Synonyms: thirstiness, dryness, parched, craving, strong desire, longing, yearning, avidity, hunger, voracity, keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite, passion, love, crave, want, covet, desire, hunger for/after, lust for/after, hanker for/after, have one's heart set on
Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation
Showing 626 to 650 of 3108 results
Sermon
Louis H. Valbracht
During this past week, I was confronted by an impossible task. I was asked, by her friends, to see a young woman in an attempt to cheer her up, or bring her out of her time of bitterness and depression from which she was suffering. Get the picture, please. Just about two years ago, this attractive young mother had her leg amputated in a motorcycle accident. She still suffers the pain of learning how to walk on an artificial leg. Then, just a week ago, her husband, the father of her two children, was ...
Sermon
Mark Ellingsen
Jerusalem, the great capital, was in ruins. The Babylonians were in control. It was the beginning of the famed Babylonian Captivity. All the symbols of power, wealth, prestige, and influence were gone. No wonder so many Hebrews were in despair and that songs of lamentation like the one we just read as today’s First Lesson were composed and long remembered. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that life’s moorings had been cut loose? Maybe it was the loss of a dear loved one, a child gone bad, a ...
Sermon
King Duncan
There is a time-honored story about four brothers who left home for college. They became successful doctors and lawyers and prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, “I had a big house built for Mama.” The second said, “I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house.” The third said, “I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her.” The fourth ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
Jesus was unrelenting in his forward thinking. Consider how much time he spent teaching about the kingdom of God, which was both now and not-yet. What pleasures from God are being poisoned in our lives because we cannot escape a life of constant regret - the "if onlys," "wrong turns," "yes-buts," and "sour notes" of woulda/coulda/shoulda thinking? We've all done it: enraged or insulted, frightened or confused at someone or some situation, we have stood there sputtering and fuming or have fled in tears and ...
630. The Science of Happiness
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
“The pursuit of happiness.” It’s a phrase with which every school child is familiar. But what a phrase . . . a phrase that is foundational to our national identity and part of the introductory insistence of our Founding Fathers’ Declaration of Independence. “Happiness” is an extraordinary “demand” for political revolutionaries. Equality. Democracy. Liberty. Freedom. Those are what we expect from our fiery ancestors. But life, liberty . . . and “the pursuit of happiness?” No matter how intellectually gifted ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Pastor John Ortberg tells a humorous story about an umpire in a softball league in Colorado. One day, during the off season, this unfortunate umpire got stopped by a police officer for speeding. He pleaded for mercy. He explained to the policeman that he was a good driver and told why this particular day he had to be in a hurry. The officer didn’t buy his argument. “Tell it to the judge,” he said. When softball season rolled around, the umpire was umpiring his first game. Guess who was the first batter to ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Who is the “real” Jesus? How hard is it for us to see Jesus as a real person who felt sadness, happiness, grief, joy, who experienced laughter, who joked with his disciplines, who got angry, who could wrestle with his own pain? And yet, if we don’t recognize this Jesus, we lose the gift that God gave to us in the reality of the fully human (not just divine) Son. Watching the way Jesus handles his own struggles, reveals his own humanness, can help us to recognize and accept our own. Today, nearly every ...
633. Provoked
Luke 4:21-30
Sermon
Lori Wagner
It’s hard to impart joy to those who dwell gladly and gainfully in sorrow. Ever notice that? I’m not talking about the truly sad or those who are grieving, and I’m not talking about those suffering from depression or anxiety. These are truly debilitating conditions. Some people however neither respond to joy nor comfort because they are gaining too much power, attention, satisfaction, or compassion in remaining unhappy, angry, miserable, or spiteful.Especially when they feel they are justified. Especially ...
Sermon
James McLemore
There are many reasons why God needs to save the families described in this message. There are countless reasons why God needs to save any family. The primary reason is that we are unable to save our families ourselves. Let me illustrate a few scenes from modern American family life. In the first scene, we see a white house on a corner with a picket fence all around it. A typical family event is occurring. The father slams the front door as he storms out of the house. The mother slams the bedroom door and ...
Sermon
Erskine White
But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth ... (John 15:26) Many of the pentecostal and charismatic churches place entirely too much emphasis on the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit seems the only part of the triune God some of these churches pay attention to. In their worship, their preaching and their faith, they nearly abandon God the Father and Christ the Son in favor of the Spirit, to the point where Christian faith is reduced to a mere matter ...
Sermon
Ron Lavin
A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. "If you want to," he said, "you can make me clean." Jesus was filled with pity, and reached out and touched him. "I do want to, "he answered. "Be clean!" At once the disease left the man, and he was clean. Then Jesus spoke sternly to him and sent him away at once, after saying to him, "Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone ...
Sermon
Mark Ellingsen
The weekend is shot (almost). Tomorrow it is back to the “real” world, back to the grind, at least for most of us. Where will God be in all that? Be honest with me: Do you feel God’s Presence on the job, as you go through the usual Monday routine? Is God directing you as you attend to your e-mail, run through your voice mail, review the reports, or check your assignment? Let us be frank with each other. The businesses which employ most of us are part of the “secular” realm, not of the “sacred” realm that ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
Although our coins read "In God we trust," trust is a scarce commodity these days. Perhaps we have forgotten the Ten Commandments of Trust. The issue of trust is one of the most crucial question facing postmoderns today. - The catch phrase of the wildly popular "X Files" TV show declares, "Trust no one; fear everything." - The mistrust between Republicans and Democrats has led to multiple forced government shutdowns as the battle over who can be trusted to balance the federal budget rages. - Social " ...
