In Sermon Illustrations:

Loss For Words

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 27, 2012

LOSS FOR WORDS Once when Red Skelton was being interviewed he was asked if he ever was at a loss for words. He hesitated a minute then said, "I dreamed I died and went to heaven. Just as I was taken ...read more

Tags: Communication Speech

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Changing Our Lives Due To The Harshness Of This ...

Contributed by Michael Hahn on Apr 14, 2012

Changing our lives due to the harshness of this world - Coming or going: leaving or staying? Which one will we be happy doing? The psalmist wrote: "Happy is the man who does not go in the company of sinners, or take his place in the way of evil-doers, or in the seat of those who do not give honour ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-4

Tags: Self

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Titanic Arrogance

Contributed by Casey Sabella on Apr 6, 2012

TITANIC ARROGANCE "Control your Irish passions, Thomas. Your uncle here tells me you proposed 64 lifeboats and he had to pull your arm to get you down to 32. Now, I will remind you just as I reminded him--these are my ships. And, according to our contract, I have final say on the design. I'll not ...read more

Tags: Arrogance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Titanic Love

Contributed by Casey Sabella on Apr 6, 2012

TITANIC LOVE "What I remember about that night - what I will remember as long as I live - is the people crying, 'I love you.'" ...read more

Tags: Suffering Loneliness

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Two Adversaries

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 2, 2012

THE TWO ADVERSARIES Robert Biggs, 69, who often hikes in the Whisky Flats area, came across a mother bear and her cubs, which were about 40 feet from where he was standing. After watching the bear family for a few minutes he decided to leave them alone and turned to walk back up the trail. As he ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

101-Year-Old Grandmother Sets Paragliding Record ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 26, 2012

101-year-old Grandmother Sets Paragliding Record (WATCH) By Good News Network Thursday, March 22, 2012 Not wanting to be outdone by her 75-year-old paragliding son, Mary Allen Hardison of Ogden, Utah, took flight on her birthday, becoming the "Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem" -- an achievement ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Anger: Strength In Your Claws

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 12, 2012

ANGER: STRENGTH IN YOUR CLAWS The biggest lobster ever caught in Maine, a 27-pounder (12.25 kg) with claws tough enough to snap a man's arm, was released back into the ocean on Thursday after being trapped in a shrimp net last week, marine officials said. The 40-inch (one-meter) male crustacean, ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Alcohol Use

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 12, 2012

ALCOHOL USE According to MSNBC, “Alcohol abuse kills some 75,000 Americans each year and shortens the lives of these people by an average of 30 years, a U.S. government study suggested Thursday. Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States ...read more

Tags: Alcohol

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Infinite Wisdom

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 12, 2012

INFINITE WISDOM An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean, "In return for your unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward you with your choice of infinite wealth, wisdom, or beauty." "Give me infinite wisdom!" declares the dean, without hesitation. Done!" says the ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Process Is The Point  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 9, 2012

THE PROCESS IS THE POINT Steven Furtick (Founder of Elevation Church) in SUN STAND STILL, p. 195-96: It's human nature to want to skip straight from the promise to the payoff. Who doesn't want to get right to the good stuff? But the process is invaluable. The process is a time of ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Abusing One's Parents

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 8, 2012

ABUSING ONE'S PARENTS According to aabss.org, "Nine to 33% of parents report being abused by their children ranging in age from 10 to 23... Some studies report that whites are more likely to batter than blacks;... [some] Studies show... that middle and upper class families have higher rates ... ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Ownership Of The Gift  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 27, 2012

OWNERSHIP OF THE GIFT A humanitarian group in Africa, noticing the filthy water, sewage, and disease, built clean water and sewage system for a village. Months later, they visited the village, but it was back to square one with filthy water, sewage and disease. [from Pickthebrain.com] The chief ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:20

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Tough Teacher

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 27, 2012

TOUGH TEACHER A school teacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in ...read more

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Black And White Boxes

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 24, 2012

THE BLACK AND WHITE BOXES I have in my hands two boxes which God gave me to hold. He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black, and all your joys in the white." I heeded His words, and in the two box both my joys and sorrows I stored. But though the white became heavier each day, the black ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Coping With Complaining

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 21, 2012

COPING WITH COMPLAINING How do you cope with complaining, nagging, whine-baby people? Internet discussion board posted this: Why do people complain so much? I know it's a natural thing but it has to be unhealthy. At my job people never stop complaining. Every day it's either too hot or too cold. ...read more

Tags: Complaining

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Problem With Being Deceased

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 13, 2012

THE PROBLEM WITH BEING DECEASED ABC News reported a strange story this week: Arthur Livingston, of Prosperity, S.C., may feel prosperous and alive, but his credit report says, "File not scored because subject is deceased." That's because Livingston's bank, Bank of America, has been reporting him ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Artist Is Now Known

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 9, 2012

THE ARTIST IS NOW KNOWN In 2002, a drawing was discovered in what used to be a maid's room in one of the museums. The chalk drawing of a candlestick was one of 5 drawings sold collectively to the museum in 1940 for $60. For decades, it sat in the storage until one day a visiting scholar ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Reasons For Leaving The Last Job

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 6, 2012

REASONS FOR LEAVING THE LAST JOB "Responsibility makes me nervous." "Please don't misconstrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping.' I have never quit a job." "Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches." "I was working for my mom until she ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Ring And The Carrot

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 9, 2012

THE RING AND THE CARROT "A Swedish woman who lost her wedding ring 16 years ago was flabbergasted when she found it again, around a carrot growing in her garden, media reported Saturday. Lena Paahlsson had taken off the white gold ring before a Christmas baking session with her daughters in 1995, ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a-B):

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 27, 2011

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a-b): "The world will continue for six thousand years, the first two thousand of which were a chaos (Tahu), the second two thousand were of Torah, and the third two thousand are the days of the Messiah, and because of our sins many years of these have elapsed, and still he ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible