Joel 2:13 Rip Apart Heart

Pictorial Language Series

Joel 2:13 Rip apart your hearts, and not your garments, And return to Jehovah your God,

Back when Joel was alive, a contemporary way of demonstrating grief was was to rip the front of the garment apart. what God is counselling is to make more than an outward appearance of grief. Instead it should be a sincere heartfelt grief that leads to repentance and earnest concerted effort to please God through obedience.

Waiting For Deliverance Psalm 42:5

Psalm 42:5 “Why am I in despair? Why is this turmoil within me? Wait for God, For I will yet praise him as my Grand Savior.”

There were a couple points that stood out to me in the above verse. The first was “wait for God.” The second was that David felt confident he would yet praise God as his “Grand Savior.” But then as I reflected on the whole verse, it dawned on me that the whole verse can be helpful to anyone going through any type of trial. So lets start from the beginning:

“Why am I in despair? Why is this turmoil within me?” As we go through challenges, it is easy to become anxious. But as a servant of God, we need to take stock of our situation. Indeed, just why are we upset? Have we lost confidence in the love of our Creator? What exactly are we disconcerted about? Likely putting the situation into perspective will help us not to stress.

“Wait for God.” When we wait for anyone or anything, we are in anticipation of change. If we have stopped waiting, then gloom and despair can overshadow us.If we have stopped waiting on God, then we’ve abandoned ourselves to the current negative situation. The only thing we are waiting for is death. I’ve come to understand how unrelenting pain associated with declining health can actually make a person want to die, wish to die, and yes, even pray to die. Living in pain, not having any quality of life is no life at all. The next step, death, seems inevitable anyway, so why not just let it come sooner than later? But how much more positive is it when choose to “wait on God”?

For a few months during and after my chemotherapy (for leukemia), I could see no light “at the end of the tunnel.” I was so weak, in a constant mental fog, housebound, could no longer drive, and constantly feeling sick. But then, 6 months after the treatment, I began to build strength and stamina. I was once again able to leave the house and drive short distances. I was able to share in the public ministry. Then in May I discovered, quite by accident, that I had bladder cancer. The surgery to scrape the inner lining of the bladder to remove the cancer was more painful than anything I’ve experienced in the last 20 years or so (when my gall bladder calcified and died). And now, another problem that had shown up years ago and once again reared it ugly head and added to the pain I’m already facing from the surgery--the outer part of my right thigh started tingling and then went completely numb. Well, now it has gone back to sharp stabbing pains, tingling throughout my upper and lower right leg. Every step is excruciatingly painful. Really death is preferable.

But then I was struck by the words in Psalm 42:5, to “wait on God.” Waiting on him for what? David concludes he wants to praise God not only for being his God, but just as importantly, as being his Grand Savior. Yes, losing hope is a dismal way to live out the remainder of our lives. Instead, wait to see what God will do for you. Expect him to care and demonstrate that care. This is a much more positive viewpoint to have.

Shallow Research

Perhaps it is that I'm getting older and more cynical or perhaps it is just that I happen to read two articles back to back that made me mistrust the conclusions of the latter. The first article was titled "I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here's How." In it, the researcher detailed how he conducted a "junk science" research and then distributed it to the gullible diet and health journals around the world who, in turn, disseminated it to the masses of diet-conscious readers.

Immediately following that, I read the article Millennials Are The Least Religious Generation Yet, And Here's The Surprising Reason Why. The whole time I was reading it, it sounded like such a "Shallow Hal" sort of article (looking only at the superficial features of the data), that I could not get past the right-wing conclusions. (It is worth noting that the first article mentioned the Huffington Post carried the faked chocolate report and this latter article on Religion was published by the Huffington Post.) At one point the article quotes a Dr Jean Twenge as stating "We found that religious involvement was low when individualism was high," she said in the email. "Individualism is a cultural system that places more emphasis on the self and less on social rules. Individualism can conflict with religion, especially as religion usually involves following certain rules and being part of a group."

Now I appreciate that the themed-subject of the article was religion, but that is no excuse to ignore the obvious implications of such a statement. There is another large "cultural system" called social order (government). Is this same group of upcoming adults also not civic minded? I know I'll be criticized for asking this, but how many steps away is individualism (aka me-ism) from anarchy? But I digress.

My point is to demonstrate how shallow I feel the conclusions are that were reached by the article. The fact is that individualism has been strong since the so-called hippie movement of the 1960's (my teen years) and journalists have heralded the impending death of religion for decades. That didn't stop those who were searching from finding faith nor will it stop the current generation from doing the same. I actually think that individualistic attitudes may be an asset because it helps today's youth to break the chain of "if this religion was good enough for my parents, then it is good enough for me." This was true not only for me but for my younger three siblings. none of us stayed with our parent's religion. All of us chose different paths.I hope today's youth are willing to put aside ritual, ceremony, and emotion-based religions and search for the practical guidance that The Bible offers. (Hint: If you start to become associated with a religion that doesn’t feature the practical value of the Bible, you haven’t found the true one.)

Secular and Academic Impromptu Speech Development

Theme: Determine what point you want to drive home—this is your theme. Write it down--it will be like a beacon on a lighthouse guiding you through your speech development.

Main Stepping Stones: Determine what facts or viewpoints support the theme. Try to write down at least 3 facts/viewpoints. Leave space between each fact/viewpoint. (Most impromptu speeches are typically 2 to 5 minutes. If the one you are called upon to deliver is longer, you may need more facts.)

Supporting Material: Under each fact/viewpoint, use at least two or more of the following:

• Supporting argument
• Authoritative quote(s)
• Reasoning points
• Illustration
• Humorous aside

Order & Transition: After you have all that in front of you, order your points by relevance and impact by putting large numbers alongside the main points. This will be your ad-hoc outline & speech order. Quickly think of how you can transition from one fact to the next.

Note

Do not expect to have a word-for-word memorized speech when you get up to speak. Instead, envision a garden path with each main fact being a section of that garden and the supporting points being the various flowers in each section. The exercise of impromptu speaking is designed to teach you to think on your feet. Use your quick outline to keep you on your path.

Other Thoughts

Especially in regards impromptu speaking, one thing instructors in speech classes are looking for, although they won't tell you so, is your ability to ad-lib fluently. Being able to throw in humor that helps drive home a point is actually the mark of an accomplished speaker. For example: "Some people say that animals go to heaven too. Well, my dog went to heaven but couldn't find a tree to mark. It was hell for him."

Another approach helps add time and coherency to your speech: First tell them what you are going to talk about (introduction), then tell them what you have to say (body), then tell them what you told them (review and conclusion). This helps a speaker reuse the same material but in a completely acceptable way.

If you are a student of the Bible (as I am) engaging in secular or academic speech (as I did in Toastmasters), there is nothing wrong with citing a scripture. Perhaps a proverb, principle, or Bible story with a lesson (parable) that relates to the subject. If you frame it in the context of yet another opinion, no one can fault you for using the Bible because it is just as valid a source as is any other authority. If you decide to incorporate a scripture, make sure to highlight it’s practical application and reasonable value.

Make Learning Fun (The Secret)

Learning can be fun but unless you know one of the main secrets, it will usually be boring. Here is one secret: To make learning fun, you need a personal reason for wanting to learn. For example, when you learn a video game, your personal reason is to beat and master the game. If the game is something you play with others, then your personal reason to learn the game might also be so you can enjoy the company of your friends. When learning about any hobby, besides having fun, you also want to try something new in your life. 

Learning the Bible helps us get to know Jehovah and hopefully to live in the new system. But how do we make learning the Bible fun? Again, you need a PERSONAL reason to want to learn. To do that, when you read about any subject, first ask yourself these questions:

1. What things don't I understand about this subject?
2. What questions have never been answered for me about this subject?" 
3. Why is the subject important?
4. How can my knowledge of this make my life better?

Write down those personal questions and any others that come to your mind. That will give you a real purpose and goal to study that subject. Then, as you read the material, see if it answers your questions. If you do find answers to your questions, write those answers down. If some of your questions still were not answered, then during the discussion with your teacher, ask him your questions.

Reasons Why People Do Not Serve God

Over the years, I have met many people that offer their reasons (excuses) for not believing in God or learning what the Bible says. One such excuse is that the Bible was written by imperfect men, therefore how could we trust it. Others try to blame God for doing or not doing something they feel should have been handled differently. Then there are those that blame God for the actions of others. I suppose the list could go on and on, but those are ones I frequently encounter. All these are typically “reasons” that people parrot without really checking out the facts.

The Bible also provides reasons for people not believing. These are the real reasons behind the excuses.

                                   

Some think they are smarter than God and that the Bible is just plain stupid, or foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:26, 27, “For you see his calling of you, brothers, that there are not many wise in a fleshly way, not many powerful, not many of noble birth, but God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world to put the strong things to shame;”

Psalm 10:4 In his haughtiness, the wicked man makes no investigation; All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”

Some are just too busy pursing their selfish lifestyles and find that serving God puts a crimp in their lifestyle

Luke 12:15-21, Then [Jesus] said to them: “Keep your eyes open and guard against every sort of greed, because even when a person has an abundance, his life does not result from the things he possesses.” With that he told them an illustration, saying: “The land of a rich man produced well. So he began reasoning within himself, ‘What should I do now that I have nowhere to gather my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my storehouses and build bigger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and all my goods, and I will say to myself: “You have many good things stored up for many years; take it easy, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.”’ But God said to him, ‘Unreasonable one, this night they are demanding your life from you. Who, then, is to have the things you stored up?’ So it goes with the man who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Some are just too lazy to really search out the facts

Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (In this case, the “noble-minded” showed real interest in understanding what God wanted of them.)

Some look for and make excuses

Matthew 8:21 Then another of the disciples said to him: “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” (If a relative had truly recently died, what was that man doing tracking Jesus? Clearly, when faced with a decision of commitment, some people will invent any excuse.)

There are other reasons, but these are very common. Again, they are: 

• Arrogance
• Selfish Life Pursuits
• Laziness
• Making Excuses

Here is an index to a series of articles for those willing to give God and the Bible a preliminary consideration.

Human Eye And Evolutionists

I wish I would remember to keep links to some videos I see. However, when I view them, they typically agitate me so much, I don’t want to deal with them. Such was the case of a very pompous, self-assured evolutionist that declared that if the eye had really been a product of intelligent creation, it would not have been made, as he put it, “backwards.” Now the reason I wish I had this link again (and yes, I did search for it) is that I just came across some research that explains the issue and gives evidence that indeed this construction of the eye is an intelligent design.

I did however find a video by those making the same claim. It is commendable that they at least were not arrogant about it. They attempted to demonstrate their idea by illustrating the differences between different mussels. OK, so let’s think about this. There have been several iterations of steam-powered engines; and yes, I’d even venture that each successive design could have (but not necessarily so) drawn on the successes and failures of ones prior to it. BUT, does that mean that the first design evolved into the next one? Did it mindlessly become a different thing OR were the improvements in design an intelligent new modification? Modern society and even modern science throw around the word “evolution” so casually that they use it even when it is completely wrong to do so.

A cake and a cupcake both use flour, both have frosting, both have the same texture when done. However, it is completely possible that the flour used came from different countries. The sweetener used may also be different although tasting the same. Just as we can make something that “looks like” something else and yet be something new, so likewise the Bible is quite plain in saying that everything made came from the elements of the earth and each creative category in Genesis chapter one was a new one. Birds are birds, they didn't come from fish. Man is a distinct and unique new creation from monkeys, apes, or other mammals.

The logic of evolutionists may at times sound right, but when we ponder it, it truly makes no sense. The evolutionists’ bottom line is that there is no God, no intelligent design. This means we have no obligation to anyone. Our intelligence is inconsequential. Does such thinking promote respect for life, love and unity? No, it doesn't.