Monday, June 13 The peace of God . . . will guard your hearts.—Phil. 4:7. Having a grateful heart can help us to cope with grievous trials. We may feel overwhelmed if we are suddenly confronted with life-altering circumstances, such as the unfaithfulness of a marriage mate, a life-threatening illness, the death of a loved one, or the devastating effects of a natural disaster. At such times, we will [...]
Saturday, June 11 You will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.—Acts 1:8. The unseen power of the Kingdom message to change people has particularly been evident in countries where the Kingdom work is legally restricted. It is hard to know how [...]
The Supreme Court in Russia's southern city of Belgorod has ruled for a local Jehovah's Witnesses group to be disbanded as an “extremist” organization, the RAPSI legal news agency reported Thursday. Prosecutors told the court that the religious organization “tore” apart families and tried to entice young people into the group. The Supreme Court heard the case after a similar decision by the Belgorod regional court [...]
Friday, June 10 You will not leave me in the Grave.—Ps. 16:10. One reason why we know that Jesus’ resurrection occurred is the zeal that his disciples showed in proclaiming it. Zealously bearing witness to the resurrection of the Christ exposed them to persecution, suffering, and death. If Jesus had not been raised up—if it was all a hoax—why would Peter risk his life to proclaim [...]
Thursday, June 9 Your throne will be firmly established forever.—2 Sam. 7:16. Jehovah made this covenant with David during David’s reign in Jerusalem, promising him that the Messiah would be his descendant. Thus, Jehovah further narrowed the line of descent of the offspring of the woman and established that an heir of David would have “the legal right” to the throne of the Messianic Kingdom. Through Jesus, David’s [...]
Wednesday, June 8 A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.—John 15:20. More than once, Paul was persecuted because of his faith. One such incident occurred in Lystra. After healing a man who was lame from birth, Paul and his companion Barnabas were hailed as gods. The two had to beg the ecstatic crowd not to worship [...]
Tuesday, June 7 [Abigail] was discerning and beautiful.—1 Sam. 25:3. Abigail was a noteworthy woman who lived in the 11th century B.C.E. She had discernment, whereas her husband, Nabal, was harsh, worthless, and senseless. David and his men protected Nabal’s possessions for a time, but when they asked for provisions, he “screamed insults at them” and gave them nothing. This angered David so much that he planned to do [...]
Monday, June 6 The eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.—2 Chron. 16:9. Jehovah is intensely interested in those who belong to him. Therefore, we can have absolute confidence that what we do for Jehovah “out of a clean heart” is never in vain. It is also sobering to know that [...]
Sunday, June 5 Many are the hardships of the righteous one, but Jehovah rescues him from them all.—Ps. 34:19. Because we know that our loving God is always ready to help those who are faithful to him, we feel secure as part of ‘the flock of his pasture.’ Moreover, God’s love for us will be evident in what he will accomplish in our behalf through the Messianic [...]
Saturday, June 4 Jesus spoke to the crowds by illustrations.—Matt. 13:34. Simple illustrations are often the best kind to use. For example, when explaining to a householder that God is superior to Jesus, we can mention that both God and Jesus used a family reference when describing their relationship. God referred to Jesus as his Son, and Jesus spoke of God as his Father. Next, we might ask: [...]
