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 1326 to 1350 of 4962 results
1326. Why Should I Be the Lucky One
Illustration
Maxie Dunnam
Snoopy, that “hound of heaven” in Charles Schultz’s “Peanuts” cartoon, tell us human beings important things about life. On one occasion, he moves into deep contemplation as he watches Charlie Brown and Linus walk by. He says to himself, “I wonder why some of us were born dogs while others were born people. Is it just pure chance or what is it? Somehow the whole thing doesn’t seem fair.” And then he emerges from his meditation and goes tripping away with one concluding question, “Why should I have been the ...
1327. Do You Have It
Ephesians 4:17--5:21
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
The epistle text for this week draws distinctions in belief and behavior that are as different as night and day, light and dark. Our lectionary reading, part of a larger discussion that begins in Ephesians 4:17 and does not conclude until 5:20, focuses on how disciples are "to walk" in this world. Both the being and the behavior of those transformed by Christ are discernibly different from the rest of the world--as different as "light" and "darkness." As baptized people, argues the Ephesians text, the ...
Children's Sermon
Wesley T. Runk
Object: A linen napkin. Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to talk about some of the things that the followers of Jesus found when they went to the place where he was buried and found him risen from the dead. We talk a lot about that day a long time ago, but I want you to pretend that you were there the first day when it all happened. You are going to think about how sad you are to know that your very favorite person has died and was put into a grave on Friday. Today is Sunday and that means ...
1329. Be One
John 17:20-26
Children's Sermon
Brett Blair
Exegetical Aim: Christian Unity. Props: Dollar sets taken out and dropped on a loud metal tray in the following order: 100 pennies, 20 nickels, 10 dimes, 4 quarters, and a dollar bill. Try to place each set in a different pocket. Lesson: I have a dollar in my pocket and it has been rather difficult carrying it around. Take the pennies out of your pocket and drop them slowly on the tray. Create as much sustained noise as possible. Try speaking over the noise. They make a lot of noise and they are difficult ...
1330. One House or Two
Ephesians 6:1-4
Children's Sermon
Shirley Jennings
Object: Sheets of construction paper on which are glued pictures taken from colored supplements found in newspapers. Lesson: Sometimes mothers and fathers don’t live together anymore, but they still love their children. First sheet: A mother, a father, and two children, in a group. Second Sheet: A mother on the left-hand side and a father with children on the right-hand side. Third sheet: A father on the left-hand side and a mother with children on the right-hand side. Once upon a time, many years ago, ...
1331. Gave Her One Talent To God
Matthew 25:14-30
Illustration
Mark Adams
Bill Wilson pastors an inner city church in New York City. His mission field is a very violent place. He himself has been stabbed twice as he ministered to the people of the community surrounding the church. Once a Puerto Rican woman became involved in the church and was led to Christ. After her conversion she came to Pastor Wilson and said, "I want to do something to help with the church's ministry." He asked her what her talents were and she could think of nothing---she couldn't even speak English---but ...
1332. One Life Will Do Fine
Illustration
Staff
In one of his books, noted Presbyterian author Frederick Buechner tells about a trip to the grocery store. He and his wife were in a hurry, so when they entered the small New England general store, they tore their shopping list in two. He took one half of the list and she took the other and they set off down separate aisles. The store was mostly empty so they talked with each other from one aisle to the next. Standing by the shelf of breakfast cereal and cake mix, Buechner called out, "Don't forget the ...
1333. Only One
Hebrews 10:11-12; John 19:30
Illustration
Author Unknown
While two visitors were visiting Annapolis, they noticed several students on their hands and knees assessing the courtyard with pencils and clipboards in hand. “What are they doing?” one of them asked their tour guide. “Each year,” he replied with a grin, “The upperclassmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish paving this courtyard.” “So what’s the answer?” one of the visitors asked the tour guide when they were out of earshot of the freshmen. The guide replied, “One.” That brings up an ...
Children's Sermon
Teresa L. Major
Concept: The more we "cover" ourselves with God's word, the more protection we have against temptation to do wrong. Preparation: At least one bottle of sunscreen or suntan lotion with the SPF plainly visible. Several bottles with differing SPF's would be helpful. Do you know what this stuff is? (Children respond.) It's sunscreen. We used to call this suntan lotion, but now we don't care so much about getting a tan as we do about protecting ourselves from the sun. What does sunscreen do? (Children respond. ...
Children's Sermon
Wesley T. Runk
Object: Bread crumbs Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you are good eaters? (Let them answer.) Do a lot of you belong to the clean plate club? (Let them answer.) If I came to your house and ate dinner with you, would I find anything left on your plate? (Direct your question to a clean plate club member.) You mean that I would not find even a crumb of food left somewhere around where you eat? (Let them answer.) Not many of us eat all of the crumbs. When your mother cleans up the table after each ...
Bulletin Aid
James Wilson
Call To Worship Leader: Let us gather together all who would hear the word of the Lord! People: Let us carry to every nation the message of God's mercy and love. Leader: Let our lives bear witness that God's mercy and grace are real. People: For when we were each yet lost God sent the Christ to bring us home. Leader: Let us raise our voices in song and praise for God's healing love! All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, You are the author of all love, and in You we have our redemption. Help ...
Children's Sermon
King Duncan
Object: A pencil Good morning, boys and girls. Everyone knows what this is, don't they? It's a pencil. What do we use a pencil for? That's right. We write with it. Did you know that there isn't a single person in the world who can make a pencil? It takes lots of people to make a pencil. Somebody had to chop down a tree for the wood. Maybe that happened right here in our country. But then somebody had to mine the graphite for the "lead" part of the pencil. That might have happened in South Africa. Then ...
Bulletin Aid
H. Burnham Kirkland
Call To Worship Leader: Lord, open our hearts and minds to hear again the message of salvation. People: God sent his Son into the world, that the world might be saved through him. Leader: Lord, tell us right out: Are you the long-awaited Messiah? People: Jesus said: "The deeds I do by my Father's authority speak for themselves. The Father and I are one." All: Praise be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Collect Lord God, we are your sheep, part of your flock. We know your voice and we ...
1339. The Easiest Part of Being a Mother Is Giving Birth
2 Timothy 1:5
Illustration
Erma Bombeck
For the first four or five years after I had children, I considered motherhood a temporary condition - not a calling. It was a time of my life set aside for exhaustion and long hours. It would pass. Then one afternoon with three kids in tow, I came out of the supermarket pushing a cart (with four wheels that went in opposite directions) when my toddler son got away from me. Just outside the door, he ran toward a machine holding bubble gum in a glass dome. In a voice that shattered glass, he shouted, "Gimme ...
1340. Having Nothing, Possessing Everything
Psalm 51:1-19, 2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2
Bulletin Aid
Frank Ramirez
Call To Worship Nothing and everything. Nothing from the world. Everything from God. We take nothing with us. We gain everything through the cross. Nothing and everything. Loss is gain. Come to the upside-down kingdom of Christ. Collect Lord, we add it all up, our adversities, our trials, our pains and sorrows, the betrayals, the derailings of hopes and dreams, the times we have floated upon a sea without landmarks, the hours wasted on vain pursuits — we offer it all to you with the prayer that you will ...
1341. The Impossible Takes A Little Longer
Mark 13:1-8
Illustration
Keith Wagner
At the age of 20, Art Berg was a very happy man. Everything was going right. He was a gifted athlete and had started his own tennis court construction company. And he was engaged to a beautiful woman. Leaving California one Christmas eve, he was headed to Utah with a friend. He was going to meet his fiancée and complete their wedding plans. During the long drive, he fell asleep while at the wheel. His car hit an abutment and rolled down a hill. He was ejected from the car and found himself laying on the ...
