For day and night your hand was heav@@ y upon me . ”
Some of the nam@@ es in this article have been chang@@ ed .
Some nam@@ es in this article have been chang@@ ed .
This is the great@@ est and first command@@ ment . ”
It does not bel@@ ong to man who is wal@@ king even to dir@@ ect his st@@ ep . ”
“ The whole world is l@@ ying in the power of the wicked one . ”
P@@ ubl@@ ished by Jehovah’s Witnesses but now out of pr@@ in@@ t .
I am going to make a help@@ er for him , as a compl@@ ement of him . ”
( Lo@@ ok under B@@ I@@ B@@ L@@ E T@@ E@@ A@@ CH@@ IN@@ G@@ S > B@@ I@@ B@@ L@@ E Q@@ U@@ E@@ S@@ T@@ I@@ ON@@ S AN@@ S@@ W@@ ER@@ E@@ D )
Let your will take place , as in heaven , also on earth . ”
© 20@@ 16 Watch Tower Bible and Tr@@ act Society of P@@ en@@ n@@ sy@@ l@@ van@@ ia
Un@@ less o@@ ther@@ wise indic@@ ated , S@@ crip@@ ture qu@@ ot@@ ations are from the mod@@ ern - language New World Tr@@ ans@@ l@@ ation of the H@@ o@@ ly Scriptures .
“ An@@ x@@ i@@ ety in a man@@ ’s heart we@@ igh@@ s it down , but a good word che@@ ers it up . ”
Do not be an@@ x@@ ious , for I am your God .
© 20@@ 17 Watch Tower Bible and Tr@@ act Society of P@@ en@@ n@@ sy@@ l@@ van@@ ia
“ The righteous will poss@@ ess the earth , and they will live for@@ ever on it . ” ​ — Psalm 37 : 29 .
© 20@@ 18 Watch Tower Bible and Tr@@ act Society of P@@ en@@ n@@ sy@@ l@@ van@@ ia
I am with you all the days until the con@@ cl@@ us@@ ion of the system of things . ”
You cannot slave for God and for R@@ ich@@ es . ”
W@@ ell , see if you can answer the following questions :
( b ) What will we discus@@ s in the next article ?
M@@ ore@@ over , do not c@@ all anyone your father on earth , for one is your Father , the heavenly One .
En@@ ter into the joy of your mas@@ ter . ”
( b ) What questions will we consider ?
( b ) What will be discus@@ sed in the next article ?
They wanted to make sure I knew how serious my decis@@ ion was .
Jesus said : “ No man can come to me un@@ less the Father , who sent me , dra@@ ws him . ”
What will be discus@@ sed in the next article ?
I love to be at the Kingdom H@@ all among the first , and leave among the last , if possible .
I feel an in@@ ward joy when tal@@ king with God’s people .
( b ) What will we consider in the next article ?
What will we consider in the following article ?
He cur@@ ed the bl@@ ind , the l@@ ame , the le@@ p@@ ers , and the de@@ a@@ f .
As the ter@@ m “ char@@ it@@ able pl@@ an@@ ning ” im@@ pl@@ ies , these t@@ yp@@ es of don@@ ations t@@ yp@@ ically requ@@ ire some pl@@ an@@ ning on the part of the don@@ or .
( b ) What questions will we consider in this article ?
But the great@@ est one among you must be your minis@@ ter .
What will we consider in the next article ?
And the support of my spiritual brothers and sisters has brought me much com@@ fort .
If so , you are to be comm@@ ended .
For I am conv@@ inc@@ ed that ne@@ ither death nor life nor ang@@ els nor govern@@ ments nor things now here nor things to come nor pow@@ ers nor he@@ ight nor dep@@ th nor any other cre@@ ation will be able to se@@ par@@ ate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord . ”
( b ) What will we consider in the following article ?
( b ) What will we consider in this article ?
But another sc@@ ro@@ l@@ l was op@@ ened ; it is the sc@@ ro@@ l@@ l of life .
□ What happ@@ ens to us when we die ?
What questions will we consider in the next article ?
( b ) What questions will we now consider ?
What will we discus@@ s in the next article ?
Jesus said : “ You must love your neigh@@ b@@ or as yourself . ”
( Read Matthew 24 : 37 - 39 . )
We need to act in har@@ mon@@ y with our pray@@ ers .
( Read 2 Timothy 3 : 1 - 5 , 13 . )
( Read Psalm 40 : 8 - 10 . )
( b ) What are you determin@@ ed to do ?
( b ) What questions will be consid@@ ered in this article ?
( Read Psalm 19 : 7 - 11 . )
( Read Eph@@ es@@ ians 5 : 15 , 16 . )
The spirit it@@ self be@@ ars witness with our spirit that we are God’s children . ”
( Read 1 Corinthians 10 : 13 . )
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 34 : 1 - 3 . )
• What is God’s purpose for the earth ?
( Read 1 Timothy 6 : 17 - 19 . )
( Read James 1 : 5 - 8 . )
( Read 2 Corinthians 5 : 14 , 15 . )
( Read Romans 13 : 1 , 2 . )
( Read 1 Corinthians 2 : 10 . )
( Read 1 Corinthians 6 : 9 - 11 . )
Jehovah is the name of God as reve@@ al@@ ed in the Bible .
( Read 2 Corinthians 13 : 5 . )
( Read 1 Corinthians 15 : 5@@ 8 . )
D@@ or@@ c@@ as “ ab@@ ound@@ ed in good de@@ ed@@ s and gif@@ ts of mer@@ c@@ y . ”
What will be consid@@ ered in this article , and why ?
( Read Proverbs 3 : 5 , 6 . )
( Read Hebrews 11 : 24 - 27 . )
“ The word of God is al@@ ive and ex@@ er@@ ts power . ” ​ — H@@ E@@ B .
Those ver@@ ses lik@@ en God’s Word to a mir@@ ro@@ r in which we can see ourselves the way Jehovah se@@ es us .
I began to wond@@ er if what I saw in my@@ self was different from what Jehovah saw .
At first , I res@@ is@@ ted this new ide@@ a .
I still felt that loving me was too much to exp@@ ect of Jehovah .
I still doub@@ ted that Jehovah could love me , but I began thinking about Jesus ’ ran@@ so@@ m sacrifice .
All of a s@@ ud@@ den , it da@@ w@@ ned on me that Jehovah had been pati@@ ent with me for so long , sho@@ wing me that he loved me in so many ways .
It was as if I had been th@@ row@@ ing the ran@@ so@@ m back at Jehovah .
H@@ ave you car@@ e@@ fully read the rec@@ ent is@@ su@@ es of The Watchtower ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 1 : 3 , 4 . )
( Read T@@ it@@ us 2 : 3 - 5 . )
( Read Romans 7 : 21 - 23 . )
( Read Isaiah 6@@ 3 : 11 - 14 . )
( Read Psalm 1 : 1 - 3 . )
( Read Romans 7 : 21 - 25 . )
( Read 2 Peter 2 : 5 . )
( Read Isaiah 4@@ 8 : 17 , 18 . )
( Read Eph@@ es@@ ians 4 : 1 - 3 . )
( Read Hebrews 13 : 7 , 17 . )
In@@ clud@@ e a let@@ ter st@@ ating that the don@@ ation is cond@@ iti@@ onal .
Since leg@@ al requir@@ ements and ta@@ x la@@ ws var@@ y , it is important to con@@ su@@ l@@ t qual@@ ified ta@@ x and leg@@ al ad@@ vis@@ ers before cho@@ os@@ ing the best way to don@@ ate .
Re@@ al E@@ st@@ ate : S@@ al@@ able real est@@ ate don@@ ated to an ent@@ ity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses , e@@ ither by making an ou@@ tr@@ ight gif@@ t or , in the case of res@@ id@@ enti@@ al pro@@ per@@ ty , by res@@ er@@ v@@ ing a life est@@ ate to the don@@ or , who can continue to live in the res@@ idence during his or her lif@@ etim@@ e .
W@@ ill@@ s and Tr@@ us@@ ts : Pro@@ per@@ ty or money may be be@@ qu@@ e@@ a@@ th@@ ed to an ent@@ ity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses by means of a leg@@ ally ex@@ ec@@ uted will or by spec@@ if@@ ying the ent@@ ity as the benef@@ ic@@ i@@ ary of a trust ag@@ re@@ ement .
( Read Hebrews 11 : 17 - 19 . )
In the Bible , m@@ oun@@ tain@@ s can re@@ present k@@ ing@@ d@@ om@@ s , or govern@@ ments .
You fa@@ thers , do not be ex@@ as@@ per@@ ating your children , so that they do not become do@@ w@@ n@@ hear@@ ted . ”
For more information , see chap@@ ter 3 of this book , What Does the Bible Re@@ ally T@@ each ? , publ@@ ished by Jehovah’s Witnesses
( Read 2 Timothy 1 : 7 . )
For more information , see chap@@ ter 8 of this book , What Does the Bible Re@@ ally T@@ each ? , publ@@ ished by Jehovah’s Witnesses
( Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 5 : 1 - 6 . )
( Read Luke 21 : 1 - 4 . )
( b ) What questions will we consider in the next article ?
Then let those in Jud@@ e@@ a beg@@ in f@@ le@@ e@@ ing to the m@@ oun@@ tain@@ s , let those in the m@@ id@@ st of her leave , and let those in the coun@@ tr@@ ys@@ ide not ent@@ er into her . ”
I my@@ self , Jehovah , will spe@@ ed it up in its own time . ”
( Read Luke 10 : 29 - 37 . )
What questions will we consider in this article ?
But as for the t@@ ree of the knowledge of good and bad , you must not e@@ at from it , for in the day you e@@ at from it you will certainly die . ”
( Read Revelation 14 : 6 , 7 . )
( Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 2 : 13 . )
He will jud@@ ge the low@@ ly with fa@@ ir@@ ness , and with up@@ righ@@ t@@ ness he will give re@@ pro@@ of in be@@ half of the me@@ ek ones of the earth . ”
For more information , see chap@@ ter 10 of this book , What Does the Bible Re@@ ally T@@ each ? , publ@@ ished by Jehovah’s Witnesses
“ F@@ a@@ ith is the as@@ sur@@ ed expec@@ tation of what is hop@@ ed for . ” ​ — H@@ E@@ B .
Jesus said : “ Wh@@ ere your t@@ reas@@ ure is , there your heart will be also . ”
“ H@@ app@@ y is the people who@@ se God is Jehovah ! ” ​ — P@@ S .
( Read James 5 : 14 - 16 . )
He wrote : “ I am fles@@ h@@ ly , so@@ ld under sin .
( Read Hebrews 10 : 24 , 25 . )
( Read 2 Corinthians 8 : 13 - 15 . )
No@@ ah wal@@ ked with the true God . ” ​ — G@@ en .
Proverbs 14 : 15 says : “ The na@@ ive person believ@@ es every word , but the sh@@ re@@ w@@ d one p@@ ond@@ ers each st@@ ep . ”
For my yo@@ k@@ e is kind@@ ly , and my lo@@ ad is light . ”
Con@@ tin@@ ue put@@ ting up with one another and for@@ giving one another fre@@ ely even if anyone has a cause for compl@@ ain@@ t against another .
J@@ ust as Jehovah fre@@ ely for@@ gave you , you must also do the same .
If , now , your right e@@ ye is making you st@@ umb@@ le , te@@ ar it out and th@@ row it away from you . ”
I will for@@ tif@@ y you , yes , I will help you , I will really hold on to you with my right hand of righteousness . ”
W@@ H@@ A@@ T E@@ L@@ S@@ E C@@ A@@ N W@@ E L@@ E@@ AR@@ N F@@ R@@ O@@ M TH@@ E B@@ I@@ B@@ L@@ E ?
Why is it so important to continue to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love ?
Why did Paul wr@@ ite a let@@ ter to the Hebrew Christians ?
( Read Hebrews 10 : 36 - 39 . )
Why should we be inter@@ ested in the book of Hebrews ?
What is the ye@@ ar@@ t@@ ext for 20@@ 16 , and why is it appro@@ pri@@ ate ?
That ver@@ se has been sel@@ ec@@ ted to be the ye@@ ar@@ t@@ ext for 20@@ 16 .
Our ye@@ ar@@ t@@ ext for 20@@ 16 : “ Let your bro@@ ther@@ ly love continue . ” ​ — Hebrews 13 : 1
How do true Christians understand the meaning of bro@@ ther@@ ly love ?
( a ) What is the most important reason for us to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love ?
( b ) G@@ ive another reason why it is important to streng@@ then our affec@@ tion for one another .
Jesus had describ@@ ed how difficult that time would be .
What do we need to do now before the star@@ t of the great trib@@ ulation ?
( a ) What opport@@ un@@ ities do we have to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love today ?
( b ) G@@ ive exam@@ ples of how Jehovah’s people have sho@@ wn bro@@ ther@@ ly love .
How can we “ keep in mind those in pris@@ on ” ?
“ K@@ eep in mind those in pris@@ on . ”
“ Let marriage be hon@@ or@@ able among all . ”
How does cont@@ ent@@ ment help us to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love ?
Be “ cont@@ ent with the present things . ”
How does being “ of good courage ” help us to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love ?
How can we streng@@ then our bro@@ ther@@ ly love for our elders ?
“ R@@ em@@ ember those who are taking the lead . ”
How can we continue to show bro@@ ther@@ ly love in a greater way ?
What does Christ@@ ’s love mot@@ iv@@ ate us to do ?
How does God’s love mot@@ iv@@ ate us to love our brothers ?
Why should God’s for@@ giv@@ eness mot@@ iv@@ ate us to for@@ give our brothers ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What does God’s “ ind@@ es@@ crib@@ able free gif@@ t ” includ@@ e ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 1 : 20 . )
3 , 4 . ( a ) How do you feel when someone gives you a gif@@ t ?
( b ) How might a special gif@@ t change your life ?
How is God’s gif@@ t of the ran@@ so@@ m much greater than any other gif@@ t ?
( a ) What bless@@ ings of Jehovah’s gif@@ t do you look for@@ ward to ?
( b ) N@@ ame three things God’s gif@@ t will mot@@ iv@@ ate us to do .
How should we feel about the love of Christ , and what should it mot@@ iv@@ ate us to do ?
In turn , who@@ ever lo@@ ves me will be loved by my Father , and I will love him and will c@@ learly show my@@ self to him . ” ​ — John 14 : 21 ; 1 John 5 : 3 .
What questions can we ask ourselves during this M@@ emor@@ ial se@@ as@@ on , and what may the answ@@ ers mot@@ iv@@ ate us to do ?
( Read 1 Timothy 2 : 9 , 10 . )
( a ) How does our love for Jehovah and Jesus mot@@ iv@@ ate us in the preaching work ?
( b ) How can our love mot@@ iv@@ ate us to help others in the congregation ?
What el@@ se will God’s love m@@ ove us to do ?
What example did Jesus set in loving others ?
Can you help an old@@ er brother or s@@ ister in the ministry ?
What can you do to show love for your brothers ?
( Read Luke 14 : 12 - 14 . )
16 , 17 . ( a ) What should we learn from Jesus ’ illustr@@ ation of the king and the sl@@ av@@ es ?
( b ) After med@@ it@@ ating on Jesus ’ illustr@@ ation , what are you determin@@ ed to do ?
How did God’s love help one s@@ ister to put up with the im@@ per@@ fec@@ tions of another s@@ ister ?
I want to know her when she is perfect . ”
How will God’s “ ind@@ es@@ crib@@ able free gif@@ t ” mot@@ iv@@ ate you ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 18 ) Some nam@@ es in this article have been chang@@ ed .
What ev@@ ents made P@@ ent@@ ec@@ ost a special day , and how did those ev@@ ents ful@@ f@@ ill what the Scriptures had foret@@ old ?
( a ) Why should we be inter@@ ested in what happ@@ ened at P@@ ent@@ ec@@ ost ?
( b ) What other important ev@@ ent may have happ@@ ened on the same day many years ear@@ li@@ er ?
How do we know that not all those who are anointed receive their ano@@ in@@ ting in ex@@ act@@ ly the same way ?
What do all anointed ones receive , and how does this af@@ fect them ?
What must each anointed Christian do to receive his re@@ ward in heaven ?
Peter expl@@ ained it this way : “ Th@@ er@@ efore , brothers , be all the more d@@ il@@ ig@@ ent to make your call@@ ing and cho@@ os@@ ing sure for your@@ selves , for if you keep on doing these things , you will by no means ever fai@@ l .
In fact , in this way you will be rich@@ ly gr@@ an@@ ted entr@@ ance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and S@@ av@@ ior Jesus Christ . ”
8 , 9 . ( a ) Why is it difficult for most people to understand what happ@@ ens when someone is anointed ?
( b ) How does a person know that he has been inv@@ ited to go to heaven ?
He told them : “ You did not receive a spirit of sl@@ av@@ ery ca@@ using fear again , but you received a spirit of ad@@ op@@ tion as sons , by which spirit we cr@@ y out : ‘ Ab@@ ba , Father ! ’
What does 1 John 2 : 27 mean when it says that an anointed Christian does not need someone el@@ se to teach him ?
What might an anointed Christian wond@@ er , but what does he never doub@@ t ?
How does the way a person thin@@ ks change when he is anointed by holy spirit , and what ca@@ uses this change ?
How do anointed ones feel about their life here on earth ?
What does not prove that a person has been anointed by holy spirit ?
How do we know that not all those who have received God’s spirit have been inv@@ ited to go to heaven ?
17 , 18 . ( a ) What re@@ ward do most of God’s servants look for@@ ward to today ?
How is Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 8 : 23 being fulfill@@ ed ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What did Jehovah say would happ@@ en in our time ?
( b ) What questions will be answ@@ ered in this article ?
Why is it not possible for us to know for sure who will be part of the 14@@ 4@@ ,000 ?
What war@@ ning should anointed ones think ser@@ i@@ ously about , and why ?
What do anointed Christians not exp@@ ect , and why ?
Why do you need to be car@@ eful about the way you tre@@ at those who e@@ at the bre@@ ad and drin@@ k the w@@ ine at the M@@ emor@@ ial ?
( See the bo@@ x “ L@@ ove ‘ Does Not Be@@ have Ind@@ ec@@ ently . ’ ” )
Jesus told his disciples : “ All of you are brothers . ”
How can you show that you respect anointed Christians ?
How do we prot@@ ect ourselves if we avoid “ ad@@ mir@@ ing person@@ al@@ ities ” ?
Why should we not wor@@ ry about the number of those who e@@ at the bre@@ ad and drin@@ k the w@@ ine at the M@@ emor@@ ial ?
“ Jehovah kno@@ ws those who bel@@ ong to him . ”
What does the Bible say about the number of anointed ones who will be on earth when the great trib@@ ulation star@@ ts ?
What do we need to understand about the 14@@ 4@@ ,000 ch@@ os@@ en by Jehovah ?
On@@ ly a few anointed Christians in the first century were used to wr@@ ite the Christian Greek Scriptures .
dra@@ ws us clos@@ er to God and to others ?
Even though Jehovah is the S@@ up@@ re@@ me One , what has he inv@@ ited others to do ?
What important work did Jehovah inv@@ ite Jesus to do ?
What did Jehovah inv@@ ite Adam to do , and why ?
For example , he al@@ low@@ ed Adam to name the anim@@ als .
How did others work with God to ac@@ compl@@ ish his will ?
In what work can we share , and did Jehovah need to invol@@ ve us in this work ?
The apostle Paul wrote : “ Wor@@ king together with him , we also ur@@ ge you not to accept the und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness of God and mis@@ s its purpose . ”
How did God’s fir@@ st@@ born Son describ@@ e how he felt about working b@@ es@@ ide his Father ?
Why does the preaching work bring us joy ?
What have some said about the joy of working with Jehovah ?
Sim@@ il@@ arly , Fr@@ anc@@ o , who also serv@@ es in I@@ tal@@ y , says : “ By means of his Word and his spiritual prov@@ is@@ ions , Jehovah rem@@ ind@@ s us every day that he lo@@ ves us and that every@@ thing we do for him is important , even though our ef@@ forts may se@@ em like nothing to us .
This is why working along with God makes me happy and gives my life meaning . ”
What relationship ex@@ is@@ ted between Jehovah and Jesus , and why ?
Why does preaching dra@@ w us clos@@ er to God and to others ?
We learn why it is wise to trust in him and to follow his direc@@ tion .
Why will we dra@@ w even clos@@ er to Jehovah and to our brothers in the new world ?
How does one Witness in Austr@@ al@@ ia feel about preaching ?
Jo@@ el , who lives in Austr@@ al@@ ia , says : “ The preaching work help@@ s me not to l@@ ose t@@ ou@@ ch with re@@ ality .
It rem@@ ind@@ s me of the chall@@ eng@@ es people are fac@@ ing and of the benef@@ its I have experi@@ enced by appl@@ ying Bible principles in my life .
The preaching work help@@ s me to try to st@@ ay humb@@ le ; it gives me an opport@@ unity to re@@ ly on Jehovah and on my brothers and sisters . ”
Why does our pers@@ ever@@ ance in preaching show that God’s spirit is with us ?
How long would you continue to work at such a jo@@ b ?
How is the preaching of the good news con@@ nec@@ ted with God’s purpose for hum@@ an@@ kind ?
How is our preaching l@@ in@@ ked to God’s great@@ est command@@ ments ?
The second , like it , is this : ‘ You must love your neigh@@ b@@ or as yourself . ’ ”
How do you feel about the hon@@ or to pre@@ ach the good news ?
I give you my strength , my Word the Bible , heavenly support , earth@@ ly compan@@ ions , pro@@ g@@ res@@ s@@ ive tr@@ aining , and prec@@ ise instruc@@ tions at the appro@@ pri@@ ate time . ’
What an im@@ m@@ ense privil@@ ege it is to do what Jehovah as@@ ks of us and to work together with our God ! ”
TH@@ I@@ S MA@@ G@@ A@@ Z@@ IN@@ E , The Watchtower , hon@@ ors Jehovah God , the R@@ ul@@ er of the un@@ iver@@ se .
It com@@ forts people with the good news that God’s heavenly Kingdom will soon end all wic@@ k@@ ed@@ ness and trans@@ form the earth into a par@@ adise .
It prom@@ ot@@ es faith in Jesus Christ , who died so that we might ga@@ in everlasting life and who is now rul@@ ing as King of God’s Kingdom .
This magaz@@ ine has been publ@@ ished continu@@ ously since 18@@ 7@@ 9 and is n@@ on@@ pol@@ itical .
It ad@@ her@@ es to the Bible as its authority .
Be@@ be had been very close to her father .
The re@@ mar@@ k came from a well - meaning family friend , but Be@@ be found it more c@@ ut@@ ting than com@@ for@@ ting .
“ His death w@@ as@@ n’t for the best , ” she kept re@@ pe@@ ating to her@@ self .
It was clear that when Be@@ be rec@@ oun@@ ted the inc@@ ident in a book years later , she was still g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing .
As Be@@ be came to see , it can take a long time for someone to over@@ come g@@ ri@@ ef , especially when the ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed person was very close to the dec@@ eas@@ ed .
In the Bible , death is ap@@ tly describ@@ ed as “ the last enem@@ y . ”
It bre@@ ak@@ s into our lives with ir@@ res@@ is@@ ti@@ b@@ le for@@ ce , often when we are compl@@ et@@ ely un@@ prepar@@ ed , and it ro@@ bs us of those we hold de@@ ar .
N@@ one of us are im@@ mune to its r@@ av@@ ages .
So it is not sur@@ pris@@ ing if we feel at a l@@ oss when it comes to cop@@ ing with death and its af@@ ter@@ mat@@ h .
Per@@ haps you have wond@@ ered : ‘ How long does it take to get over g@@ ri@@ ef ?
How can I com@@ fort others who have been ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed ?
Is there any hope for our loved ones who have died ? ’
H@@ ave you ever had a b@@ ri@@ ef b@@ out with ill@@ ness ?
As an example , consider how the pat@@ ri@@ ar@@ ch Abraham re@@ ac@@ ted when his wife died .
The Bible says that “ Abraham began to m@@ our@@ n and to we@@ ep over S@@ ar@@ ah . ”
The expres@@ sion “ began to ” sug@@ g@@ ests that it took some time for him to c@@ ope with his l@@ oss .
He g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ed for “ many days , ” and his family members were un@@ able to com@@ fort him .
S@@ ever@@ al years later , the death of Josep@@ h still we@@ igh@@ ed heav@@ ily on his mind . ​ — Genesis 23 : 2 ; 37 : 34 , 35 ; 4@@ 2 : 36 ; 4@@ 5 : 28 .
“ My husband , R@@ ob@@ er@@ t , died on J@@ u@@ ly 9 , 200@@ 8 .
S@@ i@@ x years later the pain in my heart is still there .
I don@@ ’t think I will ever get over my l@@ oss of R@@ o@@ b . ” ​ — G@@ ai@@ l , ag@@ ed 60 .
“ Although I have been without my de@@ ar wife for more than 18 years , I still mis@@ s her and g@@ ri@@ eve over my l@@ oss .
Wh@@ en@@ ever I see something in n@@ ature that is at@@ tr@@ act@@ ive , my th@@ ough@@ ts go to her , and I cannot help wond@@ ering how she would have enjo@@ yed se@@ e@@ ing what I am se@@ e@@ ing . ” ​ — E@@ ti@@ en@@ ne , ag@@ ed 8@@ 4 .
C@@ learly , such pa@@ in@@ ful and long - lasting feelings are only n@@ atur@@ al .
E@@ ach person g@@ ri@@ ev@@ es in his or her own way , and it would be un@@ wise to jud@@ ge the way another person respon@@ ds to tr@@ ag@@ ed@@ y .
At the same time , we may need to hold off from con@@ dem@@ ning ourselves if our re@@ action to l@@ oss se@@ ems exc@@ ess@@ ive .
As we no@@ te in the “ I@@ mit@@ ate Their F@@ a@@ ith ” article in this is@@ sue , Isa@@ a@@ c was still g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing over the l@@ oss of his mother , S@@ ar@@ ah , three years after her death . ​ — Genesis 24 : 6@@ 7 .
For inst@@ ance , you may find that some will ad@@ v@@ ise you not to cr@@ y or show your feelings in any way .
O@@ thers may p@@ us@@ h you to do the op@@ pos@@ ite and ex@@ pose all your feelings .
The Bible pres@@ ents a more b@@ al@@ anc@@ ed view , one that is sup@@ por@@ ted by mod@@ ern res@@ ear@@ ch .
In some cul@@ tur@@ es it is consid@@ ered un@@ man@@ ly for a m@@ ale to cr@@ y .
But is there a real need to feel as@@ ham@@ ed about sh@@ ed@@ ding t@@ ears , even in public ?
M@@ ental - health ex@@ per@@ ts ac@@ knowledge that t@@ ear@@ ful@@ ness is a nor@@ m@@ al part of g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing .
And g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing may , in time , help you to m@@ ove on des@@ pite the en@@ or@@ m@@ ity of your l@@ oss .
S@@ up@@ pres@@ sing g@@ ri@@ ef , however , may do more har@@ m than good .
The Bible l@@ ends no support to the no@@ tion that it is wrong or un@@ man@@ ly to sh@@ ed t@@ ears of g@@ ri@@ ef .
At the death of his de@@ ar friend L@@ az@@ ar@@ us , Jesus op@@ enly we@@ p@@ t , even though he had the power to bring the dead back to life ! ​ — John 11 : 33 - 35 .
B@@ ou@@ ts of anger are often part of g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing , especially in cas@@ es of s@@ ud@@ den , un@@ expec@@ ted death .
There are many reas@@ ons why a ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed person may feel ang@@ ry , such as when th@@ ough@@ t@@ less and un@@ f@@ ound@@ ed comm@@ ents are made by a resp@@ ec@@ ted person .
“ I was only 14 years old when my father died , ” expl@@ ains a South Afr@@ ican man nam@@ ed M@@ ike .
“ At the fun@@ er@@ al , the A@@ ng@@ l@@ ican minis@@ ter said that God needs good people and takes them early .
* This ang@@ ered me because we des@@ per@@ ately needed our father .
E@@ spec@@ ially in the case of un@@ expec@@ ted death , the ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed person may re@@ pe@@ at@@ edly think , ‘ It might not have happ@@ ened if only I had done this or that . ’
If you are being pl@@ ag@@ u@@ ed by such feelings of gu@@ il@@ t and anger , it is important not to b@@ ot@@ tle up these emo@@ tions .
Rather , speak to a friend who will list@@ en and reas@@ sure you that such ir@@ r@@ ational feelings are common to many ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed ones .
The Bible rem@@ ind@@ s us : “ A true friend shows love at all times , and is a brother who is born for times of distr@@ ess . ” ​ — Proverbs 17 : 17 .
The best F@@ ri@@ end a ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed person can have is our Creator , Jehovah God .
P@@ our out your heart to him in prayer because “ he car@@ es for you . ”
M@@ ore@@ over , he prom@@ ises that all who do so will have their th@@ ough@@ ts and feelings so@@ o@@ th@@ ed by “ the peace of God that sur@@ pas@@ ses all understanding . ”
Al@@ so , al@@ low God to help you he@@ al by means of his cons@@ ol@@ ing Word , the Bible .
H@@ av@@ ing such th@@ ough@@ ts to p@@ ond@@ er over may be especially help@@ ful at night when you are alone and find it hard to s@@ le@@ ep . ​ — Isaiah 5@@ 7 : 15 .
R@@ ec@@ ently , a 40 - year - old man , whom we will c@@ all J@@ ack , lost his bel@@ ov@@ ed wife to c@@ anc@@ er .
“ When I pray to Jehovah , ” he expl@@ ains , “ I never feel alone .
I often wake up during the night and cannot get back to s@@ le@@ ep .
After reading and med@@ it@@ ating on com@@ for@@ ting th@@ ough@@ ts from the Scriptures and then p@@ our@@ ing out the feelings of my heart in prayer , I sense a cal@@ m@@ ness and a trans@@ c@@ ending peace come over me , put@@ ting my mind and heart at res@@ t and en@@ ab@@ ling me to s@@ le@@ ep . ”
A young woman nam@@ ed V@@ an@@ ess@@ a lost her mother to ill@@ ness .
She too has experi@@ enced the power of prayer .
“ In my most difficult times , ” she says , “ I would just c@@ all on God’s name and bre@@ ak down in t@@ ears .
Jehovah list@@ ened to my pray@@ ers and always gave me the strength I needed . ”
Some ber@@ e@@ av@@ ement coun@@ sel@@ ors ad@@ v@@ ise those who are str@@ ug@@ gl@@ ing with g@@ ri@@ ef to get involved in help@@ ing others or to vol@@ un@@ te@@ er their time in some commun@@ ity service .
Do@@ ing so can bring joy and may ease a person@@ ’s g@@ ri@@ ef .
Many ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed Christians have found that working to help others has brought them great com@@ fort . ​ — 2 Corinthians 1 : 3 , 4 .
God feel@@ s for you in your pain . ​ — Psalm 5@@ 5 : 22 ; 1 Peter 5 : 7 .
God pati@@ ently list@@ ens to the pray@@ ers of his servants . ​ — Psalm 8@@ 6 : 5 ; 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 5 : 17 .
God mis@@ ses people who have died . ​ — Job 14 : 13 - 15 .
God prom@@ ises to resurrec@@ t the dead . ​ — Isaiah 26 : 19 ; John 5 : 28 , 29 .
H@@ ave you ever felt hel@@ pl@@ ess when someone near to you was g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing over the l@@ oss of a loved one ?
S@@ om@@ etimes we may feel un@@ sure of what to say or do ​ — so we w@@ ind up saying and doing nothing .
But there are practic@@ al , help@@ ful things that we can do .
O@@ f@@ ten , all that is needed is your pres@@ ence along with a sim@@ ple expres@@ sion , such as “ I am so sor@@ ry . ”
In many cul@@ tur@@ es , giving the person a hu@@ g or a g@@ ent@@ le s@@ qu@@ e@@ ez@@ e of the ar@@ m is an effec@@ tive way to show you care .
If the ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed one wan@@ ts to talk , list@@ en sy@@ m@@ pa@@ the@@ tic@@ ally .
B@@ est of all , do something for the ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed family , perhaps per@@ form@@ ing a ch@@ ore the g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing one has not been able to care for , such as co@@ ok@@ ing a me@@ al , car@@ ing for the children , or help@@ ing with fun@@ er@@ al arrang@@ ements if that is desir@@ ed .
Such ac@@ tions may speak l@@ ou@@ d@@ er than the most el@@ o@@ qu@@ ent words .
In time , you may be moved to talk about the dec@@ eas@@ ed , perhaps fo@@ c@@ using on some good qualities or happy experi@@ ences .
Such con@@ vers@@ ation may even bring a sm@@ ile to the ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed person@@ ’s face .
For example , Pa@@ m ​ — who lost her husband , I@@ an , si@@ x years ago — ​ says : “ Pe@@ ople som@@ etimes tell me good things that I@@ an did that I never knew about , and that makes my heart feel good . ”
R@@ es@@ ear@@ ch@@ ers re@@ port that many ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed people receive a lo@@ t of in@@ it@@ ial help but that their needs are soon for@@ g@@ ot@@ ten as friends get bus@@ y again with their own lives .
Th@@ er@@ efore , make a point of cont@@ ac@@ ting a ber@@ e@@ av@@ ed friend on a reg@@ ular bas@@ is after the l@@ oss .
* Many g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing ones de@@ ep@@ ly appreci@@ ate this opport@@ unity to reli@@ eve themselves of pro@@ long@@ ed feelings of g@@ ri@@ ef .
Consider the example of K@@ a@@ ori , a young Jap@@ an@@ ese woman who was dev@@ ast@@ ated by the l@@ oss of her mother follow@@ ed by the l@@ oss of her old@@ er s@@ ister 15 months later .
Th@@ an@@ k@@ fully , she received ongo@@ ing support from loy@@ al friends .
One nam@@ ed R@@ its@@ uko is much old@@ er than K@@ a@@ ori and offer@@ ed to be her close friend .
“ To be hon@@ est , ” says K@@ a@@ ori , “ I w@@ as@@ n’t happy about that .
I d@@ id@@ n’t want anyone to take the place of my mother , and I d@@ id@@ n’t think that anyone could .
However , because of the way M@@ ama R@@ its@@ uko tre@@ ated me , I came to feel close to her .
E@@ very we@@ ek , we went out in the ev@@ ang@@ el@@ iz@@ ing work together and went to Christian meetings together .
She inv@@ ited me to have te@@ a with her , brought me me@@ als , and wrote me let@@ ters and car@@ ds many times .
M@@ ama R@@ its@@ uk@@ o@@ ’s pos@@ itive attitude had a good influ@@ ence on me . ”
T@@ w@@ el@@ ve years have pas@@ sed since K@@ a@@ or@@ i@@ ’s mother died , and today she and her husband are full - time ev@@ ang@@ el@@ iz@@ ers .
“ M@@ ama R@@ its@@ uko , ” K@@ a@@ ori says , “ continu@@ es to show her concer@@ n .
When I go back home , I always vis@@ it her and enjoy her up@@ building associ@@ ation . ”
Ano@@ ther example of someone who benef@@ ited from ongo@@ ing support is P@@ ol@@ i , one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in C@@ y@@ pr@@ us .
