40 Illustrations

These are some illustrations that are useful while teaching I've made up (at least one I made up) and picked up from people and places over the last few months. I thought I'd share with yall:

Having Faith Makes us Calm and Hopeful

If a child has broken a toy, would he calm down if his parent assessed the situation and assured him that all that is needed now is to glue it together and them they went and bought the glue. The child would calm down and confidently wait until the toy was put back together. Similarly Jehovah harps already put into place his Messianic Kingdom and all that is needed now is for it to react and restore all things.

Is Your Heart Complete Toward Jah? 

Job 1:7,8 Satan is roving about in the earth to look to see who's integrity is getting weak. In contrast Jehovah is roving about the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him. 2 Chron 16:9

How Do Principles Work?

A child before having his perceptive powers trained might see that its raining and still want to run out and play, he doesn't yet care if things are dirty and the dangers involved, he wants to pick dirt up and put it in his mouth. Yes the stove is hot, but he wants to touch it. With time he comes to understand the reasons behind why he should and shouldn't do things, that his conduct is involved. It starts to matter to him that the ground is dirty, so he wouldn't pick it up and put it in his mouth. Sexual immorality, for instance, is dirtly, but only with Jehovahs view point would we be disgusted by it, not trying it because it is dirty. Basic truths, or principles, help you to make correct decisions. 

Stay Away from Spiritism

Satan stays out side while you choose a movie, but if you choose one on spiritism then he comes right in, sits down on the couch next to you, throws his arm around you and flicks his eyes up heavenward and says "told ya". Prove Satan a liar!

Reading Without Meditation Almost Has No Effect

When it rains day after day then you have time for the seeds to get wet and to grow, but one quick rain doesn't do much, the sun can scorch it quickly.

If We Love God and His Word, We WILL  Make the Effort to Worship

If a young person dating didn't have a car or a bike but lived far away from the one he was dating would he walk it? Yes because he loves her. Would he complain that it was far? No he would feel that its real close by. How do we show our love for God. We must make the effort to worship out of love for Jehovah and it wont seem like too much. 

The Need to Keep up a Spiritual Routine

If you went to the doctor and you had taken your medication and worked very hard and went back to him and he said congradulations you are clean but you have to continue doing what you're doing there is a need to keep on track or you will risk going back to how you were. Likewise we have to keep up our spiritual routine.

Importance of Using the Bible

If we're not quoting scriptures when we teach its like petaling a bicycle hat has no chain. There is no power behind what we say. 

The Need to Eat Spiritual Food Regularly

Some may not particularly enjoy reading and studying. Certain foods we may not enjoy eating, vegetables perhaps, but we know we have to eat them to be healthy. Stay spiritually healthy. Read and study. 

Don't Invest Your Life in This World

Woud you buy a ton of food that's expiration date was right around the corner? That would be a waist of your money. Would you invest large amounts of your time and energy into this world? Its expiration date is right around the corner. It would be a waist of your life.

Its Urgent to Act!

Into the name of Jah, the righteous one runs. Into it the righteous one walks/strolls? No he runs.

Why Is a Sacrifice Needed for Sins?

What would happen to society if the authorities just pardoned all criminals and released them from jail? Chaos. God doesn't rescind his own laws. 

Importance of Following Moral Laws

Would you ignore the laws of gravity and say "I want to go where ever I wish, I want to walk of this cliff! To not be allowed to do so is so restrictive! I'll go where I want to go." Well, you can't walk on air. The consequences are obvious. You respect that knowledge of the law of gravity is a protection for YOU! Just as consequential and important are OTHER laws God also put into place like moral laws!

Universal Sovereignty

Suppose one of your relatives has no children and wants to gain custody of yours. He takes you to court and accuses you of neglecting and misguiding your children. To settle the issue and clear your name, you will have to present evidence. Your children will have to testify too. Similarly, Satan accuses God of lying and all humans of serving Him out of selfish interest. We can testify that we are children that are well taken care of and that we love our parent.

Seeds of Truth May Bear Fruit Later

Maybe you have a garden with a certain plant that stays at the same hight for a long time and you keep watering it with seemingly no progress, but all of a sudden it makes all kinds of growth and later even starts to produce fruit! The same can happen with our Bible students, you never know what roots they're laying down.

Keep Things in Perspective

You are one piece of a puzzel. There may be one piece with a man in the distance, but the puzzel picture is of a glorious mountain, we should focus on the big picture. 

How Meditation Works

Its like a coffee pot. You put the water in, the water is knowledge, but unless it is brought back up and filtered through the beans, the heart, you get no product. We have to bring back to our minds what we've learned, filter it through our hearts and produce results.

It Takes Effort to Raise Children

Children are like arrows. An archer takes time and energy and makes his arrows slek and straight, he carves it well. 

Have Students Use Their Own Words When Commenting

In most cases thoughts rather than specific words were miraculously conveyed to the hearts and minds of Bible writers, permitting them to choose their own words to express those thoughts.

Trusting Jah's Way vrs. Our way

We could be flying upside down in the dark, and think we're doing fine. Use the Bible to make sure that you're flying right and on course.

Faith is Reality

A realtor might hand you a piece of paper and say "Here's your home." You're not going to live on that piece of paper. Same with faith, we see things written on the pages and we have confidence that they'll be realities we'll see with our physical eyes in the future. 

Necesity to Obey Jehovah's Commands

We need to be within the feild of influence of Jehovah. You need to be within range on the cell phone to communicate. We need to remain within his law so we stay able to be incontact with him 'within range'.

True Christians Clearly Recognized 

Malachi 3:18 Christians will be clearly set apart. Just as in a hospital where some one is wearing all white and a stethoscope, they are clearly recognized as a doctor or nurse. It would be just as recognizable to tell the difference between one serving God and one not. 

Need to Preach to be Considered a Disciple

A shoe maker makes shoes. A driver drives. You can't be considered one if you don't do the work. A disciple of Jesus preaches. 

You Don't Need to Study All Religions to Find the Right One

You don't need to be a botinist (someone that studys plants) to recognize a tree from a thistle. Like wise you don't need to be a theologist to recognize true religion from false. 

Importance of Preparing Opening Words in the Ministry

When you see a fruit and it looks good smells good, but the first bite is bad, are you going to continue eating? 

SHOW Your Self Thankful to Jah

How do we thank Jah? Do we half heartedly say "Thanks" or do we sincerely tell him "Thank you!" He sees the difference as clear as you are able to see the sincerity of a person who says it to you! 

Abortion is Wrong

Do you know what sex your unborn baby is? Jehovah does. If two men were to struggle and ACCIDENTALLY kill the baby they were liable for punishment. What if we were to purposefully kill it? Imagine how hurt Jehovah would be. 

The Power of the Bible in Our Lives

The Bible is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. Doctors recomend that we have a check up every year, the doctor recommends that we have an x-ray on our lungs. We appeared to be in good health, but somthing was going on beneath the surface. Reading the Bible reveals things we didn't know about our selves.

The Need to Apply What We Learn

Once a boy graduated school to become a doctor then opened a restaurant. Some times there is no connection between what is learned and what is done. Others how ever are motivated from the heart by what they learn and want to put it to practice. 

The Need to be Decisive to Worship Jehovah

If you were to go to the store to get a product you need, but you were indecisive about weather to get it or not you might rob your self of time and opportunity to aquire the item and use it. Get it while its there. Serve Jah while there is still time. 

The Need to Transform Our Selves For Real

Rom 12:2 Make the mind over. When a catepillar becomes a butterfly, its not 'disguising its self as a butterfly' it actually becomeas one. We don't disguise our self as christians but we actually become them. Then a butterfly can do things that a catepillar can't, like flutter by. We can as Christians experience things like peace joy a relationship with Jah that we couldn't as catepillars. 

Making Sacrifices is Worth it

We need medical help, but we find out that it is more expensive than we had anticipated, we are going to have to make adjustments and sacrifices to be able to afford the medicine. We would have to focus on getting the medication and it would be worth it to cure us of our ill. Any sacrifice we make for the Kingdom is going to be well worth the effort also.

What it Means to Read in an Undertone

When you get a perscription you might read it through quickly at first but you didn't' get it and then you find your self reading it through again actually mouthing the words and saying it to your self. Why do you do that? Its so you remember it! They want to follow the direction. Read the Bible in an undertone.

The Need for Baptism

If an Israelite slave served after 7 years without their ears pierced? What might the people around think? That he is serving under compulsion. But when he has his ear pierced it shows that he is serving willingly. We dont want to serve Jah because of our Bible teacher or parents, but show Jehovah that we are serving him from our hearts willingly. Show it, get your ear pierced. Get baptized and serve happily under our great master.

When We Serve Jah Out of Love, What he Asks in Not too Hard

If a young boy loves going to the creek, the walk through the savannah in the ot sun isn't too hard, he doesn't mind it. 

You Are Liable For Your Actions Once You Know the Truth

At first when you learn a language you don't understand much of whats going on. But eventually you start to understand more and more until you're fluent in the language. If someone asks you a question that is embarrassing or brings up a subject you'd rather not discuss, you can pretend to not understand to save face but you know if you really did understand. Do we know the language of the truth fluently? You can pretend to not understand but Jehovah knows weather you really do or not. We are all responsible for our selves before Jah. 

Avoid Materialism

A bird might swoop down to catch a fish and realize that the fish is too big and barely has enough energy to flap through the water to shore and not even enjoy the fish but rather have only enough energy to take out its talons and release the fish. Debt can be like that. We may spent so much effort paying off the item, we don't even have enough time to enjoy it, and then it slips away and we're left exhausted.

Trust the Elders, the Arrangment of Jah!

When you have a biycle you value it but you'll probably lend it out, not problem. What about a motor bike, you would lend it to fewer people, its worth more. But with a car the stakes are even higher. But there is something of very great value to Jehovah, but he puts it in the hands of the Elders. Does Jah trust that arrangment? Yes.

Make Needed Adjustments NOW

If minor tweaks aren't made to a car by a mechanic the car could have major damage result. We are getting minor tweaks all the time. Help from our loving Heavenly Father. This is so we wont necessarily need major discipline in the future. It isn't pleasant to make minor changes, but it is not pleasant at all to receive serious discipline, or to die at armageddon. 

Reporting from within Guyana's remote interior, this hasnt really been a equator news update with Cortny Vee. 

Thanks for reading!

Good night :)