In Sermon Illustrations: "The Me Generation"

[214]. A Message From A Poem - Paul’s Prison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 28, 2025

[214]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PAUL’S PRISON This is my oldest surviving poem. I had parts of others but they are gone. The poem came about when thinking of Paul in prison in Rome. Everything seemed against him there, but he was never forsaken by God of course. When Paul was in prison he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:10, Philippians 1:23

Tags: Luke, Paul In Prison, Christian Poems, Devotion, Asia, Defection, Departure, Desertion, Demas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

And Then It Was Silent No More

Contributed by James Snyder on May 23, 2020

During this time of exclusive lockdown, I and the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage have grown accustomed to silence. Don't get me wrong here. I do not object to noise as long as it's the right kind of noise. However, I do have a good warm feeling about silence. What was that song? ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:13

Tags: Books, Silence, Noise

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When Everything Goes My Way

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 7, 2020

I have had a certain dream many times over the years. Of course, it might lean towards being a nightmare if it does not come true. The dream is that one day in the week; I can have everything go my way. The nightmare part of that dream is that it never tells me which day everything will go my ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Partnership, Together, Choice

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

How Many Coughs Is Enough For One Day

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 2, 2023

This past week started rather rough. At least rougher than others. It started with a cough. A cough is not that serious if it's just one cough or maybe two. But it is not good when it is one cough after another and another. One day last week, right after this coughing spell began, the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:12

Tags: Sick, Medical, Physician

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Do I Need A New Mask For Halloween?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 28, 2023

The older I get, the less patience I have for holidays. I certainly am not a holiday guru in any sense of the word. When I was younger, my favorite holiday was Christmas because of all the presents I got. I could never get enough gifts for Christmas. When I got older, got married and had ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:2

Tags: Halloween, Masks

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Whatever Happened To Reality

Contributed by James Snyder on May 18, 2024

During my health hiatus I did things I never had time to do before. One of them was to check out some Reality TV Shows. I never had much interest in these TV shows, but I thought now would be a good time to check some of them just to see what their idea of reality really was. Of course, my health ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8

Tags: Reality, Tv Shows

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

So What If I’m Crazy?

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 17, 2024

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her wonderful husband are celebrating 53 years of marital bliss this year. What an accomplishment! It doesn’t seem possible that we have been married 53 years. After all, we don’t look that old! At least she doesn’t. It’s amazing how time flies; if ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Unity, Relationships, Crazy

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

If She Cannot Fix It, It’s Not Broken

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 4, 2025

Life has its many ups and downs. There are some weeks when there are more downs than ups. But if I didn’t have a down, I probably wouldn’t appreciate an up. This past week was one of those down weeks. One day, we lost our electricity for maybe six hours, my printer died on me and some scammer ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 147:3

Tags: Frustration, Fixing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

There's Nothing Like A Good Crisis To Increase My ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

There’s nothing like a good crisis to increase my energy and remind me how much I need God.” ...read more

Tags: Prayer Hardship

Never Lend Books, For No One Ever Returns Them; ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

If I Have Not Read A Book Before, It Is, For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"If I have not read a book before, it is, for all intents and purposes, new to me whether it was printed ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

In The Footsteps Of My Savior I Would Walk Each ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"In the footsteps of my Savior I would walk each day, Following ever where they'd ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

I Do Not Have A Psychiatrist And I Do Not Want ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I do not have a psychiatrist and I do not want one, for the simple reason that if he listened to me ...read more

Tags: Emotions

I Have Never Seen A Bad Television Program, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I have never seen a bad television program, because I refuse to. God gave me a mind, and ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies

There Will Be Somethinganguish Or Elation That ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"There will be somethinganguish or elation That is peculiar to this day alone. I rise from sleep and say: Hail to the ...read more

Tags: Morning

Everyone Has An Invisible Sign Hanging From His ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from his neck saying, Make Me Feel Important Never forget ...read more

Tags: Human Life

Ive Never Been One Who Thought The Good Lord ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Ive never been one who thought the good Lord should make life easy; Ive just ...read more

Tags: Strength

One Of The First Things A Physician Says To His ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"One of the first things a physician says to his patient is, Let me see your tongue. A spiritual ...read more

Tags: Tongue