1342. God and Creation Are Always One
John 17:20-26
Illustration
Anthony Jewiss
There's a story told of respected astronomers at the Vatican Observatory who presented the church with evidence of another planet having the characteristics of our own, possibly to the extent of supporting sentient life. Two schools of thought emerged: the first advised the immediate dispatch of missionaries to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to those aliens, presumed to be very much like us. The second school advised against an expedition. Jesus came to us at the right time and place, they argued ...
1343. Four Views of the Gospels
Luke 15:1-32
Illustration
Jerry Goebel
In this single chapter there are four views of the same God: A coin lost through no choice of its own; a sheep that strays because it hasn't the sense to know better; a boy who chooses to get lost but learns the hard way what real love means; and a brother who rejects pure love and chooses hatred and self-righteousness when he could have known pure joy. Which story am I living out today? Herein is what many theologians call; "the Gospel within the Gospel," and others have simply called; "the best short ...
1344. The Impossible Takes a Little Longer
Luke 21:5-19
Illustration
Keith Wagner
At the age of 20, Art Berg was a very happy man. Everything was going right. He was a gifted athlete and had started his own tennis court construction company. And he was engaged to a beautiful woman. Leaving California one Christmas eve, he was headed to Utah with a friend. He was going to meet his fiancée and complete their wedding plans. During the long drive, he fell asleep while at the wheel. His car hit an abutment and rolled down a hill. He was ejected from the car and found himself laying on the ...
1345. Having Lost All, All Is Found
Matthew 5:1-12
Illustration
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Having reached the end of the Beatitudes, we naturally ask if there is any place on this earth for the community which they describe. Clearly, there is one place, and only one, and that is where the Poorest, Meekest, and most sorely Tried of all men is to be found—on the cross at Golgotha. The community which is the subject of the Beatitudes is the community of the crucified. With Him it has lost all, and with him it has found all.
1346. We Don’t Have to Sneak In
John 10:1-10
Illustration
Adrian Dieleman
The night before a camping trip one boy was staying at the home of another when suddenly he realized he forgot his fishing gear. "Let's run to my house and get it," he said. "Isn't it too late?" asked his friend. "Everybody will be sleeping." "We'll sneak in," said the first boy. "Come on." When they got to his house all the doors were locked. He decided to pry the screen off his bedroom window and enter that way. He tried to be quiet, but the noise woke his parents. His dad grabbed a baseball bat and went ...
1347. You Have To Let Go
Illustration
Dr. Anthony T. Evans
One day, two monks were walking through the countryside. They were on their way to another village to help bring in the crops. As they walked, they spied an old woman sitting at the edge of a river. She was upset because there was no bridge, and she could not get across on her own. The first monk kindly offered, "We will carry you across if you would like." "Thank you," she said gratefully, accepting their help. So the two men joined hands, lifted her between them and carried her across the river. When ...
1348. Lost in Translation
Illustration
B. and J. Leslie-Melville
Before movie companies were careful about translations assuming no one in the U.S. would understand a language like Swahili, directors would have someone write something that sounded like it fit the part of the scene. So, in one movie the director needed an African messenger who was to gasp out a sentence to the big chief. The messenger is to be collapsing as he delivers his message, because he had run for days with this vital news. A local Englishman who spoke Swahili was asked to write an urgent-sounding ...
1349. One Nation Under God?
Illustration
Brett Blair
You would have thought that the population of the US was headed toward a godless future reading this stat from 1992. But compare this first paragraph to a the second which is a Pew poll. Not much has changed. The good news here is that America remains a wonderful field for evangelism and change. 1992 In "One Nation Under God," a statistical map of American religion, summarized in the November 29 issue of Newsweek, Barry Kosmin and Seymour Lachman of the City University of New York have assembled data from ...
1350. At Least One Follower
Illustration
S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting ...
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