P@@ ol@@ i had a kind husband , So@@ zo@@ s , who set a good example as a Christian sh@@ ep@@ her@@ d by often inv@@ iting or@@ ph@@ ans and wid@@ ow@@ s to their home for associ@@ ation and a me@@ al .
S@@ ad@@ ly , at the age of 5@@ 3 , So@@ zo@@ s died of a b@@ ra@@ in t@@ um@@ or .
There , they began associ@@ ating with a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses .
“ The friends in my new congregation , ” rec@@ all@@ s P@@ ol@@ i , “ did not know any@@ thing about our past and our difficult circumstances .
But that did not st@@ op them from appro@@ aching us and emb@@ r@@ ac@@ ing us with their kind words and practic@@ al help .
How prec@@ ious that help was , especially at that time , when my son needed his father most !
Those taking the lead in the congregation showed a great de@@ al of personal interest in Dan@@ iel .
One in partic@@ ular made sure to includ@@ e Dan@@ iel when enjo@@ ying associ@@ ation with friends or when going out to pl@@ ay b@@ all . ”
B@@ oth mother and son are doing well today .
To be sure , there are many ways we can off@@ er practic@@ al help and com@@ fort to those who m@@ our@@ n .
The Bible also com@@ forts us by means of a thr@@ ill@@ ing hope for the future .
Some have even mar@@ ked the d@@ ate of the death on their cal@@ end@@ ar as a rem@@ ind@@ er to off@@ er com@@ fort when it may be most needed ​ — on or near the d@@ ate of the l@@ oss .
You may rec@@ all that G@@ ai@@ l , mentioned ear@@ li@@ er in this ser@@ ies , doub@@ ts whether she will ever get over the death of her husband , R@@ o@@ b .
However , she is look@@ ing for@@ ward to se@@ e@@ ing him again in God’s prom@@ ised new world .
My feelings really go out to people who have lost someone they love but who are not aw@@ are of this hope of se@@ e@@ ing their loved one again . ”
So@@ on , God will do just that ​ — for Job and coun@@ t@@ less others — ​ when this earth is trans@@ form@@ ed into a par@@ adise .
“ There is going to be a resurrection , ” the Bible con@@ fir@@ ms at Acts 24 : 15 .
“ Do not be am@@ az@@ ed at this , ” Jesus as@@ sur@@ es us , “ for the h@@ our is coming in which all those in the m@@ emor@@ ial t@@ omb@@ s will he@@ ar his vo@@ ice and come out . ”
He will have the pros@@ p@@ ect of reg@@ aining “ his you@@ th@@ ful v@@ ig@@ or , ” and his fles@@ h will for@@ ever remain “ f@@ res@@ her than in you@@ th . ”
The same will happ@@ en to all who resp@@ ond with appreci@@ ation to God’s mer@@ ci@@ ful prov@@ is@@ ion of a resurrection to life on earth .
If you have suffer@@ ed the l@@ oss of someone de@@ ar to you , the information we have discus@@ sed may not compl@@ et@@ ely take away your g@@ ri@@ ef .
But by med@@ it@@ ating on God’s prom@@ ises found in the Bible , you can find real hope and the strength to keep going . ​ — 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 4 : 13 .
W@@ ould you like to learn more about how to c@@ ope with g@@ ri@@ ef ?
O@@ r do you have rel@@ ated questions , such as “ Why does God al@@ low evil and suffering ? ”
P@@ le@@ ase vis@@ it our we@@ b@@ s@@ ite , j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g , to see how the Bible gives com@@ for@@ ting , practic@@ al answ@@ ers .
“ God . . . will w@@ ip@@ e out every te@@ ar from their eyes , and death will be no more . ” ​ — Revelation 21 : 3 , 4 .
This is@@ sue of The Watchtower discus@@ ses how God will ful@@ f@@ ill that promise and what it can mean for you .
I told the offic@@ er that I had already been in pris@@ on because I would not f@@ ight .
I W@@ A@@ S born in 19@@ 26 in C@@ ro@@ ok@@ s@@ v@@ il@@ le , O@@ hi@@ o , in the United States .
Father and M@@ other were not religious , but they told us e@@ ight children to go to church .
Mar@@ gar@@ et W@@ al@@ k@@ er ( second s@@ ister from the left ) helped me learn the truth
Ab@@ out that time , a neigh@@ b@@ or nam@@ ed Mar@@ gar@@ et W@@ al@@ k@@ er , one of Jehovah’s Witnesses , began vis@@ iting my mother and tal@@ king to her about the Bible .
But I kept tr@@ ying to list@@ en to their discus@@ s@@ ions .
After a cou@@ ple more vis@@ its , Mar@@ gar@@ et asked me , “ Do you know what God’s name is ? ”
I said , “ E@@ ver@@ y@@ one kno@@ ws that ​ — it@@ ’s God . ”
She said , “ G@@ et your Bible and look up Psalm 8@@ 3 : 18 . ”
I did , and I disc@@ over@@ ed that God’s name is Jehovah .
I r@@ an out to my friends and told them , “ When you get home t@@ on@@ ight , look up Psalm 8@@ 3 : 18 in the Bible and see what God’s name is . ”
You might say I started wit@@ nes@@ sing right away .
I stud@@ ied the Bible and got baptized in 194@@ 1 .
So@@ on af@@ ter@@ ward , I was ass@@ igned to conduct a congregation book study .
I encourag@@ ed my mother and s@@ ib@@ l@@ ings to come , and they all began att@@ ending the book study that I conduc@@ ted .
S@@ om@@ etimes when she was on her way , he ch@@ as@@ ed after her and p@@ ul@@ led her back into the house .
But she would just ru@@ n out the other do@@ or and go to the meet@@ ing .
I also told the offic@@ ials that I would not become a sol@@ di@@ er .
In cour@@ t two we@@ ek@@ s later , the jud@@ ge said : “ If it were up to me , I@@ ’@@ d give you a life s@@ ent@@ ence .
I re@@ pl@@ ied : “ Your H@@ on@@ or , I should have been cl@@ ass@@ ified as a minis@@ ter .
E@@ ver@@ y@@ on@@ e’s do@@ or@@ st@@ ep is my p@@ ul@@ p@@ it , and I have pre@@ ached the good news of the Kingdom to many people . ”
The jud@@ ge told the j@@ ur@@ y : “ You are not here to dec@@ ide whether this young man is a minis@@ ter or not .
You are here to dec@@ ide whether he repor@@ ted for ind@@ uc@@ tion into the ar@@ my or not . ”
I pray@@ ed to Jehovah : “ I cannot st@@ ay in a c@@ ell for f@@ ive years .
The next day , the gu@@ ards let me out .
I wal@@ ked over to a t@@ all , bro@@ ad - sh@@ ou@@ ld@@ ered pris@@ on@@ er , and we st@@ ood there look@@ ing out a win@@ do@@ w .
He asked me , “ What are you in for , S@@ hor@@ ty ? ”
I said , “ I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses . ”
I said , “ Jehovah’s Witnesses don@@ ’t go to war and k@@ ill people . ”
I said , “ No , it do@@ es@@ n’t . ”
Then he said , “ For 15 years I was in another pris@@ on , where I read some of your liter@@ ature . ”
I was among the Witnesses im@@ pris@@ oned for ne@@ u@@ tr@@ ality at A@@ sh@@ land , K@@ ent@@ uc@@ k@@ y
That is how we pre@@ ached in an organ@@ ized way .
I wor@@ ri@@ ed about my family because D@@ ad had told me , “ If I can get ri@@ d of you , I can hand@@ le the res@@ t . ”
After my re@@ le@@ ase , I had a pleas@@ ant sur@@ pris@@ e .
I said , “ Th@@ at@@ ’s fine , but I am not going into the ar@@ my . ”
I qu@@ ot@@ ed 2 Timothy 2 : 3 and said , “ I am already a sol@@ di@@ er of Christ . ”
After a long s@@ il@@ ence , he said , “ You can leave . ”
So@@ on af@@ ter@@ ward , I att@@ ended the Be@@ the@@ l meet@@ ing at a conv@@ ention in C@@ inc@@ in@@ n@@ ati , O@@ hi@@ o .
I also wor@@ ked at As@@ s@@ emb@@ ly H@@ all@@ s in New York C@@ ity .
I have made many friends at Be@@ the@@ l and in the congregation .
I have learned a little M@@ and@@ ar@@ in Chin@@ ese and enjoy appro@@ aching Chin@@ ese people on the st@@ re@@ et .
Some mor@@ n@@ ings I place 30 or 40 magaz@@ ines with inter@@ ested ones .
P@@ re@@ aching to the Chin@@ ese people in Bro@@ ok@@ l@@ y@@ n , New York
I have even made a return vis@@ it in Ch@@ ina !
She took them and told me that her name was K@@ ati@@ e .
After that , wh@@ en@@ ever she saw me , K@@ ati@@ e came over to talk to me .
I taught her the nam@@ es of fru@@ its and ve@@ g@@ et@@ ab@@ les in Eng@@ l@@ ish , and she re@@ pe@@ ated the words after me .
I also expl@@ ained Bible t@@ ex@@ ts to her , and she accep@@ ted the Bible T@@ each book .
After some we@@ ek@@ s , though , she dis@@ appe@@ ared .
The next we@@ ek , she hand@@ ed me her c@@ ell ph@@ one and said , “ You talk to Ch@@ ina . ”
I said , “ I don@@ ’t know any@@ body in Ch@@ ina . ”
But she ins@@ is@@ ted , so I took the ph@@ one and said , “ H@@ ell@@ o , this is R@@ ob@@ is@@ on . ”
The vo@@ ice at the other end said , “ R@@ ob@@ by , this is K@@ ati@@ e .
P@@ le@@ ase teach her the way you taught me . ”
I said , “ K@@ ati@@ e , I will do the best I can .
Th@@ an@@ ks for let@@ ting me know where you are . ”
So@@ on af@@ ter@@ ward , I spok@@ e to K@@ ati@@ e’s s@@ ister for the last time .
If it is God’s will , my family members and friends who have died will return to life in the new world .
While this article was being prepar@@ ed for publ@@ ication , C@@ or@@ w@@ in R@@ ob@@ is@@ on died faithful to Jehovah .
How did knowledge and experience streng@@ then Abra@@ ham@@ ’s faith ?
What did Abraham do to streng@@ then his fri@@ end@@ ship with God ?
How can you imit@@ ate Abraham in building a fri@@ end@@ ship with Jehovah ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How do we know that humans can become God’s friends ?
3 , 4 . ( a ) D@@ es@@ crib@@ e what was likely Abra@@ ham@@ ’s great@@ est t@@ est of faith . ( b ) Why was Abraham will@@ ing to sacrifice Isa@@ a@@ c ?
How may Abraham have learned about Jehovah , and how did that knowledge make him feel ?
How can we ga@@ in knowledge and experience that will streng@@ then our fri@@ end@@ ship with Jehovah ?
9 , 10 . ( a ) What is needed for a fri@@ end@@ ship to become str@@ ong@@ er ?
( b ) What shows that Abraham ch@@ er@@ ished and streng@@ th@@ ened his fri@@ end@@ ship with Jehovah ?
Abraham ch@@ er@@ ished and main@@ tain@@ ed his fri@@ end@@ ship with Jehovah .
Why was Abraham concer@@ ned about S@@ od@@ om and G@@ om@@ or@@ ra@@ h , and how did Jehovah help him ?
12 , 13 . ( a ) How did Abra@@ ham@@ ’s knowledge and experience help him later ?
( b ) What shows that Abraham had conf@@ idence in Jehovah ?
What chall@@ eng@@ es do you face in serving Jehovah , and how may Abra@@ ham@@ ’s example help you ?
Abraham and S@@ ar@@ ah come to know and worship Jehovah
Abraham di@@ es “ at a good old age , old and satis@@ f@@ ied ”
Why may we be sure that Abraham never reg@@ re@@ t@@ ted his loy@@ al obedi@@ ence to Jehovah ?
What is your determin@@ ation , and what will we consider in the following article ?
May each of us be determin@@ ed to imit@@ ate the faith of Abraham .
( Read Hebrews 6 : 10 - 12 . )
In the following article , we will consider three more exam@@ ples of faithful ones who became close friends of God .
What can we learn from the fri@@ end@@ ship with God that R@@ uth enjo@@ yed ?
Why was King He@@ zek@@ iah a close friend of Jehovah ?
What qualities made Jesus ’ mother , M@@ ary , a friend of Jehovah God ?
1 - 3 . ( a ) Why can we be sure that we can become God’s friends ?
( b ) What individuals will we consider in this article ?
What difficult decis@@ ion did R@@ uth have to make , and why was making it so hard ?
( a ) What wise cho@@ ice did R@@ uth make ?
( b ) Why did Bo@@ a@@ z speak of R@@ uth as se@@ ek@@ ing re@@ fu@@ ge under Jehovah’s w@@ ings ?
What might help those who h@@ es@@ it@@ ate to ded@@ ic@@ ate their lives to Jehovah ?
9 , 10 . ( a ) Why might He@@ zek@@ iah eas@@ ily have become b@@ it@@ ter ?
( b ) Why should we not become b@@ it@@ ter against God ?
( c ) Why should we not think that our b@@ ac@@ k@@ gr@@ ound determin@@ es the t@@ yp@@ e of person we will become ?
Many young people accept the truth des@@ pite their family b@@ ac@@ k@@ gr@@ ound ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 9 , 10 )
What made He@@ zek@@ iah one of Jud@@ ah’s best k@@ ings ?
( Read 2 K@@ ings 18 : 5 , 6 . )
L@@ ike He@@ zek@@ iah , how have many today proved to be Jehovah’s friends ?
Why might Mar@@ y’s ass@@ ign@@ ment have se@@ em@@ ed too difficult , yet how did she resp@@ ond to G@@ ab@@ ri@@ el@@ ’s words ?
What shows that M@@ ary was a good list@@ en@@ er ?
In both cas@@ es , M@@ ary list@@ ened , rem@@ emb@@ ered , and thought car@@ e@@ fully about what she had heard . ​ — Read Luke 2 : 16 - 19 , 4@@ 9 , 5@@ 1 .
What can we learn about M@@ ary from the way she spok@@ e ?
In what ways can we imit@@ ate Mar@@ y’s faith ?
As we imit@@ ate the Bib@@ le’s out@@ standing exam@@ ples of faith , of what may we be as@@ sur@@ ed ?
TH@@ IN@@ K about the happ@@ i@@ est day of your life .
W@@ as it when you got married or when your first child was born ?
Ver@@ y likely , you have experi@@ enced much joy in serving Jehovah since your bap@@ tis@@ m .
What reas@@ ons do we have for continu@@ ing to serve Jehovah with joy ?
R@@ em@@ ember that Jesus said : “ C@@ ome to me , all you who are to@@ il@@ ing and lo@@ ad@@ ed down , and I will ref@@ res@@ h you .
T@@ ake my yo@@ k@@ e upon you and learn from me , for I am m@@ ild - tem@@ per@@ ed and low@@ ly in heart , and you will find ref@@ res@@ h@@ ment for your@@ selves .
We serve our L@@ ife - G@@ iver , the happy God .
Consider H@@ é@@ c@@ tor , who served Jehovah as a travel@@ ing overse@@ er for 40 years .
He says : “ Although it is sa@@ d to see my w@@ if@@ e’s health gra@@ d@@ ually deter@@ i@@ or@@ ate and it has been chall@@ eng@@ ing to care for her , I have not al@@ low@@ ed this to ro@@ b me of my joy in serving the true God .
K@@ no@@ wing that I o@@ we my life to Jehovah , who cre@@ ated man for a purpose , is reason en@@ ough to love him de@@ ep@@ ly and serve him who@@ le@@ hear@@ t@@ edly .
I str@@ ive to st@@ ay act@@ ive in the preaching work , and I try to keep the Kingdom hope for@@ em@@ ost in my mind so as not to l@@ ose my joy . ”
Jehovah has provided the ran@@ so@@ m sacrifice , making it possible for us to have a jo@@ y@@ ful life .
Inde@@ ed , “ God loved the world so much that he gave his only - beg@@ ot@@ ten Son , so that every@@ one exerc@@ is@@ ing faith in him might not be destro@@ yed but have everlasting life . ”
Jes@@ ú@@ s sim@@ pl@@ ified his life and served Jehovah jo@@ y@@ fully for years
I did it just to make more money .
Then I learned about Jehovah and how he had given his de@@ ar Son for mankind .
I had an int@@ ense desire to serve him .
So I ded@@ ic@@ ated my life to Jehovah , and after having wor@@ ked for the compan@@ y for 28 years , I dec@@ ided to qu@@ it and take up the full - time ministry . ”
Do you rem@@ ember what your life was like before you came to know Jehovah ?
The apostle Paul rem@@ ind@@ ed Christians in R@@ ome that they “ were once the sl@@ av@@ es of sin ” but had become “ sl@@ av@@ es to righteousness . ”
“ The happ@@ i@@ est years of my life have been those sp@@ ent serving Jehovah . ” ​ — J@@ aim@@ e
“ L@@ it@@ tle by little , I disc@@ over@@ ed the ex@@ ist@@ ence of a loving Father and mer@@ ci@@ ful God , ” J@@ aim@@ e says .
“ K@@ e@@ eping Jehovah’s righteous stand@@ ards has been a protec@@ tion for me .
H@@ ad I not chang@@ ed , I might have been k@@ ill@@ ed , as some of my form@@ er bo@@ x@@ ing friends were .
The happ@@ i@@ est years of my life have been those sp@@ ent serving Jehovah . ”
How was King Sa@@ ul@@ ’s son J@@ on@@ a@@ than loy@@ al to Jehovah ?
How can we be loy@@ al to God when we feel that someone who has authority does not des@@ er@@ ve our respect ?
How can we be loy@@ al to Jehovah if others mis@@ understand us or tre@@ at us un@@ fa@@ ir@@ ly ?
Why is J@@ on@@ a@@ th@@ an’s fri@@ end@@ ship with David a re@@ mar@@ k@@ able example of loy@@ al@@ ty ?
What was more important to J@@ on@@ a@@ than than being loy@@ al to David , and how do we know ?
( a ) What will make us truly happy and satis@@ f@@ ied ?
Why was it difficult for the people of Israel to be loy@@ al to God while Sa@@ ul was king ?
What shows that J@@ on@@ a@@ than st@@ ay@@ ed loy@@ al to Jehovah ?
How are we being loy@@ al to God when we respect those who have authority ?
How did J@@ on@@ a@@ than know to whom he should be loy@@ al ?
How does our love for God help us dec@@ ide to be loy@@ al to him ?
How can loy@@ al@@ ty to God help us to c@@ ope with family problems ?
If a brother t@@ reat@@ s us un@@ fa@@ ir@@ ly , how should we re@@ act ?
In what situ@@ ations must we be loy@@ al to God and not be sel@@ f@@ ish ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 9 ) Some nam@@ es have been chang@@ ed .
Why was J@@ on@@ a@@ th@@ an’s re@@ action to David so different from Ab@@ ner@@ ’s ?
What qualities will help us to be loy@@ al to God , and how ?
How did David show that he was loy@@ al to God ?
( a ) How was David an example of loy@@ al@@ ty to God ?
( b ) What other exam@@ ples will we consider ?
What less@@ on do we learn from Ab@@ is@@ ha@@ i@@ ’s mis@@ take ?
Although it is n@@ atur@@ al to be loy@@ al to our family and friends , why must we be car@@ eful ?
How did one s@@ ister st@@ ay loy@@ al to God in a difficult situation ?
What qualities will help us to be loy@@ al to God ?
How can we benefit from Bible acc@@ oun@@ ts about Ab@@ ner , Ab@@ sal@@ om , and B@@ ar@@ u@@ ch ?
But you are se@@ ek@@ ing great things for yourself .
S@@ how why we cannot be loy@@ al to God when we are sel@@ f@@ ish .
After many pray@@ ers and t@@ ears , that is what I did .
How did Na@@ than st@@ ay loy@@ al to both God and David when David sin@@ ned ?
How can you be loy@@ al to both Jehovah and your friend or rel@@ ative ?
Why did H@@ us@@ ha@@ i need courage to be loy@@ al to God ?
Why do we need courage to be loy@@ al ?
I pray@@ ed for courage to s@@ tic@@ k to my decis@@ ion .
Now their attitude has s@@ of@@ t@@ ened , and I can vis@@ it them reg@@ ularly . ” ​ — Read Proverbs 29 : 25 .
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 7 ) Some nam@@ es have been chang@@ ed .
C@@ O@@ V@@ E@@ R S@@ U@@ B@@ J@@ E@@ C@@ T | W@@ H@@ Y D@@ I@@ D J@@ E@@ S@@ U@@ S S@@ U@@ F@@ F@@ E@@ R AN@@ D D@@ I@@ E ?
In the sp@@ ring of 33 C.E . , Jesus the N@@ az@@ ar@@ ene was ex@@ ec@@ uted .
He had been fal@@ sel@@ y char@@ ged with se@@ d@@ ition , sav@@ ag@@ ely be@@ at@@ en , and na@@ iled to a st@@ ake .
But God ra@@ ised him back to life , and 40 days later , Jesus as@@ c@@ ended to heaven .
This ex@@ tr@@ a@@ ord@@ in@@ ary account comes to us from the four G@@ os@@ p@@ els of the Christian Greek Scriptures , comm@@ only called the New T@@ est@@ am@@ ent .
On the other hand , if those ev@@ ents really did happ@@ en , then there is a br@@ ight future for mankind , one in which you can share .
So , are the G@@ os@@ pe@@ l acc@@ oun@@ ts fact or fic@@ tion ?
Un@@ like fan@@ ci@@ ful leg@@ ends , the G@@ os@@ pe@@ l writ@@ ings refl@@ ect pa@@ inst@@ aking acc@@ ur@@ ac@@ y and attention to det@@ ai@@ l .
For example , they ab@@ ound with nam@@ es of real plac@@ es , many of which can be vis@@ ited today .
They tell about real people , who@@ se ex@@ ist@@ ence has been cor@@ ro@@ bor@@ ated by sec@@ ular hist@@ or@@ ians . ​ — Luke 3 : 1 , 2 , 23 .
Jesus himself is mentioned by sec@@ ular writ@@ ers of the first and second centur@@ ies .
* His man@@ ner of death , as describ@@ ed in the G@@ os@@ p@@ els , ag@@ re@@ es with Roman ex@@ ec@@ u@@ ti@@ onal me@@ th@@ od@@ s of the time .
M@@ ore@@ over , ev@@ ents are rel@@ ated in a f@@ act@@ ual and c@@ and@@ id man@@ ner ​ — even por@@ tr@@ ay@@ ing some of Jesus ’ disciples un@@ fav@@ or@@ ably .
All these f@@ act@@ ors str@@ ong@@ ly indic@@ ate that the G@@ os@@ pe@@ l writ@@ ers were hon@@ est and acc@@ ur@@ ate in what they wrote about Jesus .
While it is gener@@ ally accep@@ ted that Jesus lived and died , some would question his resurrection .
Even his apostles did not believe the in@@ it@@ ial re@@ port of his having re@@ turned to life .
All doub@@ t was rem@@ ov@@ ed , however , when they and other disciples saw the resurrec@@ ted Jesus on se@@ par@@ ate occas@@ ions .
In fact , in one case , there were more than 5@@ 00 e@@ ye@@ wit@@ nesses present . ​ — 1 Corinthians 15 : 6 .
At the ris@@ k of being ar@@ res@@ ted and k@@ ill@@ ed , the disciples courag@@ e@@ ously pro@@ claim@@ ed Jesus ’ resurrection to all ​ — even to the very ones who had ex@@ ec@@ uted him .
W@@ ould so many disciples have been so bo@@ ld if they were not ab@@ sol@@ ut@@ ely sure that Jesus had really been resurrec@@ ted ?
In fact , the re@@ ality of the resurrection of Jesus is the dr@@ iving for@@ ce be@@ h@@ ind the im@@ p@@ act that Christi@@ an@@ ity has had on the world both then and now .
The G@@ os@@ pe@@ l acc@@ oun@@ ts of Jesus ’ death and resurrection be@@ ar all the necess@@ ary mar@@ ks of an au@@ th@@ enti@@ c hist@@ or@@ ical rec@@ ord .
C@@ are@@ fully reading them will conv@@ in@@ ce you that these ev@@ ents really happ@@ ened .
Your conv@@ ic@@ tion can be fur@@ ther streng@@ th@@ ened when you understand why they took place .
T@@ ac@@ it@@ us , born about 5@@ 5 C.E . , wrote that “ Christ@@ us , from whom the name [ Christians ] had its orig@@ in , suffer@@ ed the ext@@ re@@ me p@@ en@@ al@@ ty during the re@@ ign of T@@ ib@@ er@@ i@@ us at the hand@@ s of one of our proc@@ ur@@ at@@ ors , P@@ on@@ ti@@ us P@@ il@@ at@@ us . ”
Jesus is also refer@@ red to by Su@@ et@@ on@@ i@@ us ( first century ) ; Jewish hist@@ or@@ ian Josep@@ h@@ us ( first century ) ; and P@@ l@@ in@@ y the Y@@ oun@@ g@@ er , gover@@ nor of B@@ ith@@ y@@ n@@ ia ( early second century ) .
Then , too , it is un@@ likely that Jesus ’ many op@@ pos@@ ers would wr@@ ite any@@ thing that would l@@ end cre@@ d@@ ib@@ ility to the repor@@ ts about him .
R@@ eg@@ arding Jesus ’ resurrection , Peter , one of his apostles , expl@@ ained : “ God ra@@ ised this one up on the th@@ ir@@ d day and al@@ low@@ ed him to become man@@ if@@ est , not to all the people , but to wit@@ nesses appoin@@ ted be@@ for@@ e@@ hand by God , to us , who ate and d@@ ran@@ k with him after his ris@@ ing from the dead . ”
Matthe@@ w@@ ’s G@@ os@@ pe@@ l t@@ ells us that when the religious enem@@ ies heard repor@@ ts of Jesus ’ resurrection , they s@@ chem@@ ed to sup@@ pres@@ s them . ​ — Matthew 28 : 11 - 15 .
Does this mean that Jesus wanted his resurrection to be kept sec@@ re@@ t ?
No , for Peter went on to say : “ He ord@@ ered us to pre@@ ach to the people and to give a thor@@ ough witness that this is the one dec@@ re@@ ed by God to be jud@@ ge of the living and the dead . ”
True Christians have done and are doing just that . ​ — Acts 10 : 4@@ 2 .
“ Th@@ r@@ ough one man [ Adam ] sin ent@@ ered into the world and death through sin . ” ​ — Romans 5 : 12
What would you say if you were asked , “ Do you want to live for@@ ever ? ”
M@@ ost people would prob@@ ably say that they want to but that they feel it is un@@ real@@ is@@ tic to consider it .
De@@ ath is a nor@@ m@@ al part of life , they say , the n@@ atur@@ al out@@ come of our ex@@ ist@@ ence .
S@@ up@@ pose , though , that the question were turned around and you were asked , “ Are you ready to die ? ”
U@@ nd@@ er nor@@ m@@ al circumstances , most people would answer no .
The Bible shows that God cre@@ ated humans with the desire and the will to live .
In fact , it says that “ he has even put et@@ ern@@ ity in their heart . ” ​ — E@@ c@@ cl@@ es@@ i@@ ast@@ es 3 : 11 .
The re@@ ality , though , is that humans do not live for@@ ever .
F@@ ur@@ ther@@ more , has God done any@@ thing to rem@@ ed@@ y the situation ?
The Bib@@ le’s answ@@ ers are hear@@ t@@ ening , and they have a dir@@ ect be@@ aring on why Jesus suffer@@ ed and died .
The first three chap@@ ters of the Bible book of Genesis tell us that God set before the first human cou@@ ple , Adam and E@@ ve , the pros@@ p@@ ect of un@@ ending life and told them what they would have to do to ga@@ in it .
Then the account describ@@ es how they fa@@ iled to obe@@ y God and lost that pros@@ p@@ ect .
The st@@ ory is told simply ​ — so simply that some are qu@@ ick to dis@@ mis@@ s it as fol@@ k@@ l@@ ore .
But Genesis , like the G@@ os@@ p@@ els , gives every ind@@ ication of being a f@@ act@@ ual , hist@@ or@@ ical rec@@ ord .
What has been the result of Ad@@ am@@ ’s fa@@ il@@ ure to obe@@ y ?
The Bible answ@@ ers this way : “ Th@@ r@@ ough one man [ Adam ] sin ent@@ ered into the world and death through sin , and so death sp@@ read to all men because they had all sin@@ ned . ”
He thus lost the pros@@ p@@ ect of end@@ less life and ev@@ ent@@ ually died .
Be@@ ing his des@@ c@@ end@@ ants , we have in@@ her@@ ited his sin@@ ful cond@@ ition .
But has God done any@@ thing to rem@@ ed@@ y the situation ?
Yes , God made arrang@@ ements to re@@ de@@ em , or bu@@ y back , what Adam had lost for his des@@ c@@ end@@ ants , nam@@ ely , the pros@@ p@@ ect of end@@ less life .
“ The wa@@ ges sin pa@@ ys is death , ” says the Bible at Romans 6 : 23 .
This means that death is the con@@ se@@ qu@@ ence of sin .
L@@ ik@@ e@@ wise , we sin and are therefore sub@@ ject to sin@@ ’s wa@@ ges , death .
But we were born in this sin@@ ful cond@@ ition through no fa@@ ult of our own .
So God lov@@ ingly sent his Son , Jesus , to accept ‘ the wa@@ ges of sin ’ for us .
Jesus ’ death op@@ ens the way to a happy , end@@ less life
Since one man , the perfect man Adam , brought sin and death on us through dis@@ obedi@@ ence , a perfect man obedi@@ ent even t@@ ill death was needed to re@@ le@@ ase us from that bur@@ den .
The Bible expl@@ ains it this way : “ J@@ ust as through the dis@@ obedi@@ ence of the one man many were made sin@@ n@@ ers , so also through the obedi@@ ence of the one person many will be made righteous . ”
He left heaven , became a perfect man * , and died in our be@@ half .
As a result , it is possible for us to have a righteous standing with God and ga@@ in the pros@@ p@@ ect of end@@ less life .
Why , though , was it necess@@ ary for Jesus to die to ac@@ compl@@ ish this ?
C@@ ould not Al@@ m@@ igh@@ ty God have simply is@@ su@@ ed a dec@@ ree that Ad@@ am@@ ’s des@@ c@@ end@@ ants be al@@ low@@ ed to live for@@ ever ?
H@@ ad God set justice as@@ ide in this inst@@ ance , people might have wond@@ ered whether he would do so in other matters as well .
For example , would he be fai@@ r in determin@@ ing who among Ad@@ am@@ ’s off@@ sp@@ ring qual@@ if@@ y for et@@ ern@@ al life ?
C@@ ould he be tr@@ us@@ ted to keep his prom@@ ises ?
God’s ad@@ her@@ ence to justice in working out our sal@@ v@@ ation is as@@ sur@@ ance to us that he will always do what is right .
By Jesus ’ sacrif@@ ic@@ ial death , God op@@ ened the way to end@@ less life in Par@@ adise on earth .
N@@ ote Jesus ’ words as rec@@ ord@@ ed at John 3 : 16 : “ God loved the world so much that he gave his only - beg@@ ot@@ ten Son , so that every@@ one exerc@@ is@@ ing faith in him might not be destro@@ yed but have everlasting life . ”
Jesus ’ death is thus an expres@@ sion not only of God’s un@@ fa@@ il@@ ing justice but , more spec@@ ially , of his great love for humans .
However , why did Jesus have to suf@@ fer and die in the pa@@ in@@ ful way that was describ@@ ed in the G@@ os@@ p@@ els ?
By sub@@ jec@@ ting himself to the ext@@ re@@ me t@@ est and remain@@ ing faithful , Jesus ref@@ uted once and for all the D@@ ev@@ il@@ ’s cl@@ ai@@ m that humans would not remain loy@@ al to God when under tr@@ ial .
That cl@@ ai@@ m might have se@@ em@@ ed val@@ id after Satan ind@@ uc@@ ed perfect Adam to sin .
But Jesus ​ — who was Ad@@ am@@ ’s perfect equ@@ i@@ val@@ ent — ​ remain@@ ed obedi@@ ent des@@ pite sev@@ ere suffering .
He thus proved that Adam too could have obe@@ yed God if he had ch@@ os@@ en to do so .
By end@@ uring under tr@@ ial , Jesus left us a mod@@ el to follow .
God re@@ war@@ d@@ ed his S@@ on@@ ’s perfect obedi@@ ence , gr@@ an@@ ting Jesus im@@ mor@@ t@@ al life in heaven .
Jesus indic@@ ated what we need to do when he said : “ This means everlasting life , their coming to know you , the only true God , and the one whom you sent , Jesus Christ . ” ​ — John 17 : 3 .
The publ@@ ish@@ ers of this magaz@@ ine inv@@ ite you to learn more about Jehovah , the true God , and about his Son , Jesus Christ .
Jehovah’s Witnesses in your commun@@ ity will be happy to ass@@ ist you .
You can also receive help@@ ful information by vis@@ iting our we@@ b@@ s@@ ite , w@@ w@@ w@@ .@@ j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g .
See “ The H@@ ist@@ or@@ ical Ch@@ ar@@ ac@@ ter of Genesis , ” in In@@ s@@ ight on the Scriptures , V@@ ol@@ ume 1 , page 9@@ 22 , publ@@ ished by Jehovah’s Witnesses .
God’s trans@@ fer of his S@@ on@@ ’s life from heaven to the wom@@ b of M@@ ary ca@@ used conc@@ ep@@ tion , and God’s holy spirit sh@@ i@@ eld@@ ed Jesus from in@@ her@@ iting im@@ per@@ fec@@ tion from M@@ ary . ​ — Luke 1 : 31 , 35 .
On the night before he sur@@ r@@ end@@ ered his life , Jesus ga@@ ther@@ ed with his faithful apostles and inst@@ it@@ uted the M@@ emor@@ ial of his death .
He said to them : “ K@@ eep doing this in rem@@ emb@@ r@@ ance of me . ”
In obedi@@ ence to that comm@@ and , Jehovah’s Witnesses world@@ wide ga@@ ther ann@@ ually on the ann@@ ivers@@ ary of Jesus ’ death .
This year , the M@@ emor@@ ial of Jesus ’ death f@@ all@@ s on W@@ ed@@ nes@@ day , Mar@@ ch 23 , after s@@ un@@ down .
A@@ t@@ t@@ end@@ ance is free ; no col@@ l@@ ec@@ tions will be taken .
P@@ le@@ ase ask Jehovah’s Witnesses in your are@@ a for the time and loc@@ ation .
O@@ r you may con@@ su@@ l@@ t our we@@ b@@ s@@ ite , w@@ w@@ w@@ .@@ j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g .
W@@ O@@ U@@ L@@ D Y@@ O@@ U S@@ A@@ Y that the D@@ evil is . . .
A sy@@ mb@@ ol of the evil ins@@ ide a person ?
The D@@ evil con@@ ver@@ sed with and “ t@@ emp@@ ted ” Jesus .
The D@@ evil was orig@@ in@@ ally a holy ang@@ el , but “ he did not stand f@@ ast in the truth . ”
He became a li@@ ar and re@@ bel@@ led against God .
O@@ ther ang@@ els jo@@ ined Sat@@ an’s re@@ bel@@ l@@ ion . ​ — Revelation 12 : 9 .
The D@@ evil bl@@ ind@@ s many people to his ex@@ ist@@ ence . ​ — 2 Corinthians 4 : 4 .
S@@ O@@ M@@ E P@@ E@@ O@@ P@@ L@@ E S@@ A@@ Y that control by the D@@ evil is a ho@@ a@@ x , while others d@@ read being poss@@ ess@@ ed by evil spir@@ its .
The D@@ evil ex@@ er@@ ts great influ@@ ence over mankind , but he does not control every human .
The D@@ evil uses dec@@ ep@@ tion to increas@@ e his influ@@ ence . ​ — 2 Corinthians 11 : 14 .
W@@ ic@@ ked spir@@ its can in some cas@@ es take control of people . ​ — Matthew 12 : 22 .
With God’s help , you can succ@@ ess@@ fully “ op@@ pose the D@@ evil . ” ​ — James 4 : 7 .
“ Who of you wan@@ ting to bu@@ ild a tower does not first s@@ it down and cal@@ cul@@ ate the exp@@ ense to see if he has en@@ ough to compl@@ ete it ? ” ​ — L@@ U@@ K@@ E 14 : 28 .
What is mat@@ ur@@ ity , and how did Dan@@ iel dis@@ pl@@ ay that qu@@ ality ?
How can you tell if the decis@@ ion to get baptized comes from your heart ?
What is ded@@ ication , and how is it rel@@ ated to bap@@ tis@@ m ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What gives God’s people joy today ?
( b ) How can Christian parents and elders help young ones to understand the meaning of bap@@ tis@@ m ?
I would like to ask you , ‘ Why do you want to take that st@@ ep ? ’ ”
( Read Luke 14 : 27 - 30 . )
( a ) What do the words of Jesus and Peter teach us about the import@@ ance of bap@@ tis@@ m ?
( b ) What questions will we consider , and why ?
( 2 ) Do I have a personal desire to do so ?
( 3 ) Do I understand what it means to be ded@@ ic@@ ated to Jehovah ?
4 , 5 . ( a ) Why is bap@@ tis@@ m not for old@@ er people only ?
( b ) What does it mean for a Christian to be mat@@ ure ?
We read at Proverbs 20 : 11 : “ Even a child is known by his ac@@ tions , whether his be@@ hav@@ ior is p@@ ure and right . ”
6 , 7 . ( a ) D@@ es@@ crib@@ e the chall@@ eng@@ es Dan@@ iel had when he was in Babyl@@ on . ( b ) How did Dan@@ iel prove to be mat@@ ure ?
A mat@@ ure young person does not act like a friend of God at the Kingdom H@@ all but a friend of the world at school ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 8 )
He does not act like a friend of God at the Kingdom H@@ all but a friend of the world at school .
9 , 10 . ( a ) How might a young person benefit from thinking about how he or she has re@@ ac@@ ted to rec@@ ent t@@ ests of faith ?
11 , 12 . ( a ) A person who is thinking about g@@ etting baptized needs to be sure of what ?
( b ) What will help you to keep the right view of Jehovah’s arrang@@ ement of bap@@ tis@@ m ?
How can you tell whether the decis@@ ion to get baptized comes from your heart ?
He hand@@ s you the t@@ it@@ le and says : “ The c@@ ar is your@@ s . ”
18 , 19 . ( a ) How do the expres@@ s@@ ions of R@@ ose and Christ@@ op@@ her illustr@@ ate that being baptized is a privil@@ ege that lead@@ s to bless@@ ings ?
( b ) How do you feel about the privil@@ ege of bap@@ tis@@ m ?
My life is fill@@ ed with satis@@ f@@ ying work for Jehovah and his organization . ”
What does it mean to be “ per@@ su@@ ad@@ ed to believe ” ?
What are “ holy ac@@ ts of conduct ” and “ de@@ ed@@ s of god@@ ly dev@@ o@@ tion ” ?
How can med@@ it@@ ating on the ran@@ so@@ m help you bu@@ ild your appreci@@ ation for Jehovah ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) Ex@@ pl@@ ain why bap@@ tis@@ m is a serious st@@ ep . ( b ) What should a person be sure of before g@@ etting baptized , and why ?
What less@@ on can young ones learn from the example of Timothy ?
D@@ es@@ crib@@ e how the on@@ line ser@@ ies of study gu@@ ides , “ What Does the Bible Re@@ ally T@@ each ? , ” can help you streng@@ then your conv@@ ic@@ tion .
One te@@ en@@ age s@@ ister said : “ B@@ efore I dec@@ ided to get baptized , I stud@@ ied the Bible and saw that this is the true religion .
And each day that I live , that conv@@ ic@@ tion g@@ ets str@@ ong@@ er . ”
Why is it reason@@ able to exp@@ ect that a baptized Christian would have ac@@ tions in line with his faith ?
The Bible says : “ F@@ a@@ ith by it@@ self , without works , is dead . ”
Ex@@ pl@@ ain the expres@@ sion “ holy ac@@ ts of conduct . ”
For example , think about the past si@@ x months .
What are some “ de@@ ed@@ s of god@@ ly dev@@ o@@ tion , ” and how should you view them ?
What prov@@ is@@ ion can help you to per@@ form “ de@@ ed@@ s of god@@ ly dev@@ o@@ tion , ” and how have some young ones benef@@ ited from this prov@@ is@@ ion ?
“ What do you includ@@ e in your personal study ? ”
“ Do you eng@@ age in the ministry even if your parents do not ? ”
A young s@@ ister nam@@ ed T@@ il@@ da said : “ I used the work@@ sh@@ e@@ et to set go@@ als .
One by one I re@@ ached those go@@ als , and I was ready for bap@@ tis@@ m about a year later . ”
W@@ ould you continue to serve Jehovah even if your parents did not ?
Ex@@ pl@@ ain why ded@@ ication should be a personal decis@@ ion .
16 , 17 . ( a ) What should mot@@ iv@@ ate a person to become a Christian ?
( b ) How can appreci@@ ation for the ran@@ so@@ m be illustr@@ ated ?
Jesus answ@@ ered : “ You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind . ”
( Read 2 Corinthians 5 : 14 , 15 ; 1 John 4 : 9 , 19 . )
18 , 19 . ( a ) Why should you not fear bel@@ ong@@ ing to Jehovah ?
( b ) How does serving Jehovah make your life better ?
What can a young person do in order to pro@@ g@@ ress toward ded@@ ication and bap@@ tis@@ m ?
“ How Can I Im@@ prove in My P@@ ray@@ ers ? ” ​ — N@@ ov@@ ember 200@@ 8
“ How Can I M@@ ake Bible Re@@ ad@@ ing En@@ jo@@ y@@ able ? ” ​ — A@@ pri@@ l 200@@ 9
“ Who A@@ m I ? ” ​ — O@@ c@@ t@@ ob@@ er 20@@ 11
“ How Can I En@@ joy St@@ ud@@ ying the Bible ? ” ​ — F@@ eb@@ ru@@ ary 20@@ 12
“ Why G@@ o to Christian M@@ e@@ et@@ ings ? ” ​ — A@@ pri@@ l 20@@ 12
How are we un@@ ited as we pre@@ ach the good news ?
What are some things we can do to help our congregation to be un@@ ited ?
How can a husband and wife st@@ ay un@@ ited ?
From the beg@@ in@@ ning , what has char@@ ac@@ ter@@ ized God’s works ?
( a ) What was no@@ te@@ wor@@ thy about the early Christian congregation ?
( b ) What questions will we add@@ ress ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 12 : 4 - 6 , 12 . )
As we work together , what are we able to do ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) What illustr@@ ation did Paul use to teach Christians to st@@ ay un@@ ited ?
( b ) How can we co@@ op@@ er@@ ate in the congregation ?
( Read Eph@@ es@@ ians 4 : 15 , 16 . )
How do minis@@ ter@@ ial servants help the congregation to be un@@ ited ?
What can help all in the family to co@@ op@@ er@@ ate with one another ?
If your husband or wife is not serving Jehovah , what can you do to keep your marriage strong ?
How can old@@ er married ones help youn@@ g@@ er ones ?
What do God’s un@@ ited servants look for@@ ward to ?
Jehovah provided what gu@@ id@@ ance in the days of No@@ ah and Moses ?
What new gu@@ id@@ ance did God provide for Christians ?
How can we show that we are look@@ ing to God for gu@@ id@@ ance ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) Many lives have been sav@@ ed by what war@@ ning ?
How did the human family get on a p@@ ath lead@@ ing to death ?
( a ) Why were add@@ iti@@ onal gu@@ id@@ el@@ ines needed after the F@@ lood ?
( b ) How did new circumstances reve@@ al God’s thinking ?
What will we now exam@@ ine , and why ?
Why was it necess@@ ary for God’s people to obe@@ y the la@@ ws given through Moses , and what attitude did the Israelites need to have ?
( a ) Ex@@ pl@@ ain why Jehovah gave direc@@ tions to his people . ( b ) How was the Law a gu@@ ar@@ di@@ an for Israel ?
Why should we be gu@@ ided by the principles of the Mos@@ ai@@ c Law ?
What new circumstances made new direc@@ tion from God necess@@ ary ?
Why were new la@@ ws given to the Christian congregation , and how were these different from those given to the Israelites ?
Tru@@ ly , “ God is not par@@ ti@@ al , but in every nation the man who f@@ ears him and does what is right is accep@@ table to him . ”
What are two as@@ pec@@ ts of Christian life that would be affec@@ ted by “ the law of the Christ ” ?
13 , 14 . ( a ) What is involved in Jesus ’ “ new command@@ ment ” ?
( b ) What do we learn from the example that Jesus set ?
( Read John 13 : 34 , 35 . )
What new circumstances do we now have , and how does God gu@@ ide us ?
How should we resp@@ ond to the gu@@ id@@ ance being given ?
Do you view these direc@@ tions as gu@@ id@@ ance from God ?
What sc@@ ro@@ l@@ ls will be op@@ ened , and with what result ?
It also expl@@ ains the work that end@@ ur@@ ance must compl@@ ete in each of us .
How can the example of Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter help us res@@ ist world@@ ly influ@@ ences ?
What Bible principles do you find help@@ ful in res@@ ol@@ v@@ ing personal con@@ fl@@ ic@@ ts ?
How has this article encourag@@ ed you to make sacrif@@ ices for the Kingdom ?
What chall@@ enge did Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter face ?
Why can the example of Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter be help@@ ful for us today ?
4 , 5 . ( a ) What comm@@ and did Jehovah give the Israelites when they ent@@ ered the P@@ r@@ om@@ ised L@@ and ?
( b ) According to Psalm 10@@ 6 , what happ@@ ened to the Israelites because of their dis@@ obedi@@ ence ?
What world@@ ly influ@@ ences ex@@ ist today , and what must we do ?
( a ) What did Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah’s own people do to him ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) What principles in the Mos@@ ai@@ c Law may have helped Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah ?
( b ) What was of great@@ est import@@ ance to Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah ?
How can we al@@ low divine principles to help us act as Christians today ?
What v@@ ow did Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah make , and what did this invol@@ ve ?
What do Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah’s words rec@@ ord@@ ed at Jud@@ ges 11 : 35 reve@@ al about his faith ?
He should do every@@ thing he v@@ ow@@ ed he would do . ”
What v@@ ow have many of us made , and how can we prove faithful ?
How did Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah’s daugh@@ ter re@@ act to her fa@@ ther@@ ’s promise ?
( a ) How can we imit@@ ate the faith of Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter ?
( b ) How do the words at Hebrews 6 : 10 - 12 en@@ courage you to be self - sacrif@@ ic@@ ing ?
What have we learned from the Bible account about Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter , and how can we imit@@ ate them ?
What does it mean to “ let end@@ ur@@ ance compl@@ ete its work ” ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What can we learn from the end@@ ur@@ ance of G@@ ide@@ on and his 3@@ 00 men ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) According to Luke 21 : 19 , why is end@@ ur@@ ance so important ?
Our enem@@ ies includ@@ e Satan , his world , and our own im@@ per@@ fec@@ tions .
What can we learn from those who have end@@ ur@@ ed ?
Why can we say that end@@ ur@@ ance is mot@@ iv@@ ated by love ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 13 : 4 , 7 . )
L@@ ove for our brothers help@@ s us to end@@ ure their im@@ per@@ fec@@ tions .
Why is Jehovah the best one to help us end@@ ure ?
Jehovah is “ the God who sup@@ pl@@ ies end@@ ur@@ ance and com@@ fort . ”
As prom@@ ised in the Bible , how may Jehovah “ make the way out ” of tr@@ ials for us ?
I@@ l@@ l@@ ustr@@ ate why we need spiritual food to end@@ ure .
8 , 9 . ( a ) According to Job 2 : 4 , 5 , what is involved when we face tr@@ ials ?
( b ) When you face tr@@ ials , what inv@@ is@@ ible sc@@ ene might you im@@ ag@@ ine ?
H@@ as Satan chang@@ ed since he made that cl@@ ai@@ m ?
Why should we consider the experi@@ ences of “ those who have end@@ ur@@ ed ” ?
What do we learn from the example of the ch@@ er@@ u@@ bs pos@@ ted at E@@ den ?
How was Job able to end@@ ure his tr@@ ials ?
Job lived “ a long and satis@@ f@@ ying life . ” ​ — Job 4@@ 2 : 10 , 17 .
According to 2 Corinthians 1 : 6 , how did the end@@ ur@@ ance of Paul help others ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 1 : 6 . )
15 , 16 . ( a ) What “ work ” must end@@ ur@@ ance compl@@ ete ?
( b ) G@@ ive exam@@ ples of how we can “ let end@@ ur@@ ance compl@@ ete its work . ”
When we end@@ ure tr@@ ials , our Christian person@@ ality becom@@ es more compl@@ ete ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 15 , 16 )
17 , 18 . ( a ) I@@ l@@ l@@ ustr@@ ate the import@@ ance of end@@ uring to the end . ( b ) As we get clos@@ er to the end , what conf@@ idence can we have ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 11 ) You will also find it encourag@@ ing to re@@ view the end@@ ur@@ ance of God’s people in mod@@ ern times .
[ 2 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 12 ) The Bible does not say how many ch@@ er@@ u@@ bs were ass@@ igned to this t@@ ask .
“ They continu@@ ed dev@@ ot@@ ing themselves . . . to associ@@ ating together . ” ​ — A@@ C@@ T@@ S 2 : 4@@ 2 .
how we help others when we att@@ end meetings .
1 - 3 . ( a ) How have Christians sho@@ wn that they are e@@ ag@@ er to me@@ et together ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) What will we discus@@ s in this article ?
It was a very up@@ building and faith - streng@@ th@@ ening experience for us . ”
How does meet@@ ing together help us to learn about Jehovah ?
How have meetings helped you to use what you learned from the Bible and to im@@ prove the way you pre@@ ach ?
How do our meetings en@@ courage us and help us to keep strong ?
( Read Acts 15 : 30 - 32 . )
Why is it so important to be at our meetings ?
When our brothers see us at the meetings and he@@ ar us com@@ ment and sing , how does this help them ?
( See also the bo@@ x “ He Al@@ ways Le@@ av@@ es F@@ e@@ el@@ ing B@@ et@@ ter . ” )
9 , 10 . ( a ) Ex@@ pl@@ ain how Jesus ’ words found at John 10 : 16 help us to understand why it is important to me@@ et with our brothers . ( b ) If we are at the meetings reg@@ ularly , how can we help someone who has been re@@ jec@@ ted by his family ?
“ L@@ A@@ T@@ E@@ L@@ Y , I have been bur@@ d@@ ened with health problems that make it difficult to get to the meetings .
But once I@@ ’@@ m there , I can enjoy the wond@@ erful spiritual me@@ al that Jehovah has prepar@@ ed .
Even though I come with sev@@ ere k@@ ne@@ e pain , heart problems , and compl@@ ic@@ ations from di@@ ab@@ et@@ es , I always leave the meet@@ ing feel@@ ing better than when I arr@@ ived .
“ When I first heard s@@ ong number 6@@ 8 , ‘ A P@@ ray@@ er of the L@@ ow@@ ly One , ’ s@@ un@@ g by our congregation , I was moved to t@@ ears .
My hear@@ ing ai@@ ds pic@@ ked up every@@ on@@ e’s vo@@ ice , and I s@@ an@@ g along .
How does att@@ ending meetings help us to give Jehovah what he des@@ er@@ ves ?
How does Jehovah feel when we obe@@ y his comm@@ and to att@@ end meetings ?
How do we dra@@ w close to Jehovah and Jesus at meetings ?
How does going to meetings show God that we want to obe@@ y him ?
16 , 17 . ( a ) How do we know that meetings were very important to Christians in the first century ?
( b ) How did Bro@@ ther G@@ e@@ or@@ ge G@@ ang@@ as feel about Christian meetings ?
When I am among them I feel at home with my family , in a spiritual par@@ adise . ”
How do you feel about our meetings , and what are you determin@@ ed to do ?
[ 2 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 3 ) See the bo@@ x “ Re@@ as@@ ons to A@@ t@@ t@@ end M@@ e@@ et@@ ings . ”
There they he@@ ar the good news through public wit@@ nes@@ sing
L@@ ef@@ t : The conv@@ ent in Z@@ ar@@ ag@@ o@@ za , S@@ pain ; right : N@@ á@@ c@@ ar - Col@@ unga Bible transl@@ ation
I did not know whether I was doing the right thing .
I rem@@ ember pra@@ ying , “ Th@@ an@@ k you , Jehovah , for not giving up on me and for giving me so many opport@@ un@@ ities to find what I was look@@ ing for ​ — the true knowledge of the Bible . ”
What would my par@@ is@@ hi@@ on@@ ers and my family say ? ”
I re@@ pl@@ ied : “ And what will God say ? ”
He died two months before the day he was going to get baptized .
What should we do when it becom@@ es difficult to st@@ ay ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
What can we learn from faithful servants of Jehovah who st@@ ay@@ ed ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
How can we obe@@ y both God and human govern@@ ments ?
How do we show that we do not take s@@ ides in the world@@ ’s pol@@ it@@ ics ?
( a ) How do we know that it will become more difficult to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
( b ) Why should we pre@@ pare now to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
How should we tre@@ at those who have authority in the govern@@ ment ?
When it is difficult to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al , how can we be “ c@@ au@@ ti@@ ous ” yet “ in@@ no@@ cent ” ?
( Read Matthew 10 : 16 , 17 . )
What must we be car@@ eful of when tal@@ king to others ?
How can we make sure that we remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al when we wat@@ ch or read any@@ thing in the med@@ ia ?
12 , 13 . ( a ) What does Jehovah think about humans ?
( b ) How can we tell if we are becom@@ ing too pr@@ ou@@ d of our country ?
How can prayer help us , and what Bible example prov@@ es this ?
How can the Bible help us to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
( See also the bo@@ x “ God’s Word S@@ tr@@ eng@@ th@@ ened Their Con@@ vic@@ tion . ” )
What can we learn from the exam@@ ples of God’s faithful servants who remain@@ ed ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
( Read Dan@@ iel 3 : 16 - 18 . )
18 , 19 . ( a ) How can the members of your congregation help you to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al ?
“ M@@ ed@@ it@@ ating on Proverbs 27 : 11 , Matthew 26 : 5@@ 2 , and John 13 : 35 streng@@ th@@ ened my conv@@ ic@@ tion to ref@@ use mil@@ it@@ ary service .
These ver@@ ses also helped me to remain cal@@ m during my tr@@ ial . ” ​ — A@@ nd@@ ri@@ y , from U@@ k@@ ra@@ ine .
“ Isaiah 2 : 4 helped me to remain ne@@ u@@ tr@@ al under t@@ est .
I pic@@ tur@@ ed in my mind the qu@@ i@@ et@@ ness of life in the new world , when no one will car@@ ry a we@@ ap@@ on to har@@ m his neigh@@ b@@ or . ” ​ — W@@ il@@ m@@ er , from Col@@ omb@@ ia .
“ K@@ eep peace with one another . ” ​ — M@@ AR@@ K 9 : 50 .
What counsel did Jesus give to help us hand@@ le differ@@ ences in a spirit of love ?
What questions might a Christian ask himself when dec@@ id@@ ing how to s@@ et@@ tle differ@@ ences with others ?
How can the three st@@ ep@@ s out@@ l@@ ined at Matthew 18 : 15 - 17 be used to res@@ ol@@ ve some con@@ fl@@ ic@@ ts ?
What human str@@ ug@@ g@@ les are fe@@ atur@@ ed in Genesis , and why is this of interest ?
What attitude sp@@ read thr@@ ough@@ out the world , and what has been the result ?
How did Jesus teach people to hand@@ le dis@@ ag@@ re@@ ements ?
6 , 7 . ( a ) Why is it important to s@@ et@@ tle personal differ@@ ences prom@@ p@@ tly ?
( b ) What questions should all of Jehovah’s people ask themselves ?
Our heavenly Father will he@@ ar such humb@@ le pray@@ ers and answer them . ​ — 1 John 5 : 14 , 15 .
What should we do if we are off@@ ended ?
( Read Proverbs 10 : 12 ; 1 Peter 4 : 8 . )
( a ) How did one s@@ ister at first re@@ act to cr@@ it@@ ic@@ ism ?
( b ) What Scriptur@@ al thought helped this s@@ ister to main@@ tain her peace ?
11 , 12 . ( a ) How should a Christian act if he believ@@ es that his brother “ has something against ” him ?
How did one overse@@ er re@@ act to har@@ s@@ h words , and what can we learn from his example ?
14 , 15 . ( a ) When should we app@@ ly the counsel at Matthew 18 : 15 - 17 ?
( b ) What three st@@ ep@@ s did Jesus m@@ ention , and what should be our go@@ al in appl@@ ying them ?
What shows that following Jesus ’ counsel is practic@@ al and loving ?
What bless@@ ings will we enjoy when we “ se@@ ek peace ” with one another ?
the message they pre@@ ach and why they pre@@ ach it ?
What questions ar@@ ise because of Jesus ’ words found at Matthew 24 : 14 ?
According to Matthew 28 : 19 , 20 , what four things must Jesus ’ followers do ?
What is involved in becom@@ ing “ f@@ ish@@ ers of men ” ?
( Read Matthew 4 : 18 - 22 . )
What four questions need to be answ@@ ered , and why ?
Why can you be conf@@ ident that Jehovah’s Witnesses are preaching the right message ?
How do we know that the cl@@ erg@@ y of Christ@@ end@@ om are not preaching the right message ?
What is the wrong mot@@ ive for doing the preaching work ?
( Read Acts 20 : 33 - 35 . )
How have Jehovah’s Witnesses sho@@ wn that they eng@@ age in the preaching work with the right mot@@ ive ?
What me@@ th@@ od@@ s did Jesus and his disciples use to pre@@ ach ?
When it comes to preaching the good news , how do the ef@@ forts of Christ@@ end@@ om com@@ pare with those of Jehovah’s people ?
They are the only ones who pre@@ ach that Jesus has been rul@@ ing as King since 1914 .
What should be the sc@@ ope of the preaching work ?
What prov@@ es that Jehovah’s Witnesses have fulfill@@ ed Jesus ’ prophecy with reg@@ ard to the sc@@ ope of the work ?
On our offic@@ ial we@@ b@@ s@@ ite , information is ava@@ il@@ able in more than 7@@ 50 langu@@ ages .
How do we know that Jehovah’s Witnesses have God’s spirit ?
17 , 18 . ( a ) Why can we be certain that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the ones who are preaching the good news of the Kingdom today ?
( b ) How is it possible for us to continue in this work ?
Because we are preaching the right message , the good news of the Kingdom .
What could cause us to mis@@ s out on the benef@@ its of some spiritual prov@@ is@@ ions ?
What sug@@ g@@ es@@ tions can help us to benefit from all por@@ tions of the Bible ?
How can we benefit from consid@@ ering material direc@@ ted to young people and to the public ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How do Jehovah’s Witnesses feel about the Bible ?
( b ) What is your fav@@ or@@ ite part of the Bible ?
3 , 4 . ( a ) How do we feel about our publ@@ ic@@ ations ?
( b ) What publ@@ ic@@ ations do we receive for spec@@ if@@ ic gr@@ oup@@ s of people ?
We can be sure that Jehovah appreci@@ ates what ?
Why do we need to read the Bible with an op@@ en mind ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) When reading the Bible , what questions might we ask ourselves ?
( b ) What do the qual@@ if@@ ic@@ ations for Christian elders tell us about Jehovah ?
How can I use it to help others ? ’
( Read 1 Timothy 3 : 2 - 7 . )
10 , 11 . ( a ) When reading the qual@@ if@@ ic@@ ations for elders , how can we app@@ ly the information in our own life ?
( b ) How can we use this information to help others ?
12 , 13 . ( a ) U@@ sing to@@ ol@@ s ava@@ il@@ able to us , what kind of res@@ ear@@ ch might we do ?
( b ) G@@ ive an example of how b@@ ac@@ k@@ gr@@ ound information may reve@@ al less@@ ons that are not im@@ med@@ i@@ ately obv@@ ious .
How does the material publ@@ ished for young people help them , and how can it benefit others too ?
Why should ad@@ ult Christians be inter@@ ested in information for young people ?
What el@@ se do our publ@@ ic@@ ations help young people to do ?
( Read E@@ c@@ cl@@ es@@ i@@ ast@@ es 12 : 1 , 13 . )
How Can I M@@ ake Bible Re@@ ad@@ ing En@@ jo@@ y@@ able ? ”
How can we benefit from reading material written for the public ?
How can we show our gr@@ at@@ itude to Jehovah for his prov@@ is@@ ions ?
How can our decis@@ ions af@@ fect us and others ?
When the Bible does not give us a spec@@ if@@ ic law , how can we know what would ple@@ ase Jehovah ?
How can we get to know more about the way Jehovah thin@@ ks ?
What are some exam@@ ples of Bible la@@ ws , and how does obe@@ ying them benefit us ?
2 , 3 . ( a ) Why does the Bible not give us rul@@ es for every situation in life ?
How could our decis@@ ions af@@ fect us and others ?
Wh@@ ere there is no Bible law , how can we find out what Jehovah would want us to do in a certain situation ?
How did Jesus per@@ c@@ e@@ ive what Jehovah wanted him to do ?
( Read Matthew 4 : 2 - 4 . )
In all your ways take no@@ tice of him , and he will make your pa@@ ths str@@ ai@@ g@@ h@@ t .
What questions can we ask ourselves when we read or study the Bible ?
How can our publ@@ ic@@ ations and meetings help us to get to know what Jehovah thin@@ ks about var@@ ious matters ?
G@@ ive an example of how we can make a wise decis@@ ion when we consider what Jehovah thin@@ ks .
( Read Luke 18 : 29 , 30 . )
How can you deter@@ m@@ ine if a certain st@@ y@@ le of clo@@ thing is pleas@@ ing to Jehovah ?
( c ) How should we@@ igh@@ ty decis@@ ions be made ?
( Read Genesis 6 : 5 , 6 . )
How do we benefit from making decis@@ ions that ple@@ ase Jehovah ?
Of course , we will always have something new to learn about Jehovah .
After bap@@ tis@@ m , why should we keep making chang@@ es ?
Why does God exp@@ ect us to put for@@ th ef@@ fort to over@@ come our we@@ ak@@ nesses ?
What can we do to let God’s Word keep on chang@@ ing our life ?
1 - 3 . ( a ) What chang@@ es may it be hard for us to make after our bap@@ tis@@ m ?
( b ) When making pro@@ g@@ ress is har@@ d@@ er than we expec@@ ted , what questions might we ask ?
Why are we un@@ able to ple@@ ase Jehovah in every@@ thing we do ?
What chang@@ es did we make before we got baptized , but what we@@ ak@@ nesses may we still str@@ ug@@ g@@ le with ?
6 , 7 . ( a ) What makes it possible for us to be Jehovah’s friends even though we are im@@ perfect ?
( b ) Why should we not hold back from as@@ king Jehovah for for@@ giv@@ eness ?
How do we know that we can keep put@@ ting on the new person@@ ality ?
What must we do to keep making chang@@ es with the help of the Bible , and what questions might we ask ?
Why does Jehovah exp@@ ect us to put for@@ th ef@@ fort to over@@ come our we@@ ak@@ nesses ?
What can we do to devel@@ op qualities that Jehovah lo@@ ves ?
( See the bo@@ x “ The Bible and P@@ ray@@ er Ch@@ ang@@ ed Their L@@ ives . ” )
Why should we not be dis@@ courag@@ ed if we are not able to make chang@@ es qu@@ ick@@ ly ?
If we are loy@@ al to Jehovah , what del@@ igh@@ t@@ ful future can we look for@@ ward to ?
How can we be sure that the Bible has power to continue chang@@ ing our life ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 1 ) The name has been chang@@ ed .
Rus@@ sel@@ l : “ S@@ up@@ pl@@ ic@@ ating Jehovah in prayer and a da@@ ily d@@ ose of Bible reading helped me .
M@@ ed@@ it@@ ating on 2 Peter 2 : 11 and on personal counsel from the elders made a bi@@ g differ@@ ence . ”
Mar@@ ia V@@ ic@@ tor@@ ia : “ I fer@@ v@@ ently pray@@ ed to Jehovah to help me control my t@@ ong@@ ue .
I also saw the need to st@@ op having close associ@@ ation with people who loved to g@@ os@@ s@@ ip .
Psalm 6@@ 4 : 1 - 4 made me real@@ ize that I did not want to be one from whom others pray to be sa@@ fe@@ gu@@ ard@@ ed !
I also came to appreci@@ ate that continu@@ ing to g@@ os@@ s@@ ip would make me a po@@ or example and bring re@@ pro@@ ach on Jehovah’s name . ”
L@@ inda : “ I famil@@ i@@ ar@@ ized my@@ self with our tr@@ ac@@ ts so as to be prepar@@ ed to off@@ er them .
As@@ soci@@ ating with those who enjoy var@@ ious av@@ en@@ u@@ es of service has been a great help .
And I continue to re@@ ly on Jehovah through prayer . ”
All humans have fa@@ ul@@ ts that can hur@@ t others .
how Jehovah cho@@ os@@ es those whom he will m@@ old ?
how God m@@ ol@@ ds those who sub@@ m@@ it to him ?
How can we imit@@ ate the attitude of rep@@ ent@@ ant Israelites ?
How does Jehovah cho@@ ose those whom he dra@@ ws to himself ?
( Read 1 Samu@@ el 16 : 7@@ b . )
How should our trust in Jehovah as our P@@ ot@@ ter af@@ fect our attitude toward ( a ) the people in our ter@@ rit@@ ory ?
L@@ ater , in a different s@@ etting , I me@@ t a family whom I ad@@ mir@@ ed because of their good conduct .
Then one day I received a sho@@ c@@ k ​ — they were Jehovah’s Witnesses !
Their be@@ hav@@ ior moved me to exam@@ ine the bas@@ is for my pre@@ jud@@ ice .
I soon came to the real@@ ization that my attitude was based on ig@@ nor@@ ance and hear@@ say , not on fac@@ ts . ”
( Read Hebrews 12 : 5 , 6 , 11 . )
How is Jehovah teaching us today , and how will this educ@@ ation continue in the future ?
And we have learned to show love to others .
How did Jesus refl@@ ect the Gre@@ at P@@ ot@@ ter@@ ’s pati@@ ence and sk@@ ill ?
( Read Psalm 10@@ 3 : 10 - 14 . )
In what ways did David prove to be like s@@ of@@ t cl@@ ay , and how can we imit@@ ate him ?
How does Jehovah m@@ old us by means of holy spirit and the Christian congregation ?
Th@@ ough having authority over the cl@@ ay , how does Jehovah show respect for our free will ?
How do Bible stud@@ ents show that they want Jehovah to m@@ old them ?
( a ) What appe@@ als to you about having Jehovah as your P@@ ot@@ ter ?
( b ) What as@@ pec@@ ts of m@@ old@@ ing will we next consider ?
What tr@@ a@@ its could har@@ den us against Jehovah’s counsel ?
What qualities can help us to remain m@@ old@@ able in God’s hand@@ s ?
How can Christian parents show that Jehovah is their P@@ ot@@ ter ?
Why did God consider Dan@@ iel to be a “ very prec@@ ious man , ” and how can we be obedi@@ ent like Dan@@ iel ?
“ Ab@@ ove all the things that you gu@@ ard , sa@@ fe@@ gu@@ ard your heart , for out of it are the sour@@ ces of life , ” says Proverbs 4 : 23 .
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 26 : 3 - 5 , 16 - 21 . )
What could happ@@ en if we fa@@ iled to gu@@ ard against pr@@ ide ?
One brother said that in time his im@@ prop@@ er conduct did not b@@ other him much at all .
7 , 8 . ( a ) How did the ancient Israelites dem@@ on@@ str@@ ate the har@@ d@@ ening ef@@ fect of a l@@ ack of faith ?
( b ) What is the less@@ on for us ?
Why should we “ keep t@@ es@@ ting ” whether we are in the faith , and how can we do so ?
What can help us to be like s@@ of@@ t cl@@ ay in Jehovah’s hand@@ s ?
How can Jehovah use the Christian congregation to m@@ old us according to our individ@@ ual needs ?
The fi@@ eld ministry can help us to cul@@ tiv@@ ate what qualities , and with what benef@@ its ?
What must parents do if they want to be truly effec@@ tive in m@@ old@@ ing their children ?
How should parents dem@@ on@@ str@@ ate their trust in God if their child is dis@@ fel@@ low@@ ship@@ ped ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 5 : 11 , 13 . )
Why should we make sub@@ mis@@ sion to Jehovah our way of life , and how will this course benefit us ?
In what sense is Jehovah our God “ one Jehovah ” ?
How can we show that we worship Jehovah as “ one Jehovah ” ?
What can we do to main@@ tain our peace and unity ?
( b ) Why did Moses speak those words ?
4 , 5 . ( a ) What is one meaning of the ph@@ r@@ ase “ one Jehovah ” ?
( b ) How is Jehovah different from the god@@ s of the nations ?
What is another meaning of “ one , ” and how did Jehovah prove to be “ one ” ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) What does Jehovah requ@@ ire of his worship@@ p@@ ers ?
( b ) How did Jesus em@@ ph@@ as@@ ize the im@@ port of Moses ’ words ?
( Read Mar@@ k 12 : 28 - 31 . )
10 , 11 . ( a ) In what sense is our worship of Jehovah ex@@ cl@@ us@@ ive ?
( b ) How did Hebrew you@@ ths in Babyl@@ on dem@@ on@@ str@@ ate their ex@@ cl@@ us@@ ive dev@@ o@@ tion to Jehovah ?
In giving Jehovah ex@@ cl@@ us@@ ive dev@@ o@@ tion , against what must we be on gu@@ ard ?
What could we beg@@ in to love more than Jehovah ?
Why did Paul rem@@ ind Christians that God is “ one Jehovah ” ?
16 , 17 . ( a ) What prophecy is being fulfill@@ ed in our day , and with what result ?
( b ) What could under@@ m@@ ine our unity ?
18 , 19 . ( a ) What counsel is mentioned at Eph@@ es@@ ians 4 : 1 - 3 ?
( b ) What can we do to help the congregation st@@ ay un@@ ited ?
How can we dem@@ on@@ str@@ ate that we understand that “ Jehovah our God is one Jehovah ” ?
There are many f@@ ish@@ ing v@@ ill@@ ages along the co@@ as@@ ts of T@@ rin@@ id@@ ad and T@@ ob@@ ago .
Jehovah’s Witnesses often take the opport@@ unity to speak with f@@ ish@@ er@@ men they me@@ et
How does the Bible show that we are all im@@ perfect ?
What can we do about our own fa@@ ul@@ ts and those of others ?
How did the Bible foret@@ ell the increas@@ e of Jehovah’s people ?
( Read M@@ ic@@ ah 4 : 1 , 3 . )
This has helped them to remain “ clean from the blood of all men . ” ​ — Acts 20 : 26 .
Why is the increas@@ e of Jehovah’s people no@@ te@@ wor@@ thy ?
Why may others at times hur@@ t our feelings ?
( Read Romans 5 : 12 , 19 . )
If you had lived in Israel at the time of El@@ i and his sons , how would you have re@@ ac@@ ted ?
In what sense did El@@ i fai@@ l to discip@@ line his sons ?
How did David sin ser@@ i@@ ously , and what did God do about it ?
( a ) How did the apostle Peter fai@@ l to keep his word ?
( b ) After Pet@@ er@@ ’s mis@@ take , why did Jehovah continue to use Peter ?
Why do you trust that God is always just ?
What did Jesus understand about the fa@@ ul@@ ts of Jud@@ as Is@@ car@@ i@@ ot and Peter ?
The Bible foret@@ old what about Jehovah’s servants in this time ?
How should we view the fa@@ ul@@ ts of others ?
13 , 14 . ( a ) Why should we be pati@@ ent with one another ?
( b ) What promise do we want to rem@@ ember ?
What did Jesus say we should do when others make mis@@ takes ?
What do you want to do when others make mis@@ takes ?
( Read Matthew 5 : 23 , 24 . )
J@@ ust as Jehovah fre@@ ely for@@ gave you , you must also do the same . ”
The answ@@ ers to those questions are not difficult .
We can see this from what the Bible says about disc@@ ern@@ ment and wisdom .
Proverbs 3 : 13 - 15 says : “ H@@ app@@ y is the man who f@@ ind@@ s wisdom and the man who ac@@ qu@@ ir@@ es disc@@ ern@@ ment ; to ga@@ in it is better than g@@ aining s@@ il@@ ver , and having it as prof@@ it is better than having go@@ ld .
It is more prec@@ ious than cor@@ als ; nothing you desire can com@@ pare to it . ”
Jesus Christ set a good example of hon@@ es@@ ty .
As man@@ ag@@ ing direc@@ tor , I was expec@@ ted to come to ‘ an ag@@ re@@ ement ’ with the ta@@ x ag@@ ent by br@@ ib@@ ing him to over@@ look the com@@ p@@ any@@ ’s f@@ ra@@ ud@@ ul@@ ent practic@@ es .
As a result , I had the re@@ put@@ ation of being dis@@ hon@@ est .
When I learned the truth , I ref@@ used to continue doing that , even though the jo@@ b pa@@ id very well .
I am a good example for my two sons , and I have qual@@ ified for privil@@ eg@@ es in the congregation .
Am@@ ong ta@@ x a@@ ud@@ it@@ ors and others with whom I do bus@@ iness , I now have the re@@ put@@ ation of being an hon@@ est man . ”
R@@ uth moved to Israel , where she could worship the true God .
“ We all received . . . und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness upon und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness . ” ​ — J@@ O@@ H@@ N 1 : 16 .
What is the great@@ est expres@@ sion of Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness toward mankind ?
How can we show that we are no longer rul@@ ed by sin but by und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
What bless@@ ings come to us as a result of Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) D@@ es@@ crib@@ e Jesus ’ illustr@@ ation of the ow@@ ner of the v@@ in@@ e@@ y@@ ard . ( b ) How does the st@@ ory illustr@@ ate the qualities of gener@@ os@@ ity and und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
Do I not have the right to give all my work@@ ers wh@@ at@@ ever I want ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 6 : 1 . )
Why and how has Jehovah sho@@ wn und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness toward all mankind ?
What does it mean that Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness is “ expres@@ sed in var@@ ious ways ” ?
The apostle Peter wrote : “ To the ext@@ ent that each one has received a gif@@ t , use it in minis@@ ter@@ ing to one another as fine st@@ e@@ war@@ ds of God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness that is expres@@ sed in var@@ ious ways . ”
The apostle John wrote : “ We all received from his ful@@ l@@ ness , even und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness upon und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness . ”
How do we benefit from Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness , and how can we show our gr@@ at@@ itude for it ?
( Read 1 John 1 : 8 , 9 . )
What do we enjoy because of God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
Ex@@ pres@@ s@@ ions of God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness : The privil@@ ege of hear@@ ing the good news ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 11 )
How do the anointed bring the “ other sheep ” to righteousness ?
The bless@@ ing of prayer ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 12 )
How is prayer rel@@ ated to God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
How can und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness “ help us at the right time ” ?
How does Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness benefit our hearts ?
Th@@ an@@ ks to God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness , what hope do we have ?
( Read Psalm 4@@ 9 : 7 , 8 . )
How did some early Christians ab@@ use God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
Because of Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness , what responsib@@ il@@ ities do we have ?
What responsib@@ ility of our@@ s will be exam@@ ined in the next article ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 2 ) See “ U@@ nd@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ” in the “ G@@ l@@ os@@ s@@ ary of Bible T@@ er@@ ms ” in the re@@ vis@@ ed New World Tr@@ ans@@ l@@ ation .
“ Be@@ ar thor@@ ough witness to the good news of the und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness of God . ” ​ — A@@ C@@ T@@ S 20 : 24 .
What should Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness mot@@ iv@@ ate us to do ?
How does the “ good news of the Kingdom ” high@@ light God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
How will Jehovah show his und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness in the new world ?
How did the apostle Paul show that he was gr@@ at@@ eful for God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
TH@@ E apostle Paul could hon@@ est@@ ly say : “ [ God’s ] und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness to me was not in va@@ in . ”
( Read 1 Corinthians 15 : 9 , 10 . )
( Read Eph@@ es@@ ians 3 : 5 - 8 . )
Why can we say that the “ good news of the Kingdom ” is the same as the good news of “ the und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness of God ” ?
When we expl@@ ain the ran@@ so@@ m to people , how are we sp@@ reading the good news of God’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness ?
Why do sin@@ ful humans need to be re@@ conc@@ iled to God ?
The apostle John wrote : “ The one who exerc@@ ises faith in the Son has everlasting life ; the one who dis@@ obe@@ ys the Son will not see life , but the wr@@ ath of God remain@@ s upon him . ”
9 , 10 . ( a ) What responsib@@ ility did Christ give to his anointed brothers ?
Th@@ er@@ efore , we are amb@@ ass@@ ad@@ ors sub@@ st@@ it@@ ut@@ ing for Christ , as though God were making an appe@@ al through us .
Why is it good news for people to learn that they can pray to Jehovah ?
Many people pray because it makes them feel good , but they do not really believe that God he@@ ars their pray@@ ers .
They need to know that Jehovah is the “ H@@ ear@@ er of prayer . ”
The p@@ sal@@ mis@@ t David wrote : “ O H@@ ear@@ er of prayer , to you people of all sor@@ ts will come .
Jesus told his disciples : “ If you ask any@@ thing in my name , I will do it . ”
13 , 14 . ( a ) What mar@@ v@@ el@@ ous privil@@ eg@@ es will the anointed have in the future ?
( b ) What wond@@ erful work will the anointed do for mankind ?
How will Jehovah show his und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness toward the “ other sheep ” in the future ?
M@@ ill@@ ions of humans who died without know@@ ing God will also be resurrec@@ ted .
John wrote : “ I saw the dead , the great and the small , standing before the thr@@ one , and sc@@ ro@@ l@@ ls were op@@ ened .
The dead were jud@@ ged out of those things written in the sc@@ ro@@ l@@ ls according to their de@@ ed@@ s .
And the se@@ a gave up the dead in it , and death and the G@@ r@@ ave gave up the dead in them , and they were jud@@ ged individ@@ ually according to their de@@ ed@@ s . ”
What should we keep in mind when sh@@ aring in our wit@@ nes@@ sing work ?
The Bible says : “ The cre@@ ation it@@ self will also be set free from en@@ sl@@ av@@ ement to cor@@ rup@@ tion and have the gl@@ or@@ ious fre@@ edom of the children of God . ”
He also says : “ W@@ r@@ ite , for these words are faithful and true . ”
When we z@@ eal@@ ously pre@@ ach this good news to others , we truly gl@@ or@@ if@@ y Jehovah’s und@@ es@@ er@@ ved kindness !
“ K@@ eep se@@ ek@@ ing [ God’s ] Kingdom , and these things will be add@@ ed to you . ” ​ — L@@ U@@ K@@ E 12 : 31 .
What differ@@ ence is there between what we need and what we want ?
Why should we control our desire to want more material things ?
Why are you conv@@ inc@@ ed that Jehovah can provide your da@@ ily needs ?
How does Satan use “ the desire of the eyes ” ?
R@@ em@@ ember , the apostle John war@@ ned : “ The world is pas@@ sing away and so is its desire . ”
What can happ@@ en to those who use most of their en@@ erg@@ y to get more things ?
What will we consider next , and why ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) Why should we not wor@@ ry too much about the things we need ?
( b ) What did Jesus know about humans and their needs ?
When Jesus taught his followers how to pray , what did he say should be most important in their life ?
What do we learn from the way Jehovah car@@ es for the bir@@ ds of heaven ?
We should “ ob@@ serve int@@ ently the bir@@ ds of heaven . ”
Of course , he does not put the food in their be@@ ak@@ s !
What prov@@ es that we are wor@@ th more than the bir@@ ds of heaven ?
( Com@@ pare Luke 12 : 6 , 7 . )
15 , 16 . ( a ) What do we learn from the way Jehovah car@@ es for the l@@ il@@ ies of the fi@@ eld ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) What questions might we need to ask ourselves , and why ?
What does Jehovah know about us person@@ ally , and what will he do for us ?
Why should we not wor@@ ry about what might happ@@ en in the future ?
Can you sim@@ pl@@ if@@ y your life to fo@@ c@@ us more on the Kingdom ?
( a ) What is a go@@ al you may set in Jehovah’s service ?
( b ) What can you do to sim@@ pl@@ if@@ y your life ?
What will help you to dra@@ w clos@@ er to Jehovah ?
I@@ l@@ l@@ ustr@@ ate why it is important to be aw@@ are of what time it is and what is happ@@ ening around us .
Why did Jesus tell his disciples to “ keep on the wat@@ ch ” ?
Why do we pa@@ y attention to Jesus ’ war@@ ning ?
( a ) Why can we believe that Jesus now kno@@ ws when Ar@@ mag@@ ed@@ d@@ on will occ@@ ur ?
( b ) Although we do not know when the great trib@@ ulation will beg@@ in , what can we be sure of ?
When on earth , Jesus said : “ Con@@ cer@@ ning that day and h@@ our no@@ body kno@@ ws , ne@@ ither the ang@@ els of the heav@@ ens nor the Son , but only the Father . ”
( Read H@@ ab@@ ak@@ ku@@ k 2 : 1 - 3 . )
G@@ ive an example to show that Jehovah’s prophec@@ ies are always fulfill@@ ed right on time .
Jehovah’s prophec@@ ies have always been fulfill@@ ed right on time !
S@@ om@@ etim@@ e later , Jehovah told Abraham : “ K@@ now for certain that your off@@ sp@@ ring will be for@@ e@@ ign@@ ers in a land not the@@ ir@@ s and that the people there will en@@ slave them and af@@ fl@@ ict them for 4@@ 00 years . ”
Why can we be sure that Jehovah will s@@ ave his people ?
7 , 8 . ( a ) What was the ro@@ le of a wat@@ ch@@ man in ancient times , and what less@@ on does that teach us ?
( b ) G@@ ive an example of what could happ@@ en when wat@@ ch@@ men f@@ ell as@@ le@@ ep on the jo@@ b .
What are most people today not aw@@ are of ?
10 , 11 . ( a ) Of what must we be car@@ eful , and why ?
( b ) What conv@@ inc@@ es you that the D@@ evil has influ@@ enced people to ign@@ ore Bible prophecy ?
Why must we not let the D@@ evil dec@@ e@@ ive us ?
Jesus war@@ ned us : “ K@@ eep ready , because at an h@@ our that you do not think likely , the Son of man is coming . ”
How is the spirit of the world affec@@ ting mankind , and how can we avoid that d@@ ang@@ er@@ ous influ@@ ence ?
What war@@ ning do we find at Luke 21 : 34 , 35 ?
( Read Luke 21 : 34 , 35 . )
What happ@@ ened to Peter , James , and John , and how might that happ@@ en to us too ?
According to Luke 21 : 36 , how did Jesus instruc@@ t us to “ keep a@@ wake ” ?
How can we make sure that we are ready for what is coming in the near future ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 14 ) See chap@@ ter 21 of the book God’s Kingdom R@@ ul@@ es !
During an ass@@ emb@@ ly , a brother asked me if I would like to pre@@ ach .
We went to the ter@@ rit@@ ory , and he gave me some book@@ l@@ ets about God’s Kingdom .
One of the sisters there gave us children Bible less@@ ons based on the Bible and the book The H@@ ar@@ p of God .
As a te@@ en@@ ag@@ er , I enjo@@ yed giving people hope from God’s Word .
The brother st@@ op@@ ped his b@@ ic@@ y@@ c@@ le and asked me to s@@ it down with him on a lo@@ g .
He said : “ Who gave you authority to jud@@ ge who is a go@@ at ?
L@@ et@@ ’s just be happy giving people the good news and leave the judg@@ ing to Jehovah . ”
Ano@@ ther old@@ er brother taught me that to find happiness in giving , we som@@ etimes have to end@@ ure pati@@ ently .
Y@@ ears later , his pati@@ ence was re@@ war@@ d@@ ed when his wife was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses .
After the war , I pione@@ ered for two years in sou@@ ther@@ n I@@ rel@@ and .
We did not real@@ ize how much power the pri@@ ests had .
I had never sa@@ iled before , so I was exc@@ ited .
For f@@ ive years , we pre@@ ached main@@ ly on is@@ ol@@ ated is@@ lands where there were no Witnesses .
The cre@@ w of mission@@ aries ab@@ o@@ ard the S@@ ib@@ ia ( left to right ) : R@@ on Par@@ k@@ in , D@@ ick R@@ y@@ de , G@@ ust M@@ ak@@ i , and St@@ an@@ le@@ y C@@ ar@@ ter
O@@ f@@ ten , they gave us f@@ res@@ h f@@ ish , avo@@ c@@ ad@@ o@@ s , and pe@@ an@@ ut@@ s .
Then at d@@ us@@ k we ran@@ g the ship@@ ’s b@@ ell .
It was lov@@ ely to see how ser@@ i@@ ously some of them took their ass@@ ign@@ ment .
When we arr@@ ived , I me@@ t and f@@ ell in love with Ma@@ x@@ ine Bo@@ y@@ d , a be@@ au@@ ti@@ ful mission@@ ary s@@ ister .
So I said to my@@ self , ‘ R@@ on@@ al@@ d , if you want this gir@@ l , you@@ ’@@ ve got to act qu@@ ick@@ ly . ’
After three we@@ ek@@ s I pro@@ posed , and after si@@ x we@@ ek@@ s we were married .
Ma@@ x@@ ine and I were ass@@ igned as mission@@ aries to P@@ u@@ er@@ to R@@ ic@@ o , so I never went out on the new bo@@ at .
For example , in the v@@ ill@@ age of P@@ ot@@ al@@ a Pas@@ t@@ ill@@ o , there were two Witness famil@@ ies with many children , and I used to pl@@ ay the fl@@ ute for them .
I asked one of the little gir@@ ls , H@@ il@@ da , if she wanted to come and pre@@ ach with us .
We b@@ ought her a pa@@ ir , and she came preaching with us .
She was about to leave for her ass@@ ign@@ ment in E@@ c@@ u@@ ad@@ or , and she said : “ You don@@ ’t recogn@@ ize me , do you ?
I am the little gir@@ l from Pas@@ t@@ ill@@ o who had no sho@@ es . ”
At first , L@@ en@@ n@@ ar@@ t Joh@@ n@@ son and I did most of the work .
Na@@ than K@@ nor@@ r , who was then taking the lead among Jehovah’s Witnesses , came to P@@ u@@ er@@ to R@@ ic@@ o .
L@@ ater , he gave me strong counsel about being organ@@ ized and said that he was dis@@ appoin@@ ted in me .
Father did not accept the truth when M@@ other and I did .
My de@@ ar wife , Ma@@ x@@ ine , died in 20@@ 11 .
I am really look@@ ing for@@ ward to se@@ e@@ ing her again in the resurrection .
After 60 years on the is@@ land , I felt as P@@ u@@ er@@ to R@@ ican as a co@@ qu@@ í , the pop@@ ular little P@@ u@@ er@@ to R@@ ican t@@ ree f@@ ro@@ g that s@@ ings ko - ke@@ e , ko - ke@@ e at d@@ us@@ k .
Some who come to see me want to discus@@ s personal or family problems .
E@@ ver@@ y@@ thing we do at Be@@ the@@ l is sacr@@ ed service .
Wh@@ er@@ ever we serve Jehovah , we have opport@@ un@@ ities to pra@@ ise him .
Le@@ on@@ ard S@@ m@@ ith@@ ’s life st@@ ory appe@@ ared in The Watchtower of A@@ pri@@ l 15 , 20@@ 12 .
Why can it be said that marriage is a gif@@ t from God ?
How would you describ@@ e the history of marriage from the time of Adam to Jesus ’ day ?
What can help a Christian to dec@@ ide whether to get married ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How did marriage beg@@ in ?
( b ) What could the first man and woman have real@@ ized about marriage ?
( Read Genesis 2 : 20 - 24 . )
An important purpose of marriage was to pop@@ ul@@ ate the earth .
What can we learn from Ad@@ am@@ ’s and E@@ ve@@ ’s respon@@ ses to Jehovah ?
How would you expl@@ ain Genesis 3 : 15 ?
( a ) What has happ@@ ened to marriage since the re@@ bel@@ l@@ ion of Adam and E@@ ve ?
( b ) What does the Bible requ@@ ire of husb@@ ands and w@@ ives ?
What is the history of marriage from the time of Adam to the F@@ lood ?
What did Jehovah do to the wicked in No@@ ah’s day , and what less@@ on should we learn from what happ@@ ened at that time ?
( a ) In many cul@@ tur@@ es , what sex@@ ual practic@@ es became a way of life ?
( b ) How did Abraham and S@@ ar@@ ah set a good example in their marriage ?
( Read 1 Peter 3 : 3 - 6 . )
How did the Mos@@ ai@@ c Law prot@@ ect the Israelites ?
( Read De@@ ut@@ er@@ onom@@ y 7 : 3 , 4 . )
12 , 13 . ( a ) How were some men tre@@ ating their w@@ ives in M@@ al@@ achi@@ ’s day ?
( b ) Today , if a baptized person r@@ an off with someone el@@ se@@ ’s m@@ ate , what would the con@@ se@@ qu@@ ences be ?
( a ) In the Christian congregation , what would be the stand@@ ard for marriage ?
Paul add@@ ed : “ If they do not have self - control , let them mar@@ ry , for it is better to mar@@ ry than to be in@@ fl@@ am@@ ed with pas@@ sion . ”
18 , 19 . ( a ) How should a Christian marriage beg@@ in ?
( b ) What will the following article discus@@ s ?
What responsib@@ il@@ ities did God give husb@@ ands and w@@ ives ?
Why are love and t@@ ender@@ ness very important in a marriage ?
How can the Bible help if there are problems in a marriage ?
Although marriage us@@ ually beg@@ ins with joy , what can those who mar@@ ry exp@@ ect to experience ?
What kind@@ s of love should marriage mat@@ es show ?
How strong should love be in a marriage ?
Paul wrote : “ H@@ us@@ b@@ ands , continue loving your w@@ ives , just as the Christ also loved the congregation and gave himself up for it . ”
( Read John 13 : 34 , 35 ; 15 : 12 , 13 . )
4 , 5 . ( a ) What is a husb@@ and@@ ’s responsib@@ ility as a family head ?
( b ) How should a wife view head@@ ship ?
( c ) What ad@@ jus@@ t@@ ments did one married cou@@ ple need to make ?
Mar@@ ri@@ age was an ad@@ jus@@ t@@ ment for me as I learned to re@@ ly on my husband .
It has not always been eas@@ y , but we have dra@@ wn so much clos@@ er as a cou@@ ple by doing things Jehovah’s way . ”
In marriage , taking two people into consid@@ eration ad@@ ds to the chall@@ enge .
But by se@@ ek@@ ing Jehovah’s gu@@ id@@ ance in prayer and really list@@ ening to my w@@ if@@ e’s in@@ put , it g@@ ets eas@@ i@@ er every day .
I feel that we are a real te@@ am ! ”
How does love serve as “ a perfect b@@ ond of un@@ ion ” when problems devel@@ op in a marriage ?
7 , 8 . ( a ) What ad@@ vice does the Bible give reg@@ arding sex@@ ual rel@@ ations in marriage ?
( b ) Why do marriage mat@@ es need to show t@@ ender@@ ness ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 7 : 3 - 5 . )
S@@ ex@@ ual rel@@ ations should never be for@@ c@@ ed or dem@@ and@@ ed but should come n@@ atur@@ ally .
Why is sex@@ ual interest in anyone who is not on@@ e’s own marriage m@@ ate un@@ accep@@ table ?
10 , 11 . ( a ) How common is div@@ or@@ ce ?
( b ) What does the Bible say about se@@ par@@ ation ?
( c ) What will help a marriage m@@ ate not to se@@ par@@ ate qu@@ ick@@ ly ?
What may lead a marriage m@@ ate to consider se@@ par@@ ation ?
What does the Bible say to Christians married to mat@@ es who are not worship@@ p@@ ers of Jehovah ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 7 : 12 - 14 . )
O@@ r , husband , how do you know whether you will s@@ ave your wife ? ”
15 , 16 . ( a ) What counsel does the Bible give Christian w@@ ives who@@ se husb@@ ands are not servants of God ?
( b ) What is the position of a Christian “ if the un@@ believ@@ ing one cho@@ os@@ es to de@@ part ” ?
The apostle Peter coun@@ sel@@ s Christian w@@ ives to be in sub@@ jec@@ tion to their husb@@ ands , “ so that if any are not obedi@@ ent to the word , they may be w@@ on without a word through the conduct of their w@@ ives , because of having been e@@ ye@@ wit@@ nesses of your ch@@ as@@ te conduct together with de@@ ep respect . ”
What if an un@@ believ@@ ing marriage m@@ ate cho@@ os@@ es to se@@ par@@ ate ?
The Bible says : “ If the un@@ believ@@ ing one cho@@ os@@ es to de@@ part , let him de@@ part ; a brother or a s@@ ister is not b@@ ound under such circumstances , but God has called you to peace . ”
What should be the first pri@@ or@@ ity of Christian married cou@@ ples ?
Why is it possible for Christians to have a happy and succ@@ ess@@ ful marriage ?
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 5 ) N@@ ames have been chang@@ ed .
[ 2 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 13 ) See the book “ K@@ eep Y@@ ourselves in God’s L@@ ove , ” app@@ end@@ i@@ x , “ The Bib@@ le’s V@@ i@@ e@@ w on D@@ iv@@ or@@ ce and Se@@ par@@ ation . ”
What a pleas@@ ure it is to give a witness in the mor@@ ning ho@@ urs along the Dan@@ u@@ be R@@ iver !
These happy publ@@ ish@@ ers are sh@@ aring the Kingdom message with an appreci@@ ative list@@ en@@ er at V@@ ig@@ ad@@ ó S@@ qu@@ are in B@@ ud@@ ap@@ est , H@@ ung@@ ary
What can you do to make spiritual pro@@ g@@ ress ?
How can you pro@@ g@@ ress spiritually without g@@ row@@ ing we@@ ary ?
What ad@@ jus@@ t@@ ments might make you more effec@@ tive in the ministry ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How has Isaiah 60 : 22 come true in this time of the end ?
( b ) What needs now ex@@ ist in the earth@@ ly part of Jehovah’s organization ?
“ TH@@ E little one will become a thous@@ and and the small one a m@@ igh@@ ty nation . ”
What does making spiritual pro@@ g@@ ress mean to you ?
How can young people use their strength in Kingdom service ?
6 - 8 . ( a ) How did one young man change his view of God’s service , and with what result ?
( b ) How can we “ t@@ as@@ te and see that Jehovah is good ” ?
Because of his bless@@ ing , I feel ind@@ eb@@ ted to him and am moved to do more in his service , and this resul@@ ts in more bless@@ ings . ”
( Read Psalm 34 : 8 - 10 . )
Why is it important for you to have “ a wa@@ iting attitude ” ?
What spiritual qualities can we work to devel@@ op , and why are they important ?
How can members of the congregation prove themselves tr@@ ust@@ wor@@ thy ?
How can you follow Josep@@ h’s example if others tre@@ at you un@@ fa@@ ir@@ ly ?
What can you do if others tre@@ at you un@@ fa@@ ir@@ ly ?
14 , 15 . ( a ) Why do we have to “ pa@@ y con@@ st@@ ant attention ” to the way we pre@@ ach ?
( b ) How might you ad@@ just to chang@@ ing cond@@ itions ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture and the bo@@ x “ Are You W@@ ill@@ ing to T@@ ry a D@@ if@@ fer@@ ent M@@ e@@ th@@ od ? ” )
How can public wit@@ nes@@ sing prove to be effec@@ tive ?
17 , 18 . ( a ) How might you become more conf@@ ident in public wit@@ nes@@ sing ?
( b ) Why do you find Dav@@ id@@ ’s spirit in pra@@ is@@ ing Jehovah valu@@ able as you eng@@ age in the ministry ?
He says : “ During our family worship , my wife and I do res@@ ear@@ ch to find answ@@ ers to ob@@ jec@@ tions and op@@ in@@ ions people expres@@ s .
We also ask other Witnesses for sug@@ g@@ es@@ tions . ”
( Read 1 Timothy 4 : 15 . )
They will pro@@ cl@@ ai@@ m the gl@@ ory of your k@@ ing@@ ship and speak about your m@@ igh@@ t@@ iness , to make known to men your m@@ igh@@ ty ac@@ ts and the gl@@ or@@ ious sp@@ l@@ end@@ or of your k@@ ing@@ ship . ”
If you are entr@@ us@@ ted with more work in Jehovah’s organization , how can you become a bless@@ ing to others ?
Now V@@ en@@ ec@@ ia says : “ P@@ h@@ one wit@@ nes@@ sing works ! ”
My wife died three years ago , and last year my son was k@@ ill@@ ed in an acc@@ ident . ”
After two years , I am writ@@ ing back as your Christian s@@ ister . ”
Why should we bu@@ ild in Bible stud@@ ents a strong desire to study the Scriptures person@@ ally ?
How can we help new ones to con@@ ver@@ se with hou@@ se@@ ho@@ ld@@ ers and others ?
Why should ef@@ forts be made to tr@@ ain pros@@ pec@@ tive sh@@ ep@@ her@@ ds of God’s f@@ loc@@ k ?
Why must we tr@@ ain others to take up the@@ o@@ cr@@ ati@@ c ass@@ ign@@ ments ?
3 , 4 . ( a ) How did Paul con@@ nec@@ t study of the Scriptures with a produc@@ tive ministry ?
( b ) B@@ efore we en@@ courage our stud@@ ents to study the Bible on their own , what must we be doing ?
G@@ ive a sug@@ g@@ es@@ tion on how to help new ones to have a r@@ out@@ ine of personal Bible study .
You may ask , ‘ How can I tr@@ ain my stud@@ ent to study the Bible reg@@ ularly ? ’
En@@ courage him to read every is@@ sue of The Watchtower and A@@ wake !
( a ) How can you help your stud@@ ent to cul@@ tiv@@ ate love for the Bible in his heart ?
( b ) What is a Bible stud@@ ent likely to do if he develop@@ s hear@@ t@@ felt love for the Scriptures ?
How did Jesus tr@@ ain pro@@ claim@@ ers of the good news ?
8 , 9 . ( a ) How did Jesus appro@@ ach individuals in his ministry ?
( b ) How can we help new publ@@ ish@@ ers to con@@ ver@@ se with people as Jesus did ?
10 - 12 . ( a ) How did Jesus cul@@ tiv@@ ate the interest others showed in the good news ?
( b ) How can we help new publ@@ ish@@ ers to im@@ prove their sk@@ ill@@ s as teach@@ ers of Bible truth ?
13 , 14 . ( a ) What do you think of the Bible exam@@ ples of those who made great sacrif@@ ices in be@@ half of others ?
( b ) In what practic@@ al ways can you tr@@ ain new publ@@ ish@@ ers and young ones to show love for their brothers and sisters ?
Why is it important that elders take an interest in the pro@@ g@@ ress of men in the congregation ?
16 , 17 . ( a ) What interest did Paul take in the pro@@ g@@ ress of Timothy ?
( b ) How can the elders effec@@ tiv@@ ely tr@@ ain future sh@@ ep@@ her@@ ds of the congregation ?
Why should tr@@ aining others in Jehovah’s service be important to us ?
Why should you be conv@@ inc@@ ed that your d@@ il@@ ig@@ ent ef@@ forts to tr@@ ain others in Jehovah’s service will be succ@@ ess@@ ful ?
It is in va@@ in that they keep worship@@ p@@ ing me , for they teach comm@@ ands of men as doc@@ tr@@ ines . ’
You let go of the command@@ ment of God and cl@@ ing to the tr@@ ad@@ ition of men . ” ​ — Mar@@ k 7 : 6 - 8 .
3 “ Do Not Let Your H@@ ands D@@ ro@@ p D@@ own ”
How did Jehovah streng@@ then the hand@@ s of Moses , As@@ a , and Ne@@ hem@@ iah ?
In what practic@@ al ways can we streng@@ then the hand@@ s of our brothers and sisters ?
( b ) What might cause our hand@@ s to d@@ ro@@ p down ?
The hand , for example , is mentioned hund@@ re@@ ds of times .
How can you be mot@@ iv@@ ated and streng@@ th@@ ened to end@@ ure and have joy ?
However , when Moses ’ hand@@ s became heav@@ y and began to d@@ ro@@ p down , the Am@@ al@@ ek@@ ites started to w@@ in .
( b ) How did God resp@@ ond to Ne@@ hem@@ i@@ ah’s prayer ?
( Read Ne@@ hem@@ iah 1 : 10 ; 2 : 17 - 20 ; 6 : 9 . )
Do you believe that Jehovah uses his “ great power ” and “ m@@ igh@@ ty hand ” to streng@@ then his servants today ?
10 , 11 . ( a ) How does Satan try to cause us to let our hand@@ s d@@ ro@@ p down ?
( b ) What does Jehovah use to streng@@ then us and give us power ?
He uses l@@ ies and th@@ reat@@ s from govern@@ ments , religious lead@@ ers , and apost@@ ates .
13 , 14 . ( a ) How was one brother streng@@ th@@ ened after his wife died ?
P@@ ray@@ er and personal study have been like a life j@@ ac@@ k@@ et that has kept my head ab@@ ove water .
I have come to real@@ ize the import@@ ance of develop@@ ing a good personal relationship with Jehovah before difficult situ@@ ations ar@@ ise . ”
How does God tr@@ ain us to f@@ ight our enem@@ ies ?
He also help@@ s us through our Bible - based publ@@ ic@@ ations , Christian meetings , ass@@ emb@@ l@@ ies , and conv@@ en@@ tions .
How do we avoid being con@@ qu@@ ered by the evil ?
( b ) Wh@@ ich Bible char@@ act@@ ers will we consider ?
What helped J@@ ac@@ o@@ b to pers@@ ev@@ ere , and how was he re@@ war@@ d@@ ed ?
( Read Genesis 32 : 24 - 28 . )
How were two Christians helped to control wrong desir@@ es ?
This young person also benef@@ ited from the article “ Al@@ ter@@ n@@ ative L@@ ife - St@@ y@@ les ​ — Does God A@@ p@@ prove ? ”
“ For that reason , ” he said , “ I think that as each day pas@@ ses , I can remain faithful .
I am very gr@@ at@@ eful to Jehovah for using his organization to help us sur@@ v@@ ive each day in this wicked system . ”
Consider also the experience of a s@@ ister in the United States .
She wr@@ ites : “ I want to than@@ k you for always fe@@ ed@@ ing us with just what we need and at the right time .
I often feel that these ar@@ ti@@ cl@@ es are written just for me .
For years , I have been b@@ att@@ ling a strong desire for something Jehovah h@@ ates .
At times , I want to th@@ row my hand@@ s up and st@@ op f@@ igh@@ ting .
I know that Jehovah is mer@@ ci@@ ful and for@@ giving , but because I have this wrong desire and de@@ ep down I don@@ ’t h@@ ate it , I feel that I am un@@ able to receive his help .
This ongo@@ ing b@@ att@@ le has affec@@ ted every as@@ p@@ ect of my life . . . .
After reading the article ‘ Do You H@@ ave “ a H@@ ear@@ t to K@@ now ” Jehovah ? ’
in The Watchtower of Mar@@ ch 15 , 20@@ 13 , I really felt that Jehovah does want to help me . ”
( a ) How did Paul feel about his str@@ ug@@ g@@ les ?
What can we learn about clo@@ thing from God’s Law to the Israelites ?
What can help Christians to make good decis@@ ions about how to d@@ ress ?
When especially do we need to we@@ ar appro@@ pri@@ ate clo@@ thing ?
Of course , some clo@@ thing that is appro@@ pri@@ ate in one place may not be appro@@ pri@@ ate in another .
( Read 1 Corinthians 10 : 32 , 33 . )
What are some f@@ act@@ ors that may af@@ fect whether a brother we@@ ars a be@@ ard ?
The Mos@@ ai@@ c Law requir@@ ed men to we@@ ar a be@@ ard .
In fact , some appoin@@ ted brothers have be@@ ards .
Even so , some brothers might dec@@ ide not to we@@ ar a be@@ ard .
What ef@@ fect should our d@@ ress and g@@ ro@@ om@@ ing have on others ?
A brother in Germany wrote : “ My teach@@ ers view the Bible account of cre@@ ation as a my@@ th .
And they take it for gr@@ an@@ ted that the stud@@ ents believe in ev@@ ol@@ ution . ”
A young s@@ ister in Fr@@ ance said : “ T@@ e@@ ach@@ ers in my school are qu@@ ite ast@@ on@@ ished that there are stud@@ ents who still believe in the Bible . ”
and The Or@@ ig@@ in of L@@ ife ​ — F@@ ive Q@@ u@@ es@@ tions Wor@@ th As@@ king , and the book Is There a Creator Who C@@ ar@@ es Ab@@ out You ?
I@@ ’@@ ve stud@@ ied those bro@@ ch@@ ur@@ es about a do@@ z@@ en times . ”
They show that the great@@ est eng@@ in@@ e@@ ers may imit@@ ate but will never equ@@ al the com@@ ple@@ x des@@ ign@@ s in n@@ ature . ”
Why does God want you to use your power of reason ?
( Read Romans 12 : 1 , 2 ; 1 Timothy 2 : 4 . )
And many of them lived at different times and did not know one another person@@ ally . ”
I liter@@ ally had to st@@ op and cont@@ em@@ pl@@ ate how inc@@ re@@ d@@ ible that prophe@@ tic P@@ ass@@ over me@@ al was ! ”
“ H@@ on@@ es@@ ty like that is r@@ are , ” said a young brother in Brit@@ ain .
“ This ad@@ ds to our conf@@ idence that the Bible truly is from Jehovah . ”
A young s@@ ister in Jap@@ an wrote : “ When my family appl@@ ied Bible teach@@ ings , we were truly happy .
We experi@@ enced peace , unity , and love . ”
And some st@@ op believ@@ ing in God because they are dis@@ appoin@@ ted with religion .
He add@@ ed : “ One is struc@@ k by the com@@ ple@@ x@@ ity of even the sim@@ pl@@ est form of life . ”
He wrote : “ E@@ very house is con@@ struc@@ ted by someone , but the one who con@@ struc@@ ted all things is God . ”
Why is it so important to know your children well ?
Our children ac@@ qu@@ ire it little by little . ”
He as@@ ks : ‘ What does the Bible say ? ’
‘ Do you believe what it says ? ’
He wan@@ ts me to answer in my own words and not simply re@@ pe@@ at his or Mum@@ ’s words .
As I got old@@ er , I had to exp@@ and on my answ@@ ers . ”
They answ@@ ered all my questions , using the Bible . ”
( Read De@@ ut@@ er@@ onom@@ y 6 : 5 - 8 ; Luke 6 : 4@@ 5 . )
So if life ev@@ ol@@ ved from sim@@ ple to more com@@ ple@@ x form@@ s , why were these ancient cre@@ atur@@ es already so com@@ ple@@ x ?
It was a less@@ on that de@@ ep@@ ly im@@ pres@@ sed me and that I sh@@ ared with my son . ”
Then she asked each of the bo@@ ys to make her a c@@ up of c@@ of@@ fe@@ e .
“ They took great care , ” she expl@@ ained .
“ When I asked them why they were so car@@ eful , they said that they wanted the c@@ of@@ fe@@ e to be just the way I like it .
I expl@@ ained that God mi@@ x@@ ed the g@@ as@@ es in the at@@ m@@ os@@ p@@ here with similar care ​ — just right for us . ”
And how would you com@@ pare the s@@ ound of an air@@ pl@@ ane to the sing@@ ing of a bir@@ d ?
So who is more int@@ ell@@ ig@@ ent ​ — the mak@@ er of air@@ pl@@ an@@ es or the Creator of bir@@ ds ? ”
“ N@@ ever t@@ ire of ex@@ per@@ im@@ ent@@ ing with new ways to appro@@ ach old sub@@ jec@@ ts , ” said one father .
“ From the time they were very young , I stud@@ ied with them for 15 min@@ ut@@ es every day , exc@@ ept on days when we had Christian meetings .
O@@ ver time , many of these were add@@ res@@ sed at meetings or during family or personal study .
Th@@ at@@ ’s why it@@ ’s important for parents just to keep teaching . ”
Let your children see how real Jehovah is to you .
“ We also tell our old@@ er daugh@@ ter , ‘ H@@ ave compl@@ ete trust in Jehovah , keep bus@@ y in Kingdom service , and do not wor@@ ry too much . ’
When she se@@ es the out@@ come , she kno@@ ws that Jehovah is help@@ ing us .
This has done wond@@ ers for her faith in God and in the Bible . ”
The first article shows how our faith can g@@ row and remain strong .
Let me expl@@ ain what led to that con@@ vers@@ ation .
I W@@ A@@ S born in W@@ ich@@ ita , K@@ ans@@ as , U.@@ S@@ .@@ A . , on D@@ ec@@ ember 10 , 19@@ 36 , the old@@ est of four children .
Then a sol@@ di@@ er wal@@ ked by , and the doc@@ tor y@@ ell@@ ed , “ Do something about this y@@ el@@ low c@@ ow@@ ard ! ”
The sol@@ di@@ er could see that the man was dr@@ un@@ k , so he told him , “ G@@ o home and s@@ ob@@ er up ! ”
He ow@@ ned two b@@ ar@@ ber@@ sho@@ p@@ s in W@@ ich@@ ita , and the doc@@ tor was one of his cl@@ i@@ ents !
With my parents , going to a conv@@ ention in W@@ ich@@ ita in the 19@@ 40 ’ s
With Jehovah’s bless@@ ing and their z@@ eal@@ ous work , a congregation was started .
The brother also so@@ ld my c@@ ar for $ 25 .
We were ass@@ igned to special pioneer in W@@ al@@ n@@ ut R@@ id@@ ge , Ar@@ k@@ ans@@ as .
Then in 19@@ 6@@ 2 , we were thr@@ ill@@ ed to receive an inv@@ it@@ ation to the 3@@ 7@@ th cl@@ ass of G@@ il@@ ead .
In the ministry in N@@ air@@ ob@@ i with M@@ ary and Ch@@ r@@ is K@@ an@@ ai@@ ya
So@@ on after , our first daugh@@ ter , K@@ imb@@ er@@ ly , was born , and 17 months later , we had St@@ ep@@ han@@ y .
We would also go cam@@ p@@ ing with them and would have very enjo@@ y@@ able con@@ vers@@ ations around the cam@@ pf@@ ire .
We arrang@@ ed to have some who were in the full - time ministry st@@ ay in our home .
They were sho@@ c@@ ked and started to cr@@ y and said that they wanted to study .
With the help and direc@@ tion of God’s organization , we did our best to ra@@ ise them to love Jehovah .
On a later tr@@ ip , K@@ imb@@ er@@ ly me@@ t one of his work@@ mat@@ es , B@@ ri@@ an L@@ le@@ w@@ ell@@ y@@ n .
So they did st@@ ay free until they were at le@@ ast 23 .
At the same time , B@@ ri@@ an and K@@ imb@@ er@@ ly were inv@@ ited to work at L@@ ond@@ on Be@@ the@@ l and later were trans@@ fer@@ red to M@@ al@@ a@@ wi Be@@ the@@ l .
The day after we left for the Watchtower E@@ duc@@ ational C@@ ent@@ er in P@@ at@@ ter@@ son , L@@ inda called to tell us that M@@ other had died .
N@@ ext , we taught the course in Z@@ imb@@ ab@@ we and then in Z@@ amb@@ ia .
In 200@@ 6 , B@@ ri@@ an and K@@ imb@@ er@@ ly moved next do@@ or to us to ra@@ ise their two daugh@@ ters , M@@ ac@@ k@@ enz@@ i@@ e and El@@ iz@@ ab@@ et@@ h .
Paul and St@@ ep@@ han@@ y are still in M@@ al@@ a@@ wi , where Paul serv@@ es on the B@@ ran@@ ch Com@@ mit@@ te@@ e .
Why might we need to ad@@ just our view of str@@ ang@@ ers ?
When I left the air@@ port and felt the c@@ old for the first time in my life , I started cr@@ ying . ”
Greek - spe@@ aking Jews compl@@ ained that their wid@@ ow@@ s were not being tre@@ ated fa@@ ir@@ ly .
W@@ he@@ ther we real@@ ize it or not , we are all de@@ ep@@ ly influ@@ enced by our cul@@ ture .
( Read 1 Peter 1 : 22 . )
Be pati@@ ent with those who are ad@@ jus@@ ting to a new country .
At first , we may not fully understand their way of thinking or re@@ ac@@ ting .
What example of respect and gr@@ at@@ itude can im@@ mig@@ ran@@ ts imit@@ ate today ?
Fir@@ st , she showed respect for the c@@ ust@@ om@@ s of her new country by as@@ king per@@ mis@@ sion to g@@ le@@ an .
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 1 ) N@@ ame has been chang@@ ed .
Are you among those who are lear@@ ning another language ?
( Read Ne@@ hem@@ iah 13 : 23 , 24 . )
( b ) How can we re@@ ach our go@@ al ?
We must recogn@@ ize that when we pre@@ pare for the ministry , for the meetings , or for a talk , we may not necess@@ ar@@ ily app@@ ly what we read to ourselves .
Since my mind is main@@ ly involved in an int@@ ell@@ ec@@ t@@ ual exerc@@ ise , my heart is not necess@@ ar@@ ily t@@ ou@@ ch@@ ed by the spiritual th@@ ough@@ ts I am reading .
That is why I reg@@ ularly set as@@ ide time to study the Bible and other publ@@ ic@@ ations in my mother t@@ ong@@ ue . ”
“ It an@@ no@@ yed him to go out in the ministry in another language , wh@@ er@@ e@@ as before he loved preaching in his n@@ ative language , Fr@@ en@@ ch , ” says Mur@@ iel .
“ When we real@@ ized that this situation had h@@ ind@@ ered our son from making spiritual advan@@ c@@ ement , ” expl@@ ains Ser@@ ge , “ we dec@@ ided to m@@ ove back to our form@@ er congregation . ”
M@@ ake sure that the truth re@@ ach@@ es the hearts of your children ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 14 , 15 )
But we also includ@@ e prac@@ tice s@@ ess@@ ions and g@@ ames in L@@ ing@@ al@@ a so that they can learn this language while having fu@@ n . ”
M@@ ake an ef@@ fort to learn the local language and to partic@@ ip@@ ate in the meetings ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 16 , 17 )
We also set the go@@ al of att@@ ending a meet@@ ing in Fr@@ en@@ ch once a mon@@ th , and we take advan@@ t@@ age of our va@@ c@@ ations to vis@@ it conv@@ en@@ tions held in our n@@ ative language . ”
( Read Romans 15 : 1 , 2 . )
How can we show our love for God’s Word ?
Bro@@ thers working bus@@ iness ter@@ rit@@ ory witness to a m@@ ech@@ an@@ ic in an au@@ to re@@ pa@@ ir gar@@ age .
( Read Revelation 21 : 3 - 6 . )
How did Abraham and his family keep their faith strong ?
( Read 1 John 5 : 14 , 15 . )
What tr@@ ials did some of the proph@@ ets end@@ ure because of their faith ?
O@@ thers , like E@@ li@@ j@@ ah , “ wand@@ ered about in des@@ er@@ ts and m@@ oun@@ tain@@ s and c@@ av@@ es and d@@ ens of the earth . ”
How does No@@ ah’s example help us to understand what it means to have faith ?
In what ways must we exerc@@ ise our faith ?
In what two ways does Hebrews 11 : 1 describ@@ e faith ?
You see that his faith was act@@ ive along with his works and his faith was per@@ fec@@ ted by his works . ”
For example , John expl@@ ained : “ The one who exerc@@ ises faith in the Son has everlasting life ; the one who dis@@ obe@@ ys the Son will not see life , but the wr@@ ath of God remain@@ s upon him . ”
Com@@ par@@ ed with love , how important is faith ?
James asked his anointed brothers : “ D@@ id not God cho@@ ose those who are po@@ or from the world@@ ’s stand@@ point to be r@@ ich in faith and he@@ ir@@ s of the Kingdom , which he prom@@ ised to those who love him ? ”
While men were s@@ le@@ eping , his enem@@ y came and over@@ s@@ ow@@ ed we@@ ed@@ s in among the wh@@ e@@ at and left .
When the st@@ al@@ k sp@@ r@@ ou@@ ted and produc@@ ed fru@@ it , then the we@@ ed@@ s also appe@@ ared . ”
What hope did Jehovah give his people , and why was this promise re@@ mar@@ k@@ able ?
W@@ ould the Israelites ever again be able to worship God in a compl@@ et@@ ely accep@@ table way ?
So it does not really se@@ em that Jehovah’s people ent@@ ered into cap@@ tiv@@ ity to Babyl@@ on the Gre@@ at in 19@@ 18 .
( Read 1 Peter 2 : 9 , 10 . )
( Read Matthew 13 : 24 , 25 , 37 - 39 . )
W@@ ould true Christians ever be free to worship God op@@ enly and accep@@ t@@ ably ?
When were the anointed fre@@ ed from Babyl@@ on@@ ian cap@@ tiv@@ ity ?
Bro@@ ther R@@ u@@ ther@@ for@@ d re@@ ques@@ ted that we arr@@ ange conv@@ en@@ tions in sever@@ al c@@ ities in the w@@ es@@ tern United States and s@@ end spe@@ ak@@ ers to try to en@@ courage the friends as much as possible . ”
“ If you have any word of encourag@@ ement for the people , tell it . ” ​ — A@@ C@@ T@@ S 13 : 15 .
So I cr@@ y often and pre@@ fer not to talk to them .
He list@@ ened with sy@@ m@@ pa@@ thy as I expres@@ sed my feelings .
Then he rem@@ ind@@ ed me of the good I was ac@@ compl@@ ish@@ ing .
He also rem@@ ind@@ ed me of Jesus ’ words ​ — that each of us is wor@@ th more than many s@@ par@@ ro@@ ws .
I often rec@@ all that s@@ crip@@ ture , and it still t@@ ou@@ ches my heart .
What can we learn from the way Jehovah , Jesus , and Paul encourag@@ ed others ?
( Read E@@ c@@ cl@@ es@@ i@@ ast@@ es 4 : 9 , 10 . )
What can we learn from the way Jesus tre@@ ated his apostles ?
After going through those reg@@ ions and giving many words of encourag@@ ement to the ones there , he arr@@ ived in Gre@@ ec@@ e . ”
( Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 5 : 12 , 13 . )
They are a real sour@@ ce of encourag@@ ement . ”
A@@ nd@@ re@@ as , who has two children , says : “ En@@ courag@@ ement help@@ s children to g@@ row up spiritually and emo@@ tion@@ ally .
Even though our k@@ id@@ s know what is right , doing the right thing becom@@ es their way of life through our con@@ st@@ ant encourag@@ ement . ”
( Read Luke 21 : 1 - 4 ; 2 Corinthians 8 : 12 . )
( Read Revelation 2 : 18 , 19 . )
I want you to know that when you spok@@ e in such a kind way , both from the pl@@ at@@ form and in person , I felt that it was a gif@@ t from Jehovah . ”
[ 1 ] ( par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 1 ) Some nam@@ es have been chang@@ ed .
( b ) What will we discus@@ s in this article ?
How did the congregations benefit from following the direc@@ tion of the gover@@ ning body ?
( Read 3 John 9 , 10 . )
( Read Matthew 5 : 23 , 24 ; 18 : 15 - 17 . )
The Bible direc@@ ts us to att@@ end meetings reg@@ ularly .
H@@ ave you been using j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g in your ministry and in your family worship ?
and the bro@@ ch@@ ure Who Are Do@@ ing Jehovah’s W@@ ill Today ?
What are some reas@@ ons why we should be than@@ k@@ ful to Jehovah ?
There are many reas@@ ons why we should be than@@ k@@ ful to Jehovah !
It also shows how the hope of a re@@ ward benef@@ its us .
I was only e@@ ight years old at the time .
My father did not want my mother to talk to me about what she was lear@@ ning .
However , I was cur@@ ious and asked questions , so she stud@@ ied with me when my father was out of the house .
As a result , I too dec@@ ided that I wanted to ded@@ ic@@ ate my life to Jehovah .
My mother said that I should first speak to the servan@@ t to the bre@@ th@@ ren ( now called a circ@@ u@@ it overse@@ er ) .
He said , “ G@@ o for it ! ”
After four months , I sel@@ ec@@ ted a brother as my pioneer par@@ t@@ ner .
My mother pione@@ ered with a s@@ ister in another congregation .
In 195@@ 1 , I fill@@ ed out an appl@@ ication to att@@ end the Watchtower Bible S@@ chool of G@@ il@@ ead .
While there , I received my inv@@ it@@ ation to the 2@@ 2@@ n@@ d cl@@ ass of G@@ il@@ ead .
I then travel@@ ed by tr@@ ain to South L@@ ans@@ ing , New York , where the school was loc@@ ated .
With J@@ an@@ et on one of the many is@@ lands in the Phil@@ ipp@@ ines
We still serve at the br@@ an@@ ch off@@ ice in Q@@ u@@ ez@@ on C@@ ity
How can you experience “ the peace of God ” ?
How can the congregation help you to re@@ du@@ ce an@@ x@@ i@@ ety ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) What will we consider in this article ?
How , though , can you do that ?
The p@@ sal@@ mis@@ t David beg@@ ged Jehovah : “ L@@ ist@@ en to my prayer , O God . ”
When we are an@@ x@@ ious , why is prayer so important ?
( Read Matthew 11 : 28 - 30 . )
What did Jesus mean when he said : “ N@@ ever be an@@ x@@ ious ” ?
He ad@@ mit@@ ted : “ My angu@@ ished heart makes me g@@ ro@@ an al@@ ou@@ d . ”
( See the bo@@ x “ Some P@@ r@@ ac@@ tic@@ al W@@ a@@ ys to R@@ ed@@ u@@ ce An@@ x@@ i@@ ety . ” )
How can the meaning of God’s name streng@@ then your faith ?
His very name is under@@ st@@ ood to mean “ He Ca@@ uses to Bec@@ ome . ”
Why can you be conf@@ ident that your relationship with God will streng@@ then you ?
( a ) How can we th@@ row our an@@ x@@ i@@ ety on God ?
How can we be sure that Jehovah re@@ war@@ ds his servants ?
How did Jehovah bl@@ ess his servants in the past ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How are love and faith con@@ nec@@ ted ?
How , though , does the hope of a re@@ ward benefit us ?
Jesus showed that his disciples would be re@@ war@@ d@@ ed for their sacrif@@ ices ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 5 )
The apostle Peter once asked Jesus : “ We have left all things and follow@@ ed you ; what , then , will there be for us ? ”
In the Ser@@ m@@ on on the M@@ ount , Jesus said : “ Re@@ jo@@ ice and be over@@ jo@@ yed , since your re@@ ward is great in the heav@@ ens , for in that way they persec@@ uted the proph@@ ets pri@@ or to you . ”
Moses told the nation of Israel : “ Jehovah will sur@@ ely bl@@ ess you in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you to poss@@ ess as an in@@ her@@ it@@ ance , but only if you str@@ ic@@ tly obe@@ y the vo@@ ice of Jehovah your God and car@@ e@@ fully ob@@ serve all this command@@ ment that I am giving you today .
For Jehovah your God will bl@@ ess you just as he has prom@@ ised you . ”
And he nam@@ ed the second one Eph@@ r@@ ai@@ m , for he said , ‘ God has made me fru@@ it@@ ful in the land of my af@@ fl@@ ic@@ tion . ’ ”
God’s Word expl@@ ains : “ For the joy that was set before him he end@@ ur@@ ed a tor@@ ture st@@ ake , des@@ p@@ is@@ ing sh@@ ame . ”
Jesus certainly found joy in being able to s@@ anc@@ tif@@ y God’s name .
How does Jehovah feel about what we do for him ?
“ The one sho@@ wing fav@@ or to the low@@ ly is l@@ ending to Jehovah , and He will re@@ pa@@ y him for what he does . ”
What com@@ fort do we find at 1 John 3 : 19 , 20 ?
( Read 1 John 3 : 19 , 20 . )
What are some of the re@@ war@@ ds that we enjoy now ?
How do Jehovah’s servants feel about the re@@ war@@ ds they receive ?
For example , B@@ i@@ anc@@ a from Germany says : “ I cannot than@@ k Jehovah en@@ ough for help@@ ing me with my wor@@ ri@@ es and for being at my s@@ ide each day .
The world out there is cha@@ o@@ tic and b@@ le@@ ak .
But as I work clos@@ ely with Jehovah , I feel sec@@ ure in his ar@@ ms .
Wh@@ en@@ ever I make personal sacrif@@ ices for him , he gives me back a hund@@ re@@ d@@ fo@@ ld in bless@@ ings . ”
For my own encourag@@ ement , I keep a no@@ te@@ book with s@@ criptur@@ es and th@@ ough@@ ts from our publ@@ ic@@ ations that I can con@@ su@@ l@@ t from time to time .
I c@@ all it ‘ My S@@ ur@@ vi@@ val N@@ ot@@ e@@ book . ’
D@@ is@@ courag@@ ement is tem@@ por@@ ary if we fo@@ c@@ us on Jehovah’s prom@@ ises .
Jehovah is always there to help us , reg@@ ard@@ less of our circumstances . ”
Yet , you can likely think of ways in which Jehovah has re@@ war@@ d@@ ed you and those around you .
How were Paul and others set free from sin and death ?
( Read Romans 6 : 1 , 2 . )
What cho@@ ice does each of us have to make ?
( Read Proverbs 14 : 5 ; Eph@@ es@@ ians 4 : 25 . )
They receive “ the spirit ” as ones “ wa@@ iting for ad@@ op@@ tion as sons , the re@@ le@@ ase from [ their fles@@ h@@ ly ] b@@ od@@ ies . ”
( Read Romans 4 : 20 - 22 . )
( Read Acts 18 : 2 - 4 ; 20 : 20 , 21 , 34 , 35 . )
Many t@@ our@@ ists come to the city of A@@ ve@@ iro in nor@@ ther@@ n P@@ or@@ t@@ ug@@ al to see the inter@@ es@@ ting sal@@ t e@@ vap@@ or@@ ation p@@ on@@ ds .
Lo@@ c@@ al Witnesses make sure to off@@ er the good news to those who sel@@ l the loc@@ ally produc@@ ed sal@@ t
What el@@ se can we learn from the Bible ?
In this article , we will learn how to t@@ reas@@ ure God’s gif@@ t of free will by using it in a way that pleas@@ es the G@@ iver of that gif@@ t .
The first article expl@@ ains what mod@@ es@@ ty is and what it is not .
How does Jehovah exp@@ ect us to use our ab@@ il@@ ities ?
C@@ learly , Jehovah wan@@ ts us to do what we can to benefit ourselves and others .
No@@ ah lived in a world that was “ fill@@ ed with viol@@ ence ” and im@@ mor@@ ality .
O@@ p@@ position to our preaching ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 6 - 9 )
6 , 7 . ( a ) What could No@@ ah not do ?
( b ) How are we in a situation similar to No@@ ah’s ?
We too live in a world fill@@ ed with wic@@ k@@ ed@@ ness , which we know Jehovah has prom@@ ised to destro@@ y .
In the mean@@ time , we cannot for@@ ce people to accept the “ good news of the Kingdom . ”
What No@@ ah could do : Inst@@ ead of giving up because of what he could not do , No@@ ah fo@@ c@@ used on what he could do .
When that happ@@ ened , how did David re@@ act ?
P@@ ast sin@@ s ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 11 - 14 )
11 , 12 . ( a ) After he sin@@ ned , what could David not do ?
What David could not do : David could not un@@ do what he had done .
He had to trust that when he truly rep@@ ented , Jehovah would for@@ give him and help him end@@ ure the con@@ se@@ qu@@ ences of his ac@@ tions .
He had to leave the matter in Jehovah’s hand@@ s .
Consider a brother nam@@ ed M@@ al@@ col@@ m , who remain@@ ed faithful until his death in 20@@ 15 .
F@@ o@@ c@@ us on what you can do , not on what you cannot do . ”
( b ) How will you app@@ ly the 20@@ 17 ye@@ ar@@ t@@ ext in your life ?
Our ye@@ ar@@ t@@ ext for 20@@ 17 : “ Tr@@ ust in Jehovah and do what is good . ” ​ — Psalm 37 : 3
How can we show respect for the decis@@ ions of others ?
I will love them of my own free will . ”
4 , 5 . ( a ) Who was the first to receive God’s gif@@ t of free will , and how did he use it ?
( b ) What question must each of us ask ?
The answer to that question can deter@@ m@@ ine our everlasting future .
God “ began br@@ ing@@ ing them to the man to see what he would c@@ all each one . ”
What must we never do with our gif@@ t of free will ?
I@@ mag@@ ine that you gave a valu@@ able gif@@ t to a friend .
What is one way we can avoid mis@@ using our Christian fre@@ edom ?
( Read 1 Peter 2 : 16 . )
What do we learn from the princ@@ ip@@ le found at G@@ al@@ ati@@ ans 6 : 5 ?
R@@ em@@ ember the princ@@ ip@@ le found at G@@ al@@ ati@@ ans 6 : 5 .
How will you show that you t@@ reas@@ ure your gif@@ t of free will ?
( a ) What do many people think about mod@@ es@@ ty ?
What is mod@@ es@@ ty , and what is it not ?
Why should we avoid judg@@ ing other pe@@ op@@ le’s mot@@ ives ?
What can we learn from Jesus ’ example when we receive a change of ass@@ ign@@ ment ?
( Read G@@ al@@ ati@@ ans 6 : 4 , 5 . )
( Read E@@ c@@ cl@@ es@@ i@@ ast@@ es 11 : 4 - 6 . )
What will help us to remain mod@@ est for@@ ever ?
Why is it difficult for some to del@@ eg@@ ate authority ?
He told Na@@ than to tell David : “ You are not the one who will bu@@ ild the house for me to d@@ well in . ”
( Read N@@ umb@@ ers 11 : 24 - 29 . )
No , I wish that all of Jehovah’s people were proph@@ ets and that Jehovah would put his spirit on them ! ”
( Read Phil@@ ipp@@ ians 2 : 20 - 22 . )
The br@@ an@@ ch off@@ ice sent us 8@@ 00 magaz@@ ines to use in the ministry .
I taught cl@@ as@@ ses in M@@ ana@@ us , B@@ el@@ é@@ m , F@@ or@@ tal@@ e@@ za , R@@ ec@@ ife , and S@@ al@@ va@@ d@@ or .
We arr@@ ived in L@@ is@@ b@@ on , P@@ or@@ t@@ ug@@ al , in A@@ ug@@ ust of 19@@ 6@@ 4 .
It is the only one doing the work Jesus command@@ ed his disciples to do ​ — pre@@ ach the good news of God’s Kingdom ! ”
While this article was being prepar@@ ed for publ@@ ication , D@@ oug@@ l@@ as G@@ u@@ est died faithful to Jehovah on O@@ c@@ t@@ ob@@ er 25 , 20@@ 15 .
And “ the spirit of Jehovah began to emp@@ ower David . ”
Why did God want his people to respect the lead@@ ers in Israel ?
( Read Hebrews 1 : 7 , 14 . )
The Bible ref@@ ers to the Law given to Israel as “ the Law of Moses . ”
11 , 12 . ( a ) What were J@@ osh@@ ua and the k@@ ings who rul@@ ed God’s people requir@@ ed to do ?
“ As soon as the king heard the words of the book of the Law , he r@@ ip@@ ped his gar@@ ments apar@@ t . ”
Why did Jehovah discip@@ line some of the lead@@ ers of his people ?
In some cas@@ es , Jehovah discip@@ l@@ ined or re@@ plac@@ ed those lead@@ ers .
What proved that Jesus was emp@@ ow@@ ered by holy spirit ?
S@@ hor@@ tly after Jesus was baptized , “ ang@@ els came and began to minis@@ ter to him . ”
H@@ our@@ s before his death , “ an ang@@ el from heaven appe@@ ared to him and streng@@ th@@ ened him . ”
How did God’s Word gu@@ ide Jesus ’ life and teaching ?
It is in va@@ in that they keep worship@@ p@@ ing me , for they teach comm@@ ands of men as doc@@ tr@@ ines . ”
N@@ ob@@ ody is good exc@@ ept one , God . ”
“ Inst@@ an@@ tly the ang@@ el of Jehovah struc@@ k him , because he did not give the gl@@ ory to God , and he was e@@ at@@ en up with wor@@ ms and died . ”
The next article will consider the answ@@ ers to those questions .
This may have been the orig@@ inal doc@@ um@@ ent written by Moses .
Why was this sel@@ ec@@ tion so important to them and to Jehovah ?
As a gover@@ ning body , they gave direc@@ tion to all the congregations . ​ — Acts 15 : 2 .
5 , 6 . ( a ) How did holy spirit emp@@ ower the gover@@ ning body ?
( c ) How did God’s Word gu@@ ide the gover@@ ning body ?
Fir@@ st , holy spirit emp@@ ow@@ ered the gover@@ ning body .
Th@@ ir@@ d , God’s Word gu@@ ided the gover@@ ning body .
Why can we say that Jesus led the early Christians ?
( a ) When did Jesus ap@@ point “ the faithful and disc@@ re@@ et slave ” ?
In 19@@ 19 , three years after Bro@@ ther Rus@@ sel@@ l@@ ’s death , Jesus appoin@@ ted “ the faithful and disc@@ re@@ et slave . ”
The J@@ u@@ ly 15 , 20@@ 13 , is@@ sue of The Watchtower expl@@ ained that “ the faithful and disc@@ re@@ et slave ” is a small group of anointed brothers who make up the G@@ over@@ ning B@@ ody .
So how can we answer Jesus ’ question : “ Who really is the faithful and disc@@ re@@ et slave ? ”
How has holy spirit helped the G@@ over@@ ning B@@ ody ?
What is one way to rem@@ ember the G@@ over@@ ning B@@ ody ?
Why are you determin@@ ed to follow our Le@@ ad@@ er , Jesus ?
When Jesus re@@ turned to heaven , he did not ab@@ and@@ on his followers .
So@@ on , he will lead us to everlasting life .
Since 195@@ 5 , that cor@@ por@@ ation has been known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tr@@ act Society of P@@ en@@ n@@ sy@@ l@@ van@@ ia .
Jehovah “ com@@ forts us in all our tr@@ ials ”
“ I have spok@@ en , and I will bring it about .
1 , 2 . ( a ) What has Jehovah reve@@ al@@ ed to us ?
TH@@ E very first words of the Bible make this sim@@ ple but pro@@ found st@@ at@@ ement : “ In the beg@@ in@@ ning God cre@@ ated the heav@@ ens and the earth . ”
( c ) What questions will we consider ?
And why is Jesus ’ ran@@ so@@ m sacrifice the ke@@ y that un@@ loc@@ ks the do@@ or for God’s purpose to be ac@@ compl@@ ished ?
What are some gif@@ ts that Jehovah gave Adam and E@@ ve ?
It was as if he were saying : ‘ You mean you cannot do what you want ? ’
But Jehovah is faithful to his own stand@@ ards ; he never viol@@ ates them .
( Read De@@ ut@@ er@@ onom@@ y 32 : 4 , 5 . )
Why is the ran@@ so@@ m such a prec@@ ious gif@@ t ?
Jehovah provided the ran@@ so@@ m at great c@@ ost to himself .
When will Jehovah become “ all things to every@@ one ” ?
( Read 1 Peter 1 : 15 , 16 . )
Why can Jehovah view us as righteous , even though we are im@@ perfect ?
He accep@@ ts as his worship@@ p@@ ers those who ded@@ ic@@ ate themselves to him .
What did Jesus mean when he next said : “ Let your will take place ” ?
How does the ran@@ so@@ m benefit humans who have died ?
What is God’s will for the “ great crow@@ d ” ?
( a ) What bless@@ ings do we now receive from Jehovah ?
( Read Acts 3 : 19 - 21 . )
Jehovah gives us far more than just the gif@@ t of life .
“ We have come to know and believe the love that God has for us .
And should we at times change a decis@@ ion that we have made ?
This article will help us to answer those questions .
Yet , Jehovah vie@@ wed those k@@ ings as having a compl@@ ete heart .
W@@ ill God view us as having a compl@@ ete heart , des@@ pite mis@@ takes we make ?
We lived on a small far@@ m in eas@@ tern South D@@ ak@@ ota .
Far@@ m@@ ing was an important part of our famil@@ y’s life , but it was not the most important part .
My parents got baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses in 19@@ 34 .
My da@@ d , C@@ lar@@ ence , and later my un@@ c@@ le Al@@ f@@ red , served as compan@@ y servan@@ t ( now called co@@ ord@@ in@@ at@@ or of the body of elders ) in our small congregation in C@@ ond@@ e , South D@@ ak@@ ota .
My s@@ ister , D@@ or@@ o@@ thy , and I became Kingdom publ@@ ish@@ ers when we were si@@ x .
Con@@ v@@ en@@ tions and ass@@ emb@@ l@@ ies were an important part of our lives .
The Bible says : “ The one wal@@ king with the wise will become wise , ” and there were many wise ones in my family who sup@@ por@@ ted my decis@@ ion to pioneer .
When they were serving congregations ne@@ ar@@ by , they som@@ etimes inv@@ ited me to go with them in the ministry .
As a new Be@@ th@@ el@@ ite , with a far@@ m truc@@ k
The far@@ m on St@@ at@@ en Is@@ land includ@@ ed the ra@@ di@@ o st@@ ation W@@ B@@ B@@ R .
On@@ ly 15 to 20 members of the Be@@ the@@ l family were ass@@ igned to the far@@ m .
M@@ ost of us were young and qu@@ ite in@@ experi@@ enced .
Bro@@ ther Pet@@ er@@ son did his work at Be@@ the@@ l well but never ne@@ gl@@ ec@@ ted the fi@@ eld ministry .
With A@@ ng@@ el@@ a in 19@@ 7@@ 5 , before a t@@ el@@ ev@@ is@@ ion inter@@ view
Th@@ ree years later , we were inv@@ ited to Be@@ the@@ l .
Why do Jehovah and Christ des@@ er@@ ve to be hon@@ or@@ ed ?
H@@ um@@ ans were cre@@ ated “ in God’s im@@ age . ”
8 , 9 . ( a ) How do Jehovah’s Witnesses view govern@@ ment offic@@ ials ?
( Read 1 Timothy 5 : 17 . )
Ne@@ ither be called lead@@ ers , for your Le@@ ad@@ er is one , the Christ .
W@@ ho@@ ever ex@@ al@@ ts himself will be hum@@ bl@@ ed , and who@@ ever hum@@ bl@@ es himself will be ex@@ al@@ ted . ”
Why should others not make decis@@ ions for us ?
( a ) To make wise decis@@ ions , we should have faith in what ?
What will help us to make wise decis@@ ions ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 1 : 24 . )
L@@ ov@@ ing elders help others learn to make their own decis@@ ions ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 11 )
E@@ ld@@ ers too should take time to do res@@ ear@@ ch .
W@@ ill it bring joy and peace to my family ?
And will it show that I am pati@@ ent and kind ? ’
Why does Jehovah exp@@ ect us to make our own decis@@ ions ?
What does it mean to serve Jehovah with a compl@@ ete heart ?
Wh@@ ich of the four k@@ ings would you like to imit@@ ate , and why ?
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 14 : 11 . )
What would your heart m@@ ove you to do ?
A@@ sa@@ ’s son Jeho@@ s@@ hap@@ h@@ at “ kept wal@@ king in the way of his father As@@ a . ”
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 20 : 2 - 4 . )
( Read Isaiah 37 : 15 - 20 . )
( Read 2 K@@ ings 20 : 1 - 3 . )
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 34 : 18 , 19 . )
Why will we consider the exam@@ ples of four k@@ ings of Jud@@ ah ?
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 16 : 7 - 9 . )
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 32 : 31 . )
Many pra@@ ise him for what he has done .
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 35 : 20 - 22 . )
The Bible says that N@@ ech@@ o@@ ’s words were “ from the m@@ outh of God . ”
Let us med@@ it@@ ate on these Bible acc@@ oun@@ ts and be than@@ k@@ ful that Jehovah has provided them for us !
How many v@@ ow@@ s have you made to Jehovah ?
What about your ded@@ ication v@@ ow or your marriage v@@ ow ?
When we believe that we have person@@ ally experi@@ enced or ob@@ served an in@@ justice , our faith , hum@@ ility , and loy@@ al@@ ty may be t@@ ested .
“ The world is pas@@ sing away and so is its desire , but the one who does the will of God remain@@ s for@@ ever . ” ​ — 1 J@@ O@@ H@@ N 2 : 17 .
What will Jehovah do about wicked people and cor@@ rup@@ t organ@@ iz@@ ations ?
The Bible says : “ The world is pas@@ sing away . ”
There is no dar@@ k@@ ness or de@@ ep s@@ ha@@ do@@ w where wr@@ ong@@ do@@ ers can conc@@ e@@ al themselves . ”
L@@ ater in the same p@@ sal@@ m , we read : “ The righteous will poss@@ ess the earth , and they will live for@@ ever on it . ”
Who are “ the me@@ ek ” and “ the righteous ” ?
Why can we be sure that the new earth will be well - organ@@ ized ?
After Ar@@ mag@@ ed@@ d@@ on , will there be any organization on earth ?
So the “ new earth ” will be organ@@ ized .
What kind of wrong activ@@ ities are common where you live , and how are you and your family affec@@ ted ?
What do we learn from Jehovah’s judg@@ ment of S@@ od@@ om and G@@ om@@ or@@ ra@@ h ?
( Read 2 Peter 2 : 6 - 8 . )
( Read Psalm 4@@ 6 : 8 , 9 . )
What are some things that will be g@@ one for@@ ever after Ar@@ mag@@ ed@@ d@@ on ?
I@@ l@@ l@@ ustr@@ ate . ( b ) How can we be sure that we will remain after this old world is g@@ one ?
“ W@@ I@@ L@@ L the Jud@@ ge of all the earth not do what is right ? ”
Because Jehovah is the great@@ est example of justice and righteousness .
Christians exp@@ ect to experience some in@@ justice ou@@ ts@@ ide the Christian congregation .
In 194@@ 6 , he att@@ ended the e@@ igh@@ th cl@@ ass of G@@ il@@ ead S@@ chool in New York , U.@@ S@@ .@@ A .
After gra@@ du@@ ation , he was ev@@ ent@@ ually ass@@ igned to the circ@@ u@@ it work in S@@ wit@@ z@@ er@@ land .
What exam@@ ples will we consider in this article and in the next ?
In this article , we will consider Abra@@ ham@@ ’s great - gr@@ and@@ son Josep@@ h and his experience with his brothers .
10 , 11 . ( a ) What in@@ jus@@ tic@@ es did Josep@@ h experience ?
( Read Matthew 5 : 23 , 24 ; 18 : 15 . )
Lo@@ y@@ al@@ ty to Jehovah and to our brothers will prot@@ ect us from making such a mis@@ take .
M@@ ost important , he did not al@@ low the im@@ per@@ fec@@ tions and wrong ac@@ tions of others to se@@ par@@ ate him from Jehovah .
Why should we dra@@ w even clos@@ er to Jehovah if we experience in@@ justice in the congregation ?
How can we show that we have conf@@ idence in “ the Jud@@ ge of all the earth ” ?
See W@@ ill@@ i D@@ i@@ e@@ h@@ l@@ ’s life st@@ ory , “ Jehovah Is My God , in W@@ ho@@ m I W@@ ill Tr@@ ust , ” in the N@@ ov@@ ember 1 , 199@@ 1 , is@@ sue of The Watchtower .
( See op@@ ening pic@@ tur@@ es . ) ( b ) What questions will be answ@@ ered in this article ?
They are exc@@ ell@@ ent exam@@ ples for men and women today who cho@@ ose to make v@@ ow@@ s to Jehovah .
How serious is it to make a v@@ ow to God ?
What less@@ ons can we learn from Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and H@@ an@@ na@@ h ?
2 , 3 . ( a ) What is a v@@ ow ?
( b ) What do the Scriptures say about making v@@ ow@@ s to God ?
( a ) How serious is it to make a v@@ ow to God ?
( b ) What do we want to learn about Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and H@@ an@@ na@@ h ?
( a ) How eas@@ y was it for Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah and his daugh@@ ter to pa@@ y his v@@ ow to God ?
Je@@ ph@@ th@@ ah said : “ I have op@@ ened my m@@ outh to Jehovah , and I am un@@ able to turn back . ”
( b ) What did H@@ an@@ na@@ h’s v@@ ow mean for Samu@@ el ?
She took Samu@@ el to H@@ igh P@@ ri@@ est El@@ i at the t@@ ab@@ ern@@ ac@@ le in S@@ hil@@ o@@ h and said : “ It was for this bo@@ y that I pray@@ ed , and Jehovah gr@@ an@@ ted my p@@ et@@ ition that I asked of him .
The second most important v@@ ow that a person can make is the marriage v@@ ow .
What does the Bible say about div@@ or@@ ce and se@@ par@@ ation ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 7 : 10 , 11 . )
One cou@@ ple said : “ Since we have been stud@@ ying this bro@@ ch@@ ure , our marriage has been happ@@ i@@ er than ever . ”
We are doing much better now as a cou@@ ple . ”
18 , 19 . ( a ) What have many Christian parents done ?
( b ) What can be said about those who are in special full - time service ?
S@@ pec@@ ial full - time service v@@ ow ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 19 )
It is not the people but their ass@@ ign@@ ments that are vie@@ wed as special .
See the A@@ p@@ p@@ end@@ i@@ x article “ The Bib@@ le@@ ʼ@@ s V@@ i@@ e@@ w on D@@ iv@@ or@@ ce and Se@@ par@@ ation ” in the book “ K@@ eep Y@@ ourselves in God@@ ʼ@@ s L@@ ove . ”
Does the Al@@ m@@ igh@@ ty care that you are righteous , or does he ga@@ in any@@ thing because you follow the course of in@@ te@@ gr@@ ity ? ”
( b ) How did Israel de@@ fe@@ at J@@ ab@@ in@@ ’s ar@@ my ?
( Read Jud@@ ges 4 : 14 - 16 . )
The tor@@ r@@ ent of K@@ is@@ ho@@ n w@@ ash@@ ed them away . ”
See the article “ An@@ x@@ i@@ ety Ab@@ out M@@ on@@ ey ” in the J@@ u@@ ly 1 , 20@@ 15 , is@@ sue of The Watchtower .
1 , 2 . ( a ) What in@@ justice did N@@ ab@@ oth and his sons experience ?
( b ) What two qualities will we consider in this article ?
What kind of man was N@@ ab@@ oth , and why did he ref@@ use to sel@@ l his v@@ in@@ e@@ y@@ ard to King A@@ ha@@ b ?
N@@ ab@@ oth was faithful to Jehovah at a time when most Israelites were following the bad example of King A@@ ha@@ b and his wife , wicked Q@@ u@@ e@@ en Je@@ z@@ e@@ be@@ l .
Read 1 K@@ ings 21 : 1 - 3 .
He resp@@ ec@@ t@@ fully expl@@ ained : “ It is un@@ thin@@ k@@ able , from Jehovah’s stand@@ point , for me to give you the in@@ her@@ it@@ ance of my for@@ ef@@ a@@ thers . ”
Why would hum@@ ility have been a protec@@ tion to N@@ ab@@ o@@ th@@ ’s family and friends ?
( Read De@@ ut@@ er@@ onom@@ y 32 : 3 , 4 . )
( b ) In what ways will hum@@ ility prot@@ ect us ?
How will you resp@@ ond if the elders ann@@ oun@@ ce a decis@@ ion that you do not ag@@ ree with ?
What account will we now consider , and why ?
How was Peter cor@@ rec@@ ted , and what questions ar@@ ise ?
In fact , he was later inspired to wr@@ ite two let@@ ters that became part of the Bible .
3 H@@ el@@ p@@ ing “ F@@ ore@@ ign R@@ es@@ id@@ ents ” to “ Ser@@ ve Jehovah With Re@@ jo@@ ic@@ ing ”
The second article consid@@ ers how appl@@ ying Bible principles will help im@@ mig@@ r@@ ant parents to make decis@@ ions that will benefit their children .
“ We could see people run@@ ning , sho@@ ot@@ ing .
My parents and 11 of us s@@ ib@@ l@@ ings fl@@ ed for our lives with only the clo@@ th@@ es on our b@@ ac@@ ks .
How did Jesus and many of his disciples become re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ es ?
He said : “ When they persec@@ ute you in one city , f@@ le@@ e to another . ”
( b ) are living in a cam@@ p ?
My fe@@ et were so s@@ w@@ ol@@ l@@ en that I told my family to go on without me .
My father ​ — not about to ab@@ and@@ on me to the re@@ be@@ l for@@ ces — ​ car@@ ri@@ ed me .
They g@@ os@@ s@@ ip@@ ed , d@@ ran@@ k , g@@ amb@@ led , st@@ o@@ le , and were im@@ moral . ”
( Read 1 John 3 : 17 , 18 . )
( b ) Why do they need our pati@@ ent help ?
They need to see that we care about them .
( b ) How can re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ es show gr@@ at@@ itude ?
How can we help our brothers and sisters who are re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ es ?
( a ) What t@@ emp@@ tation do re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ es need to res@@ ist ?
F@@ in@@ ally , he held up the emp@@ ty b@@ a@@ g and said with a sm@@ ile : ‘ You see ?
This is all you need ! ’ ” ​ — Read 1 Timothy 6 : 8 .
They need to sense Jehovah’s love and com@@ pas@@ sion among their fellow Christians .
Many of t@@ od@@ ay@@ ’s re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ es come from countries where our preaching work is res@@ tr@@ ic@@ ted .
She said : “ The brothers there tre@@ ated them like close rel@@ at@@ ives , prov@@ id@@ ing food , clo@@ th@@ es , sh@@ el@@ ter , and tr@@ an@@ sp@@ or@@ tation .
Who el@@ se would w@@ el@@ come str@@ ang@@ ers into their home just because they worship the same God ?
On@@ ly Jehovah’s Witnesses ! ” ​ — Read John 13 : 35 .
As soon as possible after a re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ e arr@@ ives , elders should follow the direc@@ tion in Or@@ gan@@ ized to Do Jehovah’s W@@ ill , chap@@ ter 8 , par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 30 .
In the mean@@ time , they can ask disc@@ re@@ et questions about a re@@ fu@@ g@@ e@@ e’s congregation and ministry to disc@@ ern his spiritual cond@@ ition .
“ No greater joy do I have than this : that I should he@@ ar that my children go on wal@@ king in the truth . ” ​ — 3 J@@ O@@ H@@ N 4 .
How can parents set a good example for their children ?
How can family head@@ s dec@@ ide which language congregation the family will att@@ end ?
How can others help im@@ mig@@ r@@ ant parents and their children ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What problem do many im@@ mig@@ r@@ ant children experience ?
( b ) What questions will this article discus@@ s ?
“ But after I started school , I began to pre@@ fer the local language .
W@@ ith@@ in a few years , the sh@@ if@@ t was compl@@ ete .
I cou@@ ld@@ n’t understand the meetings , and I d@@ id@@ n’t id@@ entif@@ y with my parents ’ cul@@ ture . ”
3 , 4 . ( a ) How can parents set a good example for their children ?
( b ) What should parents not exp@@ ect of their children ?
When your children see you “ se@@ ek@@ ing first the Kingdom , ” they learn to dep@@ end on Jehovah for their da@@ ily needs .
N@@ ever get so bus@@ y that you do not have time for your children .
How may your children benefit from lear@@ ning your language ?
Par@@ ents , if that describ@@ es your children , can you learn at le@@ ast some of the local language ?
A child who commun@@ ic@@ ates best in another spok@@ en language des@@ er@@ ves the same concer@@ n , would you not ag@@ ree ?
If that is your situation , you can still help your children to come to know and love Jehovah .
“ But when we saw her stud@@ ying , pra@@ ying , and doing her best to conduct family worship every we@@ ek , we under@@ st@@ ood that g@@ etting to know Jehovah was very important . ”
How can parents help children who may need to study in two langu@@ ages ?
( a ) Who must dec@@ ide which language congregation to att@@ end ?
That may not be the case when children do not fully understand the language .
( Read 1 Corinthians 14 : 9 , 11 . )
The answer was not what we person@@ ally found conv@@ en@@ i@@ ent .
But when we saw that they were g@@ etting little benefit from the meetings in our language , we dec@@ ided to m@@ ove to the local - language congregation .
T@@ og@@ ether , we reg@@ ularly att@@ ended meetings and sh@@ ared in the ministry .
We also inv@@ ited local friends to jo@@ in us for me@@ als and exc@@ ur@@ s@@ ions .
All of this helped our children to get to know the brothers and to get to know Jehovah , not only as their God but also as their Father and F@@ ri@@ end .
We consid@@ ered this to be much more important than their mas@@ ter@@ ing our language . ”
Samu@@ el ad@@ ds : “ To keep ourselves spiritually strong , my wife and I also att@@ ended meetings in our language .
L@@ ife was very bus@@ y , and we were tir@@ ed .
But we than@@ k Jehovah for bless@@ ing our ef@@ forts and sacrif@@ ices .
Our three children are all serving Jehovah in the full - time ministry . ”
“ I knew the bas@@ ics of my parents ’ language , but the language spok@@ en at the meetings was over my head , ” rec@@ all@@ s Krist@@ ina .
“ When I was 12 , I att@@ ended a conv@@ ention in my school language .
For the first time , I under@@ st@@ ood that what I was hear@@ ing was the truth !
Ano@@ ther tur@@ ning point came when I began to pray in my school language .
I could speak to Jehovah from my heart ! ”
Y@@ oun@@ g people , do you think that you would pre@@ fer being part of a local - language congregation ?
“ When my s@@ ib@@ l@@ ings and I got into our te@@ ens , we wanted to s@@ wit@@ ch to the local - language congregation , ” says N@@ ad@@ ia , who now serv@@ es at Be@@ the@@ l .
“ Now we@@ ’@@ r@@ e gr@@ at@@ eful that our parents wor@@ ked hard to teach us their language and kept us in the for@@ e@@ ign - language congregation .
It has en@@ rich@@ ed our lives and bro@@ ad@@ ened our opport@@ un@@ ities to help others get to know Jehovah . ”
( b ) How can parents get help in teaching their children the truth ?
( Read Proverbs 1 : 8 ; 31 : 10 , 27 , 28 . )
St@@ ill , parents who do not know the local language may need help to re@@ ach their child@@ r@@ en@@ ’s heart .
B@@ oth children and parents benefit from associ@@ ation with the congregation ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 18 , 19 )
( b ) What must parents continue to do ?
“ When they helped me with stud@@ ent talk ass@@ ign@@ ments for the meet@@ ing , I always learned more .
And I enjo@@ yed the le@@ is@@ ure activ@@ ities we sh@@ ared in as a group . ”
Par@@ ents , pray to Jehovah for help , and try your best .
( Read 2 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 15 : 7 . )
P@@ ut your child@@ ’s fri@@ end@@ ship with Jehovah a@@ head of your own inter@@ ests .
But it w@@ as@@ n’t until 194@@ 6 that I really under@@ st@@ ood Bible truth .
Ev@@ ent@@ ually , I learned s@@ ign language and had fu@@ n pl@@ ay@@ ing with the other children .
She accep@@ ted a magaz@@ ine sub@@ s@@ crip@@ tion and wanted me to me@@ et her husband , G@@ ary .
Ev@@ ent@@ ually , f@@ ive from their cl@@ ass became Jehovah’s Witnesses .
At that time , she gave me a p@@ i@@ ec@@ e of c@@ and@@ y and asked if we could be friends .
When she wanted to get baptized , her parents told her , “ Bec@@ ome one of Jehovah’s Witnesses , and you will have to leave our home ! ”
She continu@@ ed her study and later got baptized .
When we got married in 19@@ 60 , her parents did not come to our wed@@ ding .
My son N@@ ich@@ ol@@ as and his wife , De@@ bor@@ ah , serve at L@@ ond@@ on Be@@ the@@ l
F@@ a@@ ye and James , Jer@@ ry and Ev@@ el@@ y@@ n , S@@ han@@ n@@ an and St@@ even
We are now part of the C@@ al@@ g@@ ary S@@ ign - L@@ angu@@ age C@@ ong@@ reg@@ ation , where I continue to serve as an eld@@ er .
How can we keep our love for Jehovah strong ?
How can we de@@ ep@@ en our love for Bible truth ?
Why is it important to have affec@@ tion for our brothers ?
What may have ca@@ used the love of some Christians to g@@ row c@@ old ?
Pe@@ ople today have less and less love for God .
S@@ how love for Jehovah ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 10 )
( Read Psalm 1@@ 19 : 9@@ 7 - 1@@ 00 . )
S@@ how love for Bible truth ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 14 )
On his last night on earth , Jesus said to his disciples : “ I am giving you a new command@@ ment , that you love one another ; just as I have loved you , you also love one another .
By this all will know that you are my disciples ​ — if you have love among your@@ selves . ” ​ — John 13 : 34 , 35 .
The apostle John wrote : “ The one who does not love his brother , whom he has seen , cannot love God , whom he has not seen . ”
S@@ how love for the brothers and sisters ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 17 )
What are some ways in which we can show love ?
Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 4 : 9 , 10 .
“ Sim@@ on son of John , do you love me more than these ? ” ​ — J@@ O@@ H@@ N 21 : 15 .
Then he said to them : “ ‘ C@@ ast the ne@@ t on the right s@@ ide of the bo@@ at and you will find some . ’
So they c@@ ast it , but they were not able to ha@@ ul it in because of the large number of f@@ ish . ” ​ — John 21 : 1 - 6 .
( b ) What valu@@ able less@@ on did a brother in T@@ ha@@ il@@ and learn about his work ?
As a result , it left me al@@ most no time for spiritual matters .
I fin@@ ally real@@ ized that in order to put Kingdom inter@@ ests first , I needed to change my line of work . ”
“ After pl@@ an@@ ning for about a year , ” he expl@@ ained , “ I dec@@ ided to become a st@@ re@@ et v@@ end@@ or and sel@@ l ice cre@@ am .
In the beg@@ in@@ ning , I str@@ ug@@ g@@ led fin@@ anci@@ ally and got dis@@ courag@@ ed .
When I me@@ t my form@@ er work@@ mat@@ es , they would la@@ ug@@ h at me and ask why I thought sel@@ ling ice cre@@ am was better than working with com@@ put@@ ers in an ai@@ r - cond@@ it@@ ion@@ ed en@@ vir@@ on@@ ment .
I pray@@ ed to Jehovah , as@@ king him to help me to c@@ ope and to re@@ ach my go@@ al of having more time for spiritual activ@@ ities .
I got better ac@@ qu@@ ain@@ ted with my c@@ ust@@ om@@ ers ’ t@@ ast@@ es and became more sk@@ ill@@ ful in making ice cre@@ am .
So@@ on , I was sel@@ ling all my ice cre@@ am every day .
Ac@@ t@@ ually , I was better - off fin@@ anci@@ ally than when I wor@@ ked with com@@ put@@ ers .
It has made me happ@@ i@@ er because I do not have the str@@ ess and wor@@ ry that I had with my form@@ er jo@@ b .
And most important , I now feel clos@@ er to Jehovah . ” ​ — Read Matthew 5 : 3 , 6 .
After his bap@@ tis@@ m , he said : “ The only reg@@ re@@ t I have is that I lost so much time before I real@@ ized that serving Jehovah br@@ ings far more happiness than pur@@ su@@ ing the ent@@ er@@ tain@@ ment offer@@ ed by this world . ”
Jesus st@@ ated that “ no one can slave for two mas@@ ters . ”
He add@@ ed : “ You cannot slave for God and for R@@ ich@@ es . ”
( Read 1 Corinthians 2 : 14 . )
See the article “ Is Your R@@ ec@@ re@@ ation B@@ en@@ ef@@ ic@@ ial ? ”
We also sh@@ ared reg@@ ularly in the fi@@ eld ministry . ”
We were so sa@@ d to leave our Bible stud@@ ents be@@ h@@ ind . ”
But then , a mon@@ th later , they received thr@@ ill@@ ing news .
M@@ ir@@ i@@ am says : “ We were inv@@ ited to serve as special pione@@ ers .
What a joy to be able to st@@ ay in our ass@@ ign@@ ment ! ”
They tr@@ us@@ ted in the promise found at Psalm 37 : 5 : “ Com@@ m@@ it your way to Jehovah ; re@@ ly on him , and he will act in your be@@ half . ”
Today we do , and we l@@ ack nothing of real import@@ ance . ”
Why can we exp@@ ect that marriage and family life will invol@@ ve some tr@@ ials ?
We can be sure that he wan@@ ts the best for us , as he did for his servants in the past . ​ — Read Jerem@@ iah 29 : 11 , 12 .
( Read 1 Samu@@ el 1 : 4 - 7 . )
“ Even though An@@ n was not rel@@ ated to me , I found her loving concer@@ n to be such a help , ” Paul@@ a expl@@ ains .
“ It helped me to keep serving Jehovah . ”
( Read Psalm 14@@ 5 : 18 , 19 . )
“ Wh@@ ere your t@@ reas@@ ure is , there your hearts will be also . ” ​ — L@@ U@@ K@@ E 12 : 34 .
As we do so , med@@ it@@ ate on how you person@@ ally can de@@ ep@@ en your love for these spiritual t@@ reas@@ ur@@ es .
Can you im@@ ag@@ ine how prec@@ ious that pe@@ ar@@ l was to him ?
( Read Mar@@ k 10 : 28 - 30 . )
( a ) Why did the apostle Paul describ@@ e our ministry as a “ t@@ reas@@ ure in ear@@ then v@@ es@@ sel@@ s ” ?
( Read Romans 1 : 14 , 15 ; 2 Timothy 4 : 2 . )
Some of them serve as Be@@ th@@ el@@ ites , pione@@ ers , and elders .
I@@ r@@ ene says , “ When I think of other go@@ als I could have pur@@ su@@ ed , I can@@ ’t im@@ ag@@ ine one that would have brought me more joy . ”
What is the “ t@@ reas@@ ure st@@ ore ” that Jesus refer@@ red to at Matthew 13 : 5@@ 2 , and how do we f@@ ill it ?
( Read Proverbs 2 : 4 - 7 . )
Consider the experience of a brother nam@@ ed Peter .
To t@@ est Peter , the r@@ ab@@ b@@ i asked , “ So , my bo@@ y , what language was the book of Dan@@ iel written in ? ”
When I went home and ch@@ ec@@ ked the Watchtower and A@@ wake !
magaz@@ ines from the pre@@ v@@ ious months , I found an article expl@@ aining that Dan@@ iel was written in Ar@@ am@@ ai@@ c . ”
As you do this , you will bu@@ ild up “ t@@ reas@@ ure in the heav@@ ens , where no th@@ i@@ ef g@@ ets near and no m@@ oth cons@@ um@@ es .
For where your t@@ reas@@ ure is , there your hearts will be also . ” ​ — Luke 12 : 33 , 34 .
“ I had tr@@ oub@@ le g@@ etting along with a brother who wor@@ ked with me .
On@@ ce when we were y@@ ell@@ ing at each other , two people came in and wit@@ nes@@ sed our b@@ low@@ up . ” ​ — CH@@ R@@ I@@ S .
“ A s@@ ister with whom I often pre@@ ached s@@ ud@@ d@@ enly ended our arrang@@ ements for the ministry .
I had no ide@@ a why . ” ​ — J@@ AN@@ E@@ T .
“ I was on a three - person ph@@ one c@@ all .
One of the others said good - b@@ ye , and I thought he was off the line .
I then said un@@ kind things about him to the other person on the ph@@ one , but the first person had not hun@@ g up . ” ​ — M@@ I@@ CH@@ A@@ E@@ L .
“ In our congregation , two pione@@ ers began having problems .
Their b@@ ick@@ ering was dis@@ courag@@ ing to others . ” ​ — G@@ AR@@ Y .
“ Do not become up@@ set with one another on the way . ”
“ P@@ l@@ ans fai@@ l when there is no con@@ su@@ l@@ tation . ”
M@@ ich@@ a@@ el says , “ My brother gen@@ u@@ in@@ ely for@@ gave me . ”
“ Con@@ tin@@ ue put@@ ting up with one another and for@@ giving one another fre@@ ely even if anyone has a cause for compl@@ ain@@ t against another . ”
Now they get along well as they pre@@ ach the good news .
That differ@@ ence may se@@ em un@@ important ; yet , it can lead to serious problems . ”
As my ir@@ rit@@ ation gre@@ w , I started being cur@@ t with her .
I thought , ‘ She does not show me the respect I des@@ er@@ ve , so I am not going to show her respect . ’ ”
“ I began se@@ e@@ ing my own person@@ ality fl@@ a@@ ws , and I was very dis@@ appoin@@ ted in my@@ self .
I real@@ ized that I had to ad@@ just my thinking .
After pra@@ ying to Jehovah about the matter , I b@@ ought the s@@ ister a small gif@@ t and wrote her a c@@ ard to ap@@ olog@@ ize for my bad attitude .
We h@@ ug@@ ged each other and ag@@ re@@ ed to put the matter be@@ h@@ ind us .
We have not had any more problems . ”
F@@ O@@ R many people today , money is the bi@@ g is@@ sue .
Why must the is@@ sue of s@@ over@@ e@@ ign@@ ty be s@@ et@@ t@@ led ?
How important is the v@@ ind@@ ication of Jehovah’s s@@ over@@ e@@ ign@@ ty ?
Why , from the day our for@@ ef@@ a@@ thers f@@ ell as@@ le@@ ep in death , all things are continu@@ ing ex@@ act@@ ly as they were from cre@@ ation@@ ’s beg@@ in@@ ning . ”
( Read Isaiah 5@@ 5 : 10 , 11 . )
( Read Job 1 : 7 - 12 . )
( Read Job 38 : 18 - 21 . )
( Read Romans 5 : 3 - 5 . )
One reason is that he rul@@ es with love .
He car@@ es for us better than we can care for ourselves .
How can elders and family head@@ s imit@@ ate Jehovah ?
Psalm 14@@ 7 re@@ pe@@ at@@ edly encourag@@ es God’s people to pra@@ ise Jehovah .
What was it about Jehovah that im@@ pres@@ sed the p@@ sal@@ mis@@ t so much that he wanted God to be pra@@ ised ?
Many young brothers and sisters are z@@ eal@@ ously ent@@ ering the full - time service .
“ M@@ ake friends for your@@ selves by means of the un@@ righteous rich@@ es . ” ​ — L@@ U@@ K@@ E 16 : 9 .
How can we avoid becom@@ ing sl@@ av@@ es of t@@ od@@ ay@@ ’s comm@@ er@@ ci@@ al world ?
In this system of things , why will there always be some po@@ or people ?
What can we learn from Jesus ’ counsel ?
How do we know that t@@ od@@ ay@@ ’s comm@@ er@@ ci@@ al system was not part of God’s purpose ?
G@@ ive exam@@ ples of how some are sho@@ wing faith@@ ful@@ ness in their use of un@@ righteous rich@@ es .
I am more gener@@ ous in being for@@ giving , in being pati@@ ent with others , and in being able to accept dis@@ appoin@@ t@@ ments and counsel . ”
How did Abraham show that he tr@@ us@@ ted in God ?
( b ) How can we app@@ ly Paul’s counsel today ?
After call@@ ing Timothy “ a fine sol@@ di@@ er of Christ Jesus , ” Paul told him : “ No man serving as a sol@@ di@@ er invol@@ ves himself in the comm@@ er@@ ci@@ al bus@@ in@@ ess@@ es of life , in order to ga@@ in the appro@@ val of the one who en@@ ro@@ l@@ led him as a sol@@ di@@ er . ”
Jehovah bless@@ es those who are “ r@@ ich in fine works . ”
H@@ igh - qu@@ ality mater@@ ials of wo@@ od , st@@ one , and m@@ et@@ al will be fre@@ ely ava@@ il@@ able to bu@@ ild be@@ au@@ ti@@ ful hom@@ es .
To don@@ ate on@@ line , go to j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g and cl@@ ick the “ M@@ ake a D@@ on@@ ation to Our Wor@@ ld@@ wide Wor@@ k ” l@@ in@@ k near the b@@ ot@@ to@@ m of any page .
“ F@@ O@@ R al@@ most a year after the death of our son , we felt de@@ ep and exc@@ ru@@ ci@@ ating pain , ” said S@@ us@@ i .
E@@ very sing@@ le time , the peace of God truly gu@@ ard@@ ed our hearts and m@@ ind@@ s . ” ​ — Read Phil@@ ipp@@ ians 4 : 6 , 7 .
How did Jesus show em@@ pa@@ thy when L@@ az@@ ar@@ us died ?
If you are g@@ ri@@ ev@@ ing , you too can find so@@ o@@ thing com@@ fort from such s@@ criptur@@ es as the following :
( Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 5 : 11 . )
What do we need to rem@@ ember about g@@ ri@@ ef ?
Even when someone does expres@@ s how he feel@@ s , it is not always eas@@ y for others to understand what he is tr@@ ying to say .
At that m@@ om@@ ent , I don@@ ’t feel qu@@ ite so alone in my g@@ ri@@ ef . ”
“ R@@ ec@@ e@@ iving a sh@@ ort encourag@@ ing message or an inv@@ it@@ ation to sp@@ end time with a fellow Christian help@@ s me more than I can say , ” says J@@ un@@ ia .
“ Those expres@@ s@@ ions make me feel loved and car@@ ed for . ”
“ S@@ om@@ etimes when sisters have come to com@@ fort me , ” rec@@ all@@ s D@@ al@@ ene , “ I have asked them if they are will@@ ing to say a prayer .
They star@@ t pra@@ ying , often b@@ att@@ ling to speak at first , but every time , within a few s@@ ent@@ ences , their vo@@ ice g@@ ets str@@ ong@@ er and they say the most hear@@ t@@ felt prayer .
Their strong faith , their love , and their concer@@ n have been very faith - streng@@ th@@ ening . ”
“ A true friend shows love at all times , and is a brother who is born for times of distr@@ ess . ”
“ I expec@@ ted my first wed@@ ding ann@@ ivers@@ ary to be very tr@@ a@@ um@@ ati@@ c , ” rel@@ ates one brother , “ and it was not eas@@ y .
But a few brothers and sisters pl@@ an@@ ned a small ga@@ ther@@ ing of my clos@@ est friends so that I w@@ ou@@ ld@@ n’t be on my own . ”
“ O@@ f@@ ten the help and compan@@ ion@@ ship offer@@ ed when there is no special ann@@ ivers@@ ary can be very benef@@ ic@@ ial , ” expl@@ ains J@@ un@@ ia .
“ Those sp@@ on@@ t@@ an@@ e@@ ous m@@ om@@ ents are so valu@@ able and bring much com@@ fort . ”
They have truly made me feel Jehovah’s loving ar@@ ms around me . ”
Why are Jehovah’s prom@@ ises a sour@@ ce of great com@@ fort ?
God prom@@ ises that “ he will do away with death for@@ ever , and the S@@ over@@ e@@ ign Lord Jehovah will w@@ ip@@ e away the t@@ ears from all fac@@ es . ”
O@@ ther s@@ criptur@@ es that many have found com@@ for@@ ting are Psalm 20 : 1 , 2 ; 31 : 7 ; 38 : 8 , 9 , 15 ; 5@@ 5 : 22 ; 1@@ 21 : 1 , 2 ; Isaiah 5@@ 7 : 15 ; 6@@ 6 : 13 ; Phil@@ ipp@@ ians 4 : 13 ; and 1 Peter 5 : 7 .
See also the article “ Com@@ fort the B@@ er@@ e@@ av@@ ed , as Jesus D@@ id ” in the N@@ ov@@ ember 1 , 20@@ 10 , is@@ sue of The Watchtower .
“ We don@@ ’t know what to say exc@@ ept that we love you .
We can@@ ’t understand ex@@ act@@ ly how you feel , but Jehovah does and will keep ra@@ is@@ ing you up .
We hope that our pray@@ ers will help a little . ”
“ May Jehovah s@@ us@@ tain you at this time of such great l@@ oss . ”
“ May you find com@@ fort in know@@ ing that your de@@ ar one is sa@@ f@@ e in the m@@ em@@ ory of God , who will rem@@ ember every det@@ ai@@ l about him and bring him back again . ”
“ Your loved one will never have to face the last enem@@ y , death , ever again .
In the mean@@ time , his ac@@ ts of faith live on until he stand@@ s up al@@ ive and whole in the Par@@ adise . ”
“ While words fai@@ l to cap@@ ture the pain of l@@ os@@ ing a loved one , we look for@@ ward to the time when words will fai@@ l to cap@@ ture the joy of having our heavenly Father return your de@@ ar one to you . ”
During the great trib@@ ulation , Christians will re@@ ly on Jehovah and not try to de@@ f@@ end themselves
In an ap@@ ple or@@ ch@@ ard in G@@ r@@ ó@@ j@@ e@@ c , a publ@@ ish@@ er sh@@ ar@@ es the Bib@@ le’s message with one of the work@@ ers
( b ) What can we learn from stud@@ ying Psalm 14@@ 7 ?
And there may be tr@@ ill@@ ions of g@@ al@@ a@@ x@@ ies in the un@@ iver@@ se !
I want you to enjoy your life as one of my Witnesses ! ”
( Read Psalm 14@@ 7 : 8 , 9 . )
Mut@@ su@@ o says : “ I felt that Jehovah was right next to each one of us and car@@ ing for us .
12 , 13 . ( a ) To benefit from God’s help , what should we avoid ?
On the other hand , God “ hur@@ ls the wicked to the gr@@ ound . ”
“ Jehovah f@@ ind@@ s pleas@@ ure in those who fear him , in those wa@@ iting for his loy@@ al love . ”
15 - 17 . ( a ) How might we at times feel about our tr@@ ials , but how does Jehovah use his Word to help us ?
Today , Jehovah gu@@ ides us with his Word , the Bible .
( Read Psalm 14@@ 7 : 19 , 20 . )
What pl@@ ans can lead to a happy future for you ?
What could a life in the pioneer service lead to ?
Y@@ O@@ U young ones will prob@@ ably ag@@ ree that before star@@ ting a j@@ our@@ ne@@ y , it is wise to pl@@ an where you will go .
L@@ ife is like a j@@ our@@ ne@@ y , and the time to pl@@ an where you want to go is when you are young .
How do you know that Jehovah wan@@ ts you to pl@@ an for a happy future ?
Your Creator is “ the God of love , ” “ the happy God , ” who made humans “ in his im@@ age . ”
You will be happy when you imit@@ ate our loving God .
Jesus Christ set the perfect example for you young ones .
Jesus also d@@ re@@ w close to Jehovah by stud@@ ying the Scriptures .
“ P@@ l@@ ans fai@@ l when there is no con@@ su@@ l@@ tation , but there is ac@@ compl@@ ish@@ ment through many ad@@ vis@@ ers . ”
As with any car@@ e@@ er , you need time to become sk@@ ill@@ ed .
At first , I cou@@ ld@@ n’t star@@ t any Bible stud@@ ies , but later I moved to another ter@@ rit@@ ory , and within a mon@@ th I started sever@@ al stud@@ ies .
One stud@@ ent began coming to the Kingdom H@@ all .
For example , J@@ ac@@ o@@ b , from N@@ or@@ th America , wr@@ ites : “ When I was s@@ even , many of my cl@@ ass@@ mat@@ es were V@@ i@@ et@@ nam@@ ese .
I wanted to tell them about Jehovah , so after a while I made pl@@ ans to learn their language .
For the most part , I learned by com@@ par@@ ing the Eng@@ l@@ ish and V@@ i@@ et@@ nam@@ ese ed@@ itions of The Watchtower .
I also made friends in a ne@@ ar@@ by V@@ i@@ et@@ nam@@ ese - language congregation .
When I was 18 , I started pione@@ ering .
L@@ ater , I att@@ ended the Bible S@@ chool for S@@ ing@@ le Bro@@ thers .
This helped me with my present pioneer ass@@ ign@@ ment , where I am the only eld@@ er in a V@@ i@@ et@@ nam@@ ese - language group .
Many V@@ i@@ et@@ nam@@ ese people are am@@ az@@ ed that I have learned their language .
They inv@@ ite me in , and often I can study the Bible with them .
Some have pro@@ g@@ res@@ sed to bap@@ tis@@ m . ” ​ — Com@@ pare Acts 2 : 7 , 8 .
I enjoy encourag@@ ing the young brothers in our congregation and se@@ e@@ ing their spiritual pro@@ g@@ ress .
After I att@@ ended the Bible S@@ chool for S@@ ing@@ le Bro@@ thers , I received a new pioneer ass@@ ign@@ ment .
I@@ t@@ ’s true that I have never found anyone in the ter@@ rit@@ ory who pro@@ g@@ res@@ sed to bap@@ tis@@ m , but others have .
How may pioneer service lead to other opport@@ un@@ ities ?
A brother nam@@ ed K@@ ev@@ in says : “ E@@ ver since I was a little bo@@ y , I have wanted to serve Jehovah full - time som@@ ed@@ ay .
F@@ in@@ ally , I started pione@@ ering when I was 19 .
I sup@@ por@@ ted my@@ self working part - time for a brother who was a build@@ er .
I learned to inst@@ all ro@@ of@@ s , win@@ do@@ ws , and do@@ ors .
L@@ ater , I sp@@ ent two years with a hur@@ r@@ ic@@ ane reli@@ ef te@@ am , re@@ building Kingdom H@@ all@@ s and hom@@ es for the brothers .
When I heard about the con@@ struc@@ tion needs in South Africa , I appl@@ ied and was inv@@ ited to go .
Here in Africa , I m@@ ove from one Kingdom H@@ all pro@@ ject to another every few we@@ ek@@ s .
We live together , study the Bible together , and work together .
I also enjoy preaching with the local brothers each we@@ ek .
The pl@@ ans I made as a bo@@ y have made me happy in ways I did not for@@ es@@ e@@ e . ”
Be@@ the@@ l service is a happy way of life because every@@ thing you do there is for Jehovah .
After a year and a half , I was inv@@ ited to Be@@ the@@ l , where I learned to op@@ er@@ ate pr@@ in@@ ting pres@@ ses and later to do com@@ put@@ er pro@@ gr@@ am@@ m@@ ing .
At Be@@ the@@ l , I enjoy hear@@ ing fir@@ s@@ th@@ and about the pro@@ g@@ ress of the discip@@ le - making activ@@ ity world@@ wide .
I love serving here because what we do help@@ s people to dra@@ w close to Jehovah . ”
You can be sure that Jehovah wan@@ ts you to “ get a fir@@ m hold ” on a happy future .
( Read 1 Timothy 6 : 18 , 19 . )
Then pl@@ an to do what is pleas@@ ing to him .
He has stud@@ ied human be@@ hav@@ ior since man was cre@@ ated .
I@@ t@@ ’s something you have to find out for yourself . ”
and “ Do not let them lead you into dis@@ as@@ ter ! ”
Jesus said : “ Do not fear those who k@@ ill the body and after this are not able to do any@@ thing more . ”
Do not be struc@@ k with ter@@ ro@@ r or fear , for Jehovah your God is with you wh@@ er@@ ever you go . ”
L@@ ist@@ en to Jehovah and trust in him in all that you do .
The second article high@@ l@@ igh@@ ts how Jehovah can do the un@@ expec@@ ted by ac@@ compl@@ ish@@ ing things we could never im@@ ag@@ ine .
L@@ ike the far@@ m@@ er , we need to wa@@ it pati@@ ently .
What can we learn from the example of the prophet M@@ ic@@ ah ?
( Read M@@ ic@@ ah 7 : 1 - 3 . )
If we have faith like that of M@@ ic@@ ah , we will be will@@ ing to wa@@ it for Jehovah .
So we “ end@@ ure fully with pati@@ ence and joy . ”
Abraham had to wa@@ it many years before his gr@@ and@@ sons E@@ sa@@ u and J@@ ac@@ o@@ b were born ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 9 , 10 )
( Read Hebrews 11 : 8 - 12 . )
But just im@@ ag@@ ine Abra@@ ham@@ ’s joy when he is resurrec@@ ted back to a par@@ adise earth .
Although you me@@ ant to har@@ m me , God int@@ ended it to turn out well and to pres@@ er@@ ve many people al@@ ive , as he is doing today . ”
( b ) What helped David to wa@@ it pati@@ ently ?
I will sing to Jehovah , for he has rich@@ ly re@@ war@@ d@@ ed me . ”
( Read 2 Peter 3 : 9 . )
What will help us to be will@@ ing to wa@@ it pati@@ ently ?
What less@@ ons do we learn from what happ@@ ened to the apostle Paul in Phil@@ ipp@@ i ?
( Read Acts 16 : 8 - 10 . )
So@@ on after he arr@@ ived in M@@ ac@@ ed@@ on@@ ia , he ended up in pris@@ on !
Why did Jehovah al@@ low this to happ@@ en to Paul ?
B@@ oth he and S@@ il@@ as started “ pra@@ ying and pra@@ is@@ ing God with s@@ ong . ”
4 , 5 . ( a ) How could our situation be similar to that of Paul ?
( b ) How did Paul’s situation change un@@ expec@@ t@@ edly ?
What will we now discus@@ s and re@@ view together ?
( Read 1 Peter 5 : 6 , 7 . )
S@@ om@@ etimes he sur@@ pris@@ es us by doing the un@@ expec@@ ted .
Jehovah sent an ang@@ el to destro@@ y 18@@ 5@@ ,000 of S@@ en@@ n@@ ach@@ er@@ ib@@ ’s sol@@ di@@ ers in one night .
( a ) What less@@ on do we learn from what happ@@ ened to Josep@@ h ?
No doub@@ t Jehovah’s ac@@ tions exc@@ e@@ ed@@ ed all of Josep@@ h’s expec@@ t@@ ations .
Th@@ in@@ k , too , about Josep@@ h’s great - gr@@ and@@ mother S@@ ar@@ ah .
( Read Isaiah 4@@ 3 : 10 - 13 . )
We know that Jehovah car@@ es for us and wan@@ ts us to succ@@ eed .
How can we str@@ ip off and keep off the old person@@ ality ?
By 19@@ 39 there were 6@@ ,000 of them in the [ conc@@ entr@@ ation cam@@ p@@ s ] . ”
And you people have cle@@ an@@ ed the st@@ ad@@ i@@ um so n@@ ic@@ ely .
But most of all , you are truly mu@@ l@@ tir@@ ac@@ ial . ”
But the more I had sex@@ ual rel@@ ations , the more in@@ sec@@ ure I felt . ”
This way of life continu@@ ed until Sa@@ kura was 23 years old .
It got so bad that I could not wa@@ it for the woman I was living with to leave the house so that I could wat@@ ch por@@ no@@ gr@@ ap@@ hi@@ c v@@ ide@@ o@@ s . ”
What helped St@@ ep@@ h@@ en to put away anger and ab@@ us@@ ive spe@@ ec@@ h ?
He says : “ Our family life im@@ proved d@@ ram@@ at@@ ically .
Today , St@@ ep@@ h@@ en serv@@ es as a minis@@ ter@@ ial servan@@ t , and his wife has been a reg@@ ular pioneer for sever@@ al years .
Bible t@@ ex@@ ts that encourag@@ ed me were Isaiah 5@@ 5 : 7 , which says : ‘ Let the wicked man leave his way , ’ and 1 Corinthians 6 : 11 , which says about those who had ab@@ and@@ oned sin@@ ful ways : ‘ And yet that is what some of you were . ’
For many years , Jehovah pati@@ ently helped me by means of his holy spirit to put on the new person@@ ality . ”
We also benefit from God’s Word and his holy spirit when we pre@@ pare for and att@@ end congregation meetings .
See chap@@ ter 25 in the book Q@@ u@@ es@@ tions Y@@ oun@@ g Pe@@ ople As@@ k ​ — An@@ s@@ w@@ ers That Wor@@ k , V@@ ol@@ ume 1 .
( Read Col@@ os@@ s@@ ians 3 : 10 - 14 . )
He st@@ ated : “ There is ne@@ ither Greek nor Je@@ w , circum@@ c@@ is@@ ion nor un@@ circum@@ c@@ is@@ ion , for@@ e@@ ign@@ er , S@@ cy@@ th@@ ian , slave , or fre@@ em@@ an . ”
( a ) How do servants of Jehovah need to tre@@ at others ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) What have been the resul@@ ts ?
Then he att@@ ended a meet@@ ing of Jehovah’s Witnesses .
You get to experience our world@@ wide bro@@ ther@@ ho@@ od and see its mir@@ ac@@ ul@@ ous unity fir@@ s@@ th@@ and . ”
When we showed them s@@ criptur@@ es from their P@@ or@@ t@@ ug@@ u@@ ese Bible , such as Revelation 21 : 3 , 4 or Psalm 37 : 10 , 11 , 29 , they pa@@ id attention and som@@ etimes even sh@@ ed t@@ ears . ”
We are so than@@ k@@ ful to Jehovah . ” ​ — Read Acts 10 : 34 , 35 .
What example did Jesus set in sho@@ wing m@@ ild@@ ness and pati@@ ence ?
Then he add@@ ed : “ If you continue sho@@ wing fav@@ or@@ it@@ ism , you are comm@@ it@@ ting sin . ”
Why is it important that we clo@@ the ourselves with love ?
L@@ ove is also “ pati@@ ent and kind ” and “ does not get p@@ uf@@ f@@ ed up . ”
Paul said that without love , he was “ nothing . ”
The love is in this respect , not that we have loved God , but that he loved us and sent his Son as a prop@@ iti@@ at@@ ory sacrifice for our sin@@ s . ”
Jesus said : “ No one has love greater than this , that someone should sur@@ r@@ end@@ er his life in be@@ half of his friends . ”
Let us consider how we can do so .
John wrote : “ L@@ it@@ tle children , we should love , not in word or with the t@@ ong@@ ue , but in de@@ ed and truth . ”
But then I asked my@@ self , ‘ How can I imit@@ ate Jesus in de@@ al@@ ing with this person ? ’
After refl@@ ec@@ ting on what Jesus would have done , I dec@@ ided to let the matter go and not make an is@@ sue of it .
L@@ ater , I learned that my co@@ work@@ er had been cop@@ ing with a serious health problem and was under a lo@@ t of str@@ ess .
I con@@ clud@@ ed that she prob@@ ably did not really mean what she wrote .
R@@ ef@@ l@@ ec@@ ting on Jesus ’ example of sho@@ wing love even when prov@@ ok@@ ed helped me to show similar love to my co@@ work@@ er . ”
By le@@ av@@ ing heaven , “ he emp@@ ti@@ ed himself ” in our be@@ half , even “ to the point of death . ”
P@@ E@@ A@@ C@@ E : “ P@@ ut@@ ting up with one another in love ” al@@ lo@@ ws us to enjoy “ the un@@ iting b@@ ond of peace . ”
W@@ ould you not ag@@ ree that such a pe@@ ac@@ eful spirit is truly un@@ i@@ qu@@ e in t@@ od@@ ay@@ ’s div@@ ided world ?
Paul wrote : “ L@@ ove bu@@ il@@ ds up . ”
The following day , they had out@@ g@@ ro@@ wn the v@@ en@@ ue . ”
B@@ el@@ ow the pic@@ ture was the cap@@ tion : “ In@@ vas@@ ion of the st@@ re@@ ets . ”
One congregation wrote , “ The only line that pas@@ ses near this place is a t@@ el@@ e@@ gr@@ ap@@ h line . ”
In M@@ ex@@ ic@@ o , 2@@ ,@@ 2@@ 6@@ 2@@ ,@@ 6@@ 4@@ 6 people att@@ ended the M@@ emor@@ ial in 20@@ 16 .
Matthe@@ w@@ ’s account fo@@ c@@ uses on ev@@ ents that involved Josep@@ h .
1 , 2 . ( a ) What can result from a l@@ ack of self - control ?
P@@ ra@@ y for wisdom to say or do the right thing .
How can you pre@@ pare yourself to res@@ ist t@@ emp@@ t@@ ations ?
What experience did one brother have , and why are our re@@ ac@@ tions in similar situ@@ ations important ?
In what ways can parents help their children to devel@@ op self - control ?
How can you help your children to devel@@ op self - control ?
( Read Ex@@ od@@ us 34 : 5 - 7 . )
( b ) Why should you be inter@@ ested in what the Bible says about com@@ pas@@ sion ?
( a ) Why did Jehovah s@@ end ang@@ els to S@@ od@@ om ?
( Read Ex@@ od@@ us 22 : 26 , 27 . )
We read : “ Jehovah the God of their for@@ ef@@ a@@ thers kept war@@ ning them by means of his mess@@ eng@@ ers , war@@ ning them again and again , because he felt com@@ pas@@ sion for his people and for his d@@ w@@ ell@@ ing place . ”
“ He started to teach them many things . ”
Inst@@ ead , we need to do all we can now to help people .
One meaning of com@@ pas@@ sion is “ to suf@@ fer together . ”
“ Be courag@@ e@@ ous and strong and go to work .
How can young ones and their parents show courage ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) What important ass@@ ign@@ ment did Solom@@ on receive ?
To succ@@ eed , Solom@@ on would need to be courag@@ e@@ ous and go to work .
What could Solom@@ on learn about courage from his father ?
( Read 1 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 28 : 20 . )
How did Jesus ’ courage af@@ fect the apostles ?
Let us consider two are@@ as of life where we need courage : in our family and in the congregation .
( b ) How can young ones imit@@ ate Moses ’ example ?
He will help them provide for the needs of their famil@@ ies .
She wr@@ ites : “ G@@ row@@ ing up , I was really sh@@ y .
I could b@@ ar@@ ely talk to people at the Kingdom H@@ all , much less kno@@ c@@ k on the do@@ ors of compl@@ ete str@@ ang@@ ers . ”
With the help of her parents and others in the congregation , this young Christian achi@@ ev@@ ed her go@@ al of becom@@ ing a reg@@ ular pioneer .
How can Psalm 37 : 25 and Hebrews 13 : 5 help parents ?
( Read Psalm 37 : 25 ; Hebrews 13 : 5 . )
A brother who has two children wrote : “ Many parents exp@@ end much ef@@ fort and res@@ our@@ ces help@@ ing their children re@@ ach go@@ als in such are@@ as as sp@@ or@@ ts , rec@@ re@@ ation , and educ@@ ation .
It makes so much more sense to exp@@ end ef@@ fort and res@@ our@@ ces in help@@ ing our children re@@ ach go@@ als that will help them to main@@ tain a good standing with Jehovah .
It has been a great sour@@ ce of satis@@ fac@@ tion not only to see our children re@@ ach spiritual go@@ als but to share the j@@ our@@ ne@@ y with them . ”
G@@ ive exam@@ ples of courage in the Christian congregation .
( a ) How can baptized brothers be courag@@ e@@ ous ?
( Read Phil@@ ipp@@ ians 2 : 13 ; 4 : 13 . )
We ur@@ ge all baptized brothers to be courag@@ e@@ ous and work hard for the congregation !
Th@@ er@@ efore , “ be courag@@ e@@ ous . . . and go to work . ”
1 , 2 . ( a ) What would life be like without the Bible ?
The apostle Peter qu@@ ot@@ ed Isaiah 40 : 8 .
( Read 1 Peter 1 : 24 , 25 . )
( a ) How do langu@@ ages change over time ?
( Read Revelation 14 : 6 , fo@@ ot@@ no@@ te . )
L@@ ater pr@@ int@@ ings also used the word “ L@@ OR@@ D ” in cap@@ ital let@@ ters in some ver@@ ses in the Christian Greek Scriptures .
Why are we gr@@ at@@ eful for the New World Tr@@ ans@@ l@@ ation ?
( b ) What is the Greek S@@ ep@@ t@@ u@@ ag@@ in@@ t ?
( Read Psalm 1@@ 19 : 1@@ 6@@ 2 - 1@@ 6@@ 5 . )
See the article “ Do You Ne@@ ed to L@@ ear@@ n Hebrew and Greek ? ”
in the N@@ ov@@ ember 1 , 200@@ 9 , is@@ sue of The Watchtower .
On A@@ pri@@ l 3 , 20@@ 17 , a Bible mu@@ se@@ um op@@ ened at our world head@@ qu@@ ar@@ ters in W@@ ar@@ wic@@ k , New York , U.@@ S@@ .@@ A .
The per@@ man@@ ent g@@ all@@ ery of this mu@@ se@@ um is ent@@ it@@ led “ The Bible and the D@@ iv@@ ine N@@ ame . ”
We inv@@ ite you to vis@@ it the Bible mu@@ se@@ um and the other mu@@ se@@ um@@ s loc@@ ated at head@@ qu@@ ar@@ ters .
P@@ le@@ ase go to w@@ w@@ w@@ .@@ j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g to make a res@@ er@@ v@@ ation for your vis@@ it .
Lo@@ ok under A@@ B@@ O@@ U@@ T U@@ S > O@@ F@@ F@@ I@@ C@@ E@@ S & T@@ O@@ U@@ R@@ S .
He read 2 Corinthians 1 : 3 , 4 , which says : “ The Father of t@@ end@@ er mer@@ c@@ ies and the God of all com@@ fort . . . com@@ forts us in all our tr@@ ials . ”
What responsib@@ ility do brothers who teach from the pl@@ at@@ form have ?
Are we not gr@@ at@@ eful to Jehovah for his written Word , the Bible ?
See the bo@@ x “ A T@@ ur@@ ning P@@ o@@ in@@ t . ”
T@@ ake time to expl@@ ain , illustr@@ ate , and app@@ ly ver@@ ses that you read
“ A tur@@ ning point came about 15 years after I was baptized .
During a talk at the Kingdom H@@ all . . . , the spe@@ ak@@ er refer@@ red to James 1 : 23 , 24 .
“ A few days later , I read a s@@ crip@@ ture that chang@@ ed my life .
The ver@@ se was Isaiah 1 : 18 , where Jehovah is qu@@ ot@@ ed as saying : ‘ C@@ ome , now , you people , and let us set matters str@@ ai@@ g@@ h@@ t between us . . . .
Th@@ ough the sin@@ s of you people should prove to be as s@@ car@@ let , they will be made wh@@ ite just like s@@ now . ’
I felt as if Jehovah were spe@@ aking to me , saying : ‘ C@@ ome on , V@@ ick@@ y , let@@ ’s set matters str@@ ai@@ g@@ h@@ t between us .
I know you , I know your sin@@ s , I know your heart ​ — and I love you . ’
“ I was un@@ able to s@@ le@@ ep that night .
Yet , I was , in ef@@ fect , saying to him : ‘ Your love is not great en@@ ough to re@@ ach me .
Your S@@ on@@ ’s sacrifice is not en@@ ough to c@@ over me . ’
But now , at last , by med@@ it@@ ating on this gif@@ t of the ran@@ so@@ m , I began to feel loved by Jehovah . ”
These ar@@ ti@@ cl@@ es discus@@ s Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ i@@ ah’s si@@ x@@ th , sev@@ ent@@ h , and e@@ igh@@ th vis@@ ions .
Fir@@ st , let me tell you about my b@@ ac@@ k@@ gr@@ ound .
I W@@ A@@ S born in 19@@ 23 in H@@ em@@ s@@ wor@@ th , a t@@ own in Yor@@ k@@ sh@@ ire , Eng@@ land .
The following year , I was appoin@@ ted as a special pioneer , along with M@@ ary H@@ en@@ shall .
We were sent to un@@ ass@@ igned ter@@ rit@@ ory in the coun@@ ty of Ch@@ es@@ h@@ ire .
It is a great joy to know that there are now many Witnesses in that are@@ a .
My brother and his wife , L@@ ot@@ ti@@ e , were already serving as special pione@@ ers in N@@ or@@ ther@@ n I@@ rel@@ and , and in 195@@ 2 the four of us att@@ ended a distr@@ ict conv@@ ention in B@@ el@@ f@@ ast .
That night the four of us s@@ le@@ p@@ t in the c@@ ar .
A@@ ma@@ z@@ ingly , we had no problem par@@ king the tr@@ a@@ il@@ er on the pro@@ per@@ ty of fri@@ end@@ ly far@@ m@@ ers .
We really enjo@@ yed our ass@@ ign@@ ment in the circ@@ u@@ it work .
The first inter@@ national conv@@ ention in I@@ rel@@ and was held in D@@ ubl@@ in in 19@@ 6@@ 5 .
A t@@ ot@@ al of 3@@ ,@@ 9@@ 4@@ 8 att@@ ended , and 6@@ 5 got baptized .
Ar@@ th@@ ur gre@@ et@@ ing Na@@ than K@@ nor@@ r on his ar@@ ri@@ val for the 19@@ 6@@ 5 conv@@ ention
Ar@@ th@@ ur re@@ le@@ as@@ es My Bo@@ ok of Bible St@@ or@@ ies in G@@ a@@ el@@ ic in 198@@ 3
In 20@@ 11 our lives chang@@ ed compl@@ et@@ ely when the Brit@@ ain and I@@ rel@@ and br@@ an@@ ches were mer@@ ged and we were ass@@ igned to L@@ ond@@ on Be@@ the@@ l .
In the last few years , I have felt hear@@ t@@ bre@@ ak , dep@@ res@@ sion , and g@@ ri@@ ef .
In the past , Ar@@ th@@ ur had always been there for me .
But when you go through these kind@@ s of situ@@ ations , you dra@@ w clos@@ er to Jehovah .
“ We should love , not in word or with the t@@ ong@@ ue , but in de@@ ed and truth . ” ​ — 1 J@@ O@@ H@@ N 3 : 18 .
What is “ love free from h@@ y@@ po@@ c@@ ris@@ y ” ?
How has Jehovah sho@@ wn un@@ sel@@ f@@ ish love for humans ?
Jehovah showed love for humans even before he cre@@ ated Adam and E@@ ve .
In what ways can we show gen@@ u@@ ine love ?
6 , 7 . ( a ) What is “ love free from h@@ y@@ po@@ c@@ ris@@ y ” ?
( Read Matthew 6 : 1 - 4 . )
How can we show gen@@ u@@ ine love when we off@@ er ho@@ sp@@ it@@ ality ?
( Read 1 John 3 : 17 . )
( Read Romans 12 : 17 , 18 . )
How can we show that our for@@ giv@@ eness is gen@@ u@@ ine ?
What is the “ s@@ word ” that Jesus said he would bring ?
How can you main@@ tain your loy@@ al@@ ty to Jehovah if your rel@@ at@@ ives op@@ pose true worship ?
3 , 4 . ( a ) What ef@@ fect do Jesus ’ teach@@ ings have ?
Jesus said : “ Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth ; I came to bring , not peace , but a s@@ word .
For I came to cause div@@ is@@ ion , with a man against his father , and a daugh@@ ter against her mother , and a daugh@@ ter - in - law against her mother - in - law .
How can Christians teach their children to hon@@ or an un@@ believ@@ ing par@@ ent ?
Inst@@ ead , expl@@ ain to them that each person must cho@@ ose whether to serve Jehovah .
“ Let your words always be gr@@ ac@@ ious , ” says the Bible .
( Read 1 Peter 3 : 1 , 2 , 16 . )
How can you over@@ come feelings of gu@@ il@@ t about dis@@ pleas@@ ing your rel@@ at@@ ives ?
One of the many m@@ et@@ ro@@ pol@@ it@@ an wit@@ nes@@ sing stand@@ s in L@@ ag@@ o@@ s , the most pop@@ ul@@ ous city in Africa .
What was the situation of the Israelites at that time ?
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 1 : 3 , 4 . )
C@@ hap@@ ter 5 of Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah beg@@ ins with an un@@ us@@ ual vis@@ ion .
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 5 : 1 , 2 . )
8 - 10 . ( a ) What is an o@@ ath ?
What can we learn from Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ i@@ ah’s si@@ x@@ th vis@@ ion ?
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 5 : 5 - 8 . )
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 5 : 9 - 11 . )
How do you feel about the great@@ est building work going on today ?
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 6 : 1 - 3 . )
Jehovah still uses his ang@@ els to prot@@ ect and streng@@ then his people
7 , 8 . ( a ) What do the two m@@ oun@@ tain@@ s re@@ present ?
( b ) Why are the m@@ oun@@ tain@@ s made of cop@@ p@@ er ?
Who are the r@@ id@@ ers of the char@@ i@@ o@@ ts , and what is their ass@@ ign@@ ment ?
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 6 : 5 - 8 . )
( Read Z@@ ech@@ ar@@ iah 6 : 9 - 12 . )
F@@ in@@ ally , true worship will be fully res@@ tor@@ ed !
Jehovah will never for@@ get the love that we show for him !
I@@ N A small t@@ own in G@@ u@@ j@@ ar@@ at , Ind@@ ia , Joh@@ n@@ ’s father was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the l@@ ate 19@@ 50 ’ s .
She no@@ tic@@ ed Joh@@ n@@ ’s in@@ j@@ ur@@ ed f@@ ing@@ er and offer@@ ed to help .
He went to his pri@@ est and asked him the same two questions .
S@@ how me where the Bible says that Jesus is not God .
S@@ how me where it says that you should not worship M@@ ary .
We can learn valu@@ able less@@ ons from the arrang@@ ement of the c@@ ities of re@@ fu@@ ge in ancient Israel .
What ro@@ le does sing@@ ing pl@@ ay in true worship ?
But a s@@ ong makes you feel a thought . ”
( b ) How should we sing pra@@ ises to Jehovah , and who should take the lead ?
Read the l@@ y@@ r@@ ics out l@@ ou@@ d in a strong , conf@@ ident vo@@ ice .
( a ) How can op@@ ening our m@@ outh w@@ ider help our sing@@ ing ?
( a ) What ann@@ oun@@ c@@ ement was made at the 20@@ 16 ann@@ ual meet@@ ing ?
P@@ r@@ ac@@ tice the s@@ ong@@ s during family worship ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 18 )
( Read N@@ umb@@ ers 35 : 24 , 25 . )
Lo@@ ok@@ ing back , he says : “ S@@ ure , I was s@@ car@@ ed to appro@@ ach them .
He wrote : “ What a great ear@@ nes@@ t@@ ness your being s@@ add@@ ened in a god@@ ly way produc@@ ed in you , yes , c@@ lear@@ ing of your@@ selves , yes , ind@@ ign@@ ation , yes , fear , yes , ear@@ nes@@ t desire , yes , z@@ e@@ al , yes , righ@@ ting of the wrong ! ”
On@@ ce the sin is g@@ one , it@@ ’s g@@ one .
As Jehovah said , he takes your bur@@ d@@ ens away and put@@ s them far away from you .
You will never have to see them again . ”
Why do you want to take re@@ fu@@ ge in Jehovah ?
How may we imit@@ ate Jehovah’s mer@@ c@@ y when others need our for@@ giv@@ eness ?
1 , 2 . ( a ) How did Jesus feel about God’s Law ?
( b ) What does this teach us about Jehovah ?
( Read Acts 20 : 26 , 27 . )
( Read N@@ umb@@ ers 35 : 20 - 24 . )
G@@ o , then , and learn what this means : ‘ I want mer@@ c@@ y , and not sacrifice . ’
For I came to c@@ all , not righteous people , but sin@@ n@@ ers . ”
They were not at Matthe@@ w@@ ’s home simply to e@@ at .
What less@@ on from the c@@ ities of re@@ fu@@ ge do you pl@@ an to app@@ ly ?
T@@ wo Christian sisters share the Bib@@ le’s message with a mer@@ ch@@ ant in the t@@ own of T@@ ip@@ it@@ apa
What loving counsel did the apostle Paul give about world@@ ly thinking ?
What is an example of world@@ ly thinking , and how can we re@@ ject it ?
Lo@@ ok out that no one takes you cap@@ tive by means of the ph@@ il@@ os@@ op@@ h@@ y and emp@@ ty dec@@ ep@@ tion according to human tr@@ ad@@ ition , according to the el@@ em@@ ent@@ ary things of the world and not according to Christ . ”
“ I can be a good person without believ@@ ing in God . ”
“ You can be happy without religion . ”
Jehovah has the right to make la@@ ws for us because he cre@@ ated us .
Jesus said : “ No one can slave for two mas@@ ters ; for e@@ ither he will h@@ ate the one and love the other , or he will s@@ tic@@ k to the one and des@@ p@@ ise the other .
( Read 1 Th@@ ess@@ al@@ on@@ ians 2 : 13 , 19 , 20 . )
“ H@@ um@@ ans can sol@@ ve their own problems . ”
How can we w@@ in the pri@@ z@@ e as a family ?
( b ) What help@@ s us to keep our eyes on the pri@@ z@@ e ?
How can we prot@@ ect ourselves in d@@ ang@@ er@@ ous situ@@ ations ?
To de@@ ad@@ en im@@ moral desir@@ es , we need to re@@ ject im@@ moral ent@@ er@@ tain@@ ment .
( Read E@@ c@@ cl@@ es@@ i@@ ast@@ es 7 : 21 , 22 . )
10 , 11 . ( a ) Why is j@@ eal@@ ous@@ y d@@ ang@@ er@@ ous ?
God’s Word says : “ L@@ ove is pati@@ ent and kind .
C@@ ould we be as kind and loving as J@@ on@@ a@@ than ?
You husb@@ ands , keep on loving your w@@ ives and do not be b@@ it@@ ter@@ ly ang@@ ry with them .
You children , be obedi@@ ent to your parents in every@@ thing , for this is well - pleas@@ ing to the Lord .
What should a Christian husband do if his un@@ believ@@ ing wife does not respect him ?
God’s Word says : “ A man of knowledge res@@ tr@@ ains his words , and a disc@@ er@@ ning man will remain cal@@ m . ”
These ar@@ ti@@ cl@@ es should streng@@ then your beli@@ ef in the resurrection .
“ Our friend has f@@ all@@ en as@@ le@@ ep , but I am travel@@ ing there to aw@@ ak@@ en him . ” ​ — J@@ O@@ H@@ N 11 : 11 .
What Bible acc@@ oun@@ ts gave Mar@@ th@@ a conf@@ idence in the resurrection ?
L@@ ike Mar@@ th@@ a , what jo@@ y@@ ful ev@@ ent are you look@@ ing for@@ ward to ?
She said : “ I know he will ris@@ e . ”
L@@ ater , her son got s@@ ick and died .
God heard E@@ li@@ j@@ ah , and the child came back to life .
( Read 1 K@@ ings 17 : 17 - 24 . )
( Read 2 K@@ ings 4 : 32 - 37 . )
How did Peter help a Christian s@@ ister who had died ?
One time , the apostle Paul was at a meet@@ ing in an up@@ p@@ er ro@@ om in T@@ ro@@ as , in what is now nor@@ th@@ w@@ est T@@ ur@@ ke@@ y .
A young man nam@@ ed E@@ ut@@ y@@ ch@@ us was list@@ ening , se@@ ated at a win@@ do@@ w .
Al@@ so , Jehovah said that the bless@@ ing would come “ through Isa@@ a@@ c . ”
Of course , that did not mean that God could not resurrec@@ t a person .
( Read Job 14 : 13 - 15 . )
( b ) Why is the resurrection so important ?
But would you m@@ ention the resurrection as one of your most ch@@ er@@ ished beli@@ ef@@ s ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 15 : 12 - 19 . )
However , we know that Jesus was resurrec@@ ted .
How was Jesus involved in the fulfill@@ ment of Psalm 1@@ 18 ?
“ The build@@ ers re@@ jec@@ ted ” the Mess@@ iah ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 7 )
How could Jesus become “ the chi@@ ef cor@@ ner@@ st@@ one ” ?
If Jesus was re@@ jec@@ ted and k@@ ill@@ ed , how could he become “ the chi@@ ef cor@@ ner@@ st@@ one ” ?
( a ) What did Psalm 16 : 10 foret@@ ell ?
You will not al@@ low your loy@@ al one to see the p@@ it . ”
( Read Acts 2 : 29 - 32 . )
( Read Acts 2 : 33 - 36 . )
( Read Acts 13 : 32 - 37 , 4@@ 2 . )
There are det@@ a@@ il@@ s about “ the times or se@@ as@@ ons that the Father has plac@@ ed in his own j@@ ur@@ is@@ d@@ ic@@ tion . ”
Paul wrote that “ Christ has been ra@@ ised from the dead , the fir@@ st@@ fru@@ its of those who have f@@ all@@ en as@@ le@@ ep in death . ”
What will happ@@ en to some anointed ones during Christ@@ ’s pres@@ ence ?
For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again , so too God will bring with him those who have f@@ all@@ en as@@ le@@ ep in death . . .
We the living who sur@@ v@@ ive to the pres@@ ence of the Lord will in no way prec@@ ed@@ e those who have f@@ all@@ en as@@ le@@ ep in death ; because the Lord himself will des@@ c@@ end from heaven with a command@@ ing c@@ all , . . . and those who are dead in un@@ ion with Christ will ris@@ e first .
Ano@@ inted ones who are al@@ ive during the great trib@@ ulation will be “ ca@@ ught away in cl@@ ou@@ ds . ”
If you come back , I will bre@@ ak your leg@@ s . ”
I was born on J@@ u@@ ly 29 , 19@@ 29 , and gre@@ w up in a v@@ ill@@ age in the prov@@ in@@ ce of B@@ ul@@ ac@@ an in the Phil@@ ipp@@ ines .
I enjo@@ yed reading the Bible , especially the four G@@ os@@ p@@ els .
Do@@ ing so made me want to follow Jesus ’ example . ​ — John 10 : 27 .
Ab@@ out that time , my parents asked me to come back home .
One old@@ er Witness came to our house and expl@@ ained what the Bible says about “ the last days . ”
He inv@@ ited us to att@@ end a Bible study in a ne@@ ar@@ by v@@ ill@@ age .
We sp@@ ent most of that night discus@@ sing the Bible .
I re@@ pl@@ ied , “ Yes , I do . ”
I knew that I wanted to “ slave for the M@@ as@@ ter , Christ . ”
We went to a ne@@ ar@@ by r@@ iver , and two of us got baptized on F@@ eb@@ ru@@ ary 15 , 194@@ 6 .
The C@@ ru@@ z family inv@@ ited me to live with them in A@@ ng@@ at .
He spok@@ e in Eng@@ l@@ ish , and af@@ ter@@ ward I gave a s@@ um@@ mar@@ y of his talk in T@@ ag@@ al@@ o@@ g .
In the early mor@@ ning , I helped in the k@@ it@@ ch@@ en .
After I gra@@ du@@ ated , I was tem@@ por@@ ar@@ ily ass@@ igned as a special pioneer in the B@@ ron@@ x in New York C@@ ity .
We sp@@ ent the first we@@ ek after our wed@@ ding vis@@ iting a congregation on R@@ ap@@ u R@@ ap@@ u Is@@ land .
We were even able to bu@@ y the pro@@ per@@ ty from the man who had said that “ Chin@@ ese do not sel@@ l . ”
The ne@@ w@@ ly fer@@ t@@ il@@ ized eg@@ g might g@@ row in a F@@ al@@ lo@@ p@@ ian t@@ u@@ be ( an ec@@ t@@ op@@ ic p@@ reg@@ n@@ anc@@ y ) or might trav@@ el into the wom@@ b .
That would end the p@@ reg@@ n@@ anc@@ y at an early st@@ age .
A gu@@ ide from Eng@@ l@@ and@@ ’s N@@ ational He@@ al@@ th Ser@@ vice repor@@ ts : “ I@@ U@@ D@@ s with more cop@@ p@@ er are more than 9@@ 9 % effec@@ tive .
This means that fe@@ w@@ er than one in 1@@ 00 women who use an I@@ U@@ D will get p@@ reg@@ n@@ ant in one year .
I@@ U@@ D@@ s with less cop@@ p@@ er will be less effec@@ tive . ”
( a ) What does “ per@@ su@@ ad@@ ed to believe ” mean ?
( b ) How do we know that Timothy was per@@ su@@ ad@@ ed to believe the good news about Jesus ?
Fr@@ an@@ k@@ ly , I would wor@@ ry if she accep@@ ted something without as@@ king questions . ”
Does the Bib@@ le’s expl@@ an@@ ation make sense to them ?
What should be an important part of your teaching ?
St@@ ep@@ han@@ i@@ e , the mother of three daugh@@ ters , says : “ E@@ ver since my children were very young , I have had to ask my@@ self , ‘ Do I talk to my children about why I am conv@@ inc@@ ed of Jehovah’s ex@@ ist@@ ence , his love , and the righ@@ t@@ ness of his ways ?
Can my children c@@ learly see that I really love Jehovah ? ’
I can@@ ’t exp@@ ect my children to be per@@ su@@ ad@@ ed un@@ less I am . ”
The Bible says that “ fo@@ ol@@ ish@@ ness is b@@ ound up in the heart of a child . ”
That kind of wisdom is necess@@ ary for sal@@ v@@ ation .
How can parents help their children to become “ wise for sal@@ v@@ ation ” ?
Lo@@ ok under B@@ I@@ B@@ L@@ E T@@ E@@ A@@ CH@@ IN@@ G@@ S > B@@ I@@ B@@ L@@ E S@@ T@@ U@@ D@@ Y T@@ O@@ O@@ L@@ S .
How can you work out your own sal@@ v@@ ation ?
They may have been ra@@ ised in the truth .
But in a few years when the ur@@ ge to have se@@ x becom@@ es str@@ ong@@ er , he or she needs to be thor@@ ough@@ ly conv@@ inc@@ ed that obe@@ ying Jehovah’s la@@ ws is always the best cho@@ ice . ”
( b ) What can you learn from Phil@@ ipp@@ ians 4 : 11 - 13 ?
What does it mean to work out your own sal@@ v@@ ation “ with fear and tre@@ mb@@ ling ” ?
What to@@ ol@@ s have helped you in your personal study ?
I should feel free to do the same .
So I@@ ’@@ l@@ l m@@ ention something in pas@@ sing , such as , ‘ I was teaching the Bible the other day , and . . . ’
Then I continue with the point of my st@@ ory .
Although the im@@ med@@ i@@ ate point is not in it@@ self about the Bible , often others are cur@@ ious about what I do when teaching the Bible .
The more I use this appro@@ ach , the eas@@ i@@ er it g@@ ets .
And af@@ ter@@ ward , I always feel great ! ”
We are the only Witnesses they are ex@@ posed to .
So the way we act can deter@@ m@@ ine how they will resp@@ ond .
What if we are sh@@ y or tim@@ id or have a hard time spe@@ aking up about our faith , or what if we cr@@ inge when we do speak up ?
Then they may look at us as if we ar@@ en@@ ’t pr@@ ou@@ d of who we are .
They may even resp@@ ond un@@ kind@@ ly because of our l@@ ack of conf@@ idence .
However , if we talk with ease and as@@ sur@@ ance about what we believe , making it a nor@@ m@@ al part of con@@ vers@@ ation , it@@ ’s more likely that they will respect us . ”
Jesus said : “ If anyone wan@@ ts to come after me , let him dis@@ own himself and p@@ ick up his tor@@ ture st@@ ake and keep following me . ”
For more sug@@ g@@ es@@ tions , see “ Y@@ oun@@ g Pe@@ ople As@@ k ​ — Why Sh@@ ould I P@@ ra@@ y ? ”
What less@@ on can we learn from Isaiah 40 : 26 ?
No one has been able to coun@@ t all the st@@ ars in the un@@ iver@@ se .
How can we be sure that Jehovah is able to streng@@ then us ?
And he add@@ ed : “ You will find ref@@ res@@ h@@ ment for your@@ selves .
But how do we feel when we return ?
The information was pres@@ ented in such an em@@ pa@@ the@@ tic and concer@@ ned way that I was moved to t@@ ears .
I was rem@@ ind@@ ed that the meetings are where I need to be . ”
What did the apostle Paul mean when he wrote : “ When I am we@@ ak , then I am pow@@ erful ” ?
He s@@ an@@ g : “ With your help I can char@@ ge against a mar@@ a@@ ud@@ er b@@ and ; by God’s power I can sc@@ ale a wal@@ l . ”
O@@ r will we follow the Bib@@ le’s wise ad@@ vice to s@@ et@@ tle matters qu@@ ick@@ ly ?
You might beg@@ in the con@@ vers@@ ation by saying something like this , “ Per@@ haps I am being over@@ ly sen@@ s@@ itive , but when you spok@@ e to me y@@ es@@ ter@@ day , I felt . . . ”
“ F@@ in@@ ally I conf@@ ess@@ ed my sin to you , ” he wrote , “ and you par@@ d@@ oned the er@@ ro@@ r of my sin@@ s . ”
( 4 ) W@@ ill there ever be a fin@@ al M@@ emor@@ ial ?
( Read John 3 : 16 ; 17 : 3 . )
( a ) What did Jesus pray for on the night of the first L@@ ord@@ ’s Ev@@ ening M@@ e@@ al ?
( b ) What shows that Jehovah has answ@@ ered Jesus ’ prayer ?
( Read John 17 : 20 , 21 . )
( Read Ezek@@ iel 37 : 15 - 17 . )
How can we prom@@ ote unity among God’s people ?
How can we show that we are “ put@@ ting up with one another in love ” ?
How do we know that there will be a fin@@ al M@@ emor@@ ial ?
At R@@ ib@@ er@@ al@@ ta , B@@ eni , two pioneer cou@@ ples lo@@ ad liter@@ ature on@@ to an air@@ pl@@ ane .
Why does Jehovah exp@@ ect us to use our valu@@ able things to give back to him ?
How does the organization use the money that is don@@ ated today ?
What do we show Jehovah when we support his work ?
( Read 2 Corinthians 8 : 18 - 21 . )
Your don@@ ations help our world@@ wide work ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 14 - 16 )
As a result , we som@@ etimes feel is@@ ol@@ ated , and we eas@@ ily for@@ get the sc@@ ope of Jehovah’s work .
But as soon as we wat@@ ch the var@@ ious pro@@ gr@@ am@@ s on J@@ W Bro@@ ad@@ cas@@ ting , we rem@@ ember that we are part of an inter@@ national bro@@ ther@@ ho@@ od .
Our de@@ ar local brothers and sisters are very exc@@ ited about J@@ W Bro@@ ad@@ cas@@ ting .
We often he@@ ar them say that after wat@@ ch@@ ing the mon@@ th@@ ly pro@@ gr@@ am@@ s , they feel close to the members of the G@@ over@@ ning B@@ ody .
Now they are pr@@ ou@@ d@@ er than ever to be part of God’s organization . ”
( Read Proverbs 11 : 24 , 25 . )
A man who lo@@ ves his wife lo@@ ves himself , for no man ever h@@ ated his own body , but he fe@@ ed@@ s and ch@@ er@@ ish@@ es it . ”
How can we avoid becom@@ ing lov@@ ers of ourselves ?
Paul wrote that people would be “ lov@@ ers of money . ”
Some years ago , a pioneer in I@@ rel@@ and spok@@ e to a man about God .
What does the Bible say about rich@@ es and p@@ over@@ ty ?
He wrote : “ So that I do not become satis@@ f@@ ied and den@@ y you and say , ‘ Who is Jehovah ? ’ ”
She would say , ‘ I have the great@@ est b@@ oss ever ! ’
Now that I too am pione@@ ering , we both work for the same Per@@ son , Jehovah . ”
How can we avoid becom@@ ing lov@@ ers of money ?
It means that they do not love God at all . ”
How can we avoid becom@@ ing lov@@ ers of pleas@@ ur@@ es ?
We also know that love “ does not b@@ ra@@ g , does not get p@@ uf@@ f@@ ed up . ”
I could see that they car@@ ed for me , and that made me want to ple@@ ase them . ”
( Read Isaiah 11 : 6 , 7 . )
You can read some of their experi@@ ences in the ser@@ ies “ The Bible Ch@@ ang@@ es L@@ ives , ” found on j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g .
We should let others know that we are Jehovah’s Witnesses .
3 I@@ mit@@ ate the F@@ a@@ ith and O@@ be@@ di@@ ence of No@@ ah , Dan@@ iel , and Job
28 Jo@@ y ​ — A Q@@ u@@ ality We Ac@@ qu@@ ire From God
9 , 10 . ( a ) How can we imit@@ ate No@@ ah’s faith and obedi@@ ence ?
( Read M@@ al@@ ach@@ i 3 : 17 , 18 . )
( b ) How did Jehovah view Dan@@ iel ?
( b ) What can parents today learn from Dan@@ i@@ el@@ ’s parents ?
( Read Job 1 : 9 , 10 . )
19 , 20 . ( a ) How can we imit@@ ate J@@ ob@@ ’s faith and obedi@@ ence ?
1 - 3 . ( a ) What will help us to remain faithful to God during these last days ?
( Read Dan@@ iel 6 : 7 - 10 . )
( Read Job 31 : 24 - 28 . )
( Read Psalm 11 : 5 ; 26 : 4 . )
So ask yourself , ‘ Do I know Jehovah as well as No@@ ah , Dan@@ iel , and Job did ? ’
No@@ ah’s great - gr@@ and@@ father E@@ no@@ ch also “ kept wal@@ king with the true God . ”
Jesus said : “ Abraham your father re@@ jo@@ ic@@ ed great@@ ly at the pros@@ p@@ ect of se@@ e@@ ing my day . ”
I@@ t@@ ’s hard for me to expres@@ s the joy we feel . ”
For it is to us God has reve@@ al@@ ed them through his spirit . ”
Jesus said : “ These things I have spok@@ en to you , so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full . ”
( 3 ) How will our ef@@ fort to have “ the mind of Christ ” help us to be spiritual people ?
( Read 1 Corinthians 2 : 14 - 16 . )
What does the Bible say about spiritually - m@@ ind@@ ed people ?
What can we learn from the example of J@@ ac@@ o@@ b ?
What can we learn from the example of M@@ ary ?
( Read Luke 1 : 4@@ 6 - 5@@ 5 . )
( Read Isaiah 6@@ 3 : 9 ; Mar@@ k 6 : 34 . )
R@@ ach@@ el , a s@@ ister in B@@ ra@@ z@@ il , says : “ I loved to follow the world@@ ’s f@@ as@@ hi@@ ons .
As a result , I did not d@@ ress very mod@@ est@@ ly .
But lear@@ ning the truth moved me to make the needed ef@@ fort to be a spiritual person .
M@@ aking chang@@ es was not eas@@ y , but I became happ@@ i@@ er and found real purpose in life . ”
So being like Jesus makes us more like Jehovah .
They said : “ We are wit@@ nesses of all the things he did . ”
How will having the mind of Christ af@@ fect your da@@ ily life ?
He says : “ I never did any@@ thing wrong , but I was just going through the mo@@ tions .
I look@@ ed spiritually strong , being at all the meetings and serving as an au@@ x@@ il@@ i@@ ary pioneer a few times a year .
He says : “ It was as if I knew nothing .
I thought to my@@ self , ‘ If I am going to be my w@@ if@@ e’s spiritual head , I have to do something . ’ ”
He says : “ I stud@@ ied the Bible and stud@@ ied and stud@@ ied some more , and the p@@ i@@ ec@@ es started to f@@ it together .
I got understanding and , most important , develop@@ ed a close relationship with Jehovah . ”
( 3 ) How can strong spiritu@@ ality help us in our da@@ ily life ?
( b ) What is our go@@ al when we study and med@@ it@@ ate ?
( b ) What Bible example can we imit@@ ate ?
12 , 13 . ( a ) What will help us to app@@ ly Romans 15 : 5 ?
( Read 2 Peter 1 : 5 - 8 . )
How will being spiritually - m@@ ind@@ ed af@@ fect our life ?
What are the “ dead works ” that we should avoid ?
W@@ ill my decis@@ ions help me to set spiritual go@@ als ?
Why do you want to m@@ ove for@@ ward spiritually ?
The apostle Peter ur@@ ged Christians in the first century : “ Be ho@@ sp@@ it@@ able to one another . ”
R@@ ise , get baptized . ” ​ — A@@ C@@ T@@ S 22 : 16 .
What do Christian parents want to be sure of before their children get baptized ?
“ F@@ O@@ R months I kept t@@ ell@@ ing D@@ ad and M@@ om that I wanted to be baptized , and they often tal@@ ked to me about it .
On D@@ ec@@ ember 31 , 19@@ 34 , the day came for this m@@ om@@ ent@@ ous ev@@ ent in my life . ”
5 , 6 . ( a ) The Bib@@ le’s des@@ crip@@ tion of Timothy lead@@ s us to what con@@ cl@@ us@@ ion about his bap@@ tis@@ m ?
( Read Col@@ os@@ s@@ ians 1 : 9 , 10 . )
He told Jehovah that he was so happy about his little gir@@ l@@ ’s decis@@ ion to ded@@ ic@@ ate her life to H@@ im . ”
( Read 1 Peter 3 : 20 , 21 . )
Why do we not pres@@ sure anyone to get baptized ?
If you are a par@@ ent , you may have asked yourself : ‘ Is my child really ready to get baptized ?
The first question is , “ On the bas@@ is of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ , have you rep@@ ented of your sin@@ s and ded@@ ic@@ ated yourself to Jehovah to do his will ? ”
How can we be ho@@ sp@@ it@@ able at our Christian meetings ?
( Read 3 John 5 - 8 . )
He wr@@ ites : “ I h@@ es@@ it@@ ated in@@ it@@ ially because we were ne@@ w@@ ly married and living in a small house .
But having stud@@ ents st@@ ay with us was truly a jo@@ y@@ ous experience .
As ne@@ w@@ l@@ y@@ we@@ ds , we were able to see how happy a cou@@ ple can be when they serve Jehovah and pur@@ sue spiritual go@@ als together . ”
Why may those who are new to your congregation need ho@@ sp@@ it@@ ality ?
( Read Luke 10 : 4@@ 1 , 4@@ 2 . )
One ev@@ ening my wife was partic@@ ularly hom@@ es@@ ick , and my ef@@ forts to help were not working .
Then , about 7 : 30 p@@ .@@ m . , we heard a kno@@ c@@ k on the do@@ or .
There st@@ ood a Bible stud@@ ent who brought us three or@@ ang@@ es .
She had come to w@@ el@@ come the new mission@@ aries .
We inv@@ ited her in and gave her a gl@@ ass of water .
If you feel an@@ x@@ ious about having gu@@ ests , you are not alone .
An eld@@ er in Brit@@ ain ad@@ m@@ its : “ There can be a me@@ as@@ ure of ner@@ v@@ ousness in prepar@@ ing for gu@@ ests .
But as with any@@ thing in rel@@ ation to serving Jehovah , the benef@@ its and satis@@ fac@@ tion that result far out@@ we@@ igh any an@@ x@@ i@@ ety .
I have enjo@@ yed simply s@@ it@@ ting down with gu@@ ests over c@@ of@@ fe@@ e and tal@@ king . ”
Ano@@ ther eld@@ er wr@@ ites : “ H@@ av@@ ing friends from the congregation to my home help@@ s me to understand them better and gives me time to get to know them , especially how they came into the truth . ”
The wife of one of the instruc@@ t@@ ors really put me at ease .
She said that when she and her husband are serving in the travel@@ ing work , their best we@@ ek@@ s are those sp@@ ent st@@ ay@@ ing with a spiritual person who may not have much mater@@ ially but who has the same fo@@ c@@ us as they have ​ — serving Jehovah and ke@@ eping life sim@@ ple .
This rem@@ ind@@ ed me of what my mu@@ m used to say to us as children : ‘ B@@ et@@ ter a dis@@ h of ve@@ g@@ et@@ ab@@ les where ther@@ e’s love . ’ ”
( Read Proverbs 25 : 21 , 22 . )
H@@ os@@ ts us@@ ually pre@@ pare well for their gu@@ ests ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 20 )
The p@@ sal@@ mis@@ t David asked : “ O Jehovah , who may be a gu@@ est in your t@@ ent ? ”
It is also important to respect local c@@ ust@@ om@@ s .
Why is it so important to “ be ho@@ sp@@ it@@ able to one another ” ?
T@@ wo brothers off@@ er a tr@@ act to a pa@@ in@@ ter on the br@@ id@@ ge in f@@ ron@@ t of K@@ a@@ š@@ t@@ il@@ a@@ c , a for@@ tr@@ ess bu@@ il@@ t in the 1@@ 6@@ th century , near the city of S@@ pl@@ it
( Read T@@ it@@ us 2 : 11 - 14 . )
The eld@@ er rec@@ all@@ ed : “ G@@ ra@@ ham had a problem with pr@@ ide .
He was cr@@ itical of the elders who had been involved in his dis@@ fel@@ low@@ ship@@ p@@ ing .
So for the next few stud@@ ies , we discus@@ sed s@@ criptur@@ es on pr@@ ide and its effec@@ ts .
G@@ ra@@ ham began to see himself c@@ learly in the mir@@ ro@@ r of God’s Word , and he did not like what he saw !
After ac@@ knowled@@ g@@ ing that he had been bl@@ ind@@ ed by a ‘ ra@@ f@@ ter ’ of pr@@ ide and that his cr@@ itical attitude was his problem , he began to change qu@@ ick@@ ly for the better .
He started to att@@ end Christian meetings reg@@ ularly , to study God’s Word ear@@ nes@@ tly , and to make da@@ ily prayer a hab@@ it .
‘ I@@ ’@@ ve known the truth for years , ’ he said , ‘ and I@@ ’@@ ve even served as a pioneer .
The apostle Peter wrote : “ S@@ he@@ ph@@ er@@ d the f@@ loc@@ k of God under your care , serving as overse@@ ers , not under com@@ p@@ ul@@ sion , but will@@ ingly before God ; not for love of dis@@ hon@@ est ga@@ in , but e@@ ag@@ er@@ ly ; not l@@ ording it over those who are God’s in@@ her@@ it@@ ance , but becom@@ ing exam@@ ples to the f@@ loc@@ k . ”
How can parents ra@@ ise their children in the discip@@ line of Jehovah ?
( Read Hebrews 12 : 5 - 11 . )
How does a child devel@@ op self - discip@@ line ?
4 , 5 . ( a ) Why is self - discip@@ line an important part of “ the new person@@ ality ” ?
How can we become better stud@@ ents of God’s Word ?
One brother wrote : “ I am fill@@ ed with gr@@ at@@ itude for the way my parents ra@@ ised me .
( b ) How did one family benefit from the parents ’ obedi@@ ence to Jehovah ?
( b ) How can we make the elders ’ work more pleas@@ ant for them ?
They did not ber@@ ate me or cr@@ it@@ ic@@ ize me , but they encourag@@ ed me and streng@@ th@@ ened me .
After every congregation meet@@ ing , no matter how bus@@ y they were , at le@@ ast one of them would ask how I was .
Because of my past , I found it difficult to feel wor@@ thy of God’s love .
Tim@@ e and time again , however , Jehovah has used the congregation and the elders to con@@ fir@@ m his love for me .
I pray that I will never let him go . ”
If you turn to doing good , will you not be res@@ tor@@ ed to fav@@ or ?
But if you do not turn to doing good , sin is cr@@ ou@@ ch@@ ing at the do@@ or , and its cr@@ av@@ ing is to d@@ om@@ in@@ ate you ; but will you get the mas@@ ter@@ y over it ? ”
So let us “ list@@ en to discip@@ line and become wise . ”
Pe@@ ople around the world are dem@@ and@@ ing more fre@@ edom .
15 I@@ mit@@ ating Jehovah ​ — A God Who G@@ ives En@@ courag@@ ement
“ If the Son s@@ ets you free , you will be truly free . ” ​ — J@@ O@@ H@@ N 8 : 36 .
( Read 1 Ch@@ ron@@ ic@@ les 29 : 11 , 12 . )
To enjoy the ‘ good , ’ hum@@ an@@ kind must trust God and obe@@ y him .
If they dis@@ obe@@ y , they will be left to dec@@ ide for themselves what is good . . . and what is not good . ”
L@@ ike that p@@ il@@ ot , Adam and E@@ ve wanted to do things their own way .
He said : “ If you remain in my word , you are really my disciples , and you will know the truth , and the truth will set you free . ”
Why can the fre@@ edom that Jesus prom@@ ised make us “ truly free ” ?
( Read Romans 8 : 1 , 2 , 20 , 21 . )
( c ) What questions do we need to answer ?
( Lo@@ ok under IN@@ T@@ ER@@ V@@ I@@ E@@ W@@ S AN@@ D E@@ X@@ P@@ ER@@ I@@ EN@@ C@@ E@@ S > EN@@ D@@ U@@ R@@ IN@@ G T@@ R@@ I@@ A@@ L@@ S . )
All things are la@@ w@@ ful , but not all things bu@@ ild up . ”
What example did No@@ ah and his family set for us ?
They lived in a viol@@ ent and im@@ moral world .
“ No@@ ah did according to all that God had command@@ ed him .
What has Jehovah command@@ ed us to do today ?
( Read Luke 4 : 18 , 19 . )
Now I under@@ st@@ ood better what James 4 : 8 means : ‘ D@@ ra@@ w close to God , and he will dra@@ w close to you . ’
I knew I had found what I was look@@ ing for , a satis@@ f@@ ying purpose in life . ”
A special pioneer cou@@ ple pre@@ ach in a rem@@ ote are@@ a near the city of B@@ al@@ y@@ k@@ ch@@ y
( b ) How did Jehovah en@@ courage his Son ?
How did He@@ zek@@ iah en@@ courage the mil@@ it@@ ary chi@@ ef@@ s and the people of Jud@@ ah ?
How did Peter ‘ streng@@ then his brothers ’ ?
But I have made sup@@ pl@@ ication for you that your faith may not give out ; and you , once you have re@@ turned , streng@@ then your brothers . ” ​ — Luke 22 : 31 , 32 .
W@@ ho@@ m can we en@@ courage today , and why ?
How can the elders give counsel in an encourag@@ ing way ?
Par@@ ents , are you tr@@ aining your children to en@@ courage others ?
She also sh@@ ared with me her own experience with the kind of t@@ est I was going through , and I felt less alone . ”
King Solom@@ on wrote : “ A word spok@@ en at the right time ​ — how good it is !
A che@@ erful gl@@ ance makes the heart re@@ jo@@ ice ; a good re@@ port inv@@ ig@@ or@@ ates the b@@ ones . ”
For you have made me re@@ jo@@ ice , O Jehovah , because of your de@@ ed@@ s ; because of the works of your hand@@ s I sh@@ out jo@@ y@@ fully . ”
You are never too young to set go@@ als .
Proverbs 21 : 5 says : “ The pl@@ ans of the d@@ il@@ ig@@ ent sur@@ ely lead to succ@@ ess . ”
The ear@@ li@@ er you make pl@@ ans by s@@ etting good go@@ als , the so@@ on@@ er you will have succ@@ ess .
With a un@@ ivers@@ ity de@@ gre@@ e in law , I could have ear@@ ned a lo@@ t of money , but I would have had little ch@@ ance of f@@ ind@@ ing part - time work . ”
17 , 18 . ( a ) What does Jehovah want for young people today ?
I was born in a one - ro@@ om lo@@ g c@@ ab@@ in in a very small t@@ own called L@@ ib@@ er@@ ty , I@@ ndi@@ ana , U.@@ S@@ .@@ A .
L@@ ater , my mother gave bir@@ th to my two youn@@ g@@ er brothers and my youn@@ g@@ er s@@ ister .
D@@ U@@ R@@ IN@@ G my school years , not much chang@@ ed .
The t@@ own of L@@ ib@@ er@@ ty was sur@@ r@@ ound@@ ed by small far@@ ms , and the bas@@ ic c@@ ro@@ p was cor@@ n .
She took us to the B@@ ap@@ tis@@ t church every S@@ un@@ day .
They wanted me to make the mil@@ it@@ ary my car@@ e@@ er .
This time , however , they inv@@ ited me to come to a C@@ ong@@ reg@@ ation Bo@@ ok St@@ ud@@ y , a small meet@@ ing for Bible study and discus@@ sion that was held in their home .
I told them I would think about it .
I cou@@ ld@@ n’t believe how much they knew about the Bible !
Y@@ ears before , when I asked my mother about Jehovah’s Witnesses , she simply said , “ O@@ h , they worship some old man nam@@ ed Jehovah . ”
But I now felt that my eyes were being op@@ ened !
I started pione@@ ering the next year , in 195@@ 8 .
G@@ l@@ or@@ ia was a j@@ e@@ we@@ l then , and she is a j@@ e@@ we@@ l today .
G@@ l@@ or@@ ia and I got married in F@@ eb@@ ru@@ ary of 195@@ 9 .
A de@@ ar brother , Sim@@ on K@@ r@@ ak@@ er , inter@@ vie@@ wed us .
He told us that Be@@ the@@ l was not accep@@ ting married cou@@ ples at that time .
M@@ ost of our j@@ ob@@ s pa@@ id three d@@ ol@@ l@@ ars a day .
E@@ ach we@@ ek , G@@ l@@ or@@ ia did ir@@ on@@ ing for one family .
I rem@@ ember one time when we st@@ op@@ ped at a g@@ as st@@ ation .
On the other hand , we had wond@@ erful times with the brothers , and we loved our ministry !
M@@ e@@ an@@ while , I started a study with the c@@ oup@@ le’s daugh@@ ter and her husband .
M@@ other and daugh@@ ter both dec@@ ided to serve Jehovah and got baptized .
We had de@@ ar friends in the wh@@ ite congregation .
The K@@ u K@@ l@@ u@@ x K@@ l@@ an ( K@@ K@@ K ) , an organization that prom@@ ot@@ es r@@ ac@@ ism and viol@@ ence , was very act@@ ive then .
In 19@@ 6@@ 2 , I was inv@@ ited to att@@ end the Kingdom M@@ in@@ is@@ try S@@ chool at South L@@ ans@@ ing , New York .
However , a t@@ el@@ ep@@ h@@ one compan@@ y in P@@ ine B@@ l@@ uf@@ f had inter@@ vie@@ wed me for a jo@@ b .
If they hir@@ ed me , I would be the first bl@@ ack man to work for that compan@@ y .
I had no money to trav@@ el to New York .
She said , “ G@@ o to school and learn as much as you can , and come back and teach us ! ”
I am so gl@@ ad that I did not take that jo@@ b !
Here is how G@@ l@@ or@@ ia rem@@ embers our time in P@@ ine B@@ l@@ uf@@ f : “ I f@@ ell in love with the ter@@ rit@@ ory !
So we would go in the house - to - house work in the mor@@ ning and then conduct Bible stud@@ ies the res@@ t of the day , som@@ etimes until 11 o@@ ’@@ c@@ loc@@ k at night .
While we were pione@@ ering in P@@ ine B@@ l@@ uf@@ f , we appl@@ ied to become special pione@@ ers .
Bro@@ ther Le@@ on W@@ e@@ av@@ er , now the co@@ ord@@ in@@ at@@ or of the United States B@@ ran@@ ch Com@@ mit@@ te@@ e , was appoin@@ ted to serve as a circ@@ u@@ it overse@@ er at the same time .
I was ner@@ v@@ ous about becom@@ ing a circ@@ u@@ it overse@@ er .
After I was appoin@@ ted , Bro@@ ther T@@ hom@@ p@@ son was the first distr@@ ict overse@@ er I served with .
In those days , a circ@@ u@@ it overse@@ er received little tr@@ aining .
I rem@@ ember saying to G@@ l@@ or@@ ia , “ Does he really have to leave now ? ”
One time , the K@@ K@@ K held a mar@@ ch in a t@@ own we were vis@@ iting in T@@ en@@ nes@@ see .
The following mon@@ th , we began our Be@@ the@@ l service .
G@@ l@@ or@@ ia was a j@@ e@@ we@@ l when I married her , and she still is
Then in 199@@ 9 , I was appoin@@ ted to be a m@@ ember of the G@@ over@@ ning B@@ ody .
Isaiah 32 : 17 says : “ The result of true righteousness will be peace , and the fru@@ it@@ age of true righteousness will be lasting tr@@ an@@ qu@@ ill@@ ity and sec@@ ur@@ ity . ”
S@@ ec@@ ond , we must pray for God’s holy spirit .
If the house is des@@ er@@ v@@ ing , let the peace you wish it come upon it ; but if it is not des@@ er@@ v@@ ing , let the peace from you return upon you . ”
So I gre@@ et@@ ed her in her own t@@ ong@@ ue .
T@@ ak@@ en by sur@@ pris@@ e , she asked me , ‘ What is the reason for your vis@@ it ? ’
I pol@@ it@@ ely told her that I w@@ ished to see the H@@ igh Com@@ mission@@ er .
She t@@ el@@ ep@@ hon@@ ed the offic@@ ial , who came out to me@@ et me and gre@@ et@@ ed me in the local language .
After that , he car@@ e@@ fully list@@ ened to me as I expl@@ ained to him the pe@@ ac@@ eful activ@@ ities of the Witnesses . ”
“ As for that on the fine so@@ il , these are the ones who . . . be@@ ar fru@@ it with end@@ ur@@ ance . ” ​ — L@@ U@@ K@@ E 8 : 15 .
What will help us to keep be@@ aring fru@@ it with end@@ ur@@ ance ?
( See op@@ ening pic@@ ture . ) ( b ) What did Jesus say about preaching in his “ home ter@@ rit@@ ory ” ?
“ Their faith@@ ful@@ ness encourag@@ es me to pers@@ ev@@ ere and to be courag@@ e@@ ous in my own ministry . ”
What three questions will we consider , and why ?
St@@ ill , there is no other work I would rather do . ”
Read John 15 : 1 - 5 , 8 .
The preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom .
Read Luke 8 : 5 - 8 , 11 - 15 .
How do we “ be@@ ar fru@@ it with end@@ ur@@ ance ” ?
For I be@@ ar them witness that they have a z@@ e@@ al for God , but not according to acc@@ ur@@ ate knowledge . ”
When we re@@ turned , pas@@ ser@@ s@@ by asked , ‘ What happ@@ ened ?
Why are you determin@@ ed to “ be@@ ar fru@@ it with end@@ ur@@ ance ” ?
“ My Father is gl@@ or@@ ified in this , that you keep be@@ aring much fru@@ it and prove your@@ selves my disciples . ” ​ — J@@ O@@ H@@ N 15 : 8 .
( Read John 15 : 1 , 8 . )
Jesus told his apostles : “ My Father is gl@@ or@@ ified in this , that you keep be@@ aring much fru@@ it . ”
( b ) How do you feel about having the privil@@ ege to s@@ anc@@ tif@@ y God’s name ?
It gives me the desire to keep on preaching . ”
( a ) What reason for preaching is mentioned at John 15 : 9 , 10 ?
How do we show that we want to remain in Christ@@ ’s love ?
In the Bible , No@@ ah is describ@@ ed as “ a pre@@ ach@@ er . ”
( a ) What reason for preaching is mentioned at Matthew 22 : 39 ?
They need a ch@@ ance to he@@ ar the good news . ”
13 , 14 . ( a ) What gif@@ t is mentioned at John 15 : 11 ?
( a ) What gif@@ t is mentioned at John 14 : 27 ?
( a ) What gif@@ t is mentioned at John 15 : 15 ?
( b ) How could the apostles remain Jesus ’ friends ?
( Read John 15 : 14 - 16 . )
We can be sure that Jehovah answ@@ ers our pray@@ ers for help ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h 18 )
The apostle Peter describ@@ es Satan the D@@ evil as “ a ro@@ aring l@@ ion , ” and John call@@ s him a “ ser@@ p@@ ent ” and a “ dra@@ g@@ on . ”
With their help , we can res@@ ist our enem@@ y .
Those who believe this li@@ e sp@@ end their lives serving “ R@@ ich@@ es ” rather than God .
We need to know our enem@@ y , but we do not need to be ter@@ r@@ ified by him .
If we op@@ pose him , he will f@@ le@@ e from us .
What are the p@@ i@@ ec@@ es of the spiritual ar@@ m@@ or ?
And my parents and my friends know that they can trust me . ”
But you always get out@@ standing benef@@ its : You ga@@ in conf@@ idence , you feel clos@@ er to Jehovah , and you ear@@ n the respect of those who love you . ”
The bel@@ t of truth ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 3 - 5 )
For a while , I lost my conf@@ idence and felt dep@@ res@@ sed . ”
Some of my ‘ friends ’ began taking d@@ ru@@ g@@ s ; others d@@ ro@@ p@@ ped out of school .
It was sa@@ d to see how their lives turned out .
“ I rem@@ ind my@@ self that I be@@ ar Jehovah’s name and that t@@ emp@@ tation is just Sat@@ an’s way of sho@@ ot@@ ing at me .
When I w@@ in a str@@ ug@@ g@@ le , I feel better about my@@ self . ”
The b@@ reas@@ t@@ pl@@ ate of righteousness ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 6 - 8 )
Now I@@ ’@@ m happy to witness to my pe@@ ers . ”
Then I@@ ’@@ m able to think of what will help them .
When I am prepar@@ ed , I can talk to them about what will spec@@ if@@ ically benefit them . ”
I make sure that I@@ ’@@ ve read all the material publ@@ ished for young people .
That way I can dir@@ ect my pe@@ ers to something in the Bible or on j@@ w@@ .@@ or@@ g that will help them . ”
F@@ e@@ et sho@@ d in read@@ iness ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 9 - 11 )
What are some of Sat@@ an’s “ bur@@ ning ar@@ ro@@ ws ” ?
Now , though , I pre@@ pare for the meetings and try to answer two or three times .
I@@ t@@ ’s difficult , but I feel much better when I do .
And the brothers and sisters are so encourag@@ ing .
I always come away from the meetings know@@ ing that Jehovah lo@@ ves me . ”
The large sh@@ i@@ eld of faith ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 12 - 14 )
The hel@@ me@@ t of sal@@ v@@ ation ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 15 - 18 )
I@@ ’@@ ve found that people resp@@ ond well when they see that you are pas@@ sion@@ ate about the Bible and are doing your best to help them . ”
The s@@ word of the spirit ( See par@@ ag@@ rap@@ h@@ s 19 - 20 )
With Jehovah’s help , we can stand fir@@ m against him !