In Sermon Illustrations: "Thrift Store"

Ellen Porter Tells The Story Mitsuyo A Japanese ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Ellen Porter tells the story Mitsuyo a Japanese exchange student coming to live with her family. Her father had written and warned Ellen that Mitsuyo was a willful child but she saw no signs of that at all. She dressed the same each day, was silent while eating at the dinner table and seemed ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Bump, Bump, Bump, Where’s The Scratch?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 26, 2021

Life can get crazy because there are so many crazy people in the world. I know, I’m one. Through the years, I have come to appreciate crazy people. They make life interesting and make me look less crazy than I really am. The interesting thing is that a crazy person shows up in your life when you ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:38

Tags: Accident, Crazy, Temptation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Body, My Swat

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 6, 2021

Usually, I am not easily offended, nor do I easily lose my temper. I did lose my temper when I was six years old but have not been able to find it since. Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is trying to find it but so far, she has not found it. Many people are ticked off by some minor little thing ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 2:15

Tags: Patience, Temper, Offended

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What A Crazy World We Live In

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 26, 2022

Driving home from an appointment across town, my wife and I encountered some crazy driver weaving in and out on the road in front of us. The fact that there was not an accident was somewhat surprising. “What,” The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage exclaimed, “is wrong with people?” Looking at ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Family, Crazy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ugly Is As Ugly Sees

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 11, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder I was drinking a cup of coffee in the middle of the shopping mall. I don’t like going to shopping malls, but The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage sent me to get a new dress shirt for Sundays. I told her I could wear the same one I wore last year, but she has different ideas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:3-4

Tags: Beauty, Life

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[169]. A Message From A Poem – Lessons We Learn From Spiders

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 18, 2025

[169]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LESSONS WE LEARN FROM SPIDERS The word “spider” is mentioned in the Old Testament in the following verses, all of which have a common theme – {{Job 8:13 “So are the paths of all who forget God, and the hope of the godless will perish, whose confidence is fragile, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 59:5-6, Job 27:18, Job 8:13

Tags: Nature, Spiders, Christian Poems, Spider Webs, Clever Teachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It's Not About Us!" 1 Samuel 15:27-35 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 4, 2005

“It’s Not About Us!” 1 Samuel 15:27-35 Key verse(s) 30:“Saul replied, ‘I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.’” We truly live in the age of self and ego. When you stop to think about it, a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:27-35, 2 Chronicles 20:5-15

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Basics Of Christianity, Humility, Obedience, Impatience, Unrepentant, Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

April 21, 2005 "Give Me A Shrub With Character!" ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 19, 2005

April 21, 2005 “Give Me A Shrub With Character!” Proverbs 12:3 Key verse(s) 3:“A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.” There are some plants that you can’t kill! I have long been fascinated by the differences exhibited in hardiness among the many ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:3, Proverbs 6:18

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

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

It Was A Week That Was Shot To Pieces

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 27, 2020

I only made one mistake last week, which is something of a record for me. I try limiting mistakes to one at a time, but not always in sequential order. I once tried to make my mistakes in a logical order, but it turned out to be a mistake. The one faux pas I made was taking Monday off. I proposed ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Humor, Plans

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Junk Is A Matter Of Personal Definition

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 10, 2020

I thought I had everything organized and in order. It just shows how useless my thinking is these days. There are many piles in my office and on my desk, and I know what is in each pile. Everything is organized to my specifications. My rule is: if I can't find something, I don't need it. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:3

Tags: Work, Humor, Planning, Office Space

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

Another Christmas Tree In The Bag

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 26, 2020

It's hard to believe, but another Christmas has come and gone. It comes so slow but leaves so fast. I guess I'll never understand that. This Christmas was probably the most unusual that I have ever experienced. When I was young, I remember those first Christmases; they were so slow in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:35

Tags: Christmas, Humore

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Riding The Hallelujah Train To The End

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 16, 2021

We had a long, hard week with problems and difficulties that took time to solve, if they even were solved. It is quite interesting to me that when I solve one problem, two other problems appear. I think they’re all waiting in line. In particular, one day was rather difficult and zapped both of us ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:20

Tags: Politics, Happy, Hallelujah

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

The Rich Family In Church By Eddie ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

THE RICH FAMILY IN CHURCH by Eddie Ogan I’ll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12, and my older sister Darlene 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with seven ...read more

Tags: Money

Laughter Is Not For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 12, 2022

Since birth, I have been infected with a Laughter-Virus. I’m not sure which side of the family it came from, or it could’ve come from both sides. But the least little thing will make me laugh. Sometimes I have a hard time stopping laughing. I have yet to find a mask big enough to cover my face ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 126:2

Tags: Virus, Laughter

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

A Switch In Time On My Behind

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 2, 2022

Recently, I was reminded of my father’s passing 12 years ago. It’s funny how time quickly goes by, and then something happens to remind you of the past. When I was growing up, spankings were normal. And, for someone like me, those spankings were quite regular. Today my father would be arrested for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Humor, Discipline

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then, There It Was

Contributed by James Snyder on May 7, 2022

In getting older, I have discovered, I pay a little more attention to my dietary habits. Or, maybe I should say, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage pays more attention to my dietary habits. As we get older, she is more obsessed with vegetables than anything else. But, for the life of me, I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38

Tags: Unity, Cookies, Cooperation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Screamed For Ice Cream And Got In Trouble.

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 14, 2023

Trouble is not my middle name, although it sure could be; just ask The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I try to keep out of trouble, but my definition differs from my wife's. What she considers to be trouble is just about everything I do. I will not ask her how I can keep from doing what I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1

Tags: Ice Cream, Taste, Trouble

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance