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 2376 to 2400 of 3108 results
Sermon
Carveth Mitchell
On a subway platform in one of our Eastern states there was a large printed sign that said "God Answers Prayer." Some experienced person had scrawled across the bottom underneath the printed letters these words: "Sometimes the answer is NO!" This is what we have to deal with in any discussion of prayer. Someone says, "I felt the need of God. I prayed for something to happen, and it didn’t. Prayer failed." No, Sir. I suggest that you did not want God - you wanted God to do something, and that’s different. ...
Children's Sermon
Object: A bucket of mud, pan with clean water, towel and washcloth and bar of soap (maybe some long aprons would be advisable). Good morning to all of the clean people. How many of you are bright and clean this Lord’s Day! Isn’t it wonderful to take a bath and get all cleaned up on Saturday night so that you feel clean all over on Sunday morning? Would you believe me if I told you that I brought a bucket of mud for somebody to play in this morning? How many of you would believe that? Well, I did and I need ...
2378. Cross Purposes
1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5
Sermon
John R. Brokhoff
"In the cross of Christ I glory towering o'er ..." Is the cross today towering over the world? Atlanta is presently boasting of its newest hotel, seventy stories high, the highest hotel in the entire world. Just a couple of blocks from this hotel are a Methodist church and a Catholic church, each with a tower and a cross on top. There was a time when the highest point in a town was the church spire with a cross on its pinnacle. Now city skyscrapers dwarf the church with its cross. The cross is over-towered ...
Sermon
The success of a dinner depends as much on fellowship as on food. This fellowship takes place through conversation. A banquet of friends buzzes like a beehive. Did you notice it or maybe you were too busy talking to have heard it? A dinner is a miserable occasion when two or more people sit down and eat their meal in a cold, bitter silence, because there is nothing for them to communicate. This dinner conversation need not be pleasantries or chit-chat, but it can be talk of substance. This was the case ...
2380. Nervous Hands
Psalm 139:1-24
Sermon
All of us at some point have been so nervous that it was obvious to everyone - our knees shook, our hands trembled. It's happened to every one of us. I remember one incident in particular in my own life. It was the first time I ever assisted with Communion. I was a Lay Minister. It was my installation, and I was to assist in distributing Communion. My hands shook so badly in trying to pass out the bread that I'm quite certain that everyone who received a wafer had to shake his head to catch my hand. I was ...
2381. Parable of the Counterfeit Money
Luke 6:43-45
Illustration
"Mother, look what I got," said Jimmy. "A man gave me all these big pieces of money. Now I'm rich. Is it alright if I buy an ice-cream cone for you and me?" "Let me see that money," said his mother. "I am sorry Jimmy you can't buy anything with this money. It is no longer of any value." Jimmy said, "You mean it is no good Why? It is even bigger than the money in my bank!" "It is difficult to tell you Jimmy, but our government didn't make this money and money is not good unless the people that make it stand ...
2382. Parable of the Weight of Happiness
Psalm 34:1-22
Illustration
"Let's get weighed and have our fortunes told," said Jean. "Let me get weighed first," said Marie. "I've got four pennies," said the mother, "so, all of you can get weighed." "Let John be first. He weighs the most." said Dick. "I weigh 145 pounds. That's wonderful. I bet I'll weigh 155 by football season," said John. "You get on next, Dick." "Gosh, I still only weigh 137 pounds and I've been that weight for over a year." Dick responded. "Gee, I weigh 122 pounds," said Marie. "I'll have to reduce." "And I ...
Sermon
That’s like the blast from the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar, who had the furnaces heated to seven times their usual intensity in order to consume Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It’s the outpouring of a man or woman with a short fuse, a fuse which has been short for a long time. One wonders whether or not it would have been wise to have a committee check this language before it was uttered in public, especially for a church public. That lacerating language may have its place in other places, but the church is ...
