Vision Casting Snippets

What do Apples have to do with the Kingdom of God?

Submitted by Macka on Sat, 04/30/2022 - 16:02

Ask “How many apples can you get out of just one apple?” and show them an apple.

Most people don’t really know or have a really poor go at a guess.

  • Then ask them “How many apples to you think was on the tree that this apple came from?”
  • Then prompt them for another go at the question. Most work out how many seeds they think are in the apple and guess that they could have that many trees.

After a reasonable time prompt them in this line of thought:

Flowers in the Desert

Submitted by Macka on Sat, 04/30/2022 - 15:58

I have spent a good chunk of my life around the desert. The first time I got posted out to these places I thought that nothing could ever live here nevertheless thrive. The gidgee tree and spinifex grass are the only things that will even try and grow in the driest places. Even they sometimes can’t get a hold.

I stayed long enough to see the first rains in an area for seven years and it was only a sprinkle overnight that didn’t even settle the dust. It lasted maybe 30 minutes. It was a very short lasting celebration!

Tsunami (tidal wave)

Submitted by Macka on Sat, 04/30/2022 - 15:37

A tsunami is caused by an earthquake. When an earthquake occurs under the sea, it sometimes produces a circular motion of water, perhaps 1 km in diameter. This impulse can travel up to 800 km per hour, speeding through the open water virtually unnoticed. When conditions are right, this disturbance in the water forms a very definite wave form which has incredible power behind it. As it enters shallow water, it forms a large wave which we know as the destructive tsunami.

Chessboard Mathematics - videos

Submitted by Macka on Sat, 04/30/2022 - 15:27

Check out the videos at the bottom after reading this:

Recently a friend sent me a quote from Michelangelo - "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." For most of my life I aimed for zero, guess what, I hit it.

After all – “What can I do? The problem is just too big and I could do nothing to really impact the troubled people of this world”.

King George

Submitted by Macka on Sat, 04/30/2022 - 15:15

In 1783, George III of England was the leader of the greatest empire at that time. But despite his power in such a great kingdom, he lost 13 colonies all at once. How could it be that those 13 tiny colonies could successfully sever ties with England and form their own nation? The answer is simple: they joined forces and worked together. None could have done it alone, but together they made it happen.

Parable of the Starfish

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 23:36

Most of us have heard the story of the little boy walking along a beach covered with starfish. He began tossing them into the water one by one. A man approached saying, "Son, with thousands of starfish lying in the hot sun, how do you expect to make a difference?" The boy picked up a starfish and tossed it into the sea, "I made a difference to that one!"

Indeed, the boy could save one at a time, and he could never save them all. But let's consider this story in a new light.

The Ice Bucket Challenge

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 23:28

Chris Kennedy’s brother-in-law has ALS, a disease that stops someone from being able to use their muscles and usually leads to death. On July 15th, 2014 Chris Kennedy poured a bucket of ice water over his head and uploaded the video to Facebook in order to draw attention to the disease. Thus began what became known as the “Ice Bucket Challenge.” In the video, he challenged six close friends and his cousins to do the same in order to raise awareness for ALS.

Acts 2: What Was Missing?

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 23:15

We love to read about the amazing transformation that happened in Acts chapter 2.  The Holy Spirit came and filled the 120 gathered in the Upper Room, and the results were nothing short of amazing.  Three thousand people were converted as a result of hearing the gospel proclaimed--many from other nations hearing in their own language.  These new believers gathered into what most people would call the first church, and everything seemed absolutely perfect: their worship, their devotion to God, the way they gave to one another sacrificially, and they way they grew. 

What everyone in Hell wants

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 23:12

The Rich Man and Lazarus

In Luke 16.19-31 we read of the story of a rich man and a beggar. The beggar sat at the rich man’s gate, but that man of wealth was unwilling to reach out to help him. Eventually they both died, and the rich man ended up in agony, desperately wanting just a drop of water to cool his tongue. While this is a terrible end for the rich man, the real tragedy is that he wanted someone to go witness to his brothers so they would not come to that awful place. Abraham made it clear that no one could go back to tell his brothers.

The Snail and the Peach Tree

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 22:53

A certain snail was particularly fond of peaches.  One day this snail decided to go in seach of a peach tree.  He found such a tree and began to climb up the trunk slowly.  As he climbed, a bird came along and began asking questions.

"Where are you going?" asked the bird.

The snail replied, "I'm climbing this peach tree to get a peach."

"Silly snail," scolded the bird.  It's not the right season--there are no peaches on this tree!"

The snail replied, "Well by the time I get to the top, there will be peaches!"

French Stonecutters

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 22:48

Long ago, three men were cutting stone in a French quarry.  One day, a traveler was walking by and admired their hard labor.  He asked the first man, "What are you doing?"

Without looking up he said, "Cutting stone."

The inquiring visitor asked the second man, "What are you doing?"

He replied, "I'm making 30 francs per day."

Finally, the traveler asked the third man, "What are you doing?"

The third man stood up proudly and exclaimed, "I'm helping to build the greatest cathedral in all of France!"

Good Foundations and Sowing Widely

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 22:43

For more than 10 years I have been trying to renovate my house but cracks in the walls keep appearing and no matter how many times I fix the doors they will not shut!  The problem was that ¾ of the house had a sand foundation and ¼ was on clay.  The pylons were only put in the ground about 6 inches and there is a spring beside the house!  For 10 years I have tried to fix it from the top down.  I failed and it has cost me tens of thousands of dollars. I realised that there was no way around it I had to dig out the foundations and do it from the ground up.

Why is the Kingdom of God like a pumpkin?

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 22:35

(Inspired by Stan the man and Nat)

Pumpkins are a wholesome staple food in many parts of the world. They are so versatile as they can be used in everything from scones to stir fries or even dips but that is not what makes a pumpkin a hero of this story.  Did you know that the Kingdom of Heaven can be like a pumpkin?

What are the Two Most Important Days of Your Life?

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 22:31

The two most important days in your life are the day that you were born and the day you find out why!

(Mark Twain)

You were born to glorify God and to expand the Kingdom.  You were born to bring everyone you love and care about safely to Him.  You were born to show people how much God loves them even if you are yet to know them!

You were born to know just how much He loves you!  He put others in your life to do the same for you!

Vision Casting -The one single biggest facet to multiplication (DMM or CPM) that we can directly influence. (A different approach)

Submitted by Macka on Fri, 04/29/2022 - 15:39

In AIM or T4T training we often refer to the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 training method and that always includes “Vision Casting” at some point in the first 1/3 of a session. We often get asked for vision casting stories. We often get asked how do we encourage multiplication or why people are not achieving multiplication. The answer is usually simple.