In Sermon Illustrations: "Secrets"

What It Was, Was A Cookie

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 11, 2025

At least once a month The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her daughter will spend a day visiting thrift stores in our community. I’m not sure, so don’t quote me, but I think there’s a 100-mile radius where they do their shopping. This past week was one of those days. As she was backing out ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:2

Tags: Desire, Cookie

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[249]. A Message From A Poem – Strange Doctrines Are Among Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[249]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – STRANGE DOCTRINES ARE AMONG US [[ “Secernment” (third stanza) refers to the act or process of separating or distinguishing substances, often used in a physiological context to describe the secretion of substances in the body. It can also mean the ability to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:28, Acts 20:29-30, Matthew 7:15, 2 Timothy 3:13, 1 Timothy 1:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Wolves Among Us, Perverse, Elders, Errors, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Strange Doctrines, Faith, Discernment, Fight, Fail, Vigilant  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John Powell, A Professor At Loyola University In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 9, 2002

John Powell, a professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student named Tommy in his Theology of Faith class: Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the day I first saw Tommy. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Prayer And 19th Century Revival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

PRAYER AND 19TH CENTURY REVIVAL Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, "There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer." Let me recount what God has done through concerted, united, sustained prayer. [J. Edwin Orr. Personal Notes.] Not many people ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:1-13

Tags: Prayer Persistence

The Alleged Warrant For My Arrest

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 24, 2020

This past week was one of the best weeks I've had in a long time. I got everything completed, as well as some overdue projects. There’s no feeling quite like the feeling of having accomplished your goals for the week. As far as I was concerned, this called for an Apple fritter celebration. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear, Humor

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

And Then There Were Four

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 21, 2021

Over a year ago, I got out of bed, went to the kitchen for my morning cup of coffee and then I went to the back porch to see if I had any visitors. I have foxes, possums, cats, and raccoons (who are politically correct and wear masks when they come). I put food out for them, and they help ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:7

Tags: Peace, Animals

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

Ain’t Nothing Better Than A P&j Sandwich

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 5, 2023

I'm not sure what happened to my closely guarded diet during these recent holidays, but I won't ask. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has been so busy cooking and preparing food that she didn't have time to oversee my diet. I love it when a plan comes together. As usual, I used ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4

Tags: Thanksgiving, Food

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Regifting Queen Of The Family

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 30, 2023

Sitting around the Christmas tree with my family and opening up Christmas presents, it stirred fond memories of my Aunt Edith. She was known as The Regifting Queen of our family. And believe me, she earned that name quite well. Most of the family didn't catch on to what she was doing. I know ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Christmas, Gifting

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: Paul’s Nephew

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 19, 2024

Introduction: It’s interesting that we know very little about Paul except that he was a Jew, born in Tarsus, receiving an education in Jerusalem, and some of his days as Saul the persecutor of the new Church. We’re never told the names of his parents, siblings—or if he had any other siblings ...read more

Scripture: Acts 23:16-22

Tags: Paul, Unsung Heroes, Paul's Nephew

Denomination: Baptist

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

Whatever Happened To "My Space”

Contributed by James Snyder on May 10, 2025

When I was young, one of my life priorities was “My Space.” I defended it with everything I had. In school, I had to defend “My Space.” Several times, I even had to go to the principal’s office and explain what “My Space” was all about. He didn’t seem to understand, and I had to explain it several ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1

Tags: Space, Violations

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then It’s Monday… Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 26, 2025

I'm not sure if it's just me getting old or something altogether different. Time seems to go by fast. My father used to say, "The older you get the faster time goes." I'm finally beginning to understand what he meant by that. At the time, I laughed at him and didn't ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15

Tags: Time, Monday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

We See Things Every Day; From The Moment We Open ...

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on Apr 29, 2009

We see things every day; from the moment we open our eyes in the morning to the second we close them to sleep at night we are seeing things. Every day you wake up, you open your eyes and you see. You see using light. Light enables you to see the shoe that was left haphazardly on the floor before ...read more

Tags: Light, Truth

Denomination: *other

Why Do I Have So Many Toes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 19, 2021

I must confess that I'm not always obvious to everything that is before me. I admit I miss a lot of things set before me. I don’t do this intentionally. For example, sometimes, when I come home from the church office, I pass the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, and she is waving at me, but ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:25

Tags: Sight, Ignoring

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Some Thoughts On Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

SOME THOUGHTS ON FORGIVENESS Bernard Meltzer was a United States radio host for several decades. His advice call-in show was called "What's Your Problem?" Meltzer said, "When you forgive, you in no way change the past--but you sure do change the future." ------- Mark Twain had some sour thoughts ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Forgiveness General

The Misconception Of A New Year

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 31, 2022

Christmas is the best time of the year, especially when it involves family. It's the one time of the year that families get together to celebrate together. Of course, at least from my perspective, it is also the most hectic time of the year. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has an ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Reality, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What’s So Bad About A Knucklehead?

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 26, 2023

Dr. James L. Snyder As I got older, the least little thing brought back memories from a lifetime ago. From some of the memories, I must have had an incredible boyhood. Too bad I can't live it again. I might improve those memories. Who knows. For some reason, I remembered the word ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Crazy, Knucklehead

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

As If I Didn’t Already Know

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 12, 2024

I've been accused of many things throughout my life, but never having a great memory. It's not that I don't try to remember things; I can't remember things I'm supposed to remember. It has nothing to do with my age because it started as far back as I can remember. This ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:23-24

Tags: Memory, Relationship

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance