EXCUSES, EXCUSES Horace Bushnell made this list of those excused from benevolence giving. Those who believe "every man for himself." Those who believe that Christ made a mistake when he said: "Go into all the…
Sermon Illustrations
SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THE CHURCH The following is from Juan Carlos Ortiz's book Call To Discipleship: At the same time, I had been so active doing God's business that I had not taken time to…
RAISING KIDS The importance of parental presence as a support for children's achievements should not be underestimated. It is a clear sign that the parents care when they take the time to come to see…
DOING THE RIGHT THING -- THE WRONG WAY The following is a story from inland China: A long, long time ago people had not yet discovered about cooking food. They had learned to use fire…
OUR LIVES ARE INEXTRICABLY BOUND TOGETHER In the last chapter of Joy Gage's book she recounts some letters parents have written to their erring children. They are powerful and poignant letters. So often the rebellious…
LOST A summer visitor was asking a local farmer how to get off Southport Island in Maine and find his way back to Boothbay Harbor. The farmer began to explain how to find the road…
COMMUNICATION There is a story about a man and wife who were celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary--fifty years of married life. Having spent most of the day with relatives and friends at a big party…
GETTING WHAT YOU DON'T DESERVE Swindoll also told the one about Jack Benny, who, upon receiving an award, said to the presenter: "I really don't deserve this award, but then, I have arthritis and I…
LOVE IS Love is the filling from one's own, Another's cup, Love is the daily laying down And taking up; A choosing of the stony path Through each new day, That other feet may tread…
COMMUNICATION IN MARRIAGE Pastor Stephen Dixon of Normal, Illinois sent us one of his sermons on Christian Marriage which included the following story and application. I would like to relate a bitter-sweet story which Charles…
INCLUSIVE LOVE During the war a man died and his two friends desperately wanted to give him a decent burial. They found a cemetary in a nearby village. It happened to be a Roman Catholic…
LOSING AND FINDING ONESELF Here is the losing and finding of life in a person. Marian Preminger was born in Hungary in 1913, raised in a castle with her aristocratic family, surrounded with maids, tutors,…
THINK GIGANTIC The following is a great example of really thinking big, as told by Andy Warhol in POPism: The Warhol '60's: I remember when Sam Green had to get his entire apartment furnished free…
KINDNESS While Penny and I were walking in the park the other day, a ten-year-old boy came racing around a tree, almost running into us and said, "Dad, where's Amy?" Instantly he realized his mistake…
FLATTERY OR VEGETABLES? The politic philosopher Aristippus, by paying court to the tyrant Denys, had acquired a comfortable living and looked down upon his less prosperous fellow sages with no small degree of contempt. Seeing…
MUTUALITY Another important emphasis in speaking on the gifts and/or fruits of the spirit is mutuality. By our differences we complement one another in the body of Christ. I think it was in the Reader's…
THE CRUCIAL WORD Dwight Moody's father died when Dwight was only four. A month later Mrs. Moody gave birth to twins; she now had nine mouths to feed and no income. Merciless creditors dogged the…
AN IRISH PRAYER May those who love us, love us; And those that don't love us, May God turn their hearts; And if He doesn't turn their hearts, May He turn their ankles, So we'll…
LEAVE A NUMBER The pastor was leaving town. He simply had to get away for a few days. "Where can you be reached?" the church secretary asked. So he gave her a number. She soon…
PRAYER A prayer to be said when the world has gotten you down and you feel rotten and you're too doggone tired to pray and you're in a big hurry, and besides you're mad at…
