Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 4076 to 4100 of 4963 results

4076. Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus notes that the Pharisees love to be front and center on all occasions, whether social or religious. The “place of honor” (“protoklisia”) at first century banquets would have been reclining on the couch next to the host. Among some of the architectural remains of first century synagogues there is evidence of stone seats that were placed at the front, with simple benches then filling up the rest of the house of prayer. Obviously up front meant “best,” the roost for the most respected. But it ...

4077. Obsolete Silly Laws

Illustration

Staff

... have a kettle of soup brewing. According to an old Detroit law, banana peels are not to be thrown in the streets for fear of injury to horses. In Connecticut pickles which, when dropped 12 inches, collapse in their own juice are illegal. They must remain whole and even bounce. In Corvallis, Oreg., young ladies are not allowed to drink coffee after six o'clock in the evening. In Lehigh Nebr. it is against the law to sell doughnut holes. In Richmond, Va., it is illegal to match coins in public restaurants ...

4078. It's Tough To Be a Christian

Illustration

Paul Borthwick

... every Christian leader. Ponder these slowly. You must be willing to stand alone. You must be willing to go against public opinion in order to promote what you believe. You must be willing to risk failure. You must become master of your emotions. You must strive to remain above reproach. You must be willing to make decisions others don't want to make. You must be willing to say no at times, even when you'd like to say yes. You must sometimes be willing to sacrifice personal interests for the good of the ...

4079. How Long Things Last

Illustration

Frank Kendig and Richard Hutton

... a baby born in the U.S. today is about 71 years, nearly double what it was at the end of the 18th century. The longest authenticated life-span of a human being is 113 years, 214 days. Studies show married people live longer than those who remain single. A group of subatomic particles known as unstable hadrons exists for only one one-hundred-sextillionth of a second (10 to the negative 23 second) less time than it takes light to travel a single inch. A regular 100-watt incandescent bulb will last about 750 ...

4080. The Littlest Fan

Illustration

One of the all-time greats in baseball was Babe Ruth. His bat had the power of a cannon, and his record of 714 home runs remained unbroken until Hank Aaron came along. The Babe was the idol of sports fans, but in time age took its toll, and his popularity began to wane. Finally the Yankees traded him to the Braves. In one of his last games in Cincinnati, Babe Ruth began to falter. He struck ...

4081. A Wise Husband

Illustration

... earth (she'll probably faint the first time you do this). Above all, persevere (you're in this for the long haul). A wise husband builds his mate's self-esteem, realizing that the subtle words and actions of a sinful world constantly assault her sense of self-worth. He remains sensitive to her needs and is always ready to offer his support. Encourage your wife verbally and demonstratively. Words of cheer and praise are high octane fuel that boost your wife's emotional fuel tanks.

4082. God Ain't Dead

Illustration

James DeLoach

I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a small boy clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying. ...

4083. Chasing Mice

Illustration

A familiar Mother Goose rhyme goes: PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN TO LONDON TO VISIT THE QUEEN. PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHAT DID YOU DO THERE? I FRIGHTENED A LITTLE MOUSE UNDER THE CHAIR. Like that cat, Christians sometimes settle for petty involvements, trivial pursuits chasing mice when we have the opportunity to spend time with royalty, with the King! Instead of remaining content with minimum daily requirements, we can deepen our relationship with God and grow into maturity.

4084. The Firm Foundation of Despair

Illustration

... the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way; for Man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day;. . . proudly defiant of the irresistible forces that tolerate, for a moment, his knowledge . . . and his condemnation, to sustain alone, a weary but unyielding Atlas, the ...

4085. But Not Today

Illustration

Grace E. Easley

I shall grow old perhaps, but not today, not while my hopes are young, my spirit strong, my vision clear, because life has a way of smoothing out the wrinkles with a song. I shall grow old, perhaps, but not today, not while my dreams remain a shining shield, my faith a lance, and 'neath a sky of grey, my colors wave upon the battlefield. I shall grow old, perhaps, but not today, not while this pen can write upon a page, and memories turn Winter into May, shall this stout heart be brought to terms ...

4086. Stormy Surroundings

Illustration

Berit Kjos

... The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered. The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed ...

4087. Around the Cross

Illustration

... were allowed to go free. But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad. Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad.

4088. Nothing Is Done

Illustration

"Nothing is done," Lincoln Steffens once wrote. "Everything in the world remains to be done or done over. The greatest picture is not yet painted. The greatest play isn't written. The greatest poem is unsung." Nothing is perfect, we can add. There's no perfect airline. There's no perfect government. there's no perfect law. Faucets still drip, as one ...

4089. A Walking Skelton

Illustration

... . He was deeply concerned about his patient, yet his heart went out to those ragged paupers. Hurriedly he gave them a small gift, plus a few kind words of spiritual admonition. A moment later he stared in amazement at one weary beggar who had remained behind. The half-starved fellow was little more than a living skeleton. The missionary suddenly realized that the Lord had brought him a walking lesson in anatomy! He asked the elderly man if he might examine him. After carefully tracing the femur bone with ...

4090. Ghandi's Turnaround

Illustration

... to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. "If Christians have caste differences also," he said, "I might as well remain a Hindu." That usher's prejudice not only betrayed Jesus but also turned a person away from trusting Him as Savior.

4091. Love Among the Ashes

Illustration

Soon after Angi and David's sixth anniversary, the couple's home burned to the ground. Angi's first act, when they were allowed to hunt through the blackened remains, was to search for their photo albums. When she went to tell David that the pictures had indeed survived, she found him carefully placing in a box some charred, folded pieces of paper, their courtship love letters. "As I watched David kneeling there in the ashes," she says, "I was ...

4092. Life's Little Gambles

Illustration

Bill Bryson

... predictability of mortality rates is something that has long puzzled social scientists. A few years ago, in fact, Canadian psychologist Gerald Wilde noticed that mortality rates for violent and accidental deaths throughout most of the Western world have remained oddly static all through this century, despite advances in our technology and safety standards. Wilde developed a controversial theory risk homeostasis postulating that people tend to embrace a certain level of risk. When something is made safer ...

4093. Gratitude Lunch

Illustration

Courtland Milloy

... dye through the catheter into his kidney before taking X rays to determine if it was fit for transplant. A week later, an incision nearly 15 inches long was made from his navel to the middle of his back. After surgery he remained hospitalized for five days. Today, both Stevens and Washington are fully recovered. "I jog at least twice a week," Washington says. Three times a month, they get together for what they call a "gratitude lunch." Despite occasional pressure by friends, a romantic relationship ...

4094. Who Gets the Credit?

John 3:30

Illustration

C.S. Kirkendall, Jr

... use the principles to predict the orbit and return of the comet that would later bear his name, but only AFTER his death did he receive any acclaim. And because the comet only returns every seventy-six years, the notice is rather infrequent. Halley remained a devoted scientist who didn't care who received the credit as long as the cause was being advanced. Others have played Halley's role. John the Baptist said of Jesus, "He must become greater; I must become less." Barnabus was content to introduce others ...

4095. Stress: Executive Monkey

Illustration

... both himself and his colleague from shock, responding to both lights or either light without difficulty. There was no outward change in either monkey as the experiment continued, but after awhile the executive monkey, responding to the stress of responsibility for another, developed stomach ulcers. The second monkey's health remained unchanged. Unknown

4096. Necessary Struggle

Illustration

Beth Landers

... emperor moth and took it home to watch it emerge. One day a small opening appeared, and for several hours the moth struggled but couldn't seem to force its body past a certain point. Deciding something was wrong, the man took scissors and snipped the remaining bit of cocoon. The moth emerged easily, its body large and swollen, the wings small and shriveled. He expected that in a few hours the wings would spread out in their natural beauty, but they did not. Instead of developing into a creature free to fly ...

4097. The Namless Last Student

Illustration

Staff

... years ago in a huge lecture hall (approximately 1000 students) for a Calculus final. Apparently this particular calculus teacher wasn't very well liked. He was one of those guys who would stand at the front of the class and yell out how much time was remaining before the end of a test, a real charmer. Since he was so busy gallivanting around the room making sure that nobody cheated and that everyone was aware of how much time they had left before their failure on the test was complete, he had the students ...

4098. The Makings of a Bad Day

Illustration

Staff

... "60 Minutes" news team waiting in your office. Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles. You turn on the news and they're showing emergency routes out of the city. Your twin sister forgot your birthday. Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell's Angels on the freeway. Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat. The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard. You wake up and your braces are locked together. You call your answering ...

4099. So Much for So Little

Illustration

Staff

... the sale of each of three subsequent editions, comprising 1,500 copies. Milton received a second five pounds in April 1669, making a grand total of 10 pounds for the author of England's greatest epic. After his death, Milton's widow Elizabeth sold all remaining rights for eight pounds to Simmons, who became perpetual copyright owner. It's hard to imagine someone selling something of such great value for so little. And yet, Jesus' disciple Judas sold the Savior of the world for a little bag of silver. When ...

4100. Guilty of Silence

Illustration

... all agreed that if anything could be said for a case, you would say it. But since you didn't present any evidence, we decided to rule against you." Silence had lost the case. How often the opportunity to speak a word of testimony for Christ is lost because we remain silent. Those who need to hear the gospel may conclude that salvation is not important enough to talk about.

Showing results

Showing 4076 to 4100 of 4963 results

4076. Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

4077. Obsolete Silly Laws

Illustration

Staff

4078. It's Tough To Be a Christian

Illustration

Paul Borthwick

4079. How Long Things Last

Illustration

Frank Kendig and Richard Hutton

4080. The Littlest Fan

Illustration

4081. A Wise Husband

Illustration

4082. God Ain't Dead

Illustration

James DeLoach

4083. Chasing Mice

Illustration

4084. The Firm Foundation of Despair

Illustration

4085. But Not Today

Illustration

Grace E. Easley

4086. Stormy Surroundings

Illustration

Berit Kjos

4087. Around the Cross

Illustration

4088. Nothing Is Done

Illustration

4089. A Walking Skelton

Illustration

4090. Ghandi's Turnaround

Illustration

4091. Love Among the Ashes

Illustration

4092. Life's Little Gambles

Illustration

Bill Bryson

4093. Gratitude Lunch

Illustration

Courtland Milloy

4094. Who Gets the Credit?

John 3:30

Illustration

C.S. Kirkendall, Jr

4095. Stress: Executive Monkey

Illustration

4096. Necessary Struggle

Illustration

Beth Landers

4097. The Namless Last Student

Illustration

Staff

4098. The Makings of a Bad Day

Illustration

Staff

4099. So Much for So Little

Illustration

Staff

4100. Guilty of Silence

Illustration

Showing results