KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
What do you think about thinking? Have you thought much about it? Most of us don’t. It’s just something we do naturally until something happens to make us stop and think about thinking. Like this comic right now.
So, why do we think? God tells us why in His Word. In Genesis 1:27 it says that God created man in his own image, male and female. Here God is telling us two important things. Number one, He created us. Number two, He created us in His image. In other words, we think because God thinks. Our God, the Creator of the heavens, earth, and all life, designed us to think about everything we experience in our world.
So, how did God create us to think? He created us with a mind and a brain. Did you know that the mind and the brain are two different things that work together? The mind is the non-physical, spiritual part of us that thinks, feels and makes decisions.
The brain is the physical part of us that stores our memories and controls our bodies. It does this by sending signals through our nervous system telling every part of our bodies what to do. Incredible! There’s more! Recent scientific studies shows that our thoughts are so powerful that they can actually change our brains which can change our bodies! I know. I know, that’s amazing and a whole lot to think about! It’s no wonder God spends so much time in His Word talking to His people about their thoughts.
So, with all of that in mind (no pun intended), do you think it’s possible to think too much?
Questions to Ponder: Have you ever thought about your thoughts? If yes, what have you thought about them? What do you think about the most? How do you think your thoughts can affect your body? Do you think God wants you to think about Him more than anything else?
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. - Genesis 1:27
So, how often do you think about God? Do you think about Him all of the time? Or, just sometimes?
Some people think about God when they need Him for something. For instance, they may pray and ask God to help them do well on a test. Someone else may turn to God when they’re scared. There’s nothing wrong with either of those things. God wants us to come to Him when we are in need. He just doesn’t want us to only come to Him when we want something.
Think about it this way. What if we only talked to our parents when we wanted something from them? How do you think that would make them feel? Not very good. Parents naturally want their children to share their lives with them because they love them.
Now if that’s the case with our earthly parents, how much more so is it with God, our heavenly Father. Like our natural parents, God loves and wants His children to make Him a part of their daily lives. Why? Because He loves us and created us for that purpose.
So, how much do you think about God? It can never be too much.
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING …
Do you remember when you were a little kid having hours of fun connecting alphabet or number dots that made a picture? You could kind of see what the picture was before you connected the dots, but once you connected them, you could really see it. Then you could color it in and the picture really came alive. Well, life is a little like that. We’ve got all these dots around us, questions, problems and situations, but unless we connect the dots back to God we won’t see the real picture. Instead we’ll come up with a very distorted, strange, not so good image.
THE RIGHT ANSWERS
You see, people come up with lots of answers to the dots of life on their own. They use their own imaginations, experiences or just what makes sense to them. And they think they see the picture. They think their answers are just fine, even right. But God tells us not to try to come up with answers ourselves because all too often what seems right to us isn’t right to God at all. In Isaiah 55:8-9 God tells us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. In Proverbs 3:5-6, God says to trust in Him with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths. Here God is telling us that if we acknowledge that He is God and that He has all of the right answers, then He will give us His answers and show us the way to go. In Proverbs 14:12 God warns us that all too often the way that seems right to us is actually the way that will hurt us.
GOD WANTS THE BEST FOR US
God loves us so much that He wants the very best for us. That’s why He gave us minds to think, to seek out the right answers, the best answers for us.
WE ARE NOT GOD
The very first step in finding the right answers, God’s answers, is admitting that we don’t have all of the answers, that we are not God. That’s not very hard to do if we’re honest with ourselves. Just think about all of the times you were wrong, all of the times you came up with the wrong answer. We can avoid a whole lot of trouble if we just trust God with our lives. God tells us in His Word that if we seek Him, we will find Him. If we ask Him to show us the way, He will. God promises to give us the answers if we humble ourselves before Him and accept that He knows best.
… AND GOING …
So, what do you think? Can you think of times when you were wrong? What do you think God’s answer would have been? Do you think God has all of the right answers? Do you want to learn how to connect the dots of your life to God? If so, join Li’l Mo as he discovers how to connect everything to God.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. - Romans 12:2
DOT 1 - I’m Not GOD!
Understanding that you’re not God is the most important DOT to learn. Why? Because, by nature, people think they know it all. If they don’t think they know it all, they think they know a LOT! So what does God say about that? God says that the smartest person on the planet knows nothing in comparison to Him. Why? Because God knows EVERYTHING! He knows everything because He is the Creator of ALL things.
What’s really amazing is that God loves His children so much that He wants them to learn from Him. God is the best teacher because everything He knows is the truth. God’s people learn from Him by reading the Bible, His message to mankind. The Bible is filled with everything God wants people to know about Him and this life He has created for all of us.
Sadly, those who do not believe in God rely on their own understanding. They think they can figure out all of the answers to life’s questions. Only people are not perfect, so their understanding is oftentimes wrong. This creates a lot of problems for them and others, making life a lot harder. God desires for all of His children to live the best life possible, but that starts with believing in Him, knowing that He is God, that HE has all of the right answers, not them!
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. - Proverbs 4:5-9
You are never too young to think about God!
Some people believe that children are too young to think about God. But that’s not true, at all! In fact, God commands parents in Deuteronomy 6 to teach their children all about Him, all of the time! God wants children to grow up knowing Him and His Word. So, if Jesus tells parents to tell their children about Him, then that means children are not too young to learn about God. And the more children learn about God, the more they will naturally think about Him, which is exactly what God wants them to do.
Another point. Jesus tells us that if we have the faith of a child, we will enter the kingdom of heaven when we die. What is the faith of a child like? It is a pure and natural belief in God, a belief that doesn’t doubt, but knows God is real and everything He tells us is true. Here’s something else to think about. God’s Word promises parents that if they teach their children about Him, even if they stray away from God when they’re older, they will return Him, to the child-like faith of their youth. Now that’s amazing! Think about that!
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. - Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (ASV)
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)
Matthew 18:2-4 (ASV) Psalm 71:17-19 (ASV)
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
Every dot connects back to God. Wow! That’s a lot, literally, because it’s everything! But it’s also a lot to wrap our minds around. To get a better picture of just how massive everything is, let’s name a few things: sun, moon, stars, weather, sports, school, books, video games, plants, animals, ideas, fashion, health, music, movies, television, friends, family, any and all questions, problems, and situations! Whew! And those are just a few dots. To sum it up, dots are anything you can think of, anything that exists.
THE SOURCE
God tells us in the Bible that He created everything. He brought everything to life, and He keeps everything alive. Since God created everything, everything is connected to Him. He is the reason things exist and the source of their existence, including you! You came to life and are alive right now because of God. That’s pretty amazing.
WORKSHEET CHALLENGE
Just for fun. Here’s a worksheet to get you thinking even more about dots. If you complete it, send it to my email (carla@icdatproductions.com), and I’ll send you a surprise.
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
What about you? Did you try to think of something that doesn’t connect to God? It’s harder than trying to think of things that do connect to Him, and it doesn’t take long to realize that everything does.
AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY, OR NOT
Trying to think of something that doesn’t connect to God can be referred to as an exercise in futility, or simply put, futile. The definition of futile is pointless or unable to produce a useful result. While it is true that it is impossible to come up with something that doesn’t connect to God, trying to do so is useful. It’s useful because in the process of trying to find things that don’t connect to God, you figure out that everything does connect to Him.
A CRITICAL LIFE LESSON
This is a critical life lesson. Once you determine this truth it will impact the way you look at life and how you respond to it.
WORKSHEET CHALLENGE
To further emphasize this point check out the worksheet included. Send a copy of the completed worksheet to carla@icdatproductions.com and we will mail you a prize.
EVERYTHING CONNECTS TO GOD
God is clear in His Word that the Bible provides an answer to all of life’s questions. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Tim 3:16 that all scripture is useful for correction and instruction in righteousness. In other words, God’s Word tells us what is right and wrong.
God gave His people His Word to teach them the right things to do, to help them through life. (Psalm 32:8) Although the Bible does not mention every situation believers will face in life, God is clear that through prayerfully reading and studying His Word believers will be able to figure out His will. (Romans 12:2)
So the next time you’re in a situation and you’re not sure what to do, open up your Bible because the answer is in there!
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
Riddles. They make you think as you search for the answer. So, what do you think the answer is to this riddle? Let’s break it down. Who speaks in every language … Wow, that’s a lot of languages. Without saying a Word. Hmmm. Speaks without saying a word. That’s a definite head scratcher. Yet everyone in the world hears. Everyone hears? Everyone? That’s everyone! LOL. How in the world does everyone in the world hear? But not all understand. I totally get why they wouldn’t understand! Sigh. I don’t understand. Actually, I do understand because I made up this riddle. LOL. But do you understand?
WORKSHEET CHALLENGE
If you think you know the answer fill out the worksheet included, but there’s just one catch. You have to provide proof, an explanation as to why you think your answer is correct. Then send a copy of the completed worksheet to carla@icdatproductions.com and we will mail you a prize. Enjoy and God bless!
Deadline to Receive Prize: We will post the answer to the riddle on Friday, February 10th. So hurry up and mail in your answer before it’s too late!
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
Everybody has seen those signs, the ones that just say, Give Thanks. It sounds good, right? We should all give thanks everyday, but to Whom? Yes, we should thank each other, the people in our lives who have been good to us. But those people wouldn’t even exist if it were not for God. We should always thank God first and we should thank Him every day for everything.
That sign might seem harmless, but it’s really harmful when God, the One Who has made life possible, is not mentioned, but left out or forgotten. Give Thanks should always be followed by “To GOD!”
Li’l Mo noticed right away. Did you? Here’s an important question to ask yourself: Did you leave God out this Thanksgiving season? If so, it’s not too late. Thank Him now. Thank Him tomorrow. Thank Him every day!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. - Psalm 136:1
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
START WITH THE OBVIOUS
Do you ever have a hard time thinking of things to thank God for? It happens to all of us sometimes. Next time that happens, try this trick I learned a long time ago. Start with the things that are most obvious but we often take for granted. Like our ability to see, taste, smell, hear, and feel. Most people can do all or some of those things. Now just imagine if you couldn’t do even one of them? Now do you feel thankful that you can?
In fact every morning that you wake up you should be thankful that you did. You are alive and you have this whole world to experience. God gave you life and this world. It’s not perfect, but He is. That’s something else to be thankful for. And don’t forget the biggest one, God loves you!
KEEP THINKING
So the next time you have a hard time thinking of things to be thankful to God for, just start with the obvious and keep thinking. Soon your mind will be bursting with more things than you ever thought possible!
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind." - Psalm 107:21
IF NOT GOD, THEN WHO?
If God doesn’t have the right answers, then who does? Who would you go to for the answers to the many questions that life presents? I’d recommend that you find someone who has never been wrong. Do you know anyone who fits that description? I certainly don’t, except God. He’s the only One who is never wrong. He’s also always available. God is never too busy for you. And, because His Name is “The Truth”, He can never lie to you or mislead you. He is definitely the One to go to.
THE BIBLE HAS THE ANSWERS
God is always right because He created the questions. But, what does that actually mean? Think about it this way. Since God created the world, He set up everything exactly as He wanted it to be. Through the ages people experienced and discovered how the world works. The more they learned, the more questions they had and wanted answered. Knowing this, God put all of His answers together in one very special book, the Bible. All we have to do is open it up, read and discover.
BELIEVE IN JESUS
There are lots of other ways to find out the right answers. You can go to church, Sunday school, youth group, and ask other Christians. But the number one way is to believe in Jesus. You see, when you believe that Jesus is God and that He died for your sins, He gives you the Holy Spirit Who comes to live inside of you. The Holy Spirit opens up your mind to know God and His truth. If you want to know the right answers for this life, believe in Jesus and then ask Him anything.
DO OVERS
When was the last time you called a “Do Over!” I don’t think I’ve used those words since I was a kid, and I only remember using them when I was playing a board game or outside playing a sport or some other activity with friends.
The dictionary definition of a “do over” is to repeat something. Generally, people want a do over because they didn’t accomplish their goal the first time, so they want another chance to do it again, hoping this time to get it right. For the most part, there aren’t that many “do overs” in life, only in very specific circumstances. For instance, if you’re crossing the street, you better get it right the first time. Getting it wrong, could cost you your life. Taking a test at school is another example. Teachers don’t give “do overs” on tests and quizzes. However, video games do give do overs. For instance, players are given a certain amount of “lives” for their character. These lives are like do overs. But once you use up all of your lives, that’s it, the game is over. You don’t get an endless amount.
For the most part, what we do in life cannot be undone. However, God does offer His people second chances. He doesn’t allow you to erase what you’ve done, but He does offer you the opportunity to try again, sometimes over and over again. For example, if you didn’t do what your mom or dad told you to do the first time, you can make up for it by getting it done. Sometimes late is better than never. Or, if you hurt your friend’s feelings, you can go and ask them to forgive you. Then you can try not to do that again.
GETTING CHRISTMAS RIGHT
But can we do Christmas all over again? And what does it mean to not get Christmas right? Is that even possible? Well, let’s think about it. What is Christmas? Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’s birth. It’s Jesus’s birthday. December 25th is known around the world as the day Christians set aside to worship Jesus, to set our hearts and minds on Him and what He did for us. It’s a time to celebrate Jesus coming to earth to save all of His people from their sins. It is the fulfillment of the prophecies spoken long ago that God would send a Savior, the Messiah, to die for the sins of the world and reunite Him with His people, giving them a hope for all eternity.
Sadly, Christmas has lost its true meaning for many. Instead of focusing on Jesus and all He has done for us, people focus on buying gifts for others, singing Christmas songs that don’t talk about Jesus, decorating their homes with trees, bright lights and holiday ornaments, and preparing a feast for family and friends. Now, there is nothing wrong with doing all of those things, if you remember Jesus and keep Him at the center of your celebration. This can be done by reading the Bible prophecies and the story of Jesus’s birth and by praying and preparing your heart to worship Him throughout the holiday season.
When Mrs. Reid mentioned to Granddad Joe how quickly Christmas came and went He challenged her by asking her if she missed it. Mrs. Reid told him all of the things that she had done to celebrate Christmas, but didn’t mention just spending time reflecting on the true meaning, Jesus’s story. She knew, once she really thought about it, that she hadn’t truly celebrated Christmas. So Granddad Joe offered her a do over. Christmas can be celebrated any day of the year. Now, the whole world won’t celebrate your do over Christmas with you, but that’s okay, as long as you’re celebrating with the Savior, you’re getting it right.
So, how about you? Did you truly celebrate Christmas this year? If not, that’s okay, you can do it all over again! Merry Christmas!
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. - John 4:23
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
TESTIFYING TO GOD’S GREATNESS
Dr. Carver was passionate about teaching people how to eat and live healthy. In 1921 he testified before Congress on behalf of the United Peanut Association of America about the nutritional value of peanuts and sweet potatoes. This is part of what he said:
“Now, this is a combination and, by the way, one of the finest breakfast foods that you or anyone else has ever seen. It is a combination of the sweet potato and the peanut, and if you will pardon a little digression here I will state that the peanut and the sweet potato are twin brothers and can not and should not be separated. They are two of the greatest products that God has ever given us. The can be made into a perfectly balanced rations. If all of the other foodstuffs were destroyed—that is vegetable foodstuffs were destroyed—a perfectly balanced ration with all of the nutriment in it could be made with the sweet potato and the peanut. From the sweet potato we get starches and carbohydrates, and from the peanut we get all the muscle-building properties…”
Dr. Carver also wrote bulletins that included instructions on how to grow these products. He included recipes on how to cook and eat them, as well. One of his bulletins later became a book that is still sold today, How to Grow the Peanut: And 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library Internet Archives
In 1906 Dr. Carver created the The Jesup Agricultural Wagon, a mobile classroom, that he drove to farms and used to teach the farmers and sharecroppers.
Dr. Carver lived his life discovering God’s creations and how they can benefit man. He then shared all that he discovered with everyone so that they could also enjoy God’s handiwork and come to know the Creator as well.
References: PBS Learning Media: George Washington Carver: Scientist, Inventor and Teacher https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-george-w-carver/george-w-carver/
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library Internet Archives. (Images of How to grow the peanut : and 105 ways of preparing it for human consumption)
