When the Game is Over

When the Game is Over

When a chess player is defeated by his opponent, and “Check-mate” has been declared, the game is over. There is no point in continuing. You have lost and you had better accept defeat and put the board away. At least, that is true of a game of chess.

With the game of life, however, that is not necessarily so.

It was “game over” for the thief crucified next to Jesus.

He had lived the life of a criminal and was finally paying the ultimate price for it – his life. There was one thing, however, that he could do, and he did it:

And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” ⁴³ And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43 – NASB)

The game wasn’t over for him any more.

It was “game over” for the woman caught in the act of adultery.

She was on the verge of being stoned to death according to the law. She couldn’t do anything about that; it was out of her hands. All she could do was kneel there in the dust  and wait  for the stones to end her life.

She waited…and waited… and waited….

And then…

                Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” (John 8:10-11 – NASB)

The game wasn’t over any more.

Perhaps you have come to that place in your life where you are convinced there is no way out. Game over. Or you know someone else who has “lost the game.”

Is the game over for you?

Is the game over for them?

It need not be!

Jesus is the only one who can finally declare “game over,”

And he’s not going to do it if you call on him as the thief on the cross did.

The woman caught in adultery didn’t even ask for His help, but Jesus rescued her anyway.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… (Romans 10:8-9 – NASB)

The game of life is never over till you have been to Jesus.

Game Over?

(© Wednesday 22^nd April 2025 – by Christopher Shennan

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… (Romans 10:8-9 – NASB)

You think the game is over now,

For the likes of you and me;

You think the scoreboard is final,

And you are lost in misery.

Your life has just come to nothing,

And you are throwing in the towel;

You’ve expended all your effort,

And the umpire’s shouted “Fowl!”

The voice of reason still tells you

There is “no way out” forever;

And the enemy still whispers,

“You’ll find an answer? No! Never!”

I’ve got news for you, my friend:

The games not over, not at all –

As long as you lean on Jesus,

Nothing again will make you fall.

When this life at last is over,

A new game of life will begin –

And you’ll live with Him forever –

A life that is free from all sin.

 Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
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Checkmate by Alan Light. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. Also used under the Commons GNU Free Documentation License. No changes were made to this photo.

A “Crumby” Prayer Life

(Picture credits at end of past)

A “Crumby” Prayer Life

Matthew 15:21-28

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. (Matthew 15:25-27 – NKJV)

Most people will be aware of how the word “crumby” is used in everyday language.

It is a slang word meaning “of not much worth.”  I have no idea how the word came into common usage; probably because crumbs are not greatly valued. We say, “My, that was a crumby performance,” or “that was a crumby deal.” Someone has a bright idea we don’t like, and we say, “What a crumby idea that is.”

Well, today I want to talk about a “crumby” life of prayer, and contrary to common usage, I am going to put a high value upon it. I am going to suggest that we all need to be brought, at one time or another, to a place where we engage in “crumby” prayer.

The Syrophoenician woman persisted in prayer despite initial denial. She was willing to be compared to a dog, and the answer to her prayer compared to crumbs. Think of her what you may, but she finally prevailed. By definition “crumby” prayer is prayer that will not be denied, regardless of discouragements along the way.

“Crumby” Prayer

(© Saturday 24^th January 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

If you get right down to it, friend,

And pray from the depths of your soul,

For things you desperately long for;

For things that will make your heart whole:

Let go of pride, and if pretence

Is cast aside at your Lord’s feet;

You’ll find it’s like begging for crumbs –

The needs of your soul He will meet.

There are times this kind of praying

Will be just the kind that prevails;

Your heart will rejoice in mercy.

And the love He gives will not fail.

So if you are pleading for crumbs,

From the table your Lord has set,

You’ll find the master will give you,

Your place as the most honoured guest.

Please  visit My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
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Photo by unknown photographer. Contributed by Andrew pmk. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. No changes were made to this photo. Also used under the GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2

The Father’s Business – Restoration

The Father’s Business – Restoration

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 – NASB)

The Father and the Son are in the business of restoring in us what damage sin and Satan has worked upon us.

“A few years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt’s famous painting ‘Nightwatch.’ Then he took out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. A short time later, a distraught, hostile man slipped into St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo’s beautiful sculpture The Pieta. Two cherished works of art were severely damaged. But what did officials do? Throw them out and forget about them? Absolutely not! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore the treasures. (From SermonIllustrations.com)

No matter how slashed, and smashed and damaged you may feel you can be restored. God the Father is in the restoration business, and His Chief Restorer is Jesus Christ, working in the power of the Holy Spirit. Satan is the Destroyer; Jesus is the Restorer.

Soul Restoration

(© Thursday 11^th December 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 – NASB)

The journey was long and the pilgrim walked

Over paths that were both rugged and steep;

His spirit was weary and danger stalked –

Trials appeared that oft caused him to weep.

His face was set to follow the true course

Of righteousness and of a godly sort;

He’d chosen his path for better or worse,

And thought of the battles he often had fought.

Though weary of soul his spirit will rise

As the restoring breath of God he breathes.

Though his strengths diminish and almost dies,

His weariness of soul just bows – and leaves.

No matter how far you are from your goal,

You can trust in Jesus to restore your soul.

Check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca/
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Photograph by Philipp178. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license (note the disclaimer at this link.) No changes were made to this photograph.