2384. The Time Is Coming
Jeremiah 30:1--31:40
Sermon
This prophecy does not have the sound and fury of many another. Here is a sweet, gentle breeze, refreshing, invigorating. Jeremiah in his own person is much like the tone of this prophecy. If you’ve read much of Jeremiah, it may surprise you to learn that he was of a shy, gentle disposition. He wanted people about him. He was affectionate. In this prophecy he is talking about a new law God will write in the heart. Spontaneity of obedience will come from deep inside rather than being imposed from the ...
Sermon
"But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingly power and shall retain it for ever, for ever and ever." But we are not there yet; neither were the people of the text. Because they were not yet there and we are not yet there, we gather here to reflect that some are already there but the rest of us are not yet there. We have enough trouble without the troublesome word "saint" - "the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingly power and shall retain it for ever, for ever and ever." "But I’m no ...
Sermon
"Then the man of God was angry with him." (v. 19) Prayer: O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.3 Old Robert was getting more frail the summer before he died. With his emphysema, he would be puffing and fighting for breath from exertion, ...
Children's Sermon
Wesley T. Runk
Object: A pair of eyeglasses and a handkerchief. Good morning, boys and girls. Do you remember the name we used for last Sunday? Easter! What a wonderful Sunday it was with so many people here that we hardly had room, and the people sang with such beautiful voices and flowers were everywhere. It really was a special day. Did you know that every Sunday should be Easter, or like a little Easter? That's right, the first Christians called every Sunday the Lord's Day because they remembered that it was on ...
Children's Sermon
Object: Binoculars, a microscope or a magnifying glass. Well, this is some day, isn't it? Could you have anything better than a day like this when you can get up in the morning, feel good and be ready to visit with God? Of course not. This is the best place in the whole world to be on a day like this. How many of you would like to sit down at a table and have Jesus sit down right beside you? We would all like to sit down and eat and talk with Jesus. Suppose he came and ate dinner with you today. How do you ...
2389. Easter 2
Acts 5:17-42, Revelation 1:4-8, Revelation 1:9-20, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31
Sermon Aid
COMMENTARY Acts 5:27-32 (C); Acts 5:12, 17-32 (L) In order to obey God, the Apostles disobey the order not to preach. Regardless of the cost, the Apostles are determined to witness to the resurrection. They defy the governmental order to stop preaching the Gospel because they recognize a higher law than the State. They must obey God who in Christ ordered them to witness. In defense of this position, Peter accuses the officials of having crucified Jesus who was later raised and exalted by God to be Leader ...
2390. Easter 5
Jn 13:31-35 · Acts 13:44-52; 14:8-18; 21-27 · Rev 21:1-5
Sermon Aid
Russell F. Anderson
COMMENTARY Acts 14:8-18 After a miracle of healing, the people consider Paul and Barnabas to be gods. In this pericope we have Paul's first miracle and his first sermon to pagans. It is very unlike Paul because no mention is made of Jesus and the resurrection, nor the name of Jesus as the power of healing. The account does not say that the faith of the cripple was faith in Jesus, the Healer. Moreover, a miracle usually ends in the people's glorifying God, but here the people give the credit to Paul and ...
2391. Proper 14
Lk 12:32-48 · Gen 15:1-6 · Jer 18:1-11 · Heb 11:1-3, 8-19
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Jeremiah 18:1-11 Jeremiah's parable of the potter. For the balance of this church year Lesson 1 will deal with the prophets. Today is the first in a series of three from Jeremiah. To help us understand these passages, a review of Jeremiah may be helpful. Jeremiah served as a prophet in Judah for forty years prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. He considered Babylonia to be an instrument of God to discipline and purify his people until they learned to be faithful to him. Consequently, he was ...
2392. Christmas 2
Jn 1:1-18 · Eph 1:3-6, 15-18 · Isa 61:10--62:3 · Jer 31:7-14
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Jeremiah 31:7-14 Yahweh promises to rebuild the nation of Israel. God's word is one of hope through restoration of the exiles to their homeland. Previously Jeremiah had the unpleasant task of giving God's word as a message of doom, destruction, and exile. Now, God has him give a message for the period after the Babylonian captivity. Through Jeremiah God has a word of hope by promising the gathering and returning the exiles to Zion. Isaiah 61:10--62:3 Israel rejoices that God has clothed him with ...
2393. Epiphany 5
Lk 5:1-11 · 1 Cor 14:12-20; 15:1-11 · Isa 6:1-8
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah is called to be a prophet. In the year 740 BC when King Uzziah died, Isaiah had an experience with Yahweh who called him to be his prophet. The experience occurred during a worship service in Jerusalem's temple. The earthly temple was the pattern for the celestial temple where Yahweh sat in his glory and his presence filled the temple . The angelic creatures covered themselves before the glorious presence and sang the Sanctus. In the face of this divine majesty, Isaiah ...
2394. Lent 2
Lk 9:18-36; 13:31-35 · Php 3:17--4:1 · Jer 26:8-15 · Gen 15:1-12, 17-18
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Yahweh makes a covenant with Abraham who is promised a son and a land. This passage is one of several accounts of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. It is noteworthy that Yahweh came to Abraham with a covenant proposal. Yahweh comes to Abraham as a shield (v. 1) and thus Abraham has no need to fear being in Yahweh's holy presence. In this account, Yahweh promises Abraham three tremendous blessings: a son, a nation, and a country. The covenant is made legal and binding by the ...
2395. Lent 3
John 4:1-26
Sermon Aid
COMMENTARY Exodus 3:1-15 (C), Exodus 3:1-8b, 10-15 (L). Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 (RC) Moses is called to deliver God's people from bondage in Egypt. While tending his father-in-law's sheep, Moses is called by Yahweh to return to Egypt to lead out his oppressed people. First Yahweh must get Moses' attention by having a bush burn without burning up. Because God is present, Moses is ordered to remove his sandals, for he is on holy ground. Wherever God exists, the place becomes sacred. Yahweh tells Moses that he is ...
2396. Lent 5
Jn 8:1-11; 12:1-8 · Lk 20:9-19 · Isa 43:16-21 · Php 3:8-14
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Isaiah 43:16-21 Yahweh promises to do a new thing for his people in exile. The "new thing" (v. 19) Yahweh promises is a new exodus from bondage in Babylon. The "former things" (v. 18) refer to the exodus from Egypt. As in the first exodus, Yahweh will make a way through the wilderness and provide water as the people cross six hundred miles of desert from Babylon to Jerusalem. A third exodus is the sacrifice of Christ who redeemed us from the bondage of sin and who now provides food and water in ...
2397. Thanksgiving
2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20
Bulletin Aid
First Lesson: Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Theme: Give thanks for a fertile land Call to Worship Pastor: God has blessed us once again with a rich harvest. People: We are always amazed at the way our land produces. Even when crops fail, we still have plenty to eat. Pastor: God is the reason for our blessings. To him we lift our prayers fo thanksgiving, and offerings of praise. People: Thanks be to God for another rich harvest that assures us of food, strength, and health! Collect Almighty God, you have blessed our ...
2398. Magic Mountain
Matthew 17:1-13
Sermon
For six days, Jesus had been engaged in an inner struggle, attempting to settle, once and for all, his decision to go to Jerusalem where, he knew, he would die. In a move not unique to the Jews when there was any religious critical question to be settled, Jesus took Peter, James, and John apart from the rest of the disciples and went to a "high mountain" for a retreat. He needed their company, comfort, and support as he was about to lay his life on the line. Was he doing the right thing? Had he interpreted ...
Sermon
I asked for my first sign from God in the midst of World War II. We had only been in that war a few months in May of 1942 when that day came for me. In the Far East Admiral Nimitz was directing the first Allied Offensive to stop the Japanese Imperial Navy in the Battle of the Coral Sea, while beginning plans for the more famous Battle of Midway. In North Africa, Field Marshall Von Rommel was still a power, but he would fade as the British planes struck his supply lines and a General named Patton began ...
Sermon
Fear not ... for I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, And my blessing on your offspring (Isaiah 44:2, 3) Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel And his redeemer, the Lord of Hosts; "I am the first and I am the last; Besides Me there is no god." (Isaiah 44:6) We are a people who love promises. We listen for them; we seek them out; and we save them up, but we do not trust them. We buy appliances with guarantees. Yet more often than ...
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