In Sermon Illustrations: "Psalm 23:1-9"

It’s All Over But The Lying

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 28, 2020

The one thing I don't like is when somebody deliberately lies to me. Trust me; this has happened quite a few times in my life. Sometimes, by accident, they say something that isn't true; they just got their facts mixed up. Other times, it’s a ploy to deceive me and get something from ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 120:2

Tags: Christmas, Truth, Lying

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Rough Road Revival

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Psalms 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Things going badly or the road is rough? Need revived? David had that relationship with God that in the midst of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 138:7

Tags: Revival, Trouble

Denomination: Baptist

Oh, The Daze Of My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 30, 2021

When I was young, my mother was quite a fan of a soap opera called “The Days of Our Lives.” I remember the title but I never would watch something like that. However, my mother enjoyed it and so what’s there to complain about. As I was thinking of it, I felt that I should remember the days of my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4

Tags: Husband, Wife, Wisdom

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

New Normal: If It's Free, It Ain't For Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 13, 2021

Once when I wore a younger man's suit I would take anything free. I assumed it was my right to get something free. Then I had a conversation with my grandfather. If anybody knew how to squeeze a buffalo out of a nickel, it was my grandfather. But you couldn’t trick him by offering him ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 7:1

Tags: Free, Scam

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Seeing Can Be Rather Expensive

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 3, 2021

As I get older, and my goal is to get as old as I can, I begin to realize some of the things I haven't noticed in my life. You know how it is; things creep up little by little, and then all of a sudden, there it is. That happened to me recently with my eyes. Since I was in the ninth grade (I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1

Tags: Sight, Humor, Blessings

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

Who Doesn’t Like A Girl Scout Cookie?

Contributed by James Snyder on May 8, 2021

This week the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage made a little slip. To her, it was a little slip, but to me, it was a big mistake. It is not always that she makes mistakes that I can profit on. I don't make this public, especially within her earshot, but there are times that she makes a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4

Tags: Diet, Girl Scouts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Do Wrinkles Come From?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 12, 2021

Several months ago, I had two cataracts removed from my eyes. How they got there, I don't know. As far as I can remember, they never asked my permission, and furthermore, they never paid rent for being there. According to the eye doctor, and doctors are never wrong, I now have 2020 vision. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 5:8

Tags: Plastic Surgery, Wrinkles

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

How Are You Doing?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

There's a story about a little girl who came home from school one day, and her mother met her at the door: Hi! How was school today? How are you doing? With the honesty of little people, the girl replied, Oh, not so well, mommy. My tummy hurts! Mothers know everything, and this mommy had ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 16:5-6

Tags: Joke, Child Misunderstanding

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Courage

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

Mary Slesser (1848-1915) when Mary was a teenager, she volunteered to help organize a mission in the slums of Scotland. Despite Mary's genuine and caring efforts, many of the people the mission was designed to help oppose the work because they felt it avoided the "real" needs of the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:6-14

Tags: Mission Work, Mary Slesser, Courage

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Be On Guard.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 18, 2021

I saw a painting that caught me off guard. It was a normal painting of snow covered mountains in the background. A beautiful pond where you could see the clouds in the very calm pond. But there was a herd of sheep there. The details just pulled me into the painting. I just stared at the sheep. But ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: Be Aware Of The Wolf, Wolf In Sheep Clothing

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Meditate On The Lord.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 18, 2021

Where I was Pastoring at the time I got 5th Sunday off. I had a favorite fishing hole. The water wasn’t very deep so I could wade in the water. That was fun for me. It had big trees that hung over the water and the sun would shine through them and made it look beautiful. It was great, this river ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: Life Is Rough, God Teaches To Smooth Us

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mountain Stream

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 30, 2021

Where I was Pastoring at the time I got 5th Sunday off. I had a favorite fishing hole. The water wasn’t very deep so I could wade in the water. That was fun for me. It had big trees that hung over the water and the sun would shine through them and made it look beautiful. It was great, this river ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: Becoming Finished, Facing Storms

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Who Do You Hang With?

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 30, 2021

You will only ever be as great as the people you surround yourself with; so be brave enough to let go of those who ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: Be With Godly People, People Cause Problems

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What Would Life Be Without Mistakes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 9, 2021

Let me be clear from the beginning. I have made a lot of mistakes during my life. I have made mistakes that I don’t even know about to this day. Even the ones I do know about, I cannot remember very clearly. Mistakes are a part of life. Unfortunately, some people believe they live their whole life ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:12

Tags: Mistakes, Cleansing, Errors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Severely Injured Christian Learned To Read Braille Bible With Tongue

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 28, 2025

Severely Injured Christian Learned to Read Braille Bible with Tongue In the middle of Psalm 37:3 David reminds us that we should trust God enough to follow Him and walk in His ways. Or as David simply said: "Do good." *"Do good." This is God's simple and sure command for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Pain, Peace, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, Righteousness, Rejoice, Shelter, Rest, Hardships, Cast Your Cares, Horrible Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Roll Your Cares Onto The Lord

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 29, 2025

Roll Your Cares onto the LORD This is David's message to us in Psalm 37:5 where he said, "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." *The original word for "commit" here means to roll, roll away, roll down. Ron Dunn tells us that the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Pain, Peace, God, Evil, Trust, Suffering, Righteousness, Rejoice, Shelter, Rest, Hardships, Cares, Cast Your Cares, Horrible Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Rest In The Lord

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 29, 2025

Rest in the LORD This is David's message to us in Psalm 37:7-11, where he said: 7. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Pain, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, God's Peace, Rejoice In The Lord, God's Righteousness, God's Rest, Hardships, Cares, God's Shelter, Horrible Times, Receive God's Righteousness, Cast Your Cares On The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Music Is Major Influence For "Mosaic" Generation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2002

Music is major influence for "mosaic" generation On a recent edition of the radio program "For Faith and Family", pollster George Barna discussed the significant cultural influence music exerts on the Mosaic generation (those born between 1984 and 2002): "Music is really interesting because ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:49-50, Luke 2:11, Psalm 23:1

Tags: Worship Benefits, Worship Purpose, Skill, Know God, Play  (view more)  (view less)

After A Forest Fire In Yellowstone National Park, ...  PRO

Contributed by James Botts on Sep 10, 2002

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Startled by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 17:8, Isaiah 53:1, Psalm 91:4

Tags: God's Provision, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist