26 Sep, 2007
Hurry for Halo!
Fans Line Up To Buy Microsoft's Halo 3 Game
New York: Microsoft Corp began its midnight sales of "Halo 3," the acclaimed alien shooter game that it hopes will widen its lead over Sony Corp in the battle for industry dominance.
While some aficionados lined up before dawn at a Best Buy store on New York's Fifth Avenue to grab a good seat for the launch extravaganza, others took advantage of the retailer's offer to let them pay for a copy of the game and pick it up at midnight or the next day.
Alex Escobar was the first one at the store's checkout counter, turning in a receipt to pick up his advance order.
"It is worth it. It is time to finish this fight," Escobar said, echoing the tagline for a game featuring a futuristic soldier battling to save humanity from an alien onslaught.
What had been a only a modest gathering earlier in the day had swelled to a crowd of about 500 people that cheered as buyers entered the store, resembling other big consumer debuts this year, such as the last "Harry Potter" book and Apple Inc's iPhone.
"Halo 3" is seen as the $30 billion video game industry's equivalent of a new Potter book and Microsoft is counting on the game to finally push its money-losing entertainment unit into profitability.
Microsoft is backing the game with a marketing blitz that includes celebrity-studded midnight sales events at some 10,000 retailers across the United States.
"Halo 3" is targeted firmly at the core Xbox audience of young males, for whom realistic combat games are a staple. It does little to widen the machine's appeal to a more casual audience that is being courted with tremendous success by Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console.
photo & story courtesy gulfnews.com, 9/25/07
Matthew 6:25-33
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about earthly possessions?
First of all, Jesus makes it clear that our focus must be on Heavenly values rather than earthly values. If we are obsessed to possess, we will find ourselves empty-handed and needy.
Secondly, Jesus said that the Father knows our needs and will supply them in His way. Can we be patient and trust Him to be our loving Father?
Today's story about the Halo 3 hurry is a vivid illustration of what people will do when they gotta have something right now! Playing video games is not the problem. In fact, I think if Jesus were walking planet earth today rather than 2000 years ago, He would have fun sitting down and playing a game with you. And...He would beat you...or maybe let you win?
Priorities are the problem. Can we be patient for the new games to arrive and spend that waiting time in line doing something for someone else? Would we stand in line to show our passion for Christ? Just wondering....
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Do a little honest evaluation. How are you doing with our culture's obsession for possessions? What are your priorities on a daily basis? Pleasure or serving? Possessions or giving? The earthly or the heavenly?
- Talk to God right now. Ask your heavenly Father to forgive you for ways in which you have been selfish or impatient about needs and wants. Ask His Spirit to help you depend on Him completely and see your needs and desires from His perspective. Thank your loving Father for His promise to take care of you in a way that He knows is best for you.
- For one month, keep a written record of what you want and buy. Every time you think of something you want to buy, ask yourself if you really need it or do you just want it? Could the money you spend be used in a better way? Do you think God would be pleased with the purchase? Honestly evaluate your attitude and actions - you might be surprised how this affects you and others!
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Use this DAILYBIDE as a resource for your youth group or small group to get other followers of Jesus thinking about what He taught in Matthew 6:25-33.
- Email this DAILYBIDE to a friend or family member and then follow it up with a conversation to see what they think?
- Get some friends who need Jesus together to play video games. Look for an opportunity to ask them if they saw today's Halo 3 story and what they thought about it. Trust Jesus for the nudge to share what you learned in today's DAILYBIDE - it's part of your story.
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