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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Paul proudly declares that he... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Paul proudly declares that he has become all things to all people. "How can this be?" we ask.
Get lost! We've all heard... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
"Get lost!" We've all heard those words -- though, maybe not recently.
A one-legged schoolteacher from... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
A one-legged schoolteacher from Scotland came to J.
Some wish to live within... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a ya
Kenny could hardly wait for... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Kenny could hardly wait for the youth fellowship's winter retreat.
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff Marano, one of the ways that humans can cope with the pressu
In the movie, Overboard, Joanna... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
In the movie, Overboard, Joanna Stayton was a rich, spoiled heiress who fell "overboard" from
Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of
The great Italian conductor, Arturo... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
The great Italian conductor, Arturo Toscanini, was legendary for his fits of rage.
We want to show off... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
We want to show off.
Naaman and his army had... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Naaman and his army had recently conquered Israel, bringing home a girl to be his wife's servant.
Failure, they say, is the... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
"Failure," they say, "is the path of least persistence." That truth was demonstrated in the movie,
The job of a football... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do, in order to achieve what t
Lanny Bassham, Olympic gold-medalist... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Lanny Bassham, Olympic gold-medalist in small-bore rifle competition, tells what concentration does
Taylor recalls his high school... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Taylor recalls his high school wrestling coach whose goal was to make his students both tougher and
Everyone knows that to be... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Everyone knows that to be a top level athlete takes talent mixed with lots of hard work.
The RSV maintains a more... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
The RSV maintains a more literal translation of the leper's words, "If you will, you can make
Booker T. Washington describes meeting... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Booker T.
During World War II, Winston... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
During World War II, Winston Churchill was forced to make a painful choice.
Pastor Stephey Bilynskyj, starts each... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Pastor Stephey Bilynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans.
Haley is the smart one... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Haley is the "smart one" at school.
Joanne was a wife, mother... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Joanne was a wife, mother, and foster mother.
Don't step on the crack... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2008
"Don't step on the crack, or you'll break your mother's back!" No wonder children are afraid to step
In order to be a... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2008
In order to be a leader a man must have followers.
Peter Drucker offers insightful guidance... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2008
Peter Drucker offers insightful guidance to the church when he calls leadership a peak performance b

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 21
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 22
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 23
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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30 – Commentary / Exegesis
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New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A football, a hand-held microphone, a camera, a stack of play money bills. These are the objects I used, but you can use any objects that might symbolize “success”.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
For October 20, 2024:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. (v. 4)

The outhouse on the farm where I grew up was beside the ash pile, at the end of a well-worn path, under a boxelder tree about fifty yards from the back door of the house. It was a two-seater – cold in winter, smelly and hot in summer. There was always a Sears and Roebuck catalogue on the floor in the corner, which served as both reading and wiping material.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Most people assume God’s answer to Job, showing him the depth and breadth of the universe is meant to cow Job’s resistance, leading him, now broken, to repent, abjectly saying “...therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (42:6).”
Mark Ellingsen
All the lessons testify to the theme that it’s not at all about you and me; it’s all about God!

Job 38:1-7 (34-41)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, "What is it you want me to do for you?" In our worship, let us explore what we want Jesus to do for us today.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we are sometimes selfish in our requests to you.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, we are sometimes unreasonable in our requests to you.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, help us to make you the centre of our world.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

David E. Leininger
The story of Job is familiar to all of us -- a man whose world was spinning merrily along with everything falling into place is suddenly confronted with one misery after another ... disaster, death, disease, and despair. In some of the most moving poetry ever written, chapter after chapter attempts to deal with the age-old question of why, so often, life is unfair.

Schuyler Rhodes
The voice of praise rings beautifully through this psalm as each verse gives poetic color to the glories of creation and its maker. It is something to be read and re-read as we contemplate the wonders of God.
Steven Molin
There is a candy shop in the city of Keystone, South Dakota, just a few hundred yards down the mountain from that infamous Mount Rushmore monument. I can't tell you the name of that candy store, but I can certainly recall the sign on the counter that stands at just about eyeball-level for the average seven-year-old. The sign says this: "If Mom says, 'No,' ask Grandma!"

Harold C. Warlick, Jr.
An elementary principle in the business world is the law of supply and demand. When supplies outrace the demand for a product, prices are low. We call that a "buyer's market." On the other hand, when there are more buyers demanding a product than there are supplies of the product, prices are high. We call that situation a "seller's market."

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