|
|
tbaer Inner circle Pennsylvania 2003 Posts |
I remember a year or two ago, or maybe even three, another Café member thought it would be nice if we could all share a routine that we use. Some did share their routines. I thought it would be nice, since Christmas is coming up, that we could do it again. Not necessarily a Christmas routine, but any routine. Here is mine.
I have Crazy Cubes which has 2 sets of 4-blocks. Crazy Cubes/Cube a Libre/Bewildering Blocks.........Mirror Ourselves after God..........II Cor. 3:18 Before the presentation have the two sets of four blocks, #1, #2, #3, and #4 on the table away from the kids. Also have the tube on the table with the mirror facing the kids. (I had a mirror made about the same size as the tube and glued it on one of the sides of the tube) After you go up front to present the lesson, pick up the tube and point the opening of the tube towards the kids so they can see it appears empty inside, but keep it moving across the room. Casually flip over the tube and set it back down on the table as you draw attention to the mirror facing the kids. Turn over just one set of four blocks so the kids can see the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. Keep the other four blocks with the numbers facing away from the kids, we will get to them later. Pick up block #1 and tell the kids this represents God and set it back down. Pick up block #2 and tell the kids this represents family and set it back down. Pick up block #3 and tell the kids this represents your friends and set it back down. Pick up block #4 and tell the kids this represents you and set it back down. Stack up the blocks so #4 is at the bottom followed by #3, then #2, and #1 is at the top. This is how our priorities should be. God should be #1, then our family, then our friends, and we should be last. Let me tell you a story about my brother that took place about 40 years ago. My brother accepted Christ as his personal Savior when he was a young boy, maybe a little bit older than you. He eventually graduated from high school and went to college. After college he got a job working for the state making sure the bridges were safe to travel on and he eventually got married and had a son. He loved the Lord and he also loved playing tennis. Point to the stack of blocks and tell the kids this is what my brother’s priorities looked like back then. God was first in his life, then his family, then his friends, and he was last. Two days a week he would meet up with some friends and play tennis at the tennis court and he would always win. Over the next couple of months as he played tennis he kept winning. Word spread around town that my brother was a very good tennis player. He started to get calls from other tennis players who wanted to play against him. All the tennis players in town and the surrounding areas wanted a chance to beat my brother, but nobody could. He would always win. He had so many players calling him to play tennis that now instead of playing 2 times a week; my brother was playing 4 times a week. He kept winning and as the weeks went by more tennis players called him to play against him. Now instead of playing 4 times a week, he was playing almost every evening after work Monday through Friday, plus Saturdays. After a couple of weeks went by he started to play in tennis tournaments and they were held on Sundays. My brother played in these tournaments and would win. But something was happening and he didn’t even realize it. My brother no longer went to church because he was playing in these tennis tournaments on Sundays, so God wasn’t #1 in his life anymore. Tennis was more important to him than going to church. Something else was happening and he didn’t even realize it. He wasn’t spending much time with his family because he was always out playing tennis. My brother’s priorities got mixed up. Restack the four blocks so #1 is at the bottom, followed by #2, then #3, and #4 at the top. Point to the blocks and tell the kids that God was last place in his life, his family came in 3rd, his friends came in 2nd, and he was #1. But then something happened. Every time my brother would play tennis and swing the tennis racket to hit the tennis ball, his elbow would hurt like crazy. It hurt that much he had to go to the doctor to find out what was going on. After he went to the doctor, he found out the tendons in his right elbow were inflamed and the doctor told my brother he couldn’t play tennis for a whole month. My brother said to the doctor with emotion, “you mean I can’t play tennis for 4-weeks?” His heart was broken. He left the doctor’s office with his head down feeling sorry for himself. Since my brother no longer could play tennis he had a lot of time to think about stuff. The Lord started to convict my brother. Does anyone know what convict means? Let the kids respond. It’s when the Holy Spirit makes you feel guilty about something you did wrong. My brother looked at his priorities (point to the blocks) and realized they were out of order. Lift the tube off the table and place it over the blocks. Now we will get to the other four blocks. Turn the other four blocks around so the kids can now see the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. Stack them so #1 is at the bottom, followed by #2, then #3, and #4 is at the top. Tell the kids this is the order my brother’s priorities are in. God is at the bottom and my brother is at the top. But after the Holy Spirit convicted my brother of his sin, he repented of his sin and asked God to forgive him. Over the next few days and weeks my brother started to re-focus on what was really important in his life. He started to read him bible again and pray and he spent time with his family again. He started to get his priorities back in the proper order. He read a verse in the bible that really meant a lot to him. It was found in II Cor. 3:18, and it says this, “but we, with an open face, look in a mirror and see the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image.” My brother started to live the way God wanted him to live. Restack the blocks so #4 is at the bottom, then #3, then #2, and #1 is at the top. He started to mirror himself after the image of Christ as you slide the stack of blocks so the numbers are facing the mirror. Ask the kids if they remember what order the blocks are in, inside the tube. Kids will say #4 is at the top followed by #3, then #2, and #1 is at the bottom. My brother was mirroring himself after Christ as you lift the tube off the blocks and show the tube empty. So now the #’s of the one set of four blocks are facing the #’s of the other set of four blocks. Turn around the one set of four blocks so the #’s are facing the kids. Both sets of blocks match. You see boys and girls, as we mirror ourselves after Christ, our priorities will be in the proper order. My prayer for each of you is that when people see you, you will reflect back to them the image of Christ. |
jamiedoyle Special user Lafayette, IN 619 Posts |
Here's a Christmas Routine:
__________________________ What Does Jesus Want for Christmas? by Jamie Doyle What the Audience Sees: The magician displays 6 picture frames all across a long table. The frames are all turned so the audience can only see the backs of the frames. A member of the audience is helps to choose one frame. The eliminated frames are turned to show popular Christmas gifts. The last one is turned around to reveal a mirror and the audience member is looking right into it. How It’s Done: You are using a magician’s force known as the “Hot-Rod” force Needed: Go to the Dollar Store and buy 6 Frames that match - they will most likely be 8” X 10”. If you think you will need larger frames, you may have to invest more in the frames. Also buy an 8” X 10” mirror. It may come in it’s own frame. If this frame doesn’t match, you will need to remove it and place the mirror into one of the 6 frames that matches the others. Make sure these are frames that have the pop-out stand on the back so the frames will stand upright. Using your computer and color printer, print 5 of the pictures listed sized to fit the frames: - Video Game Controller - Smart Phone - Puzzle Pieces - Pair of Socks - Neck Tie - Doll - Candy Cane Use your imagination… if there is a popular toy that kids will react to - use a picture of it. This trick is customizable: you can change the pictures to fit the situation. In the 6th frame, place the mirror. Place the frames backs to the audience across an 8 foot table. Make sure the mirror is in the 3rd position from the left (from the audience point of view) Presentation: What does Jesus want for Christmas? We often times know what we want for Christmas. (ask members of the audience to name some gifts they would like to receive). I have some gift options right up here on this table. We’re going to choose one of these gifts and THAT will be the best gift we can give to Jesus. Ask for a volunteer to stand and name any number 1-6 (I try to use an older elementary-aged child who seems responsible and won’t try to “show-off”). The following is and explanation of the “Hot-Rod Force”: This is a great way to force any object if you have 6 options to choose from. This is based on the force used during a “Hot-Rod” routine Make sure the mirror is in the 3rd position from the left (from the audience point of view). Ask a volunteer to name a number 1-6. If the volunteer calls out: - One — Spell O-N-E pointing at the frames from left to right - Two — Spell T-W-O pointing at the frames from left to right - Three — Count to three pointing at the frames from left to right - Four — Count to four pointing at the frames from right to left - Five — Spell F-I-V-E pointing at the frames from right to left - Six — Spell S-I-X pointing at the frames from left to right Once the mirror has been forced, set it aside so it’s isolated from the other frames. Go thru the process of showing each of the pictures of popular gifts. Talk about each and whether Jesus would need or even want any of these gifts. Now ask the volunteer to join you on stage and you will allow them to see what’s in their chosen frame. Tell them not to say anything but to only answer your questions with a “yes” or “no”. Let them look into the mirror without letting anyone else in the audience see the mirror. Ask the following questions: - Did you see something in that frame? - Did what you see surprise you… just a little? - Did you see someone’s face? - Did you see your face? They will most-likely answer “yes” to all of your questions. “You saw yourself and that’s what Jesus wants for Christmas! You.” (Look at the rest of the audience) “You may not believe me but it’s true… take a look.” (Show them it’s a mirror and walk thru the audience and let the children all look at themselves in the mirror. You will notice the children begin “posing” and making faces —use this as part of the application). You all see yourselves - whether you were sitting there and had a kind look on your face or you began making faces… guess what? Jesus wants that too! He wants every part of you… your actions, your attitude, your thoughts, your heart… everything!” Wrap it up in any way that fits your program. It’s a great way to lead into a salvation invitation. Using a Forcing Bag: If you are uncomfortable using the “Hot-Rod Force”, consider using a forcing bag of some kind along with some numbered cards. You will need to number the backs of the frames by either using large vinyl numbers or printing from your computer numbers that can be glued or taped to the backs of the frames or attached on the table front just under where each frame would sit. Have pieces of card stock, cut to 2”x2” cards with the numbers printed on them. Have the same number of cards with your force number Using a Clear-Force/Net Bag: Place the many different numbers in the front so the audience can see the numbers. Place the cards with the force number in the back portion. This is the place where the volunteer will draw from. They will choose your force number. Using a Change Bag: Load the force number cards in one side and switch to the other side so the bag can be shown empty to begin. display the other cards in a clear bowl and show that they are all different. Dump them all into the change bag into the empty side. Just before the volunteer draws a number, switch the bag so they are only drawing the force number. |
Terry Holley Inner circle 1805 Posts |
I've used the following during Christmas time and it is received well. Even used it in Russia in 1992 using the Russian alphabet that I hand printed on blank cards.
I have a Hamilton made Jo-Anne the Duck (Educated Duck). I do the gags associated with the effect and then I have her spell gifts that kids like for Christmas (two gifts that you can spell with your deck using 4-5 cards each). Then I talk about the best gift ever given and she spells out Jesus. I then elaborate using John 3:16.
Co-author with illusionist Andre' Kole of "Astrology and Psychic Phenomena."
|
Doug Peters Special user I have a life, so I only have 591 Posts |
If you do any Confabulation, here's a Christmas take on it...
At Christmas, we often get to visit with family... sometimes family that comes from a distance, or, occasionally, we might get to go visit them! Let's imagine a Christmas visit, answering three important questions (let's use our imaginations to make up the answers): - Where (will they visit from)? - When (will they arrive)? (some day before Christmas...) - Who (are you going to visit)? Wouldn't it be crazy if someone knew the answers to these three questions in advance? (Show that they were using favorite Confabulation method) Now that's just a trick... but there was a Christmas visit -- in fact, the visit that made it Christmas in the first place! -- that really was known in advance! The Where? (Micah 5) When? (Daniel 9) and Who? (Isaiah 9) were all written down many years before that visit. No wonder the event was considered important enough to define the calendar by it!
"if you have any answers, it's time to ask harder questions!"
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The Good News! » » Share a Gospel Routine (3 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.08 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |