Story - Jimmy's big day out.
This is a story from the Bible. We don't know all the details, but I imagine it may have happened something like this.
Jimmy was really excited. His mum had finally agreed to let him go on the picnic. But this wasn't going to be any ordinary picnic. Jimmy was convinced that this would be the best picnic ever. Why? Because the man everyone was talking about, the man who was going round from town to town performing miracles and healing the sick, was coming to have a meeting in a large field near Jimmy's own village. And everyone that Jimmy knew was going to be there. Perhaps Jimmy would even see a miracle.
Jimmy got up very early on the morning of the great meeting, had his breakfast, and set off for the field carrying his picnic lunch that his mum had prepared for him. But when Jimmy got to the field, he groaned. "Oh no" he thought "I won't be able to see anything." Even though it was still only about 7 a.m. thousands of people had already gathered to see this famous man, and Jimmy thought that being so small he would not have a good view of what was happening.
Jimmy's size, however, turned out to be to his advantage. Being small and agile, Jimmy managed to weave his way through the large good-natured crowd until he got all the way to the front - and sat down right at the feet of Jesus!
Jimmy listened intently as Jesus began to teach the people about the Kingdom of God, about how he, Jesus, had been sent by God to show people how much God loved them and about he was going to give up his life so that anyone could be forgiven and become God's forever friend. Jimmy didn't understand all that Jesus was saying at the time, but there was something in the way he said it that kept everyone spellbound.
After a while, Jesus asked for any sick people to come to him. Jimmy watched in amazement as Jesus healed them all - the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the lepers. the paralysed - - - - -. Suddenly Jimmy noticed something. It was beginning to get dark. He had been at the field all day long, and he had been so engrossed in what Jesus was saying and doing, that he had even forgotten to eat his picnic lunch!
Then Jimmy noticed that two of Jesus' disciples were talking loudly to each other.. Andrew said to Philip "Phil. What on earth are we going to do?" Philip replied "I have no idea Andy. Jesus has asked us to feed all these thousands of people, but we haven't any food." "I know" Andrew replied "But how can we tell Jesus that we can't do what he asked?" "Wait a minute" said Philip. "I have an idea. Why don't we ask all these people if they have any food that they are willing to share?"
Just then Jimmy remembered his uneaten picnic lunch. Rushing up to Andrew and Philip, he said "You can share my lunch if you wish." looking in the picnic basket, Andrew replied "That's not very much. But at least it's a start. Now, let's go and ask all the other people if they have any food." But nobody else had. They either did not bring any food with them, or if they had, they had eaten it all earlier in the day.
Disappointedly Andrew said "Come on. Let's show this boy's lunch to Jesus. At least Jesus will see that we have tried to get some food." Approaching Jesus, Andrew said "We have asked everyone if they have any food to share, but this boy is the only one who has. It's not very much. It is only two fish and five small loaves." Looking into the picnic basket, Jesus replied "That's enough." Jimmy was stunned. What did Jesus mean "That's enough." His lunch was hardly enough for himself, let alone all those thousands of people.
Jimmy stood and watched in silence as Jesus got his disciples to get the people to sit down in groups of about fifty. Then to Jimmy's astonishment, Jesus took one of his little fish, gave thanks to God for it and broke it in half. But to everyone's amazement, the two halves of the fish were each as large as the original fish! Then Jesus took one of the halves, broke it again - and the two new pieces were still as large as the original fish. Jesus kept repeating the process, and soon there was a large pile of fish. Jesus did the same with the second fish, and then with each of the five loaves.
There was a stunned silence as everyone watched the amazing miracle happening right in front of them. But then Jesus told his disciples to start giving out the food. And the Bible says that everyone had enough to eat. In fact when the whole event was over and the disciples went round collecting up all the scraps of fish and bread, the ended up with twelve basket's full!
My, that was a day that Jimmy would never forget. Wait until he got home and told his mum all that he had seen and heard. All that Jesus had taught them about the Kingdom of God, and all those amazing healings. But the best thing of all was that miracle at the end when Jesus had taken two fish and five loaves and multiplied them into enough food to feed thousands of hungry people. But the very, very best thing of all was that it was his fish and loaves that Jesus had used for the miracle!
Conclusion.
The Bible tells us that God does not Change. Hebrews 13 v. 8 says that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." The way that God works on the earth today is the same way that He worked two thousand years ago when he was here in bodily form. God uses people to bless other people and meet their needs. In the same way that He used that boy's picnic lunch to feed all those people, He uses whatever we are prepared to give him to bless others - if we give it willingly, just like the boy in the story.
You may only have a small amount of money, but if you give it willingly to God, for example put it into the church collection or give it to another good cause, He is able to take it and make even your small amount go a long, long way.
What about your time? Suppose you decide that instead of playing or watching T.V. one evening, you will spend some of your time helping Mum with the housework, helping Dad in the garden, taking a friend's dog for a walk, or doing some shopping for an elderly neighbour - then God is able to use your time to bless many people.
How about your talents? Suppose, for example, you find that you are good at playing the piano. If you say "I am not going to play the piano for my own enjoyment, or to entertain my friends, or even to earn myself lots of money. I am going to give my talent back to God, and let him direct me as to when and where I use my talent - He will be able to bless lots of people through it.
So, you don't have to be old to be used by God.
You don't have to be clever to be used by God
You don't have to be rich to be used by God.
All you have to be is like that boy in our story - WILLING. Willing to give to God whatever you have. If you are, then there is no limit to what God can do through you.
What is the very best thing we can give to God? Better than our money, better than our time, better than our talents? That's right. Our love, or in other words Ourselves. The best thing anyone can do is come before God and sincerely say "God, I give you all of myself. Not just my money, time and talents, but all of me. Whatever you want me to do, I will do it. Wherever you want me to go, I will go." If that is your attitude, there is no limit to how God can use you to help establish His Kingdom on earth - and there is nothing more wonderful than being used in that.
Your questions answered - Did God make cavemen?
Some people believe that long ago there were ape-men, and then the first humans were dumb cavemen. This is not true. There never were any ape-men. And the first people weren't dumb either. They were very clever.
The Bible says that a man named Jabel was the first of those who live in tents and look after livestock - cattle, horses, etc. His brother Jubal invented the harp and the flute. It takes a lot of intelligence to do that, as well as to play them.
Another man, Tubalcain, invented all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. This meant he knew how to extract copper, tin and iron from their ores.
All of this culture, such as farming, making music, and using tools, is proof that the very first people on earth were not ape-men, and not dumb cavemen either. Civilization existed from the very first.
Later on, after God scattered the people from the tower of Babel (see Genesis, chapter 11), some groups lost their abilities and degenerated to become simple cave dwellers, but others continued to live civilised lives, using their various skills.
Illusion - Floating a cork on water.
Fill a glass three quarters full with water. Produce a cork and ask your friends to try to float it on the water, without it drifting to the side of the glass. They will find this impossible to do, as the cork will keep moving away from the centre towards the side of the glass. Now, tell your friends that you will show them how this can be done. Fill the glass to overflowing with water. Place the cork in the centre, and it will remain there, floating in the centre of the glass.
SEVEN REASONS NOT TO MESS WITH A CHILD
Reason #1:A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah."The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"The little girl replied, "Then you ask him."
Reason #2:A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
Reason #3:A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to honor thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Reason #4:One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother has several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"
Reason #5:The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture: "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer--she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael--he's a doctor.'"A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher--she's dead."
Reason #6:A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.""Yes," the class said."Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."
Reason #7:The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: Take only ONE. God is watching.Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God's watching the apples."
