DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE 17-24

© By Danna Shirley

#17 - THE ANCHOR HOLDS

“ . . . for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”  (2 Timothy 1:12)

The focus here is . . . what I have committed to Him! What are you holding back from Jesus? What won’t you entrust to Him? 

You won’t be disappointed if you turn your life, your all, over to Jesus. You won’t be tossed to and fro if you hold onto this Anchor. It is Weighty, it is Sure, it is Unmovable . . . it is Jesus Christ!

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast . . .”  (Hebrews 6:19)

Who is the solid, unmovable, anchor in your life?

JESUS CHRIST – THE ANCHOR HOLDS!

Prop: Use a real anchor to demonstrate its weight and substance.   If you have a fake anchor, use it as a comparison. (My friend, Barbara Fairley, sang and signed The Anchor Holds by Ray Boltz. The Holy Spirit touched and blessed the entire Open Assembly in such an awesome way through this mini-devotional.)

#18 - IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  (John 14:27)

A friend of mine came by the office to see how I was doing after my husband had died. She was the very first friend I made after moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1981. 

Libby has crippling arthritis. She has had several surgeries on her feet to keep them from drawing up and now must use a cane to walk. Her hands are gnarled so badly she can’t hold anything. It was a struggle for her to come to the office and get in and out of the car.

I was so touched by her labored effort to comfort me and I wished there was something I could do for her. I was sure many people had been praying. She said they were. Then she looked at me and just smiled and said, “It is well with my soul.” 

When there is nothing else to be done, we must just rest in Jesus. 

      When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
      When sorrows like sea billows roll;
      Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
      It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Words:  Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

Music:  Philip P. Bliss, 1876

 Props:  None.  You may want to just sing the entire song…IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

#19 - PASS IT ON

 “. . . For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  (2 Corinthians 4:18)

I’m sure we all have treasures that have been handed down in the family either from a grandmother or a great-grandfather. Something precious intended to be passed along to our children and hopefully, to be treasured by them just as much. 

My treasures are:

·         My mother’s Bible given to her by her parents when she left for college in 1937. 

·         My husband’s grandfather’s pocket watch that he bought during the Depression for one bale of hay. (He baled only two that year.)

·         A handcrafted miniature violin that my father made during WWII out of the windshield of a B-17 bomber. 

·         An oil painting done by my husband in one of his more creative moments.

My children already know that these are irreplaceable to me and my wish is that they remain in the family but . . . The Greatest Gift I can give my children is not temporal but eternal.

“Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

(Ephesians 6:4 KJV)

“Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

(Proverbs 22:6 KJV)

PASS JESUS ON! 

  Props:  Use an antique or family heirloom.

#20 - MILK vs. MEAT

 “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.  (Hebrews 5:13-14)

When I accepted the Lord as my Savior at age 32, my “spiritual mother” was 18 years old. Melody babied me through the Word of God on a daily basis until I could stand on my own.  Age has nothing to do with years in the Kingdom of God. I was hungry, she was my nurturer. 

Some Christians may sit on the pew for years and years still feeding on the milk of the Word. Others may only be a few years old in the Lord and are already digesting its meaty substance. We grow according to our desire.

No matter where we are in our walk with the Lord,

      . . . from the cradle to the grave,

            . . . from milk to meat,

                  . . . from infancy to maturity, 

we are to continually grow in Christ, seeking after and drawing close to Him.

Props: Use two baby dolls and two “old folks” dolls to depict from the cradle to the grave . . . OR you may want to use a carton of milk and a package of meat.

#21 - LOST

 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”  (Matthew 18:11)

Along with the invention of computers came new terminology, such as . . .

                        corrupted files             invalid path      

                        disk error                     improper shutdown

                        illegal operation           virus—don’t open

When these terms hit the screen, we may cringe with defeat and if horrific enough, scream and beat our fists on the keyboard. But for all of our wailing, if it’s lost, it’s lost!

God has his terminology as well . . .

                        defiled                         iniquity     

                        unrighteous                 wicked   

                        evil – sin                      unforgiving

                        LOST!

But in God there is hope because He can take the things that Satan meant for evil and turn them for good. All is NOT lost when Jesus saves, cleans up, and restores our lost files (life)!

