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Contemporary Stories to Illuminate Your Sermons - - Without Burning the Midnight Oil

Coping with writer’s block? Looking for new sermon ideas? These short, thought-provoking “parables’ are a liturgical resource that can serve as talking points to illuminate the main message of your preaching or Bible study lessons.

Whether your text is taken from the New Testament or the Old Testament, these fresh, relevant illustrations will capture your congregation’s attention. Each story sheds new light on the lectionary readings for weekday and Sunday services.

For your convenience, the homilies arranged in alphabetical order according to the same themes that appear in the sidebar on the home page. You’ll also find many of the same significant themes developed in the Daily Devotions, Famous Quotes, and Thoughts to Live By. They’re instantly searchable by keyword, topic, scripture or lectionary date.

Adversity:

Struggle  at First - - Then Fly!

Author Unknown

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, that he brought home.

One day a small opening appeared and he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours. It struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He continued to watch the butterfly, expecting that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and the body would contract. Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly.

The man acted with well-intentioned kindness but he didn't understand the consequences. The restricting cocoon and the struggle required to get through the tiny opening, were  nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly once it  achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been and we could never fly

So the next time you are faced with an obstacle, a challenge, or a problem, remember the butterfly.

Attitude:

Growing Up vs. Growing Old

Author Unknown

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know.

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop.

I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began:

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success.

You have to laugh and find humor everyday.

You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability.

The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.

Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Attitude

Amazing Dog

An avid duck hunter was in the market for a new bird dog. His search ended when he found a dog that could actually walk on water to retrieve a duck. Shocked by his find, he was sure none of his friends would ever believe him.

He decided to try to break the news to a friend of his, a pessimist by nature, and invited him to hunt with him and his new dog. As they waited by the shore, a flock of ducks flew by. They fired, and a duck fell. The dog responded and jumped into the water. The dog, however, did not sink but instead walked across the water to retrieve the bird, never getting more than his paws wet. The friend saw everything but did not say a single word.

On the drive home the hunter asked his friend, "Did you notice anything unusual about my new dog?"

"I sure did," responded his friend. "He can't swim.”

Two people looking upon the same set of facts may come to very different conclusions. Some focus on the positive; others focus on the negative. Which are you?

Courage:

Facing our Fears

Author Unknown

In 1956, Nikita Kruschev addressed the 20th Communist Party Congress in a secret session in which he denounced Stalin as a tyrant and a monster. Shocked Stalinists sat in silence as Kruschev accused the former dictator of being a blood thirsty despot. At one point, a heckler interrupted Kruschev by shouting from the floor:

"Why didn't you speak out while all this was going on?"

"Who said that?" demanded Kruschev.

There was silence. No one dared breathe a word.

"Now," Kruschev said, "you know why not."

Fear. It is such a powerful emotion. It kept Kruschev from confronting Stalin when he was alive. It kept the heckler from confronting Kruschev. It can silence us; cripple us; panic us; rob us of our peace of mind. We harbor fears about our health; our jobs; our finances and loved ones. We never run out of things to worry about.

Senseless worry is the Devil's substitute for prayer.

Faith:

Wonder Dog

This Christian couple felt it important to own an equally Christian pet. So, they went shopping. At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found a dog they liked quite a lot.

When they asked the dog to fetch the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with dexterity. They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went home.

That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their new dog and his major skills, they called the dog and showed off a little. The friends were impressed, and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog tricks, as well. This stopped the couple cold, as they hadn't thought about 'normal' tricks.

"Well," they said, "let's try this out."

Once more they called out to the dog, and then clearly pronounced the command, "Heel!"

Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man's forehead, closed his eyes in concentration, and bowed his head.

Friendship

An Irish Blessing

May there always be work for your hands to do;

May your purse always hold a coin or two;

May the sun always shine on your windowpane;

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;

May the hand of a friend always be near you;

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Growth:

Truisms

Author Unknown

* To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.

1. *Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger.
   

2. *Real friends are those who, when you feel you've made a fool of yourself, don't feel you've done a permanent job.
   

* A coincidence is when God performs a miracle, and decides to remain anonymous.

* Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side.

* I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

* Lead your life so you won't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.

* People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.

* Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you respond to it.

* Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

* Life is like an onion, you peel off one layer at a time and sometimes you weep.

* Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

* There are two things I've learned: There is a God. And, I'm not Him.

* Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked.

1. *Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace and your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
   

* When it comes time to die...make sure all you got to do is die.

1. *Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
   

Happiness:

Finding Happiness

Anonymous

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" The answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g, to which the lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It all depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance for me. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax... then pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!"

And then he shared some of his personal philosophy on dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.

* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

* Never buy a car you can't push.

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

* The second mouse gets the cheese.

* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Love:

An Ode to My Wife

If I could just turn back the time

To when I heard you say,

That I could be your shining prince

And all the dragons slay,

I'd build a castle on the hill

So all the world could see,

The lovely princess that I chose,

To live and die with me.

If I could just turn back the time

And start my life anew,

I'd plant some roses near the paths

That I have led you through:

There'd be no thorns to pierce your heart,

No tears to dim your eyes,

I'd leave no stones to bruise your feet,

there'd be no sad goodbyes.

But Father Time will not turn back

The hours that passed away.

I can't remove the thorns and rocks

From all those past gone days;

I cannot live my life again

But dragons I would slay,

If I could be your shining prince

For only one more day.

Love:

As Seen Through a Child’s Eyes

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds.  What does love mean?  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. 

1.  When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.  So my grandpa does it for her now all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.  That's love. 

Rebecca- age 8

2.  When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You just know that your name is safe in their mouths.  Billy- age 4

3.  Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving Cologne and they go out and smell each other.  Kari- age 5

4.  Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.  Chrissy- age 6

5.  Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.  Terri- age 4

6.  Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.  Danny- age 7

7.  Love is when you kiss all the time.  Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My mommy and my daddy are like that.  They look gross when they kiss.  Emily- age

8.      Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. 

Bobby- age 7

9.  If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.  Nikka- age 6

10.  Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.  Noelle- age 7

11.  Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.  Tommy- age 6

12  During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was scared.  I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.  He was the only one doing that.  I wasn't scared anymore.  Cindy- age 8

13. My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night. 

Clare- age 6

14.  Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.  Elaine-age 5

15.  Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.  Chris- age 7

16.  Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.  Mary Ann- age 4

17. When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.  Karen- age 7

18  Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and doesn't think it's gross.  Mark- age 6

19.  You really shouldn't say I LOVE YOU unless you mean it.  But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  People forget.  Jessica- age 8

And the winner was a 4 year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly man who had just lost his wife.  When the child saw the man cry, the little boy went over into the man's yard and climbed on top of the man's lap and just sat there.  When the boy's mother asked him what he'd said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

Motivation

Motivation is a Matter of Degree

At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it begins to boil, giving off steam. And steam can drive a locomotive. That one degree difference in temperature makes all the difference. It may seem small but, often in life, the crucial difference is small. The difference between a winner and loser may come down to a fraction of a second or less than an inch. You may be much closer to achieving your goals than you realize. The crucial difference, the extra power you need to make that supreme effort, may come down to something as simple as a prayer to the Supreme Being.

Patience:

Season’s of Life

Author Unknown

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son he sent in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come.

"The old things are passing away, behold, all things are becoming new." Jesus

livepage.apple.com

Persistence:

“Don’t Quit . . . Keep Playing”

By Unknown Author

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her child was missing.

Suddenly the stage curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway.

In horror the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out the tune 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'

At that moment the great piano master, Paderewski, made his entrance, quicky moved to the piano, whispered in the little boys' ear, saying "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then, leaning over the little boy, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligato.

Together the master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.

The audience was mesmerized, going away with the memory of the great classical: 'Twinkle - Twinkle Little Star.'

This is the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is, indeed, hardly noteworthy. We try our best but the results aren't always graceful, flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our personal Creator, Almighty God, our life's work can truly be beautiful and personally fulfilling!

The next time you set out to work on a project or accomplish a task, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master whispering in your ear: "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Invite Him to wrap His arms around you. Be confident in knowing that His hands are there, eager to help you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. All He is waiting for is YOUR invitation, asking Him to guide and help you!

Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire. Touch someone TODAY.

Remember: 'Don't quit. Keep playing!"

Prayers:

I asked God for. . .

Author Unknown

I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.

I asked for courage and God gave me danger to overcome.

I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted and I received everything I needed.

An Unexpected Answer to Prayer

Author Unknown

A woman was at work when she received a phone call saying that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication for her child. But when she returned to her car she found that the keys were still in the ignition and the door was locked.

In a panic, she called her home and told the baby sitter what had happened and that she didn't know what to do. The baby sitter said that her daughter was getting worse. She suggested, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."

It seemed like such a far-fetched idea, but the woman was desperate and looked about. To her surprise, she found a rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by others who at some time or other had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this." So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help.

Within a few minutes, an old rusty car pulled up, driven by a dirty, greasy, bearded man, who wore an old biker skull rag on his head.

The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me, Lord?" But she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.

The man got out of his car, saw her tears, and asked if he could help.

She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure," walked over to the car and, in less than one minute, had it open.

She hugged the man and through her tears, she said, "Thank you so much! You are a very nice man."

The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison yesterday. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out less than 24 hours."

The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, thank you, God! You knew just what I needed. You even sent a professional."

Problems:

The Buzzard, the Bat, and the Bumblebee

Author Unknown

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

A bumble bee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

In many ways, there are lots of people like the BUZZARD, the BAT, and the BEE. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there..."above" them...

Have a wonderful day and Don't forget to look UP!

Service:

The Caring Bridge

! recently came across a non-profit web site called CaringBridge, dedicated to caring for the sick and dying as well as their loved ones. It was started by a woman who wanted to help a friend during a difficult pregnancy. The free site helps ease the burden of keeping family and friends informed. Patients and caregivers can post progress reports on the password-protected site and draw strength from loved ones’ messages of support, which are also posted there.

On CaringBridge, dialysis patients discover the cathartic power of journaling. Families facing childhood illness draw loved ones closer. Injured veterans are uplifted by online support groups of family and friends.

In the past ten years, the CaringBridge has touched the lives of 70,000 patients, who have had 400+ million visits by loved ones. More than ten million guest book messages of support have been left on the Web site.

Every single day CaringBridge sends out 250,000 notifications - - letting someone know a CaringBridge site has been updated.

And it all began with just one woman who felt concerned about the well-being of  friend.

Reaching Out To Those In Need

In the athletic arena, we see many examples of what can be achieved by single-minded focus on a goal. But the track and field event that best captures the essence of Luke 6: 39-42, was the Special Olympics for physically challenged athletes held in Seattle some years ago.

In front of a packed stadium, the runners took their marks; the starter raised a gun above his head, paused for a moment and fired. The runners burst out of the starting blocks and raced down the track, neck and neck, when - - suddenly - - one of them stumbled and fell.

A gasp went up from the crowd as the fallen runner slumped over, more in embarrassment than in pain.

When the other competitors realized what had happened, they stopped, turned around and, one by one, came to the side of their fellow runner. One of them bent over, helped him to his feet, dusted him off and wiped a tear from his eye.

‘Everything is going to be all right,’ he seemed to say.

Then, they locked arms, grinned at each other and walked down the track to cross the finish line together.

In sports, victories are measured in fractions of an inch or milliseconds, but, in the spiritual arena, the measure of success is something far greater. Athletes, Saint Paul tells us, deny themselves all sorts of things in order to win a crown of leaves that wither, but we run for a crown that is imperishable.

Success:

The Comfort Zone

Author Unknown

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I couldn't fail,

The same four walls of busy work were really more like a jail

I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,

But I stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor

I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much,

I said I didn't care for things like diamonds or furs and such

I claimed to be so busy with the things inside my zone,

But deep inside I longed for something special of my own

I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win,

I held my breath and stepped outside to let the change begin

I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,

I kissed my comfort zone good bye and closed and locked the door

If you are in a comfort zone afraid to venture out,

Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt

A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true

Greet your future with a smile, success is there for you!

Values:

The Mexican Fisherman

Author Unknown

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while, Señor."

The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, Señor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But Señor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, Señor?"

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, Señor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

Wisdom:

The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson

   1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

   2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.

   3. Never spend your money before you have it.

   4. Never buy what you do not want because it is cheap; it will never be dear to you.

   5. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold.

   6. Never repent of having eaten too little.

   7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.

   8. Don't let the evils which have never happened cost you pain.

   9. Always take things by their smooth handle.

10. 10.When angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry, count to one hundred.
    

Words

Words of Wisdom

1. 1.The six most important words: I admit I made a mistake.
   

2. 2.The five most important words: You did a good job.
   

3. 3.The four most important words: What is your opinion?
   

4. 4.The three most important words: If you please
   

5. 5.The two most important words: Thank you.
   

6. 6.The one least important word: I
   

Ministry Tools

“Come in and let us prepare you for your finals.”

“How will you spend eternity - - smoking or non-smoking?”

“Swallowing pride will never give you indigestion.”

“Read the Bible - - scare the Hell out of yourself.”

“Prayer: the best wireless connection.”

“Many who seek God at the 11th hour die at 10:30.”

“The most powerful position is on your knees.”

“There are some questions that can’t be answered by Google.”

“Do not wait for the hearse to take you to church.”

“For fast, fast, fast relief, take two tablets: the Ten Commandments.”

“Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins.”

“No God. No Peace. Know God. Know Peace.”

“Come in and pray today. Beat the Christmas rush!”

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Preaching Resources

Stewardship

Working With Volunteers

Great postage stamp for newcomer mailings

For A Vacation Bible School Lessons They’ll Take With Them