《Sermon Illustrations (D~F)》(a compilation) table of contents



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FEMINISM


Meg. F. Quijano related the following incident that happened upon her return from a meeting of the National Organization for Women. Her five-year-old daughter, Lisa, greeted her with the news that when she grew up she wanted to be a nurse. There was a time when nursing was thought by many to be a "woman's job." Quijano told Lisa she could be anything she wanted to be. "You can be a lawyer, a surgeon, a banker, President of the United States -- you can be anything." Lisa looked a little dubious. "Anything? Anything at all?" She thought about it, and then her face lit up with ambition. "All right," she said. "I'll be a horse."

Bits & Pieces, January 6, 1994, p. 17.

FIDELITY


No illustrations yet.

FIGHT


People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.

Abigail Van Buren.



Stan Mikita, a professional hockey star, used to get into a lot of fights during games. He stopped when his eight-year-old daughter asked a very grown-up question: "How can you score goals when you're always in the penalty box, Daddy?

Bits & Pieces, July, 1990, p. 19.



In quarreling, the truth is always lost.

Publilius Syrus.



A couple of navy stories may help illustrate the sad result of internal strife and the positive result of unity. Two battleships met in the night and began to attack each other. In the conflict, a number of crewmen were severely wounded, and both vessels were damaged. As daylight broke, the sailors on the ships discovered to their amazement that both vessels flew the English flag. Many years earlier, just before the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the British naval hero Lord Nelson learned that an admiral and a captain in his fleet were not on good terms. Sending for the two men, he placed the hands of the admiral and the captain together. Then, looking them both in the face, he said, "Look--yonder is the enemy!"

Unknown.

FINANCES


It costs more to buy the average new car in the U.S. today than it cost Christopher Columbus to equip and undertake his maiden voyage to the New World.

David Louis, Fascinating Facts, 1981.



Credit is what keeps you from knowing how far past broke you are.


Statistics


Personal debt in the U.S. increased at the rate of $1000 per second and consumer installment debt has mushroomed to a point where it takes approximately $1 out of every $4 that consumers earn after taxes to keep up the payments--not including the home mortgage. For over 250,000 Americans, the burden of debt is so great that he/she declares bankruptcy. There are even more serious consequences of this financial tension created by debt: 56% of all divorces are a result of financial tension in the home.

Howard Dayton, in Homemade, June 1986. 



"The wise man saves for the future but the foolish man spends whatever he gets." Proverbs 21:20. Since statistics show that the average American consumer has installment payments equal to 17 to 18 percent of his take-home pay, obviously large numbers of persons are overspending. An increase in bankruptcies of over 50% more each year than the previous year, would indicate that such overspending is leading many into financial disasters. And the Bible calls such spenders fools! I don't know many people who deliberately choose to be foolish. When it comes to money, the way to be wise is to be a saver. Here are four simple rules given by the late financier, J.P. Morgan, for saving money. 1. Start early. Today is the day to start your savings program. 2. Save a definite amount. 3. Save regularly and systematically. 4. Employ your savings productively.

George Fooshee, Homemade, Vol. 11, No. 4, (April 1987).

FINISH


It is important to start right, but it is imperative to end well.

William Clubertson, former president, Moody Bible Institute



The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him.

Fan The Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 32.

FIRSTBORN


Firstborns gravitate toward positions of leadership because that was their position in the family. When there's a family crisis, everyone tends to depend on the firstborn. They are perfectionists. They excel in structured occupations and prefer orderly lives. They're reliable, conscientious, punctual, and goal-oriented, and they love to make lists. The male firstborn is likely to be a calculating, controlling type who keeps his feelings to himself. He becomes an architect, an engineer, an accountant, a writer. Paradoxically, firstborns are more creative than laterborns. Show me a really good artist, and I'll show you a firstborn.

Dr. Kevin Leman, in Homemade, November 1987.

FISHING


A priest who has spent a fruitless day fishing picked out three fat fish in the market. "Before you wrap them," he said to the store manager," toss them to me, one by one. That way I'll be able to tell the monsignor I caught them and I'll be speaking the truth."

Bits & Pieces, July 21, 1994, p. 15.



There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot.

Steven Wright, Comedian.



There are more fish taken out of a stream than ever were in it.

Oliver Hereford.



Our idea of fishing is to put all the exertion up to the fish. If they are ambitious we will catch them. If they are not, let them go about their business.

Don Marquis, Prefaces.



Jim Byrne, in Cairns, Australia, was in the fight of his life with a giant marlin he'd hooked. The fish leapt, splashed and fought, but was firmly hooked. Byrne worked him to the boat and landed him. The fish, however, had not finished the fight. While thrashing around on deck, he speared Byrne in the chest. His sword missed Byrne's lungs and heart by a fraction of an inch. Withdrawing his weapon, the fish causally flipped overboard and swam away unharmed.

Touche'! Campus Life.



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