Can you raed tihs?

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Take the above text and add it to a PPT slide or print it for students to read.

Possible Applications
1. It seems that as long as the first and last letter are correct, most people can read this paragraph. The same is often true for our spiritual lives. When we get the initial foundation right, and then also know the end result, everything in between will fall into place.

2. Jesus was described as the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. When everything begins with him and ends with him, the in betweens will all be taken care of.

3. In Matthew 20: 1-16 Jesus tells a parable of the laborers in a vineyard… at the end he explains “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.” Sometimes in our human understanding we think those who are first should have the advantage or receive special privileges. But God does not look at things in the same way as we do. Whether we serve God from the beginning (all of our lives) or if we decide to (or are finally invited to) serve him near the end of our lives the reward will be the same because God is powerful and gracious and in reality nothing we can do can balance out what he has already done for us. His overwhelming grace makes our efforts irrelevant compared to the enormous gift of forgiveness we receive from God. But God is pleased when any one of us, either at the beginning or at the end, put our faith in Him. Our service is not in compensation but in gratitude for what he has done for us. And as for me, the more I can serve him in gratitude, the happier I am!

4. As people, we often remember the firsts and the lasts… Maybe you have taken a quiz like this one…

FIRSTS

• First Memory: Cat having babies in a closet (I think?)
• First Real Kiss: A girl at University which I shall not name.
• First Concert: Can’t remember, but most memorable was PETRA “On Fire” concert
• First Love: My mom!
• First Crush: The girl across the street
• First thing you think in the morning: I need to go to the toilet!
• First book you remember loving: The Hobbit by Tolkien!
• First pet: A cute little dog I used to drag around by the tail!
• First question you’ll ask in Heaven: Why did you choose me?
• First thing you think of when you hear the word vacation: The Beach!
• First best friend: Bobby Cassels

LASTS

• Last time you dressed up: Star Trek World Tour – in my own specially tailored Star Trek Uniform!
• Last CD you bought: Jars of Clay – Good Monsters
• Last book you read: Harry Potter
• Last time you cried: Can’t remember…
• Last movie you saw: Most recent favorite was Rattatoui
• Last time you told someone you loved them: I love my family dearly!
• Last really funny thing you did: I am always doing funny thing!
• Last Halloween costume: Don’t remember the last time I dressed up… years ago… I think it was a Noah’s Ark Party in University and I my date and I both went as Teddy bears!
• Last concert attended: Delirious

What are some of the Firsts and Lasts in your Christian walk?

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200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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