Props:  Laptop computer and disks. Demonstrate putting a disk into a computer. We only get out of, what we put into. Are we putting in “corrupted” files or “virus free” files. Expound on the point you would like to make.

#22 - HOW BRIGHT IS YOUR LIGHT

 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matt 5:16)

·         Are you “plugged in” to The Source of Life . . . Jesus?

·         Does your light shine? 

·         Do you brighten up the dark places?

·         How much energy for Jesus do you transmit?

Or . . .

·         Is your light so dim that no one knows you even shine at all for Jesus?

·         Maybe you blink on and off . . . “on” in church and “off” in the world.

·         Do you hide your light under a bushel? 

Jesus tells us in Luke 9:26

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Do not be ashamed . . . let your light shine bright for Jesus!

Props: Use various flashlights (sizes and brightness). Use one that is made to float on the water like fishermen use; indicate how we can float on top of our circumstances by moving the flashlight through the air as if it is floating on the water. Use some with new batteries and some dim. Expound on how much light each gives out, etc.

#23 - GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT

 “. . . For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  (Matthew 12:34)

What we put into our thought life or through our mind’s eye, is what we will think and dwell on . . . garbage in. What comes out of our mouth and our ill thinking is the result of that input   . . . garbage out. 

“Garbage” can enter our lives through many avenues. . . books and magazines, radio and television, the internet, the movie industry, or words spoken inappropriately. Once “garbage” has entered through the door of our mind, it takes up residence there and our mind can recall it at any given time; even if we don’t want it to be recalled.

We are role models for those around us, whether at home or at church, for children as well as adults. We must make a stand and put a guard over our mind just as God tells us to put a guard over our mouth . . .

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

(Psalm 141:3)

Is it time to clean house?

Props:  Books, video tapes, music CDs, magazines, etc.

#24 - WEIGHT LOSS

 “. . . lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us . . . ”  (Hebrews 12:1)

I exercise with two-pound weights . . . occasionally! They don’t seem very heavy to lift up and down a few times but stand there with outstretched arms and hold them for awhile and their weight becomes unbearable. 

Sometimes our sins are like carrying heavy weights; they may not seem so severe at first but the more we hold onto them with outstretched arms, the more unbearable they become.

It is better to keep our godly appearance at all times than to try to regain it after it has been weighted down with sin.

God wants us to follow His weight loss program of unburdening ourselves from those heavy weights (sins) that so easily ensnare us.  

Props:  Two two-pound weights. Demonstrate how light they are at first; easily thrown around. Then hold them with outstretched arms and see how quickly your arms fail you.  Expound on how our sins weigh heavily upon us just as the weights.

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE 9-16

© By Danna Shirley

#9 - BALANCED DIET

"And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’”  (John 6:35)

My annual physical revealed several areas of concern.  As a person who is on the go and doesn’t like to cook anyway, fast food has been my “die-it.”  Now I am anemic and not operating up to peak efficiency or my full potential.  

We need balanced “nutrition” in our spiritual life as well…feasting on the Bread of Life in…

            Sunday School                       Prayer

            Church                                   Meditation

            Worship                                 Tithing

            Bible study                             Fellowship

If we ate the same food every meal, we would become burned out, weak, and sick.  It is the same with our spiritual life. 

Attending church for one hour once a week is helpful but is it enough?  What if our only sustenance was breakfast once a week?  Could we survive? 

God wants us “healthy” in all areas of our life.  He wants us to have a balanced spiritual diet.  Feast on the Word of God daily…pray without ceasing…you won’t be disappointed in how healthy you become. 

           

 Prop: Fresh fruit, vegetables, bread vs. stale, moldy, rotten, etc

#10 - ABIDING

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)

Looking at fresh, plump grapes it is not hard to see that they are well attached to the vine and quite juicy and desirable to a hungry person.

If left long enough, they shrivel up and become very undesirable.  Eventually, they begin to loosen and fall away from the stem. 

What keeps grapes looking juicy and desirable?  Being attached to the vine…the life source of the fruit. 

What keeps us, as Christians, from becoming loosened and shriveled and falling away?  Staying attached to the Vine (Jesus)…our Life Source.

Don’t fall away from church and Sunday School attendance, from reading and studying the Word of God, from fellowship with the saints, tithing, or prayer. 

Stay juicy and delicious…desirable for the world to see and want… abide in the Vine.