639. No More Tears
John 11:17-37
Sermon
King Duncan
You may have noticed that our lessons for today from Revelation and from the Gospel of John both involve tears. In one passage Jesus weeps. In the other, God wipes away tears from His children’s eyes. All of us can relate to the idea of crying. We’ve all done it at some time in our lives. Of course some people cry easier than others and people cry for different reasons. “You don’t love me anymore,” said one poor guy’s wife as she turned on the waterworks. “When you see me crying, you never ask why.” “I am ...
640. Seismic Shift
2 Corinthians 7:2-16
Sermon
James Merritt
Not too long ago there was a young lady who visited our church from another church in our area. After the service, she was walking through the lobby and one of our ladies noticed her and not recognizing her walked over to ask if she was a guest. She replied that she was. She said, “Did you enjoy the service?” The lady said, “Yes, but I won’t be back.” She said, “Were we not friendly to you?” She said, “Oh no. Your people were very friendly.” She said, “Did you not enjoy the worship?” She said, “Oh no. The ...
641. Trials and Temptations
James 1:1-18, James 1:19-27
Understanding Series
Peter H. Davids
Wisdom for Life’s Tests 1:1 The letter from James opens with a simple and direct greeting. The writer identifies himself simply as James, a servant of God. There was only one James so well known in the early church that he would need no other form of identification, and that was James the Just, brother of Jesus, leader of the church in Jerusalem. The readers are expected to recognize the name. Yet for all his prominence and important position in the church (so important that the letter from Jude begins, “ ...
Sermon
King Duncan
The Rev. Dr. Stephen Hayner was the president of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. Dr. Hayner told a beautiful story about a young teacher he met several years ago in Uganda by the name of Christine Nakalema. Christine grew up in a rural village in Bokeka. When she was five years old and her sister Harriet was seven and her little brother was four, their parents both died within three months of each other of AIDS. The three siblings lived for nearly two years on their own. They had no parents, ...
643. Listening and Doing
James 1:19-27, James 1:1-18
Understanding Series
Peter H. Davids
Wisdom for Life’s Tests 1:1 The letter from James opens with a simple and direct greeting. The writer identifies himself simply as James, a servant of God. There was only one James so well known in the early church that he would need no other form of identification, and that was James the Just, brother of Jesus, leader of the church in Jerusalem. The readers are expected to recognize the name. Yet for all his prominence and important position in the church (so important that the letter from Jude begins, “ ...
644. The First Songs of Christmas
Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:46-56
Sermon
Lori Wagner
“Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20) Everyone loves Christmas carols! As the seasons of Advent and Christmas approach, and we begin to hear those familiar songs on the radio, in stores, on loudspeakers, in our worship, our hearts leap a little for joy. Let’s face it. Carols instill joy in ...
645. Unsanctified
Mark 1:21-28
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Ever have one of those days when you just feel miserable, awful, ornery, grouchy? Maybe something has happened to make you feel like you have the grumpies. Or maybe nothing in particular happened at all. We call that “getting up on the wrong side of the bed.” Some days, our spirits sag, and some days, our spirits soar. Even the steadiest, most stable and secure people have days when they just feel “off.” But there is a difference between feeling down in the dumps or even grouchy and feeling nasty, vicious ...
Sermon
Roger G. Talbott
What one thing could you do that would make the biggest difference in your life and in the world? Some say praying and reading the Bible every day would make the biggest difference. Some say working for world peace would make the biggest difference. Some say doing a kind deed every day would make the biggest difference. All of these things are important, but I am increasingly convinced that the one thing each of us could do that would make the biggest difference to us and to the world is to rebuild a ...
647. Adam And Eve And God
Genesis 1:1-2:3, Genesis 2:4-25, Genesis 3:1-24
Drama
Jerry Eckert
Comment: Narrative depends on imagination. Imagination can be triggered by vivid words, by the conversational tone that frees it to flow naturally, by dramatic intonations lending emotion to the intellectual content being offered, and by specific directions to the listeners. The following sermon was done using the device of directing the congregation to imagine a specific setting, a stage with scenery and props described. The device was reinforced by having the people in the congregation close their eyes ...
Sermon
John M. Braaten
Given that you and I are reasonably good people, it probably does not amaze you to read that Jesus was able to overcome temptation. After all, like me, you've probably been able to do it yourself, many times. Admittedly, we have also caved in to temptation innumerable times, but for a person with Jesus' devotion and strength, eluding the tempter's entrapment must have been a piece of cake. That assumption is based on that belief that temptation is merely the urge to do something wrong. It is the desire to ...
Sermon
Brett Blair
[Read up to verse 26b and end with "Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with your child?"] I am going to read a quote to you first and then tell you who said it: A small child waits, with impatience, the arrival home of a parent. She wishes to relate some sandbox experience. She is excited to share the thrill that she has known that day. The time comes; the parent arrives. Beaten down by the stresses of the workplace the parent often replies: “Not now, honey, I’m busy, go watch ...
Sermon
Benjamin Franklin once said, "Nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes." This week we would not question the validity of what he said. The difference, however, is that April 15 and the time for paying our income taxes comes around once a year. Death comes only once in a lifetime to each of us as human beings. So we look at them and we deal with them differently. It seems to me that we also deal with death differently than we did when I was a child. Medical science was not as advanced then as it ...
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