. General Robert E. Lee, one of the greatest military strategists to ever wear an American ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3-11

Tags: Goodbye

Denomination: Lutheran

Belly Up To The Bar?" Romans 13: 1-7: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 18, 2004

“Belly Up to the Bar?” Romans 13: 1-7: Key verse(s): 4a “For he is God’s servant to do you good.” About a decade ago an assembly of Christian leaders came up with this summary of what it means to be a Christian citizen: “It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a bad citizen ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Men's Day

Denomination: Lutheran

Just Ask Him!" Judges 16: 28-30 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 2, 2004

“Just Ask Him!” Judges 16: 28-30 Key verse(s): 28: “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’” Has there ever been a time in your life when things have gotten ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:28-30, Judges 16:1-31

Tags: Demons, Death, Sickness, Prayer Supplication, Storm  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

I'll Get Back To You! (08.04.05--Boldness ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 2, 2005

I’ll Get Back to You! (08.04.05--Boldness Too!--Acts 3:11) “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” How often have you heard that said in your life. If we could count the number of times action has been spared by inaction due to the “thought process” necessary beforehand, we’d probably ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:11

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

The Story Of Squanto  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

The Story of Squanto Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving -- at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint? No, I’m not talking about some revisionist, politically correct version of history. I’m talking about the amazing story of the way God ...read more

Michael Jackson: Product Of Childhood

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 27, 2009

MICHAEL JACKSON: PRODUCT OF CHILDHOOD One of the saddest comments I heard Michael Jackson make was when he was being interviewed and he said that his father had never told him that he loved him. In a speech at Oxford University in March 2001 he spoke very perceptively when he said this: "All of ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Anglican

Quaker John Woolman's Longstanding Anti-Slavery ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2010

Quaker John Woolman’s Longstanding Anti-slavery Campaign John Woolman was a Quaker who grew up in Pennsylvania in the early eighteenth century. He was a contemporary of George Washington. When he was a boy he was given to the things boys often do—in this case throwing rocks at a robin’s nest ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Tags: Servanthood

The Columbia Explosion: Impending Doom

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

THE COLUMBIA EXPLOSION: IMPENDING DOOM The Bible says, "...all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). And, "...the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Do you remember when the space ship, Columbia, blew up on re-entry on February 1, 2003? Seven crew members lost their ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Judgment

Giving Out Of Need

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Hunger also changes the world when eating can’t be a habit, then neither can seeing.” - Maxine Hong Kingston It had been a tough year and it didn’t appear to be getting any easier. She wasn’t working and he wasn’t working much. They had two teenage children to feed and bills to pay. The car ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Compassion, Poverty, Generosity, Giving Out Of Need

Denomination: Charismatic

A Mother's Search

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2015

Longing to leave her poor Brazilian neighborhood, Christina wanted to see the world. Discontent with a home having only a pallet on the floor, a washbasin, and a wood-burning stove, she dreamed of a better life in the city. One morning she slipped away breaking her mother’s heart. Knowing what ...read more

Scripture: John 10:7-10

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness, Mothers, Prodigal

William Lobdell Is A Writer And Reporter For The ...

Contributed by Scott Brewer on Jul 29, 2007

William Lobdell is a writer and reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Several years ago he attended a men’s retreat and decided that he wanted to follow Christ. He began to attend church, read the Bible and serve God in a variety of ways. He soon wanted to write about faith and he approached the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist