In Sermon Illustrations: "Yes"

See Cookie Will Sneak

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 29, 2022

For more years than I care to remember, I have been on a diligent pursuit, and I won’t stop until I reach my goal. My quest is to find a cookie I don’t like. Throughout the years, I have eaten every cookie I could find and loved them all. My biggest obstacle in this pursuit is The Gracious ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:38

Tags: Temptation, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It Was A Fool’s Game And I Lost

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 6, 2024

When it comes to games, I am not a good player. I lose more times than I win, and I can’t remember the last time I won. My paternal grandfather’s favorite holiday of the year was April Fools’ Day. He often would spend the whole year developing a prank for family and friends. He had a construction ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Fool, Pranks

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Days Of Wonder In The Hospital

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 1, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder My plans for the New Year were horribly changed by ending up in the hospital. Around the middle of the month, it seemed like I may have had the flu. After all, everybody around me had the flu, and I just wanted to fit in with society in general. I had to cancel my Sunday ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Nurse, Hospital, Sick

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Another Week On My Own

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 22, 2025

Several weeks ago, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage informed me she would be in St. Augustine with our daughter and granddaughter for spring break. As always, I really didn’t properly process this information. I get so busy with other things that there are some things I can’t process. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Cheating

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[074]. Poem Message – Excerpts Certain Psalms Part 5 – Psalms 9, 27, 100

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 4, 2025

[074]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXCERPTS FROM CERTAIN PSALMS PART 5 – PSALMS 9, 27, 100 {{Psalm 59:16-17 “As for me, I SHALL SING OF YOUR STRENGTH. Yes, I SHALL JOYFULLY SING OF YOUR LOVING-KINDNESS in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 59:16-17, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 9:9, Psalm 100:3, Psalm 100:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Gates, Light, Praise, Salvation, Thanks, Stronghold, Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Did My Body Warranty Just Expire?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 21, 2025

Just when I recover from the latest ache in my body within a few minutes, I will get a “Boo, I’m back.” I’m not quite sure why these Aches and Pains love my body so much. Why don’t they just get over it and move on to another circus. The problem is, after I’m through with one ache, the next ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Pain, Blessing, Warranty

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Oh No, Not Another Day

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 18, 2025

I thought got over the problems I had two weeks ago. I thought I stepped onto new ground and everything was going to be fine. Very few times am I right, and this wasn't one of them. A couple of weeks ago, I had a terrible day. Our electricity was off for over six hours. My printer died, and I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Victory, Struggle

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Can You Eat Too Many Cookies At Christmas?

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 27, 2025

Can You Eat Too Many Cookies at Christmas? Dr. James L. Snyder Christmas was over, and the house began to quiet down in a good way. Don’t get me wrong, I love the noise when all the family is together. It is a good feeling to be with your family during this wonderful holiday season. I love the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:8-10

Tags: Cookies, Christmas

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Back In The Saddle Finally

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 17, 2026

After about three months of wrestling with a variety of bug thingamajigs, I ended up with a case of acute bronchitis. Believe me; it was not really cute at all. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I, during that time, competed in a coughing and sneezing contest. Unfortunately, she won the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Restart, Saddle

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Casual Is Not Always Appropriate

Contributed by James Snyder on May 2, 2020

If confession is good for the soul, I would like to give my soul a little treat. During this "stay-at-home" phenomenon, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Yours Truly, have been enjoying our time alone. We certainly have taken advantage of it. Not too long ago, my wife came up ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Casual, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Well, Here We Go Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 9, 2021

I have lived long enough to know that the only change that has any kind of reality is the change in my pocket. I keep track of that change with great supervision and count it every day. When people tell me that this is a New Year and there will be a lot of changes this year, I search my pocket ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Old, Humor, Change, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Knock, Knock; Someone’s In Trouble

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 27, 2021

For some reason, the last several weeks we have been getting many visitors at our door. I'm not sure if this is a general trend or if it is just our door. Some of them have been salesmen, religious people, scam artists, and a host of other people. They only had one goal in mind, and that was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Money, Telemarketers, Knocking On Doors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

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: Temptation, Accident, Crazy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Green Thumb Versus Black And Blue Thumb

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 16, 2021

If you came to our parsonage, you would discover all over our property, plants and flowers. Just don’t ask me to identify what they are. I can tell a plant from a flower, but that’s as far as it goes with me. That is not true with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She gets all the credit for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Unity, Differences

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

One Saturday Afternoon A Father And His Six-Year ...  PRO

Contributed by Brent Zastrow on Apr 18, 2001

One Saturday afternoon a father and his six-year old son Mickey were fishing near a bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir when a woman lost control of her car, slid off the bridge and hit Mikey at a rate of about 50 mph. Sheriff Marr, the boys grandfather, had seen the results of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:10

Tags: Saint, Miracles Of Jesus, Jesus Christ, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Eternal Real Estate  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on May 21, 2001

MY ETERNAL REAL ESTATE Years ago, radio evangelist Charles E. Fuller announced that he would speak the following Sunday on “Heaven” and that it would also be aired over the radio. During that week he received a letter from an elderly man who was very ill. Here’s a part of his letter: “Next ...read more

Tags: Heaven, Death Nearness, Funerals Christian

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Much Does Prayer Weigh?  PRO

Contributed by Danny Thomas on May 21, 2001

How Much Does Prayer Weigh? Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, God's Provision, Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Men's Thesaurus  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 10, 2001

THE MEN’S THESAURUS (men don’t always say what they mean) – excerpts: When a man says: "IT’S A GUY THING" He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical" When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER" He means: "Why isn’t it ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Dealing With Conflicts, Father's Day

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A While Back I Was Reading About An Expert On ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jul 23, 2001

A while back I was reading about an expert on the subject of time management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I’m sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you’ll never forget it either. As ...read more

Tags: Workplace, Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational