Tuesday, October 26 Against you —you above all— I have sinned. —Ps. 51:4. If you commit a serious sin, do not try to cover the error. Instead, openly confess your sin to Jehovah in prayer. You will then begin to feel some relief from the anxiety caused by a guilty conscience. But if you want to restore your friendship with Jehovah, you need to do more than [...]
Friday, September 24 Mind your own business. —1 Thess. 4:11. A person does not inherit his heavenly hope from his family. He receives it from God. (1 Thess. 2:12) So avoid asking questions that could hurt others. For example, we would not ask the wife of an anointed brother how she feels about the prospect of living forever on earth without her husband. After all, we can be [...]
Monday, September 13 Everyone proud in heart is detestable to Jehovah. —Prov. 16:5. Elders work hard for the benefit of their brothers and sisters. And they do not let their authority make them unduly proud. Instead, they treat the congregation tenderly. (1 Thess. 2:7, 8) Their deep love and humble attitude affect how they speak to others. Andrew, an experienced elder, says: “I have found that the brothers [...]
Tuesday, September 7 Even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy. —1 Pet. 3:14. Never allow anything that mere humans say or do to make you feel ashamed of being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Mic. 4:5) Consider the example set by the apostles in Jerusalem just after Jesus was put to death. They knew how much the Jewish religious leaders hated them. (Acts [...]
Sunday, September 5 Stop being molded by this system of things. —Rom. 12:2. Paul was concerned because some Christians were apparently being influenced by the unwholesome reasonings and philosophies promoted by Satan’s world. (Eph. 4:17-19) That can happen to any one of us. In a desperate attempt to turn us away from Jehovah, Satan, the god of this system of things, uses various tactics. One of [...]
Friday, September 3 The existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. —Rom. 13:1. Do elders comply with secular laws about reporting an allegation of child abuse to the secular authorities? Yes. In places where such laws exist, elders endeavor to comply with secular laws about reporting allegations of abuse. Such laws do not conflict with God’s law. (Acts 5:28, 29) So when they learn of [...]
Saturday, August 7 We are not ignorant of [Satan’s] designs. —2 Cor. 2:11. Satan appeals to natural desires. We have a natural desire to learn skills that can help us provide for ourselves and our families. (1 Tim. 5:8) Often, we can gain those skills by attending school and being diligent students. But we must be cautious. The educational system in many countries teaches students not only practical skills but [...]
Wednesday, July 28 As these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near. —Luke 21:28. At some point, the people whose religions were destroyed may resent the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses keep practicing their religion. We can only imagine the uproar that this might create, including on social media. The nations and their ruler, Satan, will hate [...]
Tuesday, July 27 You put to the test those who say they are apostles. —Rev. 2:2. Anointed ones do not expect others to treat them in a special way. (Phil. 2:2, 3) They know that when Jehovah anointed them, he did not let everyone else know about it. So an anointed person is not surprised if some do not believe right away that he has been anointed. He [...]
Sunday, July 25 Children are an inheritance from Jehovah. —Ps. 127:3, ftn. Parents may at times feel overwhelmed by the challenges they face, but children are a gift from Jehovah. He is always available to help. He willingly listens to the prayers of parents. And he answers those prayers by means of the Bible, our publications, and the example and advice of other mature parents in [...]
Daily commentary on examining the Scriptures.