Leather Trading Co

"Did you know that popcorn makes the perfect tool to teach us a lesson from the Bible? Would any of you like to chew on a handful of POPCORN before its popped? Of course not! We know if we 'put the heat' to the POPCORN we can be sure we will have something delicious in no time! We are a lot like this tiny little piece of dried corn. GOD knows that inside of each of us there is the potential to become something much better. But to reach that BETTER potential there is a process to bring it about. God works on us much like POPCORN. HE will 'turn up the heat' in our lives. Situations POP up with which we are uncomfortable, and unfortunately things just POP up, one thing after another. POP! POP! POP!
BUT, don't we learn from the situations that unexpectedly POPPED up? We SHOULD! We need to LOOK for GOD in all the things that happen in our lives. HE is most likely teaching us to trust in him, to become a better person. We can give GOD the glory for teaching us through difficult times that POP up!

MMM . . . our POPCORN is done now! Doesn't it smell wonderful? Most likely someone wants a taste. Don't you LOVE how POPPING just one bag of POPCORN has filled the entire room with its aroma? This is just another reminder of TRUTH from GOD. Did you know that GOD wants us to be the aroma of Christ! It even says in HIS WORD, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing" 2 Corinthians 2:15.

We are a blessing to GOD when those around us NOTICE that JESUS is working in our lives! When YOU have learned BIG lessons from GOD, you should glorify HIM, call attention to what you have learned and others will be drawn to you because of your testimony!

If you don't think you can make a difference to someone by sharing what Christ has taught you, how he has worked in your life, then THINK about the bag of POPCORN. We didn't notice it when we entered the room. But, it didn't take long for us to hear the presence of it (pop-pop-pop!) and then the aroma of it FILLED the room and drew our hearts and minds to the THOUGHT of POPCORN!

WE can be that very way for JESUS! Many of you are drawn to TASTE this POPCORN. Likewise, iF you share about JESUS, others will also be drawn to HIM! So don't be upset when GOD 'turns up the heat' - something good is about to happen, if we wait and endure 'the heat' for a little while.

Romans 8:28 promises, 'All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.'"

There is limited information in Scripture that describes the home life of Jesus. Every now and then we get a glimpse of something. But there can be little doubt that God and His teachings were at the center of everything.

We read that “Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” No doubt His knowledge of and reverence for the Law and Prophets shaped His life and His reverence and relationship with His Heavenly Father and others.

Luke’s Gospel tells us about a family trip to the temple. On the way home, they noticed that He was not with them. When they returned to the temple they found Him listening to and answering questions of the learned teachers. At the tender age of twelve Jesus demonstrated to others the deep understanding of God’s Word that obviously came from His parents.

Mary and Joseph realized that they were obligated to God for the welfare and wellbeing of His one and only Son. While He was waiting to begin His public ministry He listened to their teachings and followed their examples of godly living.

Parents can never overlook or underestimate the influence and impact they have on their children. Parents must follow the example of Joseph and Mary in raising their children.

Prayer: We pray, Father, that parents will realize the important gift of a child and the trust You place in them to raise them to know, love, trust, obey and serve You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.