Sermons

The Prayer For Pardon Opening Illustration: Many of you have seen the movie Unbroken.  Mentioning it today, this Memorial Day, seems appropriate.  I am so thankful for the men and women of the armed forces and how they have cast the shadow of freedom over this great land. The story of Unbroken chronicles the real life story of Louis Zamperini.  Zamperini was a self admitted problem child.  He caused trouble everywhere he went.  As he grew up, he realized that he had a nature talent for running.  Zamperini eventually became a track star.  He was so good that he participated in the Olympic games in Germany. He even shook the hand of Adolf Hitler.  Following the games, Zamperini, like most American males at the time, served in the military.  He fought in World War II. During the war, Zamperini’s plane crashed and he was adrift at sea for more than 30 days.  Eventually he was captured by the Japanese and sent to a hard labor camp for a number of years.   Zamperini, in his

Desiring God: The Prayer of Provision  Opening Illustration: Do you believe that God knows your needs?  Do you believe that God will fulfill whatever need you have in your life? Some might say yes to both questions.  Some might answer those questions very differently.  We have all been disappointed with the perceived slowness of God’s response to our prayers.  We have all been disappointed with some of the answers that we receive from God.  We pray for healing and death is delivered.  We pray for our marriage to succeed only to have the divorce.  We pray for our children to know God and they continue to rebel.  We pray for the job to come through only to be passed over.  If God knows our needs, then why does He not answer these requests?  Perhaps I have the answer to that question.  You see, we’ve been praying for the wrong thing.  The greatest need in our lives is not for the cancer to be cured.  It is not for the job. It is not even for our kids.  The greatest need i

Opening Illustration: Make Your Mark The Davidson home, my home, has a pretty common tradition.  When you walk into the house through the garage, you pass through a short hallway into the den area.  On the right door post of that hallway, leading into the den, are marks.   These marks are significant because they represent growth.  They represent maturity.  They represent time.  Starting very low are Jett’s marks.  He is behind my first two boys.  However, he has been home with us now for 3 years and his marks are inching higher and higher.  He is getting bigger, stronger, more mature with each passing day.   The next set of marks is Jack’s.  Jack was two when we arrived on the Eastern Shore.  Two years old then and now 8.  He has eight years of growth marked on that door post.  Every time we measure him, he passes marks left behind by his oldest brother Jay.  Jack has probably grown the most of all my boys.  He came as a toddler and now is a big, strong, strapping