In Sermon Illustrations: "What Is Conscience"

Lights Are On, But No One's Home---If Any Of You ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Mar 23, 2010

LIGHTS ARE ON, BUT NO ONE'S HOME---If any of you have ever owned an electric lawn mower, you know that electric lawn mowers tend to not be very powerful. Electric lawn mowers, as a whole, are underpowered garden tools. I have an electric lawn mower now and it isn’t very powerful, all I can say is ...read more

Tags: Wisdom, Fools For Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Minister And A Day Off His Rocker

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 5, 2019

I was tootling along one day last week, quite focused on getting my business for the day done. In fact, I was feeling good about the progress I was making with my “to-do list.” Nothing is more satisfying to me than the sense of being in control of my schedule. I love checking off items on my “to-do ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Faith, Love, Trust, Hope, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In My Humble Opinion

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 29, 2020

It was a busy week last week. I was chasing my tail so much, I thought I would actually catch it. What I would do after I caught it is beyond my imagination. However, I was quite busy, and then the mail came. Whenever the mail comes, I’m always expecting “the check.” Rarely do I get it, but my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Humility, Opinion

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

A Family Stare Off Competition

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 4, 2020

During the last several months, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I have spent some quality time together. I’m assuming this is quality time, but I will have to get second opinion evidence about that. Overall, we have been enjoying our time together without any interruptions, as usually ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 26:27

Tags: Humor, Competition, Movies

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

If Only My Fishing Rod Could Talk

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 5, 2020

It has been a busy week, more so than any other week. Just when I thought I was caught up, something else presented itself without my permission. That seems to be what life is all about. I remember my father telling me when I complained to him how busy my life was and how my employer wanted me to ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: Humor, Fishing

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

Unsung Heroes: The Servants Of Cornelius

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2021

Introduction: The Gospel was still being proclaimed but almost exclusively to Jews when this incident occurred. A number of Samaritans (a mixed race of Jews and other peoples from several different locales, 2 Kings 17) had believed and even a high official of Ethiopia had believed in Jesus (Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-6, Acts 10:21-23, Luke 7:1-10

Tags: Peter, Cornelius, Centurions, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

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

Why Does Monday Have To Follow Sunday?

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 9, 2024

The older I get, the more I wake up not knowing what day it is. That is particularly true on Mondays. My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I enjoy attending church, fellowshipping with other Christians, and of course, the Sunday worship services. I enjoy Sunday morning and evening like no other ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Stress, Frustration, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Police In Los Angeles Had Good Luck With A ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 10, 2001

Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery susupect who just couldn’t control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words, "Give me all ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Faith, Luck, Truth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Angels' Actually Comes From The Word For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sterling Franklin on Mar 5, 2002

’Angels’ actually comes from the word for ’messenger’ in Greek (angelos), and in a very literal sense, they are messengers, indeed. God sends them to protect us sometimes. After Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, angels were there to minister to Him (in this case, ...read more

Tags: Angels, Whirlwind

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The N.t. Never Says That A Man Is Saved On ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2001

The N.T. never says that a man is saved on account of his faith, but always that he is saved through his faith, or by means of his faith; faith is merely the means which the Holy Spirit uses to apply to the individual soul ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

At A Religious Festival In Brazil, A Missionary ...

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 23, 2004

At a religious festival in Brazil, a missionary was going from booth to booth, examining the wares. He saw a sign above one booth: "Cheap Crosses." He thought to himself, "That’s what many Christians are looking for ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When A Father Came Home And Found His Son ...

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jan 18, 2005

When a father came home and found his son sitting on the porch with his head in his hands & a forlorn look on his face, he asked what was wrong. The boy sat silently for a moment, then confessed, ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

E. Stanley Jones, Reader's ...

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 16, 2005

ILLUSTRATION... E. Stanley Jones, Reader’s Digest, December 1981 A rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is—a biting of oneself. We think that we are ...read more

Tags: Communication General, Anger

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It Is Pretty Generally Agreed That All A Woman ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"It is pretty generally agreed that all a woman needs to do to know all about children is to have some. This wisdom is attributed to instinct...I have seen mothers give beer and spaghetti and Neapolitan ice cream to children in arms, and if they got that ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Oh, The Comfort, The Inexpressible Comfort, Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

We Call That Person Who Has Lost His Father, An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"We call that person who has lost his father, an orphan; and a widower, that man who has lost his wife...And that man who has known the immense unhappiness of losing his friend, by what name ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Jesus Said:] Greater Love Has No One Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"[Jesus said:] Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command...I have called you friends, for ...read more

Tags: Compassion