Proverbs 10:9

 

Description of Illustration: One man hangs by the collar of his coat and the cuffs of his pant legs, suspended between two chairs. The other man presents him formally to his audience as "a magic act." But neither of the two are fooling anyone. scripture reads "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." Proverbs 10:9 (ESV)

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Colossians 3:15

Description of Photograph: vintage photo of a church interior, monochromatic colors: navy, sepia, green, grey, and a reddish burgundy color, text is from Colossians 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." (NASB)

Church interior in hunter green, beige and white colors.

Church interior in grey, beige and white colors.

Church interior in navy, beige and white colors.

Church interior in burgundy, beige and white colors.

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Wedding Bells

Click directly on the bells to download the largest available size.
These amber colored wedding bells will blend with many
traditional Fall wedding colors.

Description of Illustration: These little wedding bells come in multiple colors so that brides may match their wedding colors: yellow, pink, purple, green and blue, white ribbons outlined in same colors.

These hot pink wedding bells will compliment a
 Spring or Summer wedding color scheme. A
very young bride will often choose pink
to symbolize young love for her wedding.

What bride wouldn't want something simple to compliment
 her perfect wedding day? If her colors are lavender,
 then churches may trim her bulletins,
announcements etc... in the same lavender.

Green wedding bells are lovely for a bridal celebration
any time of the year. Green is not only the color of spring
but also the color of evergreens during the winter months.
Green wedding bells trimmed with white bows will
blend with any bride's choice during any time of the year.

Blue wedding bells are understated but a perfect match
 for a bride who chooses a classic blue and white color
scheme at her wedding.

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 There's nothing more beautiful than the sound of 

church bells ringing at a wedding, in my opinion!

They threw him into the sea!

Description of Illustration: ship, sailors, Jonah, waves of the sea, black and white vintage illustration, scripture "Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm." Jonah 1:15 (NIV)

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Ecclesiastes 8:6

Description of Illustration: two "old-timers" are passing their time, watching the clock, waiting for their break time away from work and counting the minutes until they must time themselves back into work, break room, coffee break, overalls and pocket watch, grandfather clock, knowing expressions, scripture "For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him." Ecclesiastes 8:6 (ESV)
 

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James 5:9

Description of Illustration: a rooster and a hen clucking about who knows what, family room or parlor, cozy nest, black and white cartoon, scripture "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door." James 5:9 (KJV)
 

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Galatians 5:16

Description of Illustration: dozens of portraits of women shaped into the shape of a heart, scripture reads "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5: 16 (NIV), this design also comes in red

Both versions come larger. Click directly on the illustration to download the largest possible size.

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Romans 12:4-5

This same illustration comes in a wide variety of color combinations,
 for those of you who prefer to color coordinate your web pages. This illustration is in sepia tones.

Description of Illustration: vintage church with steeple etching, monochromatic colors: navy, sepia, green, grey, and a reddish burgundy color, text is from Romans 12:4-5 "For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (NASB)

combined colors are: navy, grey, white and ivory

combined colors are: burgundy, white and ivory

combined colors are: hunter's green, white and ivory

combined colors are: grey, white and ivory

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Vintage Mite Boxes Shaped Like Churches

"Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD
 you God which he has given you." Deuteronomy 16:17 (ESV)

Description of Illustration: church shaped mite boxes from the previous century, orange or red bricks printed on the sides, steeple, slot for coins over the door, tiny church windows

       The term mite box (also alms box or poor box) refers to a box that is used to save coins for charitable purposes. Contemporary mite boxes are usually made of cardboard and given out to church congregations during the Lente season. The mite boxes are collected by the church and donations are given to the poor. Mite boxes are popular with children because they can fill them with small change and it teaches them the principle of giving to the poor. The Mite box giving promotes the spirit of contributing based on the intent to help others and not on the monetary amount.

       The origin of the mite box is very old. In 2 Kings 12:9, the priest Jehoiada bored a hole in the lid of a chest and placed it near the first altar, however this was to fund maintenance rather than alms.
Pope Innocent III at the end of twelfth century allowed some mite boxes to be placed in temples so that the faithful people may at any time dispose their alms.

The term mite, according to the dictionary, is defined as any of the following:

1. a very small contribution or amount of money, such as a widow's mite.
2. a very small object, creature, or particle.
3. a coin of very small value, especially an obsolete British coin worth half a farthing.

       An alms box is a strong chest or box often fastened to the wall of a church to receive offerings for the poor.
       The etymology of the word mite comes through Middle English and Middle Dutch from the Middle Low German mīte, a small Flemish coin or tiny animal. In biblical times a mite or lepton was a small coin of almost no worth.

"He covets greedily all the day long: but the righteous gives and spares not."
 Proverbs 21:26 (King James 2000)

"He that gives to the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes shall have
 many a curse." Proverbs 28:27 (King James 2000)

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Katharina Von Bora Quotes

"I will stick to Christ as a burr to cloth."
deathbed quote by Katharina Von Bora

"Let the devil believe that!" Katharina's response to
Luther's teasing about acquiring more than one wife.

"That's a fine kettle of fish!" Katharine may have never said
this but she did escape from a nunnery in a barrel full of fish.

Description of Illustration: portrait of Katharine Von Bora, Dr. Martin Luther's wife, three quotes, read more about her here
 

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Luke 19:41

Description of Photograph: Jerusalem from the traditional spot of the Mount of Olives where Christ wept over the city, photo taken and hand colored in 1913 - 1914, scripture "But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep." Luke 19:41 (NLT)

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Wedding Scriptures From Ruth, 1rst John and Matthew

"And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for where you go,
 I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God."
 Ruth 1:16 (King James 2000)

Description of Illustration: Very Vintage cottage with yellow hollyhocks, blue bells and white picket fence, the cottage is stucco with a red brick chimney, scriptures are from the Gospel of Matthew, the Book of Ruth and the Book of 1 John, these scripture are often read during traditional Christian marriages 
 

Clergy may download and use these illustrations to decorate bulletins, announcement etc...
 

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"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God;
 and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1 (ESV)

"...and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife,
 and the two shall become one flesh’?" Matthew 19:5 (ESV)

1 Corinthians 13:7

Description of Illustration: sketch of bride and groom, kiss on the cheek, bouquet, veil, tuxedo, comes in five colors: blue, green, purple, apricot and hot pink, scripture reads "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7

Clergy may download and use these illustrations to decorate bulletins, announcement etc... to match the colors of a bride's wedding. If you need another color than what you see, just write about it below. I'll try to coordinate the illustration to new suggestions.

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bride and groom in blue, 1 Cor. 13:7

bride and groom in green, 1 Cor. 13:7

bride and groom in pink, 1 Cor. 13:7

bride and groom in purple, 1 Cor. 13:7

bride and groom in apricot, 1 Cor. 13:7

Love Stories

Bride and groom from the 1950s.

 

Description of Illustration: 1950's photographs of bride and groom, text reads "True love stories never have ending." one with a black background and the other with a white background

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The Treachery of Some People!

"There is no curse in Elvish, Entish,
 or the tongues of men for this
treachery." Treebeard

Description of Photograph: Treebeard, one of the most lovable and unusual characters by Tolkien, is a fictional character from his Middle-earth fantasy writings. The eldest of the species of Ents, he is said to live in the ancient Forest of Fangorn and stands fourteen feet (4 m) in height. He is treelike in appearance, with leafy hair and a rigid structure. Fangorn Forest lies next to Isengard where Saruman the White resides.

His motto is "Do not be hasty." Here you can see my baby quotes him "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for this treachery." She just loved Treebeard so much, well she didn't even know him, but, she frequently expressed similar repugnance for incorrect care. Take for instance the photo shoot; it's done in the nude, need we say more. Of course, she is totally ignoring the fact that baths and clean diapers must be had, but that is beside the point from her perspective.

She and Treebeard would both agree that:

1. Going south does feel like going downhill.
2. Selfish tyrants really can't do anything for the needy, vulnerable and innocent; this applies to both humans and plants.
3. One really should always try to avoid other people's wars but in the end, one really can't.
4. Never, ever, under in any circumstances trust someone who is as ugly as they look, both inside and out. And only in Hollywood do these folk ever cut apart like butter.
5. Both pointy and sharp things signify the presence of evil.
6. If your hair catches on fire, a river comes in handy.
7. Little people are generally nicer when compared to big people, but without one's defenses either could mean trouble. 
8. Like the Ents, you may be outnumbered, but with good on your side you won't need to fear death.

More Quotes by Treebeard:

• "We might do some things together. I don't know about sides. I go my own way; but your way may go along with mine for a while"
• “Some of my kin look just like trees now, and need something great to rouse them; and they speak only in whispers. But some of my trees are limb-lithe, and many can talk to me.” 
• “You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.”
• “For it is easier to shout 'Stop', than to do it”
• "He no longer cares for growing things."
• “Side? I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side, little orc.” 
• “Never is too long a word even for me...”
• “That doesn't make sense to me, but you are very small."

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"The Ents must go to war...."

• The Parable of the Sower and those big talking trees from Lord of the Rings

'Course he isn't safe'

In Narnia the little ones and the gentle creatures still believe in Aslan
 even though the witch, Jadis, has frozen the hearts of many.

Description of Illustration: Photograph of an innocent, trusting baby, with large eyes, quote "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." quote by Mr. Beaver from Narnia

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Many humans do not know about "the prophecy."

Related Sermons and Articles:

• 'Course he isn't safe'
• Is he safe?
• Not a Tame Lion.

How to Follow Jesus

Description of Illustration: Rembrandt's painting of Jesus, three illustrated "call-outs" for the life principles taught by Jesus in Matthew 16, Mark 8 and Luke 9.

"If you wish to follow me, you must first put aside your own desires."
Resist your own desires. Galatians 5:16-18 The War Within: Flesh Vs. Spirit

"If you wish to follow me, you must first put aside your own desires and your self-centered ways. Sacrifice your pride and follow me. Those who desire eternal life must put aside their old way of life. All who do this for my sake will discover new life – both here on earth as well as in heaven." (theWords)

Matthew 16: 24-26 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? " (NIV)

"Those who desire eternal life must put aside their old way of life."
Put off the old man. Put on the new man. Colossians 3

 Mark 8: 34-37 "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"

"All who do this for my sake will discover new life"
There are rich rewards for those who will deny themselves.

Luke 9: 23-25 "Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?"

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• Dying to Self and Discovering So Much More
• Living A Transformed Life Adequate To Our Calling
• Death to Self
• How To Wait On God
• The Seductive Power of Desire

Matthew 21:28, 29

"A man had two sons. He said to the elder:
"Son, go and work today in my vineyard.

"I will not," the son replied; but later
he experienced a change of heart,

and went to the fields to work."

Description of Illustration: Rembrandt's painting of Jesus, three illustrated "call-outs" for The Parable of the Two Sons, "A man had two sons. He said to the elder: "Son, go and work today in my vineyard. "I will not," the son replied; but later he experienced a change of heart, and went to the fields to work." Matthew 21:28, 29

The parable then continues when Jesus tells it "Then the father said to the younger son: "Go into the fields as well." Immediately he answered: "I will." But he remained at home, and ignored his father's words. Which of these two sons fulfilled their father's request?" Matthew 21:30-32

• "What is the meaning of the Parable of the Two Sons?" 

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• G. E. Patterson "A Father and Two Sons"

John 15:16

Two halves make one whole quote by Jesus.

Description of Illustration: Rembrandt's painting of Jesus, "You have not chosen me. I have chosen you, and appointed you to produce good fruit from the lives that you live, fruit that will last." John 15:16 translation from (the Words), more translations

These two illustrations make up one scripture, John 15:16. Include them in different places on the same page or in one article that is long enough to use more than one page. This will help you to emphasize the passage of scripture you are writing about. This kind of illustration works much the same way as "call-outs" or "pull-quotes" within the main body of text.
 

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A Revelatory Quote By Gandalf The Grey

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak
the password, and the doors will open." Gandalf

Description of Photograph: My little baby is all grown up now, but her pictures are still just as adorable as the day she unwittingly posed for them. Here she seems mystified by the camera lens and only seconds later did she belt out her displeasure.

The text by Gandalf reads "Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open." I love this quote because it demonstrates how even the wisest amongst us can be vulnerable to irritating circumstances. Gandalf can intimidate all sorts of goblins, evil druids and dragons but yet, he must bend to the fresh innocence of modest hobbits, in order to obtain his ultimate goal. I think God loves to throw circumstances such as these in our footpaths. It keeps us humble and teaches us that ultimately we need to rely on Him first, not our own strength/opinions.

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• The Gospel According To Tolkien 
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 
• Book unearths Christian messages found in 'The Hobbit'

More baby memes:

• Funny baby memes to get 2015 rolling 
• cute baby memes from community and here 

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's a Sign

"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is
 coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:44 (ESV)

Description of Photograph: These church signs were made with software at www.says-it.com, these signs are from Biblical texts about signs and wonders: Matthew 24:44, Daniel 4: 2-3, Matthew 25:13, Psalm 40:3, 1, Psalm 103:2-4, Corinthians 4:20 and Revelation 22:7

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"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all
your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit,
 who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy," Psalm 103:2-4 (ESV)

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Matthew 25:13 (ESV)

"It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the
Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs,
 how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting
 kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation
 to generation." Daniel 4:2-3 (ESV)

"He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:3(ESV)

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power."
1 Corinthians 4:20 (ESV)

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps
 the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:7

"Re-released in 1971 on the A-side, "Signs" reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart."