Kidzone 26.

Kidzone 26.


Story - Doing the right thing.

John Howieson worked as a labourer on a farm in a village just outside Edinburgh, Scotland. One day, whilst working on the farm, he notices a traveller walking past. As he watched, five men suddenly appeared and began attacking the traveller. Without hesitating, Howieson ran to the aid of the outnumbered traveller, and fought so hard that the five attackers all ran off. Howieson took the injured traveller back to his cottage and tended to his wounds.

After the traveller had recovered, he told John Howieson that he worked in Holyrood palace, Edinburgh where the king lived. He told his helper to be sure to visit him next time he was in Edinburgh, and that he would show him around the king's rooms, and even introduce him to the king, himself.

Sometime later John Howieson did visit the traveller at Holyrood palace, and was shown around the king's rooms. The traveller then said "Now we will go into the Great Hall, and I will introduce you to the king." Howieson was rather concerned and said "There will be many fine noblemem in the Great Hall. How will I know which one of them is the king?" The traveller replied "In the king's presence, everyone has to remove their hat. So you will know which man is the king, because he will be the only one wearing a hat."

As Howieson and the traveller entered the Great Hall, everyone removed their hats. Slowly Howieson realised that the only man still wearing a hat was his friend, the traveller! The traveller that Howieson has rescued was actually King James V of Scotland, who had the habit of travelling round his kingdom in disguise.

The king rewarded Howieson for his bravery, and bought him the farm on which he worked. But remember, Howieson came to the travellers help, not so that he would get a reward - he didn't know it was the king he was actually helping - but simply because it was the right thing to do.

The Bible tells us that we will be rewarded for the good things we do on earth, but that should not be our motive. Rather our motive should be the same as John Howieson, and we should do good and help others simply because that is the right thing to do.


Illusion - Hitting a target with a balloon.

Preparation of balloon guidance system (see Figure below).
Take a 6 or 7 meter piece of string, and thread one end through half a drinking straw. Blow up an ordinary round balloon, and tape it with sticky tape under the straw. When you let the balloon go, it will travel along the length of your string.

Illustration.
Challenge your friends to hit a target by letting go an inflated (but not tied) balloon. They start by aiming the balloon at the target (Ideally another stationary person), but once they let it go, it will probably change direction a number of times and completely miss it's target. Let them have a few attempts.

Now state that you will show them how to hit the target every time with a balloon. Bring out your guidance system. Have a volunteer stand behind your target whilst holding one end of the string. Attach your balloon to the straw near the other end of the string as described, let it go - and watch it hit it's target!

Note. Just as the balloon needed a guidance system to help it go the right way and reach it's target, we also need a guidance system to help us go the right way through life and not go off in wrong directions. God has in fact given us two guidance systems to help us. They are the Bible and the Holy Spirit. We need to let them guide us through life.

Your questions answered - Why did Adam and Eve sin against God?

The Bible tells us that in the beginning God made a perfect world, and that His finest creations were people. The first people (Adam and Eve) were made in God's own image or likeness (See Genesis 1 v. 26).

God could easily have made Adam and Eve like robots, so that they were programmed to obey him. But He wanted someone much better than that. He wanted people that would obey and love Him, but because they wanted to. Not because they had to. Thus, God gave people free will - the ability to choose. Thus Adam and Eve could choose to love and obey God, or they could choose not to love or obey Him.

Well, we all know what happened. Adam and Eve made the wrong choice - they disobeyed and rejected their Creator. But when people make bad choices, there is always a consequence, a price to be paid. Probably you have made some bad choices. Perhaps you chose to disobey your mum or dad, for example. And then found that there were consequences for it. Maybe you were punished!

There was a terrible consequence for Adam and Eve's bad choice. God placed a curse on the earth, and the whole world became "bad".

We still see the results of this today all around us. BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. God still loved His creation and had a plan to make things "good' again. He sent His Son to die on the cross. Now, if we put our trust in Jesus, we are forgiven all our wrongdoing and bad choices. Not only that, Jesus is able to come into our lives and make us clean and new on the inside. Now, although we can still choose to make bad choices, we are much less likely to do so as our desire now is to please God, rather than ourselves.




The Letter of Reference.

"To Whom It May Concern:

"Bob Smith, my assistant programmer, can always be found

hard at work in his cubicle. Bob works independently, without

wasting company time talking to colleagues. Bob never

thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and he always

finishes given assignments on time. Often he takes extended

measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee

breaks. Bob is a dedicated individual who has absolutely no

vanity, in spite of his high accomplishments and profound

knowledge in his field. I firmly believe that Bob can be

classed as a high-caliber employee, the type which cannot be

dispensed with. Consequently, I duly recommend that Bob be

promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be

executed as soon as possible."

