Guided Tour of Bible

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Symbol: Guided Tour

Lesson: Learn more with someone who knows

Illustration: Over the years, I have visited both forests and museums that offered guided tours. Alternately, if I wanted, I was welcome to just stroll around. Sometimes the tour option cost money, but other times it was just as free as going it alone. I usually opt to go alone because I don’t like crowds and even more so, I can’t stand feeling like a tourist—even though I am one! I would always tell myself, “There are markers and sign posts that I can read if I want.”

As I walked along, every so often I crossed paths with the tour group and I would overhear the knowledgeable tour guide telling things I hadn’t noticed and tidbits not mentioned on the sign post markers. I began to realize I was missing some very interesting points by insisting on being alone. Then I would begin to hang out on the fringes of the tour group, too embarrassed to get close because I had already turned down the invitation. Sometimes, I would go back and sign up for the next tour.

This is actually very applicable to studying the Bible. While reading it on our own is a good habit to develop, acquiring an accurate and correct understanding of it is best done with a guided tour. The offer made by Jehovah’s Witnesses is a free guided tour. The reason ours is free is not because we don’t value what we do, but rather because Jesus said “you received free, give free.” I don’t know if other religious groups charge for that service.

Notes: Over the decades, I’ve met some very kind-hearted people who, in response to my offer to conduct a free Bible study-course with them, have said they’d rather study on their own. I’m always happy to hear that they have such determination but I know first-hand how challenging that effort can be.
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Riding A Bike

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Symbol: Learning to ride a bike.

Lesson: Don’t give up. Experience & confidence come from repeatedly trying.

Illustration: Learning to ride bicycle is one of those youthful experiences that people recount with horror and with laughter. Even initially with training wheels, it can be unnerving. Scrapes and bruises are pretty much bound to happen. But most everyone I’ve ever met, eventually conquers their fears, learns to balance and steer and becomes so good at it, they can even ride declaring, “Look ma! No hands.”

The same goes with learning to express ourselves, especially about potentially volatile subject such as the Bible. We may feel a great deal of apprehension for fear of not knowing what to say, saying the wrong thing, or being humiliated. But if we don’t “take the bull by the horns” and make repeated attempts, we will never gain the confidence to declare our faith easily. Instead of worrying that we may “fall” in our efforts, just accept that we WILL fall--and tell ourselves to get back up and try again. It is part of learning. As time progresses and you gain more experience and confidence, you will remember and learn new ways to speak with those you are sincerely trying to aid.

Notes: (n/a)

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Stand Firm Against Winds

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Symbol: Winds

Lesson: Remain firm in the faith.

Illustration: Trying to walk against wind depends on the force of the wind. If it is just a mild breeze, it is no problem. However, if it is a gale force, not only will it prevent you from proceeding, but it may blow you backwards.

It is the same way with the winds of popular opinion. If it is little more than the mild breeze of peer pressure (“Come on, what harm can it do? Try it, you’ll like it.”), then just our determination alone can overcome it. However, if it is the overpowering winds of gale-force persecution, even if we stand our principled ground, we may get blown down (die). Thankfully, our God knows how to undo all the negative effects of any problems we face.

Notes: When others see that they cannot influence us through "gentle persuasion," at times they resort to violence. They may justify their actions as "teaching us a lesson," but usually that is just a very poor excuse for their evil ends.

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Water Ripple Effect

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Symbol: Water Ripple

Lesson: Action/Reaction/Consequences

Illustration: Our decisions and actions are not without consequence. It is like throwing a rock into a pond—the rock does not merely sink, leaving no evidence. Rather it causes ripples in the water that take varying degrees of time to smooth out, depending on the size of and force with which the rock hit. Likewise, what we do and say can have a ripple effect lasting much longer than a mere water ripple. Especially bad or poor decisions/actions can affect us for a very long time. It is no wonder that Proverbs 14:15 advises those who would be truly wise (and shrewd) to consider each step (action) they take.

Notes: I heard this illustration used in a recent speech. It is not a new thought. Searching the web, TEDx has a few links to the ripple effect that good deeds have on others. Still, I wanted to capture this illustration in this blog for posterity’s sake.

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Fence Sitting

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Symbol: Sitting on fence

Lesson: No such thing when it comes to serving God.

Illustration: If you decide to build a new fence but your neighbor doesn’t agree with it, the fence needs to be built completely on your property. I once heard that it was up to five or six feet. This means that if you sat on top of that fence, no matter which side you fall, you would still be on your property.

Satan has made every attempt to keep people from serving Jehovah. As the “god of this system of things” he builds a fence designed to prevent, inhibit or discourage people from whole-hearted commitment. So while rejecting Satan and evil ways is a good thing, if that is not accompanied by active, positive action in serving God, that is figurative fence-sitting. Just “believing” in God is not enough.

Unless we have completely aligned ourselves with God, Jesus indicated that indecisiveness is like fence sitting. When the time of judgement comes or the end of our life comes, even if we try to jump off the fence and go over to God's side, it may be too late at that time. In effect, no matter what side we fall on, it is still on Satan’s property. We need to be away from the fence (of indecisiveness) and well within the midst of God's "drove."

Notes: n/a

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Hindsight Better

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Symbol: Driving, coming up on a distant landscape.

Lesson: Hindsight is better than foresight.

Illustration: As we are coming up on something in the distance, whether it be a town, a farm, or something else, we might find ourselves thinking, “I think I see what it is.” Even as we pass through it, we may still find ourselves trying to determine features about it. However, after having gone through it, we may finally have a good idea.

Similarly, on this side of an unfulfilled prophecy, we may think we have an idea of how it will unfold, turn out. Even as the prophecy is being fulfilled, we may not completely realize or appreciate it. It is not until we are on the other side, where it is now a fulfilled prophecy that we find ourselves thinking, “Oh! Yes, that makes perfect sense. I wonder how I didn’t see it in the first place.”

Notes: Even with personal decisions that may have us baffled, confused, and uncertain, it is usually after the situation has played out that we, in hindsight, say, "I wish I would have handled this differently." But this is not the case with God. He knows exactly how to handle things for everyone's best interests. His foresight is just as clear & certain as his hindsight.

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Energy Drink

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Symbol: Energy Drink

Lesson: Natural tendency for long periods of wakefulness is to grow tired. Nothing wrong with that. But when you need to stay awake, an energy boost is very helpful. Keep spiritually energized with spiritual activity.

Illustration: If you have ever worked graveyards or had to stay awake for some urgent situation, you know what a struggle it can be somewhere between 1AM and 3AM to stay awake. Your body naturally desires to sleep. Coffee or an energy drink can help in such times. But on a spiritual level, growing tired after years of faithful service (spiritual wakefulness) can be dangerous to our relationship with our creator. In such cases, what is our spiritual energy drink? Jesus himself answers that at Matthew 26:41.

Notes: Prayer is actually only one energy boost that God provides us to help us stay spiritually alert. There is also our Christian meetings, our association with fellow believers, and most of all our ministry. Put all of those together, and you will have the greatest adrenalin rush in these times we are living.

Auxiliary Scripture: 1 Thes.5:6

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