JOY The joy is not always in getting what we want but in letting go of what we don't need.
Sermon Illustrations
PRUDENCE Consider the little mouse, how sagacious and animal it is, which never entrusts its life to one hole only.
A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM A couple of years ago one of my dear friends, Nancy Biedebach, shared an event with me from her own life. It illustrates the marvelous way that God will…
RECONCILIATION A book issued by the Army gives all manner of practical advice to noncommissioned officers - even telling them how to reconcile friends who have quarreled. The two are put to the task of…
OPTIMISTIC PLANNING There are two prisoners shackled to the wall of a deep dark dungeon. Spread-eagle, they are securely lashed by manacles and chains and actually hanging suspended, side by side a few feet above…
GOALS, SHORT TERM Charlie Brown is at bat. STRIKE THREE. He has struck out again and slumps over to the bench. "Rats! I'll never be a big-league player. I just don't have it! All my…
TIME AND CHANGED BEHAVIOR CAN MAKE A POTENT CHANGE Raymond H. Brown of Riverview United Presbyterian Church of Drexel Hill, Penn. sent this story from Bits and Pieces: Two brothers, convicted of stealing sheep, were…
FROM IAN THOMAS VIA OREGON A few quotes from Ian Thomas of the Capernwray Fellowship of Torchbearers. God sent his Son, not to get you out of Hell and into Heaven, but to get Christ…
LORD WHEN DID WE SEE YOU? I was hungry and starving -- and you were obese; thirsty -- and you were watering your garden; with no road to follow, and without hope -- and you…
RETELLING THE STORY AS IF A favorite communication device is that of retelling a familiar story with an entirely different slant. Some speakers are very good at this. They take a familiar Bible story and…
THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF GOD More sky than man can see, More seas than he can sail, More sun than he can bear to watch, More stars than he can scale. More breath than he can…
PRAYER It seems to me that it is of more than just passing interest that virtually every month the lectionary readings include some important passages on prayer. You'd almost get the idea that prayer was…
PRAYER In contrast -- these words from Jean Ingelow: "I have lived to thank God that all my prayers have not been answered."
PRAYER Then there's the words of Bobbie Burns: "They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright."
PRAYER From a more modern source -- one day the cartoon shows little Ziggy standing on a hill looking up against a dark night sky protesting, "Have I been put on hold for the rest…
PRAYER God answers prayer; sometimes, when hearts are weak, He gives the very gifts believers seek. But often faith must learn a deeper rest, And trust God's silence, when He does not speak; For he…
PRAYER Prayer is the soul's sincere desire./Uttered or unexpressed -- The motion of a hidden fire, that trembles in the breast. Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward…
HOW YOU CAN TELL WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE A ROTTEN DAY You see a "60 Minutes" news team in your office. You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold. You turn on…
KIDS A school principal received a phone call. The voice said, "Thomas Bradley won't be in school today." The principal was a bit suspicious of the voice. He asked, "Who is speaking?" The voice came…
KIDS And speaking of kids, did you hear the story about the two young boys who were walking home from Sunday School and sharing their reflections on the lesson? They had been studying the temptation…