Delivered a short time later:

"That idiot was standing over my shoulder while I wrote the letter sent to you earlier today. Kindly re-read only every other line."

Kidzone 25

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."

Kidzone 24.

Story - Leo the lion.



Leo the lion didn't have to work very hard to catch his dinner. After all he was "the king of the jungle" and much faster and stronger than any of the other animals around. Yes, life was good and easy for Leo. If fact he spent most of his time just lazing in the sunshine. But things were about to change.

One day Leo was snoozing after his mid-day meal, when he felt something being thrown over him. Lazily opening one eye, Leo saw what appeared to be pieces of string knotted together covering him. "Huh" thought Leo, "I'll soon get rid of this string." Leo began to push the string away with his paw, but once he pulled his paw back, the string came back over him. Leo decided that he had better use two paws, then three, then all four. But the harder he tried, the more he became caught up in the knotted string. Eventually he became completely entangled in the net. He had been captured.

What a 'come down' for the 'king of the jungle'. Leo had lost his freedom, and was now confined to living in a den. Things could have been worse though. At least Leo had some other lions for company, and his human captors fed him regularly. But it was not the same as having his freedom, and being able to roam wherever he wished.

Then things got worse. The food supply ceased. After a few days, all the lions were desperately hungry, and even began to think about eating each other. But then, suddenly, the door to the den was opened, and there was thrown in the largest meal Leo had ever seen - a fully grown man! Leo thought "I am going to get my share of that man before all the other lions eat him up." He moved swiftly towards his meal and began to open his huge jaws ready to take a bite. But, disaster, something was terribly wrong, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his jaws. It was as if someone had stuck them together with super glue. Leo tried prising his jaws open with his jaws, but they were still shut tight. "Oh no" thought Leo, "By the time I get my jaws open, there will be nothing left, all the other lions will have eaten the man." But then he noticed something strange. All the other lions were like himself. They were also rolling around the floor trying to prise open their mouths!

Some hours later, Leo and the other lions were resting on the floor, exhausted from their failed efforts to open their jaws. And the man was sitting in the centre of them, calmly watching. Suddenly, the door to the den opened, a face appeared, and a voice called out "Daniel, are you still alive? Did your God manage to rescue you from the lions?" The man replied "Yes He did. He sent an Angel to bind up the mouths of the lions, so that they would not harm me."

Orders were quickly given for Daniel to be lifted out of the lion's den. "Oh no, thought Leo, there goes my dinner." But then, good news. The door to the den was opened again, and Daniel's accusers were thrown in. And this time Leo and the other lions were able to open their jaws!

"I am sure that you have heard that story before. Daniel was thrown into the lion's den because he refused to stop praying to God, even though the king had ordered him to do so. God wants us be like Daniel, and continue to do the right things - even if that makes us unpopular with some people, and even if it puts us in danger. Remember, just like He did with Daniel, God can protect you.


Story - Processionary Caterpillars.


In South America there are a type of caterpillar called processionary caterpillars. They are so called because they always seem to be marching in procession - all following each other in single file. Once a man came upon such a procession and played a little trick on them. Using his fingers, he manoeuvred the caterpillars so that they formed a complete circle. Now, instead of walking in a straight line, the 'first' caterpillar was now following the 'last' one. The man watched as the caterpillars went round and round, each following the one in front for seven hours!

If you could have spoken to one of those caterpillars and asked it why it was doing such a stupid thing, going round and round, following the one in front, it would probably have said "I know it is a silly thing to do, but I don't want to be different. I just want to be the same as all the other caterpillars. If I broke rank, and went for a nibble at that juicy leaf over there, all the others would notice and think me different. I never want to be different. I just want to be the same as all the others."

Unfortunately a lot of people are like those processionary caterpillars. They don't want to appear different from whatever group they are in - even if that group is doing something stupid or wrong. They just don't dare to be like Daniel and stand up for what they know is right. But God didn't make us all the same, He made us as individuals and wants us to act as such, and always make the right choices, not based on what 'the majority' are doing, but rather on what is the right thing to do - just like Daniel did.

Let me ask you, who are you going to be like? Processionary caterpillars (the same, but silly) or Daniel (an individual, but doing right)?



Your questions answered - Can I be a Christian, even if my parents aren't?

The answer is "YES". You need to understand what a Christian really is. If you ask most people what a Christian is, they will probably reply something like "A person who goes to church", or, "A person who prays a lot and reads the Bible", or, "A person who does lots of good deeds and is always kind to others". All these things are good, but none of them make a person a Christian. Rather, these are some of the things that Christians do - because they already are Christians! Real Christians do these things because they can't help themselves. They are "natural" to them because Jesus has changed them on the insides, and given them a God-given desire to do these things, which is simply an outward expression of their new love for both God and other people.

Of course non-Christians can also do some or all of the above things, but that doesn't make them Christians. Some people do these things to try and please God - because they don't understand that God's forgiveness and acceptance can never be earned, no matter how 'good' they are, or how hard they try. Others do these things to try and impress people, so that they will think well of them, or be good to them in return.

One of the best ways of understanding what a real Christian really is, is to consider the three words :- CHRIST IN PERSON. When you condense these words into one, you are left with CHRISTIAN.

Thus, CHRIST IN PERSON = CHRISTIAN.

In other words, a Christian is a person in whom Jesus Christ is living. And He can only live in you if you invite Him to do so asking Him to forgive your sins (wrongdoing) and to come and take charge of your life.

It is wonderful to have Christian parents, because they can help and encourage you in your new Christian life. But even if they are not, don't let that put you off living for Jesus, because ultimately we are each responsible to God for what we do with His gift of Jesus to us - either to accept or reject.

Why not pray and ask God to bring someone into your life who is able to teach you more about Himself?


Illusion - Blowing a coin into a dish.

Produce a small coin and a fairly shallow dish (e.g. a cereal bowel). Place the dish on a table or desk, and place the coin about 15 cm. away at the edge of the table. Challenge your friends to get the coin into the dish, without touching either of them. It is very unlikely that anyone will work out how to do it.
Now it is your turn to demonstrate how it can be done. Blow a short sharp breath just over the top of the coin. (Have a few practices beforehand). Your breath should lift up the coin, and deposit it in the dish. The secret is to ensure that you blow horizontally, just over the top of the coin. You can then give your friends a chance to see if they can also do it.
Note. It is best to use a fairly heavy dish (not plastic), otherwise your breath might also move it as well as the coin. Alternatively, you may have to hold the dish in place with your hand as you attempt to blow the coin into it.

Laugh break - Classic comments (all from children).

Teacher. "What do you have to be to go to heaven?"
Boy (aged 5). "Dead!"

"Jesus spoke in Aromatic."

"Mary and Joseph could not stay in the inn as it was Christmas, and it was full up."

"David fought the Philadelphian Giants."

"Noah's wife was Joan of Ark."

Teacher. "What did Jesus say to the girl He brought back to life?"
Child. "Wake up! Your dinner's ready!"

Teacher. "What did Jesus promise to make his twelve disciples into?"
Child. "Vicious old men." (Fishers of men!).

Teacher. "Who was the most sorry when the Prodigal son returned home?"
Child. "The fatted calf."

Teacher. "Does anyone know what a Prophet is?"
Child. "Yes. If I buy some lollies at $1, and sell them for $2, that will be a $1 prophet."

Teacher. "Which Commandment concerns how you should treat your parents?"
Child. "Honour your father and mother."
Teacher. "Good. Now which Commandment concerns how you should treat your brothers and sisters?"
Child. " Do not kill."

Teacher. "Give me another name for God?"
Child. "Harold."
Teacher. "Harold?"
Child. "Yes, the Lord's Prayer starts off ' Our Father, which art in heaven, Harold be thy name.' "

Teacher. "Give me another name for God?"
Child. "I think it is Peter. Christians are always saying ' Praise Peter (be to) God.' "

Teacher. "What did the wise men bring to baby Jesus?"
Child. "Gold, Frankenstein and mud."

Teacher. "If Moses were alive today, what would he be famous for?"
Child. "For being the oldest man in the world!"

Kidzone 23.

Story - "I give you me!"

A teacher wanted to teach his pupils the real meaning of "Christmas". He explained that Christmas was Jesus' birthday, and that as it was customary to give a gift to people on their birthday, he asked all the children to bring in a gift for Jesus on that special day. He explained that he would like the children to all think hard about their gift and that it should be a one that would be worthy to give to Jesus, the Son of God and Saviour of the world.

The teacher placed a large box in the centre of the classroom and, as the children arrived - many of them obviously carrying a gift - , asked them to come out one at a time and place their gift for Jesus in the empty box.

Matthew was the first to come forward, and the other children gasped to see him pushing his bicycle towards the box. Everyone knew how much Matthew loved his bike. He had been saving up for it for months, and after he finally had enough to buy it just a few weeks ago, he was seen riding it for hour after hour. Surely Matthew wasn't going to give his precious bike away? But no. Matthew lifted his bike into the box, clasped his hands together and prayed "Jesus, I give you my bike."

Next to come forward was Amanda. Again their was a gasp from the other children as they saw her carrying her favourite Barbie doll. She was rarely seen without her precious Barbie doll. But she placed it in the box and prayed "Jesus, I give you my Barbie doll."

Next up was Big Joe. Everyone knew how much Joe liked chocolate. But there he was, carrying, a large box of chocolates to give to Jesus. How hard that must have been for Joe to give his chocolates away. And so it went on. Each child had obviously thought long and hard about their gift and gave up something that they were bound to miss.

Finally, there was only Poor Jimmy left. He was know as 'Poor Jimmy' because he obviously was very poor. He never seemed to wear any nice clothes, or have very much in his lunch box. In fact, sometimes, he didn't bring any lunch with him at all. It was said that his father had died, and that his mother didn't have much money to look after Jimmy and his brothers and sisters. What sort of gift would Jimmy give to Jesus?

"It's your turn now, Jimmy" said the teacher. "Bring your gift to Jesus." Slowly, Jimmy got up and started walking towards the box. A few children giggled and whispered "He's not got anything. Look. There is nothing in his hands. Jimmy is carrying nothing to give to Jesus." Eventually Jimmy arrived at the box. He hesitated for a moment, and then jumped right into the box and sat down. "Jimmy, What on earth are you doing" asked the teacher. But Jimmy just put his hands together and prayed "Jesus, I give you me! I give all of my life to you."

Question. Which of those children gave the best gift to Jesus? That's right, Jimmy did.

Jesus told us that when we are giving to others, we are actually giving to Him. Some people give money to Jesus (Perhaps when they give to the church offering, or to a charity), some give up some of their time or talents (abilities) to help others. And that is good. But what Jesus wants each one of us to give to him is all of our Lives, just like Jimmy did. He gave his life for us, and he wants us to give All of our lives back to him. He will never be satisfied with a little bit of our money, time, talents, or anything else we can offer him. No, He wants All of us.

What does this mean in practice? It means living for Jesus. It means putting Him first all the time. It means that our attitude should be not, "What is best for me, or what do I want to do?" but rather "What is best for Jesus. What does He want me to do?" That is giving yourself to Jesus.

Prayer. "Jesus, I give all of my life to you. I may not have a lot, but what I do have, I give it all to you. Help me to use my money, time, talents and everything else I have in a way that pleases you. Amen."



Illusion - Cutting a banana in half without touching it.


Jesus sometimes healed people from a distance - just by speaking a word of faith. In this illustration you appear to cut a banana in half just by speaking and / or by making a 'chopping' action with your hand towards it.

Preparation.

Take a banana, choose a point near the centre, and push a small sewing needle through the peel and most of the way through the soft centre. With the needle still in place, move it in an upwards and then a downwards direction a few times. This action will cause the centre to be cut in half, but leave the peel largely unaffected. On removing the needle, only a small prick should be visible in the otherwise 'normal' banana.

Illustration.

Show your friends your 'normal' (but prepared) banana. Select a volunteer and have them hold up the banana so that everyone can see it. Stand a few metres away from your volunteer and 'command' the banana to be cut in half. At the same time you could make a chopping motion with your hand in the direction of the banana. Finally, get your volunteer to carefully peel the banana. The banana centre should be clearly seen to have been cut into two halves.


Your questions answered - Where did Cain get his wife from?

The most common question that people ask Bible teachers is certainly "Who made God?" (For the answer - see Kidzone No.1). The next most common question is the one asked here.

Adam and Eve were the very first two people. Although the Bible only tells us the names of three of their children (Cain, Abel and Seth), it does tell us that they had other sons and daughters. As Adam lived until he was 930 years, there were probably lots of them.

At the beginning of human history, Adam's sons, including Cain, must have married their own sisters. This is because Adam and Eve were the parents of everyone. After that, their children's sons could have married their sisters or their girl cousins, and had children of their own. Very soon there would have been thousands of people living on the earth.

It is against the law for brothers to marry sisters today, why could they do it back then?

Let's first consider the world today. If brothers marry their sisters, then their children may be deformed or sick or handicapped in some way. This is because in our genes, we all have some 'copying mistakes' that have built up in our family over many generations. Different families have different copying mistakes. When people with different gene mistakes marry, the good genes from each partner tend to override the other partner's bad genes, so that deformities do not appear in their children. But if people with the same gene mistakes marry, then their children are liable to inherit two sets of bad genes, and so they can be handicapped in some way.

This was not a problem with Adam and Eve's children, because God created Adam and Eve perfect, with no genetic mistakes! So there was no problem with brothers marrying sisters.

But then, when sin entered the world, God withdrew some of His power that stopped things falling apart. His perfect creation began to degenerate. There was death and decay, and many genetic mistakes began to develop in all living things. This was minimal at the time of Cain, so intermarriage was okay, but by the time of Moses, about 2,500 years later, genetic mistakes had built up to the point where it was necessary for God to forbid brothers from marrying their own sisters. That is why it was okay at the beginning, but not okay today to marry your close relative.



Laugh break - Walking by faith.

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God up there?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. Possibly he just doesn't exist.A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

"FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT"
II CORINTHIANS 5:7

Kidzone 22.

Symbols of Christmas.

At Christmas time we come across many symbols that remind us of the true message of the season. Here are some of them.

1. The Christmas tree.

This reminds us of our sin. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, and Jesus died on a tree to take away our sins by redeeming us from the curse of the law.

Evergreen. The Christmas tree is evergreen, which reminds us of the everlasting life Christ offers all who come to him.

The point. This points heavenwards, reminding us that Jesus came from heaven to be our Saviour.

The Angel. Reminds us that it was an Angel that brought the first Christmas message to some Shepherds, "Fear not, for I bring good tidings of great joy, for unto you is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord." (Luke 2.10,11).

The star. Reminds us that God sent a special star to guide the wise men to the baby Jesus.

The lights. Jesus came to give light to those in darkness, and guide us on our way to heaven.

The decorations. Remind us of the beauty of everlasting life obtained through faith in Jesus.

Depository for gifts. (Usually underneath the tree). Reminds us of the first and best Christmas gift - Jesus Christ, God's gift to the world. We are also reminded that for any gift to benefit us, we need to receive it. If we don't personally receive Jesus into our lives then, as far as we are concerned, He might as well never have come to earth.

2. Bells.

Bells are traditionally rung to announce good news. And there is no better news than God sending His Son to earth on that first Christmas day. They are also rung to announce new beginnings, This reminds us of our beginning a new life in Christ.

3. Holly.

The points of the holly leaf remind us that our salvation was obtained through pain, and the red berries remind us of Christ's blood shed for us.

4. Santa Claus.

This reminds us of God's generosity to us. St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a third century Bishop who lived in Turkey. He was a generous man who gave gifts to people anonymously - hence his habit of dropping presents down people's chimneys!

5. The wreath.

The Christmas wreath's never ending ring is a reminder of God's eternal love for us. A wreath on a door is a sign of welcome, inviting all to enter in. This reminds us of Christ's invitation for all to come to Him. The middle of the wreath is a bare and empty space - a reminder of what life would be without Christ's love and grace.

6. Christmas candy.

The red and white striped Christmas candy is a reminder of the stripes Jesus took for us. The red is a symbol for His blood, and the white for the spotless New Life He gives us.



Your questions answered - What proof is there that God exists?

Many of our prominent political leaders today say that they do not believe in God, citing "lack of proof" of God's existence as the reason for their unbelief. I have tried to put myself "in the shoes" of these people and asked myself that if I genuinely was seeking proof of God's existence, what proof could God give me that would convince me that He is real? I came up with the following four proofs that God could give to convince me of His existence.

1. Creation. If God is real, I would ask Him to create something, out of nothing, that I could see with my own eyes and touch with my own hands.

2. Communication. I would ask God to communicate with me, perhaps by sending someone, or even writing to me, to tell me things like what He is like, why He made me, what His plans are for me, and if there is there is life after death.

3, Revelation. I would ask God to reveal Himself to us by visiting planet Earth in person. When He was here, I would ask Him to prove His power by doing things we humans cannot do, and that defy the natural laws of the universe. Things like multiplying matter, defying gravity, commanding nature (such as storms) to obey Him, commanding the sick to be healed and the dead to come back to life.

4. Finally, if God were real, I would ask Him if He really loved us humans, and to do something to demonstrate how much He loves us.

I cannot really think of any other proofs that God could give to convince us that He is real. But surely those I have listed above are more than enough. If God did all that, surely nobody could still doubt His existence. The proof would be irrefutable! But then I remembered - GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN US THOSE FOUR PROOFS!

1. We only have to look around us to see the vast number of wonderful things that have been created (If there is no Creator, they must have created themselves, beginning with nothing. And to believe this requires an unreasonable faith!). - "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19.1.

2. God has sent us many messengers to tell us about Himself - they were usually called Prophets. And He has written us a letter that tells s all me need to know to live our lives the right way. It is called the Bible. - "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways." Hebrews 1.1. "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3. 16,17.

3. Two thousand years ago, God did visit this planet in person. We called Him "Jesus". And while He was with us, He did stop or suspend the natural physical laws that govern the universe. We called these mighty acts "miracles". "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples." John 20.30.

4. God did demonstrate how much He loves us by allowing Himself to be crucified on a wooden cross. "God demonstrates his love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5.8.

I must conclude that God has given us many proofs of His existence. Enough, I would suggest, to convince any person genuinely seeking the truth. Yet many still deny His existence. No, the problem is not with God, it is not a lack of proof. Rather, the problem is with people. Many refuse to believe. To do so would mean that they would have to admit that they were responsible to a Higher Authority, and our selfish nature naturally rebels against that. Jesus put it like this "You refuse to come to me that you may have life (John 5. 40). Or, as the old proverb says. "There are none so blind as those who do not want to see."

So let us continue to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen, and pray to God to open the eyes of the (spiritually) blind.


Laugh break - Cats and dogs.

WHAT IS A CAT?(According to a man)

Cats do what they want.They rarely listen to you.They are totally unpredictable.When you want to play, they want to be alone.When you want to be alone, they want to play.They expect you to cater to their every whim.They are moody.They leave hair everywhere.They drive you nuts and cost an arm and a leg.

CONCLUSION: They are tiny women in fur coats.

WHAT IS A DOG?(According to a woman)

Dogs lie around all day, sprawled on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house.They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but they don't hear you when you are in the same room.They growl when they are not happy.When you want to play, they want to play.When you want to be alone, they want to play.They are great at begging.They will love you forever if you rub their tummies.They leave their toys everywhere.They do disgusting things with their mouths and then try to give you a kiss.

CONCLUSION: They are little men in fur coats.


Illusion - Changing the lengths of three ropes.

Here is a great illusion to try out on your friends. It will require a little practice, but will be well worth the effort. Refer to the diagram to see how to operate this rope illusion.
Cut three pieces of string or (better) rope to the following lengths:-

1.23 cm. (Red in diagram)
2. 37 cm. (Blue)
3. 55 cm. (Black)

For clarity, the ropes are different colours in the diagram, but for your actual illusion will be the same colour.

Hold the ropes in your left hand as per Fig. A., with the BACK of your hand facing your spectators. Say "I am going to change the lengths of these three ropes."

Manipulate your ropes as shown in Figs. B,C,D and E. Remember to keep the back of your hand towards the spectators. Essentially, what you are doing is looping the long rope (3) through the short rope (1). With practice, this should only take a few seconds.

Fig. B. Bring the bottom of Rope 3 across the other ropes.
Fig. C. Bring the bottom of Rope 1 up to the top, and hold it next to your thumb.
Fig. D. Bring the bottom of Ropes 2 and 3 up to the top, and hold on the right of your hand.
Fig. E. Grasp the three ends on your right (i.e. the two ends of Rope 3, and what was the bottom of Rope 2), pull horizontally, then release.

The three ropes - from your perspective - should now be as in Fig. E. From the spectator's perspective, they will appear to now be three ropes of equal length.

For added effect, you could then adjust the lengths of the ropes by pulling on each end of Rope 3 to make it shorter or longer.

Conclude by restoring the "original" ropes, either by pulling them apart, or by screwing them up and throwing them in the air.

Kidzone 21.

Kidzone 21.

Story - Message in a bottle.

An American minister once thought up a very unusual way of sending a message. Firstly he thought, if he was going to send a message in this novel way, what was the very most important message he could send? It didn't take him long to decide. Then the minister, with the help of some friends, made thousands of copies of this message, went down to the beach, put each copy of the message in bottles, and threw them into the ocean.
That certainly wasn't a very efficient way of sending a message as most of the bottles would have been broken up by waves or rocks, or simply lost at sea. However, after a short time, the minister began receiving replies from people who had found his message. They were so intrigued by it that they wrote to the minister to ask for more information. Altogether the minister received over 1,400 replies, from people in many different countries, all eager to find out more about this wonderful message.
What do you think the message was that the minister sent out? It really is the most important message of all, and is taken from the Bible, John, chapter 3 verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not die, but have eternal life.
That is the best and most important message this world has ever received because it talks about a wonderful person, a wonderful fact, and a wonderful gift.
A wonderful person. That's God's Son, Jesus. And there is nobody more wonderful than Him. He gave up his life for us all.
A wonderful fact. God loves you. And there is nothing you could ever do to stop Him loving you, because God Is Love.
A wonderful gift. Eternal life! And there is absolutely nothing that can compare with that.

Your questions answered - Why does God allow suffering?

Because everybody goes through tough times sooner or later, we have all asked a question like this. We might ask "If God is all powerful and all loving, why does He allow suffering? Why doesn't God stop all the trouble in the world?" God's ability is usually not in doubt, but rather the question is why He does not appear to act. Surely the all-loving God as revealed in the Bible would do something?

Only God, Himself knows the complete answer to this. However, we can share some thoughts with those who are genuinely seeking answers to this problem.

1. God does not cause suffering - man does. God created people with free-will. This means we have the ability to choose to either obey or disobey our Creator. Our first ancestors chose to disobey God. This was in reality rebellion against their Creator. As a result of this rebellion (the Bible calls it sin), a curse came upon the whole earth so that everything in it was affected and began to degenerate to the state we find it in today.

Thus, man's original sin first brought trouble and suffering into God's perfect world, and our continuing sin results in continued trouble and suffering.

2. Although God does not cause trouble and suffering, He is often able to use it to get our attention.

The most important thing in life is our relationship with God who we can only know through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. However, if we all lived completely trouble-free lives, most people would never give God a second thought! As Jesus said "What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lost his own soul?" (Mark 8.36). It is often through trouble or suffering that God is able to gain our attention and make us aware of our need of Him. Numerous people have in fact only found a personal faith in Jesus Christ after a tragedy in their lives.

3. God is primarily concerned with our characters, that is what we are rather than what we do.

Our character can be defined as a measure of what we have overcome. Thus, as we overcome problems and difficulties, our characters are developed. A trouble-free life would, in fact, hinder this development. And whilst this life lasts for only a short time, our characters are for eternity.

It is an interesting fact that many of the men that God has used the most throughout history have been those that have suffered the most in their lives. The Apostle Paul, Martin Luther and John Bunyon (author of Pilgrim's Progress) immediately spring to mind.

4. God, being all-powerful, could stop all suffering on the earth in an instant if He chose to. But what would He actually have to stop? - People! Suffering is the result of sin, and to remove sin God would have to remove all sinners - everyone! But because He loves us, God would rather transform us than wipe us out. The good news is that through the death of His Son on the cross He has made it possible for that to actually happen.

5. God understands our suffering. He does not ask us to face suffering without having first faced it Himself. This He did on the Cross when Jesus suffered more than anyone. Through that Cross He now provides us with the grace and power to face suffering.

God then has done something about trouble and suffering. The basic problem in the world is us - self-centred people. But through a commitment to Christ, God, by His Spirit, is able to come into our lives and change us, giving us new God-centred natures. Then as individuals are transformed, the societies in which they live are changed. This is verified by reference to history. In times when large numbers of a particular community have committed themselves to Christ (this is called a revival) the crime rate in that community has fallen to almost zero. This then is God's plan for our world - to change individuals who in turn change the world in which they live.

The only real answer to suffering is to become a Christian, for then we have His unbreakable promise that all things (including our suffering) will be working together for our good (Romans 8.28).

6. The complete answer to mankind's problems and the end of all suffering is the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, God has promised, the creational order prior to man's disobedience and rebellion against God will be restored. "The desert shall blossom as the rose, the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the lame shall leap and the dumb shall sing. The lion shall lay down with the lamb, swords shall be turned into ploughshares, and a government of peace shall be established." These are just a few biblical expressions of the future kingdom rule of Christ. The whole of creation is looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. This is good news in a world of trouble and suffering.



Illusion - Standing up under pressure.

When things are going well, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between the person who is trusting in Jesus, and the one who is not. However, when pressure - hardships, troubles, problems etc. - comes upon us, the person who knows Jesus is able to keep standing, whereas the person without Christ often crumples or "goes under."

Preparation. Take two plastic pen tops (Preferably different colours). Attach one or two plastic paper clips to the first top. To make the second top heavier than the first, attach one or two metal paper clips. Take about a two litre plastic clear bottle, and fill about 90% full with water. Drop the two plastic tops (with attached clips) into the water. They should both float. Screw the top on the bottle, and apply pressure to the bottle by squeezing it. A little "trial and error" may be required here. You may need to adjust your tops by adding or subtracting clips to ensure that when pressure is applied, the first top continues to float, whilst the second always sinks, or "goes under." When you release the pressure, the submerged top should rise to the surface again.

Presentation. You could give this demonstration to your friends. Explain that the two same-sized tops represent two people, one who is trusting in Christ, and one who isn't. When things go well (no pressure to the bottle), there is no difference - the tops both float. However, when pressure comes, one continues to float, but the other goes under. Repeat the pressure-on / pressure-off process a few times.


Lguah barek - Can you raed tihs?

I cdnuolt biveiee taht I cluod auiacity uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinevtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

Kidzone 20.

Story - DOG / GOD.

A dog lived with his young master in the city of Pompeii nearly 2,000 years ago. Pompeii was located in what we now call Italy, right next to a volcano called Vesuvius. One day in AD 79 Vesuvius erupted violently. Millions of tons of molten lava came out of the volcano, slid down it's banks, and completely buried the city of Pompeii. Some of the inhabitants were probably quick enough to escape, but many more were too slow and were buried by the lava.

Pompeii remained buried and practically forgotten about for centuries, but then about 100 years ago some archaeologists began to examine the buried city. Among their discoveries were the remains of a young boy and a dog, lying together. What was really interesting was that the dog was wearing a bronze collar with an inscription on it. Excitedly the archaeologists took the collar back to the laboratory, cleaned it up, and managed to read the inscription. It said "This is a very special dog, because he has saved his master from fire, drowning and thieves."

Could that dog could have escaped that lava from the volcano when it erupted? Yes, I think it could have because dogs have four legs and can run fast. But it didn't. It stayed right next to it's master. When the lava approached, I think the dog may have thought "I am not leaving my master. Whatever happens I will always stay next to him, as I always have done in the past."

That dog was very FAITHFUL. Most dogs are faithful to their masters - they will stay with them in good times and bad. A second characteristic of dogs is that they are FRIENDLY. It is easy to make friends with a dog. You only have to speak nicely to them, and they will probably run up to you , wagging their tails, and try and give you a lick! A third characteristic of dogs is that they are LOVING. Unlike some humans, dogs will never hold a grudge. Even if you mistreat them (which of course you shouldn't) they will still want to be your friend.

If you write the word 'D O G' backwards, it spells 'G O D'. And just as dogs are faithful, friendly and loving, so is God. These are three of his main characteristics.

Faithful. Our God is a faithful God. He has promised that He will never leave us or abandon us. Even if we do wrong, even if we ignore or disobey Him, He will stay with us because He is faithful.

Friendly. Many people wonder what life is all about. They don't know where they came from, they don't know why they are here on planet earth, and they don't know where they will go when they die. A man once got on a bus, sat next to another passenger and, wanting to be friendly, asked "Where have you come from? Where did you get on this bus?" The passenger replied "I don't know." The man thought "That's very strange", but undaunted he asked "What are you doing here on this bus?" The passenger replied "I don't know." The man tried a third time "Where are you going. What is your destination?" The passenger again replied "I don't know." At this point the man concluded that the passenger was completely crazy - and he was probably right. An amusing story. But many people are like that passenger. We are all on a journey through life, but many passengers have no idea where they came from, why they are here, or where they are going! The answer to these questions is, of course, that we came from God - He created us. Secondly, we are here to be God's FRIENDS - He made us for Himself, so that we could enjoy Him, and He could enjoy us, both now and forever. Thirdly, if we are trusting in Jesus, we are on our way to heaven- that is our final destination and true home.

Loving. God is a loving God. He loves us, not because we are lovable, but because He can't help Himself - because GOD IS LOVE! And God showed His love for us by sending His Son to die for us. I have a son, but I wouldn't give him up to die for you, or anyone. But that's what God did. That's how much He loves each one of you.



Your questions answered - When did God create angels?

The Bible does not tell us exactly when, but it was probably on the first day of the creation week that we read about in Genesis. We think this because Job 38.7 tells us that "all the sons of God" (Angels) "shouted for joy" when God "laid the earth's foundation."

The angels were all created holy (good), otherwise God could not have said on Day 6 that everything He had made was "very good". Therefore it was after the creation week that some of the angels (possibly a third of them) rebelled against God. The leader od these fallen (bad) angels is named Satan (meaning 'adversary').

The majority of angels have always remained faithful to God, and the exciting thing is that God created them so that they could serve and help us humans. Mighty and powerful that angels are, it is only us humans who have been created in God's likeness. And it is only for us humans that God's Son, Jesus died on the cross.



Illusion - Colours.

Look at the chart below, and QUICKLY say the COLOUR, not the word:

YELLOW
ORANGE
BLUE
BLACK
GREEN
RED
YELLOW
PURPLE
RED
ORANGE
GREEN
YELLOW

Note. You could print this out, or make out your own chart, to try out on your friends. You will find that many people will say some of the words, rather than their colours.


Laugh Break - Little Johnny.

A. A new teacher was trying to make use of her psychology courses. She started her class by saying, "Everyone who thinks they are stupid, stand up!"After a few seconds, Little Johnny stood up.The teacher said, "Do you think you're stupid, Little Johnny?"No, ma'am, but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself!"


B. At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs.Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and asked, "Johnny what's the matter?"Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."