IT WORKS LIKE MAGIC

It’s hard to describe the amazing impact my magic tricks have on the pastors here.  They make an impact far beyond anything I could have expected.  I’m known as the “American who does magic tricks.”  That is one of the draws that brings them, and how they distinguish my teaching from other conferences.  Magic is not an end in itself, but a means to an end.  It drives home my main point in a solid, impressive way and helps them remember it for years to come.

I use about 25 tricks in a 2-day conference.  A trick has to be large enough to be seen by a big group but small enough to transport to India, it has to be culturally relevant, not use English words or culture and clearly reinforce and explain the point I am making.  And, of course, it has to be easy enough to do correctly time after time.  Planning which one to use with which talk is often a challenge.  In a place without any way to use other kinds of visuals, magic tricks really makes a great difference.  The tricks work well because the people here are trusting.  They have existing presuppositions that are incorrect, so the end result surprises them.

We, too, have to be careful where we put our trust.  We must make sure our presuppositions line up with God’s Word.  If not, we’ll have surprising results as well – and not good ones, either. (January 25, 2018  Vijayawada, India)

Proverb 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

What do you put your trust in when making choices and decisions?  Do you ever make ones you regret?  What caused you to make the wrong choice?  What should you do differently next time?