Hi All: Ever since I began learning about Gospel magic decades ago, the "Chinese Sticks" trick has been used to illustrate the subject of PRAYER. I have read many similar Chinese Sticks routines over the years so it is very difficult to determine who first originated this connection. In "Magic Sermonettes" by Aldini (An Abbott Publication, published in 1962, still available from Abbott's) a routine entitled "Chinese Wands" is written by the author based on James 5:16.

Just the same at the risk of redundancy or being Captain Obvious, in my next post under this heading, I will post a Gospel magic routine I will be doing in Lighthouse Kids next Sunday with my sticks which (by accident, not design) may be a rethinking of many other similar routines probably out there already using this fine standard trick. Who knows...

I am fortunate to have a set of Kovari Ultimate Chinese Sticks which I use for this illustration. These are probably hard to find nowadays- other stage size versions may be available which have the final climax move where both extended strings are pulled and pulled and pulled and extended to about 3 feet or more- then both magically pulled back up at the end. See on youtube "Woody performs his version of The Classic Chinese Sticks" or "Ultimate Chinese Sticks Kovari" by omar olusion to see these fine sticks in action. I see that www.PenguinMagic.com has them listed as out of stock now so I don't know if more are going to be made. But any set of Chinese sticks will work with maybe only a slight routine modification. At www.ChristianMagician.org there is on Now That's Magic! #7 at the 24:40 mark on the video a segment of me using my Kovari sticks (not this Gospel routine however).

Since this is for my Sunday School, I have children volunteer readers come up and read Bible verses off of large poster boards while the trick is progressing. This works in my setting as the kids expect to do this, enjoy this, and like to read the verses that I am attempting to illustrate each week. I also refer again to one of my favorite books on prayer during the routine (which I have done in other tricks as well) "Praying For Your Elephant" by Adam Stadtmiller (available at www.CBD.com)

Attached to one "tassel" at the end is a small very lightweight spongy type toy elephant. Attached to the other tassel is a small very lightweight red plastic but spongy toy ninja (bar code 39277 40843)- both of which I purchased for only a dollar at our local "The Dollar Tree" store.

Anyway, I will post the routine below shortly for anyone interested in it. Free free to use it of course, I enjoy posting these routines in the hope they can be used by others and/or act as a springboard for your own Gospel magic routines for whatever local performing setting you may find yourself in. I have the luxury of mostly doing Gospel magic week after week for the same group of kids so I don't have to "establish" myself as to what I am (a magician) or why I am doing it (to reinforce Biblical passages/learning).

You know I'm interested in it
Thanks Roger!

Finally getting around this morning to completing this routine which I will be using tomorrow as part of our Sunday School kids program: "Resolution: PRAY!"

We will be singing first with the kids using captioned DVDs: "Whisper A Prayer" (Cedarmont Kids) and "Pray" (Taken from "Kids Own Worship" DVD based on 1 Thessalonians 5:17). We will all follow along with "The Lord's Prayer" from the "Bible Readeez" DVD. The beautiful song "Faith" (Group Publishing/Everest VBS DVD) ties in well with James 1:5-7.

After we complete the routine to be posted below, I will be showing the kids the final scene from the movie "War Room" entitled "Clara's Prayer" - a terrific closing scene for sure.

When we break into classroom groups, the 3rd and 4th graders will be watching "The Gladys Aylward Story" on DVD from www.torchlighters.org which also has terrific color student handouts to go along with the DVD. These resources are available for free from this website. Also see www.kidsofcourage.com This story is about prayer in Glady's role as a missionary to China. The kids will also be completing the inexpensive craft "Did You Think To Pray?" (available from Hobby Lobby).

I have kids volunteer to read Bible verses during the routine- all standing up front with me at the beginning of the routine. I write the verses out on large poster boards with a thick marker. Those verses will be referenced below- that is when I will ask the reading child to read out loud what is on his/her card (and then they sit down after giving the card back to me).

Optional items/suggestions used for "Prayer Ninja" Gospel routine below: See above posts. Minimum requirement is a set of "Chinese Sticks"- sold by most magic dealers from extremely inexpensive to top of the line models (like the Kovari stage size version). This routine below I am presenting in kids Sunday School tomorrow (December 31, 2017).

Also optional: At the back of the book "Fervent" by Priscilla Shirer (also available at Hobby Lobby), there are 16 detachable "A Prayer For" post cards- enough for each child take one home (or you can make more copies of it) for them to write their own prayer requests on.

