1. Every time I went, they asked me for money.
2. The people sitting in my row didn’t seem very friendly.
3. The seats were very hard.
4. The coach never came to visit me.
5. The referees made a decision I didn’t agree with.
6. I was sitting with hypocrites—they only came to see what others were
wearing!
7. Some games went into overtime and I was late getting home.
8. The band played some songs I had never heard before.
9. The games are scheduled on my only day to sleep in and run
errands.
Worship
Roger Babson, an American historian, was visiting the president of Argentina about one hundred years ago when the president said to him: “You are a student of history, Will you please tell me why it is that South America, with her unlimited resources, and having been settled earlier than North America, has nevertheless made much slower progress in civilization and material prosperity?”
Mr. Babson threw the question back upon the president by saying, “Mr. President, you evidently have studied this question yourself, and I would be interested to know your answer to it.
Joni Erickson Tada had a terrible accident that left her a quadriplegic. In spite of her physical limitations she became an accomplished author and artist. Over 25 years ago she married her husband, Ken. For her wedding she had planned to come down the center aisle in her motorized wheel chair. Just before her grand entrance she noticed two distressing problems. First, she had rolled over her beautiful gown and made a big grease spot and tear in it. Then, the flowers in her lap had slipped and had lodged between her leg and the chair.
The French have a proverb, which states, “A good meal ought to begin with hunger.” It is hard to enjoy a meal when you are not yet hungry. But, when you are hungry, anything tastes good.
If we approach the Word with a hunger to be satisfied, we will be satisfied every time. Effective worship begins with a hunger for God.
Source: The Facts on File, Martin Manser
Illustration Topics
Johann Sebastian Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.”
He headed all of his compositions: ”J. J.,” the initials for, ”Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.”
He ended them “S.D.G.,” the initials for, “Soli Dei Gratia” which means “To God alone be the glory.”
Source: Light Steps, Timothy W. Bowes
An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the farmer, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”
“Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?”
“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
George Mueller read the Bible through over 100 times. He also wrote over 30,000 letters per year for 40 years. He had nine assistants working in a dozen languages. He pastored 1200 believers, had the oversight of five large orphanages and a huge publishing house, printed and distributed millions of books, tracts, and Bibles. He said, “I never think of going to my work without first having a good season of time with God and my Bible.”
Source: Unknown
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College
Illustration Topics
We may know sports figures, their statistics, even their personal likes and dislikes, but we don’t really know them. How well do you know God? You likely know all about Him, you likely have studied His book, the Bible, but do you actually know Him?
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College
Illustration Topics
Dan serves his athletic body. He works out in a gym five days a week and has impeccable eating habits. He is attracted only to other beautiful body people. The problem is he keeps falling for shallow women who have no depth of spirit of character. He feels lonely and empty and eventually becomes bored and bitter. The false god of vanity fails him.
Source: Unknown
Illustration Topics
Justin the Martyr was executed for his faith around A.D. 165. His writings and leadership helped shape and influence countless believers. He has given the oldest non-biblical description of Christian worship we have. He wrote, “On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits.
Debbie's family means everything to her. Her son and cute little daughter play sports, take music lessons, and attend a private school. Debbie spends every waking moment of every day caring for her kids. Often she goes through an entire day without having time for her husband which makes him fell neglected. If he feels neglected how does God feel? She lives through her children; they are like false gods in her life.
Source: Unknown
Janice is very proud of her home. She spends hours each day cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting. It makes her feel good when visitors comment what a beautiful home she has. But her children resent her compulsive cleanliness. They never invite their friends to come over because Janice is so paranoid about messing up the carpet. Janice has distorted the home that God has provided as a place of shelter and comfort, and has made it a shrine unto itself. She spends far more time working on her home than she does on Bible study, prayer, etc.