Saturday, March 12 When [the mustard grain] has grown, it is the largest of the vegetable plants and becomes a tree.—Matt. 13:32. In Jesus’ illustration, the grain represents the Kingdom message as well as what results from the preaching of that message—the Christian congregation. Like the mustard grain that is “the tiniest of all the seeds,” the Christian congregation had small beginnings in 33 C.E. However, [...]
Friday, March 11 [Christ] was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.—1 Pet. 3:18. The apostles knew that Jesus’ resurrection was different from the resurrections that preceded it. People who were brought back to life earlier came back with physical bodies and eventually died again. Jesus was resurrected with a spirit body that was imperishable. Peter wrote that Jesus “is at [...]
Thursday, March 10 He will crush your head.—Gen. 3:15. The Edenic promise not only emphasized that the instigator of the rebellion in the garden of Eden and all ill effects of his action would be done away with but also identifies the means by which this would take place. Who would the woman’s offspring prove to be? Since the offspring is to crush the serpent’s head, that [...]
Wednesday, March 9 You will be witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth.—Acts 1:8. From the start of his ministry, Jesus stressed the importance of proclaiming the good news of God’s Kingdom. He chose 12 disciples to share in laying the foundation for a global ministry; afterward, he trained a group of 70 disciples. These were prepared to take the good news [...]
Tuesday, March 8 Man has dominated man to his harm.—Eccl. 8:9. Some of the worst atrocities have involved the abuse of women. Worldwide, about 30 percent of women report having been assaulted by a male partner. Males are favored in some societies because it is thought that they will grow up to continue the family line and care for their aging parents and grandparents. In certain lands, females [...]
Monday, March 7 You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart.—Matt. 22:37. Our love for Jehovah should spring from the heart. Jesus made that clear when a Pharisee asked: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” What did Jesus mean when he answered that we must love God with our “whole heart”? He meant that we must love Jehovah with our entire figurative [...]
Friday, February 26 I do not understand what I am doing. For I do not practice what I wish, but I do what I hate.—Rom. 7:15. Satan knows that we have sinful tendencies, and he tries to induce us to cater to them. It then becomes a formidable challenge to maintain our integrity. Consider the case of a person who becomes so absorbed in the pleasure of [...]
Thursday, February 25 From among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.—Acts 20:30. Sadly, the original Christian congregation gradually became corrupted. As indicated by Jesus, such apostasy, promoted by “the wicked one,” Satan, would grow and obscure true Christianity until “the conclusion of the system of things.” Then Jehovah would enthrone Jesus as King over the world of mankind. [...]
QUESTION: Concerning the model prayer, where Jesus said “Let your Kingdom come, let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.” So my question is, if Jehovah’s will is taking place in heaven would that not mean that Satan was cast down 2000 years ago? (Slightly edited) Keep in mind that our lifespan compared to God’s is virtually non-existent. The apostle Peter explained that [...]
Wednesday, February 24 Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Phil. 2:4. Paul urged all Christians to “look out” for the interests of fellow believers. The essence of Paul’s counsel is that we should observe the gifts that others have and acknowledge them. How do we feel when someone shows interest in the progress that we have made? Usually, it [...]