THE PRAYER NINJA ROUTINE (basics):

"Do any of you know what a New Years Resolution is?" (Ask the kids, wait for any responses) "Right! A resolution is a decision to do or not do something in the future for our own or other people's benefit. Some people may have a resolution to exercise more this new year of 2018 and maybe lose some weight and get into better shape. I need to do that for sure. I'm in shape- round is a shape! Or, some may resolve to get their homework done right on time and study harder to get the best grades they can in school next year. Or you may be thinking about resolving to help keep your room cleaner and more organized in 2018."

"Well I have made one resolution for next year that I hope ALL OF YOU would think about joining me in- TO PRAY MORE, much more! I want to talk about that this morning using these two large sticks this morning which each have a string attached to it."

"You'll notice on one stick, there is an elephant attached. I have read a great book recently entitled "Praying For Your Elephant" (show book cover). In that book, a youth pastor author tells the story how on an overseas missionary trip, they needed an elephant! And God granted that request and with many other prayers being answered during that pastor's ministry. So what should we prayer about? EVERYTHING!" (Have child read Philippians 4:6). "So we should lift up whatever concerns us to God- whether it be our friends, our family, asking God to help us be be better shining lights for Him, to help us to tell other kids about Jesus, to help us be the best students and kids we can be." (Pull on the other tassel so the elephant tassel goes up).

"You see on this other tassel is a little Ninja. He is a prayer warrior! Praying will take dedication in 2018- one does just not become a good prayer ninja by just showing up. You have to actually take to the time to pray- it takes dedication! A resolution to pray!" (Pull the elephant tassel back down, the ninja tassel will go back up, etc., do this several times). "When should we pray? All the time! Continuously the Bible puts it- including in the morning and the evening as we sung about before." (Child reads 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

"But some things can hinder our prayers, so we can loose our good prayer connection." (Show the top of the sticks to not be attached together, separate the sticks so they look like a V coming out of your hand). "One thing that can do that- hinder our prayers- is have SIN in our lives." (Child reads Psalm 66:18-19). "So this verse says that if we do not cherish sin in our hearts, God WILL hear our prayers." (Pull on the tassels back and forth again, showing they go up and down). "Again, God HEARS our prayers- and then He may answer Yes or No or Wait based on what is best for us."

"Another sin that can hinder our hurt our prayers is if we are unforgiving. This too can separate us." (Show the bottom of the sticks not be attached either. Have child read James 5:16). "But if we confess our sin, and pray for each other, this verse says that the prayer of a righteous person, forgiven by God, is POWERFUL and effective. I want to be a STRONG ninja prayer warrior, don't you? It says in James 1 verses 5 and 6 we need to pray in faith and believe and not doubt."(Have child read 1 John 5: 14, then start again pulling the strings up and down rapidly).

"In Luke Chapter 11, Jesus teaches an amazing lesson about prayer! Let's hear about it!" (Child reads Luke 11: 9-13). Wow! Sometimes God can answer in amazing ways and give answers and more than we ever could have come up with ourselves! Ask the last reading child: "Can you pull down on each of these strings for me? (The Kovari set strings pull down several feet each). "Wow! Our little prayer ninja here had his prayers answered- the blessing came down big time! God loves to answer the prayers of His children!" (Then I magically pull both strings back up together, and start doing the standard back and forth pulling down on one, then the other, etc.).

"As in says in Matthew 21:22, If we believe, we WILL receive whatever we ask for in prayer" according to His will. That's the key, openly praying as forgiven believers in faith asking for God to be glorified as He lovingly meets our needs and the needs of others in HEARING and then ANSWERING our prayers in His way that is always best for His children." LET'S PRAY MORE IN 2018!!!!! Join me, won't you, can't wait to see what God will do!"

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Above is the basic idea I will be going with tomorrow, feel free to use it anytime/modify it for your own use or post further suggestions below. HAPPY 2018 everyone- another year we can all enjoy being "In His Service"!



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Postscript: If you have the War Room DVD, check out the "Special Features" on the real life 91 year old prayer warrior, Molly Bruno. Her worn prayer Bible was used by "Clara" in the War Room movie. Amazing wonderful story on leading a life of prayer...

Totally Off Topic: I was at our local Kalamazoo Cracker Barrel Restaurant yesterday (1-1-18), they had 70% off of the "Grand Illusions Set" kids magic set by Fantasma Magic on clearance. Regularly $19.99. now $6.00 only. I bought the remaining six they had left. You may want to call your nearest Cracker Barrel to see if they have any remaining. The set is well worth $6- includes a small set of linking rings, a wand, a Houdini poster, magic bubbles, arm twister, candy box, a DVD, deck of cards and more. Michael's Crafts last year did the same thing, had a terrific magic set on their web site at a huge discounted price.

Tom ladshaw has a few nice looking sets of sticks on his web site reasonably priced if you want to learn the above routine...

Tom Ladshaw has great items at very reasonable prices.