In Sermon Illustrations: "Respect Her"

Oh, Those Alluring Lizardly Eyes

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 4, 2020

After months of planning and rearranging our schedule, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage finally organized a little vacation time for Christmas. It takes an awful lot of work for her and, I let her work as hard as she wants to work. That’s the kinda husband I am. She scheduled us to stay for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:3

Tags: Fear, Vacation

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

Those Used To Be The Days

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 20, 2020

Being limited as to travel and outside activities can sometimes get rather boring. You can be inactive only so long, and then you get in that car that drives you to crazy land. Finding something to do to keep me from being bored has become somewhat of a challenge. However, the Gracious Mistress ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51

Tags: Humor, Change

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What Would The World Be Without Apple Fritters?

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 24, 2021

Stress is not something new in my life or anybody else's, for that matter. The thing about stress is that you never get used to it, or at least I don't. I don't know what I would do if one week I had no stress at all. When that happens, I'll let you know. This past week has not ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Stress, Pleasure

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Don’t Believe In Karma

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 2, 2021

Some people believe in karma, but I don’t. Some people believe what you do will come back on you some way or the other. I do believe that everything you do does have consequences. Sometimes those consequences are small and insignificant and sometimes rather large and unbearing. Recently, my truck ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Reaping, Karma, Sowing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Splish Splash, I Forgot To Take A Bath

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 8, 2022

If you had the opportunity to speak to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, she would probably tell you that one of my strengths is forgetting. I'm not sure how far into the subject she would get. When it comes to forgetting, I am outstanding on the back lawn, and my expertise in this area ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:2

Tags: Memory, Forgetting

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s All In The Script

Contributed by James Snyder on May 14, 2022

Everybody is concerned about details in various aspects of life. I like overseeing the details of my life to make sure I'm going in the right direction. I'm not always going in the right direction, as you can imagine. However, everybody's idea of detail management is not always the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5

Tags: Script, Commercials

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Do I Need To File A Missing Persons Report?

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 10, 2022

Every week comes and goes, and some go faster than others. Such was last week. It started pretty well, but then everything went downhill. I had my semiannual doctor's visit. After all, he has kids that need to go to college. After his complete examination of me, he said, "You're ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10

Tags: Police, Thrift Store

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What’s A Whopper Got To Do With Anything

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 10, 2023

After my heart attack, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage enacted a dietary regimen in accordance with improving my health. The theme of this dietary regimen is vegetables, vegetables, vegetables. I did not know there were so many vegetables in the entire world. Her primary vegetable, much to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3

Tags: Diet, Patience

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

So This Is Old Age

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 29, 2023

Dr. James L. Snyder The other morning I got up; at least, I tried to get up, but the bones in every part of my body had organized a labor strike against me. I’m not quite sure what they were protesting. As I lay there groaning over these bones, I did not realize how many bones I had in my body. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:3

Tags: Age, Bones

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why Do Some Cute Babies Grow Up Ugly

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 9, 2023

Our second great grand baby was born at the end of last year. Since then, it has been a delight to watch her grow. I will not say she is the cutest baby in the world, but I haven't met any cuter. She was born cute, and I'm not sure what part of the family she got that. Sometimes, when ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 46:4

Tags: Age, Cute, Ugly

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Life Can Be A Series Of Dreams

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 7, 2023

Lately, I’ve been having some fascinating dreams at night. Usually, I don’t give much thought to dreams, but lately, I’ve been thinking more about them. Last night, for example, I had this exciting dream, and everything seemed to be coming in my direction, and then I woke up before the end. Once I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Dreams, Fanasty

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What If I Do Have A Brain?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 1, 2024

After about a month on a health hiatus, things started returning to normal, and then I had a doctor’s visit scheduled for a checkup. I don’t know why they call us patients because I’m not very patient with these doctors. At my visit, the doctor thoroughly examined me but couldn’t find anything ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20

Tags: Brain, Challenges

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Nothing Is More Satisfying Than Doing Nothing

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 26, 2024

We were facing a very severe hurricane, and everything was being shut down. The hurricane was to hit us on a Wednesday night. Because we were in the center of where that hurricane was supposed to come, we were not allowed to get out and drive on the streets. I knew that I had to finish all my work ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:2

Tags: Hurricane, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Journey Of 1,000 Miles Begins With An Apple Fritter

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 12, 2025

Life has many paths, and I have discovered that traveling any of them takes a lot of energy. Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, my energy comes from those wonderful Apple Fritters. I can't remember the first time I had one, but I vividly remember the last time. Trying to get ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Agreement, Discussion, Apple Fritters

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

How Much Sleep Is Too Much?

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 19, 2025

I have noticed recently that sleeping has become a very important part of my life. This just snuck up on me overnight. When I was young and living at home, I tried to come up with excuses and reasons for not going to bed at night. My parents had an early bedtime schedule that they enforced rather ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:2

Tags: Sleep, Energy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Addiction To Happiness

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 3, 2026

One of the most important elements of life is happiness. When I look around the world, I notice how scarce happiness seems, which makes me reflect on its true value. I have come to the conclusion that happiness is a choice. I can be happy or sad. The choice is mine. Whenever things aren't ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:13

Tags: Addiction, Happiness

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Multitasking Is Not My Cup Of Tea

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 24, 2026

Dr. James L. Snyder Usually, I have a lot of work on my desk, from writing to radio programs. Even though I have many projects, I can only do one at a time. I have often wished I could multitask, which would help me get through many more projects more quickly. But that has never been my style of ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Work, Multitasking

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In Other Words, We Begin Our Christian Life In ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on Jul 11, 2001

In other words, we begin our Christian life in God’s grace, and then quickly abandon grace, and try to live our life, and almost to continue to earn our salvation, - by what we do, by our works. Author Jerry Bridges puts it like this: "We tend to give an unbeliever just enough of the gospel to get ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Character, Faith Vs. Works, Sowing, Tares, Weeds, Judgment, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Senator Mark Hatfield Writes Of Touring Calcutta ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Weeks on Dec 18, 2001

Senator Mark Hatfield writes of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the “House of Dying.” It was a home where sick children are cared for in their last days and where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Hatfield was watching Mother Teresa and her companions ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Christian Disciplines, Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational