The Open Hand of Prayer

An alternate presentation for the Hand & Eye Silks from Barry Mitchell Products
By Barry Mitchell

Main Point: A message about prayer

Props: The Hand & Eye silks are usually performed by changing the hand into the eye using a palmo ball.  In this presentation the eye silk is changed into the hand.

Presentation
Recently I had my eyes opened to the miracle working power of prayer.  (Show eye silk and begin pushing it into your fist.)  But despite the helping hand of God in our daily lives, many of us miss the mystery of prayer.  Allow me to give you a hand.  (Produce hand silk.)

Prayer is a conversation with God, not a formula.  But here is a memory tool that you carry at the end of your arm.

When we fold our hands to pray, the thumb is nearest to us.  We can begin by praying for those closest to us–our loved ones. (Philippians 1:3-5)

The index finger is the pointer. Pray for those who teach and point the way for us to follow.  (1 Thessalonians 5:25)

The next finger is the tallest. It reminds us to pray for those in authority over us–national and local leaders, and our supervisor at work. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

The fourth finger is usually the weakest. Pray for those who are weak and suffering. (James 5:13-16)
(Possible joke if it fits your personality to add humor: This finger is also the wedding ring finger.  So when you pray for the weak and suffering be sure to pray for the married.)

And finally our little finger is our reminder to pray for little ole me.  Ask God to supply your needs.  (Philippians 4:6,19).

If you have ever had a small child wrap all their fingers around just one of your fingers and give a little tug, you know how that feels in your heart.  That child’s slight grip and tug on your finger can’t help but tug on your heart.  In the same way, when we pray, we tug on God’s heart.

Special Thanks:  The idea for this mini sermon came from a daily devotional from “Our Daily Bread,” (www.rbc.org) and a sermon from my local pastor.

Be A Taker

An alternate presentation for “Bank Bag Bounty,” from Barry Mitchell Products

Main Point: Holiday or motivational message at any time of the year.

Presentation
Last year I think I gave too much. (Show moneybag empty.)  But in the coming year I’ve decided to be a taker. (Produce first coin under cloth, via the method used with the effect, and drop in moneybag.)

I plan to TAKE compliments.  (Produce two and drop in bag.)  Otherwise I rob the giver of a blessing.

I plan to TAKE advice. (Produce coin and drop in bag.)  Someone may actually know more than me.

I plan to TAKE time. (Produce coin and drop in bag.)  I will notice the beauty of the world around me.

I plan to TAKE refuge. (Produce coin and drop in bag.)  God and friends are a comfort in times of need.

I plan to TAKE the lead. (Produce coin and drop in bag.)  I may be the miracle someone is waiting for.

I plan to TAKE a leap. (Produce coin and drop in bag.)  Living up to my potential will require a leap of faith.

I recommend that you be a taker too.  (Pick up moneybag and prepare to remove jumbo coins.)  You may discover that taking produces an abundance of blessings.  (Produce jumbo coins.)
By Barry Mitchell

Big Fat Wallet

An alternate presentation for “Bank Bag Bounty,” from Barry Mitchell Products

Main Point: Biblical money management

Presentation
Do you ever worry about money?  Did you know that most people’s money bags are filled with fifty and one hundred dollar bills?  Your expression tells me that you’re not “most” people.  (Open money bag and remove 3” X 5” cards with phone bill, electric bill, and cable bill printed on them.)  Take a look inside mine.  Here is the phone bill, the electric bill, and of course the cable bill.  Other than that, my money bag is empty.  (Show bag empty.)

Did you know that the two biggest problems in America today are debt and obesity?  In other words, it’s not just our wallet that’s fat.  (Prepare to produce coins from the cloth.)  But that doesn’t stop us from spending.  (Start producing coins.)  We spend it like we can pull it out of the air.  A little here, and a little there, to pay for this and that.  Money really does grow on trees, that is according to the way we spend it.  (Finish producing small coins and remove hand full of coins from money bag.)  From the look of our possessions, we really do have it all.

We want the world to believe we make big money. (Produce large coins.)  But if people really knew the truth, they would see that the only thing inside our money bags is one really big line of credit. (Remove Vista card.)

Biblical Application
Many people don’t have a money problem, they have a management problem.  It’s okay to have things, as long as things don’t have us.  Our possessions are a trust given by God.  If we manage them well, God will be honored.

Special Thanks to Pastor Brent Freeman of Pathways Church in Sevierville, TN for inspiring this presentation idea with one of his sermons.

Possible Scripture References
Luke 12: 13-21 The Parable of the Rich Fool
2 Corinthians 9:8
Ecclesiastes 5:15
Matthew 6:25-34 Do not worry

Grandma’s Christmas Treasure Chest

A Christmas Story for the Magic Treasure Chest

Preset: Prepare the treasure chest load chamber with small individually wrapped candy canes.  Inside the bottom portion of the chest place an old Christmas stocking with one candy cane inside and a plastic orange and apple.

Story:  My Grandma had a magic treasure chest that sat on her bedroom nightstand.  Each Christmas she would bring it out and share a story of her first Christmas memory.  From the chest she would remove an old sock and a couple pieces of fruit.  (Back of chest should be facing audience.  Open chest away from audience and remove items from chest.)  The fruit was a reminder of what she always found inside a stocking on Christmas morning.  Her family was poor and although it doesn’t seem like much to us today, it was a real treat to her.  This was long before the days of Gameboys and X boxes.  Back then the word “we” was still a pronoun.

The old sock was her first Christmas stocking.  As she showed the old ragged sock, you could see the pride in her face.  In her eyes that old sock was the greatest treasure on earth.  I suppose that’s why she kept it in a treasure chest beside her bed.

She would go into detail describing the Christmas morning when she woke to find a single red and white candy cane in her stocking. (Remove candy cane from sock.) We don’t give much thought to candy like this today, because we can find it almost any time of the year.  But she had never seen such a treat before.  She could smell the powerful scent of peppermint.  To hear her tell the story made me believe that peppermint must be the fragrance of angels.

She told us how her own mother described the meaning of the peppermint stick.  In the late 1800’s a candy maker in Indiana wanted to share the meaning of Christmas through his work.  He took a plain white peppermint stick and added 3 red stripes and then curved the end to make a cane.  The white of the stick would represent the purity and sinless nature of Jesus.  The red stripes would represent the blood Jesus shed so that we might be pure in God’s eyes.  And the 3 stripes would represent the Holy Trinity.  Finally, the curve of the cane had a double meaning.  Since it resembled a shepherd’s hook it represented Jesus as our shepherd.  And if the cane is turned upside down it resembles a “J” as a reminder that the season is all about one gift, the gift of Jesus to mankind.

As she came to the end of her story her smile seemed to stretch a mile wide.  She knew what was about to happen.  She also knew the true meaning of Christmas couldn’t be found in a stocking on a nail.  The meaning of Christmas was to give from the treasure chest of the heart.  (Place sock back inside treasure chest.  Close, pull pin and turn box to face audience.)  Just as God had given from His heart when He gave Jesus to the world as a sacrifice for our sin, that kind of love can only come from the heart.  That’s the love of unselfish giving.  I hope this Christmas you’ll remember the legend of the candy cane and the opportunities you have to give unselfishly.  (Open box to reveal candy canes.)

Jesus, Gentle Shepherd, this cane of red and white
Proclaims the sweet love story born on Christmas night

This cane, you see, when turned around begins your name of love
And now becomes a symbol of peace proclaimed above

The lively peppermint flavor is the regal gift of spice
The white is your purity and the red your sacrifice.

And so this cane reminds us of just how much you care
And like your Christmas gift to us, it’s meant for all to share.

(Author of poem unknown.  Story by Barry Mitchell)

The Magic Treasure Chest is only available from Barry Mitchell Products.  This is a VERY LIMITED EDITION item.
www.BarryMitchellProducts.com

The Wisdom Bag

The Wisdom Bag is a presentation for the “Idea Bag” magic trick. The prop is available at www.TruthsAndTreasures.com

Scripture References
James 3: 13 and 17 and James 1:5

Script
Have you ever heard your Mom talk about a “hope chest?” It’s a chest that ladies fill with items they want to use when they get married. You might say those items give them hope for a happy life.

I brought a different kind of hope chest to show you. It’s my wisdom bag. Wisdom is a big word that I like to describe as “knowledge applied.” In other words, using my best ideas in the best way.

James 3:13 says, “Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do.” (CEV)

Inside this bag is the wisdom I use in my daily life. (Turn bag upside down.) Oops, it looks like my wisdom bag is empty. I would hate to think I used it all up yesterday.

Wait, the Bible also says in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (NIV) That means if our wisdom bag is empty, all we have to do is ask God.

Of course we can’t see wisdom. But we can see the results of wisdom in our lives. In James 3:17 we find, “But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, (produce box 1)
Wow, it’s a gift box. Reminds me of how God gives us wisdom. James 3:17 (CEV) goes on to say that the wisdom from God is also; friendly, (box 2) gentle, (box 3) sensible, (box 4) kind, (box 5) helpful, (box 6) and genuine and sincere. But it looks like I ran out of gift boxes. (Place boxes back inside bag.) I guess it’s a good thing I ran out of boxes because I also ran out of room inside my bag. (Show all boxes fill bag.)

You can be overflowing with wisdom too. According to the book of James, all you have to do is ask.

I brought a gift for you. It’s a wisdom bag. Actually it’s just a paper bag but inside the bag are all the verses from James that we talked about today. You can think of it as your Wisdom Starter Kit.

Find more ways to share the truth of scripture through the treasure of magic and stories at www.truthsandtreasures.com