                 

Props:  A cluster of fresh grapes and a cluster of shriveled grapes.  Show that some have already fallen away and are loose…lost; but those that stay attached to the Vine (Jesus) are plump, juicy, and “alive.”

#11 - BROKEN POTS

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.”  (Isaiah 64:8)

I had a big, green planter out on my deck.  I wasn’t concerned that it might get broken because it seemed heavy enough to withstand any small wind that might blow.  I guess I took it for granted that it would be safe and sound.  However, when a wind storm came through and knocked it over, I was surprised to find it in pieces and wished that I had paid better attention to its safety.

When the unexpected storms in life blow mightily against us, we, too, may fall over broken…OR…we can set our feet firmly in the foundation of Jesus Christ and let those winds bend us and bounce us back even stronger.  It depends on how well we’ve been planted in our pot (the Word of God) and how well we trust in the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Sometimes, too, being uprooted and replanted in better soil and a bigger pot can be the best thing for us.  Plants don’t flourish if they’re root bound and cramped.  Wait on God…He will repot you when and where He sees fit.

Prop:  Use broken pottery pieces and a loose plant with its roots in little soil.  Explain how a plant doesn’t survive well if living in loose shallow soil or in a cramped pot. 

#12 - DIRTY SHEEP

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.”  (Isaiah 40:11)

On one of my trips to California to visit family, there was a ram fenced in by my sister, Paula’s, driveway. My mind’s eye imagined sweet cuddly lambs with their fleece as white as snow. Not so with this ram. Its fleece was thick and heavy, gray and dirty in the summer heat. It was not at all an inviting picture. 

A few days later I noticed the ram had been sheared, relieved of its thick coat and relieved, I’m sure, to enjoy the cooler summer heat. But I also noticed that its skin was just as gray and dirty-looking as the fleece. I had expected when the wool was removed, the ram would be clean again. Then I thought of the little lambs before they become dirty rams. 

Our Shepherd loves us unconditionally and desires to clean away all of our thick, heavy, gray “dirt” (sins) and make us white as snow. As the Body of Christ, we are also accountable to teach the little lambs and keep them in the fold, safe and protected, so they won’t become dirty rams.

Be a role model to the children (lambs) around you. It is much easier to keep them on the right path than to clean them up as they grow older (sheep).

Prop:  Lamb--stuffed animal.

#13 - RUSTY TOOLS

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

I found an old hoe that was left out in the yard. It had been neglected and was no longer strong . . . all rusted and of no use for its original purpose. The handle was brittle and I’m sure if I applied pressure to it, it would splinter and break.

God also gives us tools in our lives to be used for an intended purpose. Our “tools” are special gifts . . . prophecy, ministry, teacher, exhorter, giver, leader, mercy (Romans 12:6-8).

Don’t take what you have for granted. Protect it, nurture it, and care for it. It is better to keep your God-given “tools” (gifts) sharp and ready for use than to have to clean them up or repair them later.

Use your “tools” as God intended whenever and wherever He presents the opportunity. If you’re rusty or brittle, you could break under the pressure.

Prop:  Rusty hoe or a broken, splintered handle on any tool.

#14 - BRICKS AND BROKEN BRICKS

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)

One needs a strong, sturdy foundation on which to build. If not, the foundation breaks apart and what is on top falls through. 

The same is true of our lives. If we build our life on false beliefs, then we have a foundation that will be shaky and eventually crumble . . . taking with it everything that we may have built our life upon.

The only sure foundation is a life built upon Jesus Christ. When you lay your solid foundation, brick by brick, and mortar it together with the Word of God, it will not fail you. 

JESUS IS OUR FIRM FOUNDATION!

  

Props:  Solid bricks and broken bricks. Lay the broken pieces down first and try to place the solid bricks on top showing that it is unsteady. Then hold a vase or bowl on top and show how easily it would fall and break because the foundation is not on solid ground. Speak of our lives like the fragile vase and how easily we can be shattered if we set ourselves on something that will not firmly carry us through life.

#15 - TOASTY WARM

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

When we’re all together, we’re toasty warm, helping one another, encouraging and uplifting each other . . . “heating” one another as we come together in the Body of Christ.

We each have a place in the fellowship. We each have a ministry to the Body. If we are not in our place, then there are two losses:

Someone is not being ministered unto, for God always has an opportunity to use us.

We become cold from lack of heat . . . heat provided by the saints.

We need each other to keep toasty warm . . . on fire for Jesus.

Props:  Shallow pan with briquettes. Spray paint all of them red but leave one black.  Set it in the middle unseen. To illustrate the message, move it out and over to the side to show how we can become “cold” Christians when we neglect church attendance and fellowship. Describe the black briquette as cold, dark, hard, isolated, etc. and ask the question, “Do we want to become like this or remain toasty warm . . . inside the fellowship with other believers?”

#16 - HOUSE BUILDERS

“. . . Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock     . . . but everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand . . .”  (Matthew 7:24 and 26)

My husband, two sons, and I recently built a steel-frame home that would withstand 100 mile an hour winds. We chose steel over lumber because of the hurricanes that plague our area on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

We received a significant discount on our homeowners insurance for having built with steel and when finally tested by the first hurricane, we were very pleased with our choice of materials. We now understood what the term “tried and true” really meant. 

Jesus is our Master Builder and He has a perfect design for our lives. We can know the outcome just by looking at the blueprints. They are laid out for us in the Word of God. “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man…”  To follow the “sayings” of Christ, you must know what Christ said. 

What kind of builder are you? What kind of builder are you teaching your children to be? What kind of materials are you using to build? Are you building on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ? Are you standing on the Word of God in all of your doings? Study the Word for yourself…be a wise builder!

 Props:  Set of blueprints.                                       

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE 1-8

© By Danna Shirley

#1 - PUT OFF and PUT ON

 “. . . YOU put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt . . . YOU put on, the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  (Ephesians  4:22-24)

The Word tells us that God does not put off our old man or put on our new man. He very specifically tells us, “YOU” put off and “YOU” put on. It’s not automatic and it’s not out of our hands; it is something that is required of us. We are to make every effort to “put off”.

     . . . our former conduct

         . . . our old life

             . . . our old way of thinking

                 . . . our former attitudes and ungodly relationships. 

We are to “put on” the new man . . .

     . . . walking in true righteousness and holiness.

How?

Study the Bible, attend Sunday School and church, pray, commit your life to God. It is a lifetime pursuit and we will never be disappointed if we listen to the Holy Spirit and follow Christ.

Props:  I was able to borrow an old turnout coat from the local fire department.  I got the blackest, smelliest one I could find.  (Not to be touched due to possible HazMat contamination.) I wore all black underneath the turnout coat. My friend, Judy, wore all white. We represented the “old man” and the “new man.” Make a point of how the turnout coat smelled and looked after a life lived “in the fire” (the world).

I demonstrated that I was the old man and read Eph 4:22. As I took off the turnout coat and laid it aside (protect floor or carpet), I turned it over to Judy and she became the new man. She read Eph 4:24.  We expounded on what each entailed.

As Judy was speaking, I picked up the turnout coat and tried to put it back on over her white outfit. She shrieked and asked me what I was doing. I said, “Don’t you want to put back on the “old man” over your pretty, clean clothes (life)?”

That is what we do sometimes; lay something down and then want to pick it back up again . . . to our detriment. Once you’ve escaped the “fire,” don’t play with fire again.

#2 - ENFOLD

“Salute every saint in Christ Jesus . . . ” (Phil 4:21 KJV)

The Greek word for salute here is aspazomai (as-pad’-zom-ahee) and it means: to enfold in the arms, to welcome, to embrace. 

Isn’t it sad to observe that some in our churches receive a good hug on a Sunday morning and some are greeted rather coolly? But Paul tells us more than once to salute and greet the brethren . . . to enfold them in our arms!

If we would consider this Word from God as a directive . . . and follow it, what a sweet, sweet place church would be. Not only for believers but for those who enter our doors wary of what they might find. 

The Body of Christ might be stretched pretty thin or even pulled apart . . . but our final product is one big “lump” of believers. When we do that, we all RISE TOGETHER . . .a sweet smelling aroma for Christ.

Take this instruction to heart and love one another as Christ commanded. Consider enfolding without hesitation.

Props:  Use frozen yeast rolls (thawed). Set some aside to represent individuals and knead the others into one big lump. Demonstrate kneading the dough as you explain how we should enfold someone into the fellowship. Then take each individual roll as someone new coming into a Sunday School class or the congregation and demonstrate enfolding them into the church. Use a rolling pin to show how we can get stretched.

#3 - FISHERMEN

“Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”  (Matthew 4:19)

You must have all the right equipment if you want to catch fish. Some fishermen get magazines telling where the good fishing spots can be found. They get catalogs describing all the latest “stuff,” and of course, they go to the annual boat shows so they can drool over the big boats. Rising early in the morning to get out there by daybreak is easily done and conversation usually turns to the “big one” that got away. A lot of time and money is invested in this pastime.

Now we know that God LOVES fishermen! He called Peter and Andrew to come and follow Him, but then He had a bigger picture in mind . . . fishing for men and women and children.

The right equipment for this kind of fishing is the Word of God which is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). 

The preparation for this fishing trip also requires rising early in the morning . . . to study and pray. Being faithful to Sunday School and church attendance is also good training. If you are faithful to be equipped for this fishing trip, God will be faithful to have the fish (people) ready to be caught.

Props:  Fishing pole, lures, bait, etc., magazines, catalogs, a little toy boat or a toy fish.

#4 - ROTTEN WOOD and STINKIN’ DOGS

“. . . be sure your sin will find you out.”  (Numbers 32:23)

When Tropical Storm Bill came “in like a flood” through our area on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2003, the wind blew and the rains came…right under my French doors. he carpet and pad were saturated back into the middle of my living room causing it to stink like an old wet dog. My neighbors helped to move furniture so I could pull up the soaked carpet and set up fans to dry it out. The process took a few days. New pad had to be put down before the carpet could be re-laid. 

Now the sad part is that I had always seen just a little crack of daylight shining through where the doors came together but I never dreamed rain (or that much rain) could have gotten through the slight opening that I had continuously dismissed as insignificant. 

I also discovered that the wood frame around the outside of the French doors had not been primed and painted properly (I was the culprit) and the wood was rotten on the bottom near the threshold. If only I had just taken care of these two problems when they were minor instead of letting them become major, I wouldn’t have needed to contend with the extensive repairs.

Isn’t that also how it is when we let a little sin enter our lives? A little crack under the door that we ignore; a little bit of neglect to our foundation and we become “rotten” and “stinkin’.” Eventually a small problem becomes a major one, sometimes even life-threatening if continuously ignored or not adequately addressed.  God is not asleep. He reveals to us the cracks under the door in our spiritual lives. We just need to pay attention and listen. Take care of the little things (sins) before they become “rotten wood and stinkin’ dogs.”

   

Prop:  Use a piece of rotten wood and a stuffed dog.

#5 - THE EYES HAVE IT

“. . . he God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe . . . ”  (Ephesians 1:17-19)

EYES are very precious. We see grass and trees and flowers, we see birds and dogs and cats, we see our family and friends, we see things worth seeing and things we shouldn’t. Everything is recorded in our memory banks and can be recalled at any time and to any degree (accurately or vaguely). Our physical eyes can see this world all around us. 

Spiritual sight is just as precious. When God gives and we receive wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him

THEN . . .

. . . our understanding is brightened, illuminated, clear…

FOR WHAT PURPOSE . . .

. . . so that we may know the hope of His calling to US

. . . so that we may know the riches of His inheritance to US

. . . so that we may know the greatness of His power to US

SPIRITUAL SIGHT!

Some of us have sight but still don’t SEE! We may go for years and finally the light switch is flipped and the wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God is turned on and the “eyes of our understanding” have just been enlightened. Keep your spiritual sight clean and clear.

Prop:  Bottle of eye drops and/or lamp.

#6 - LITTLE SPROUT

"But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”  (1 Corinthians 12:18)

A blade of grass springs up in a beautiful manicured lawn. It is watered, fertilized, cultivated, and manicured. It thrives in its intended place. But have you ever seen a little blade of grass sprouting up through the cracks in a sidewalk or a parking lot? Have you wondered how this weak little strand could push its way through concrete or asphalt? But there it is for all to see…thriving in that sea of hardened blackness.

Sometimes we may find ourselves in what we think is “hardened blackness” as well. It might be where we work or where we live, or it could be our attitude toward where we work or where we live. In either case, we may feel like that smothered blade of grass. 

Don’t lose heart! Remember, God has planted us right where He wants us . . .

    . . . sometimes where our gifts can be used to help others,

    . . . sometimes where we can receive much needed comfort,

    . . . sometimes in the garden,

    . . . sometimes in the asphalt.

Maybe His intention is to plant us in the hardened concrete so we, through the Holy Spirit, can transform it into a garden. Wherever we are, we should release that sweet-smelling aroma that is the evidence of God’s presence and through Him, He makes something beautiful. 

Props:  A piece of concrete or asphalt and a small, clump of grass. 

#7 - CHOICES

 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  (Matthew 7:14)

Life is a path. For some of us it is already a well-worn path, for others their footsteps barely leave an imprint.

One can have the best home, the best parents, the best childhood, the best future and still make a choice to follow the wrong path.

One can grow up in poverty, neglect, and mistreatment and still make the right choice to follow the path to happiness and success.

Every day we have laid before us a path of choices…

. . . to have a productive life or a destructive one

    . . . to walk in integrity or dishonesty
        . . . to pursue an education or dismiss it

            . . . to live a wholesome life or a tarnished one

                . . . to do good or do evil

                    . . . to walk in health or ignore it

                        . . . to be chaste and pure or promiscuous

What path have you chosen? Did you choose well in some areas and fall short in others? On whatever path you may find yourself, it is never too late to begin walking in righteousness   . . . but much wiser to begin younger rather than older. 

It is better to start out on the right path than to find your way back from the confusion and chaos of a poorly chosen life. I encourage you to set your feet on the path of . . .

. . . productivity

      . . . integrity

            . . . intelligence

                  . . . wholesomeness

                        . . . goodness

                               . . . health

                                     . . . and purity

The choice is yours!   

Props: Make posters of signs or arrows going in different directions or choose pictures depicting different lifestyles. 

#8 - FITLY JOINED TOGETHER

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”  (Eph 4:16 KJV)

Do you sometimes feel that your life is a jigsaw puzzle but some of the pieces are missing? Nothing seems to fit and you just can’t force it. God has all the pieces of your puzzle laid out in the best design for your life.  It is a beautiful picture that he wants to accomplish in you.

Now sometimes we lose our pieces or we try to fit them in where they don’t belong. They may be misplaced for awhile but eventually God exposes their improper position so we can pull them out and fitly join them together where they do belong.

As individuals we have our own puzzle to complete but God also fitly joins our puzzle into His “big picture” . . . the Body of Christ.

 “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”  (1 Corinthians 12:18).

We are a puzzle piece set into our church, our Sunday school class, our ministry . . . as it pleases God!  It is an awesome thing to see God work. Especially when we allow Him to work in us!

     

Prop:  Small jigsaw puzzle to represent the individual and a large jigsaw puzzle to represent the Body of Christ.

BEAUTIFUL FEET

©Danna Shirley
"For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written:  ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’”  (Rom 10:13-15)

             Do we sometimes feel that our comings and goings throughout the day or week have taken us someplace where we didn’t wish to go?  Like having to get a flat tire fixed, or having to take that favorite dress to the cleaners because of the spaghetti sauce stain, or running back to the store a second time because you forgot the dressing for the tossed salad.  If we could look at every little annoyance as a divine appointment for our “beautiful feet,” we might view these as blessed opportunities that the Lord is opening up to us to proclaim the Good News.

            I’m reminded of an incident that happened to me several years ago.  We had purchased new carpet and had spent three days with our household turned upside down to accommodate the installation.  We’d only had the carpet about three months when it began to look ten years old.  I called the store and the same installer came out to look it over. 

Yes, the carpet was faulty and needed replacing.  Oh, the aggravation of having to face all of that upheaval again.  We chose another, better quality of carpet and scheduled the task again.  For some reason I didn’t seem to be too upset.  I was even surprised at my own “cool and calmness” over the whole situation.

            Ah, the Lord knew what He was going to do, though.  In observing my composure the installer commented that he had expected to face a very irate housewife.  In attempting to address his fears, I began to witness the Lord’s peace in my life.  We sat down and had coffee together while I shared the wonder of the Lord.  He was fascinated! 

            I don’t know what came from the conversation, but the Lord knows.  Ah, beautiful feet!  Wherever we go we take them with us . . . always be ready to share the Gospel of Peace as well!