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SIMPLIFIED EDITION
STUDY ARTICLES
OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 3
Jehovah’s Reminders
Are Trustworthy
PAGE 3
˙
SONGS: 64, 114
NOVEMBER 4-10
Make Jehovah’s
Reminders
the Exultation of
Your Heart
PAGE 9
˙
SONGS: 116, 52
NOVEMBER 11-17
Have You Been
Transformed?
PAGE 15
˙
SONGS: 69, 106
NOVEMBER 18-24
Make Personal
Decisions Wisely
PAGE 21
˙
SONGS: 27, 83
NOVEMBER 25–DECEMBER 1
Pioneering
Strengthens Our
Relationship
With God
PAGE 27
˙
SONGS: 95, 104
STUDY ARTICLES
ˇ Jehovah’s Reminders Are Trustworthy
ˇ Make Jehovah’s Reminders the Exultation
of Your Heart
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Jehovah has always used reminders to guide and direct his
people. What are some of those reminders? The first article
explains why we can trust that God’s reminders are always
for our benefit. The second discusses three ways that we
can strengthen this trust.
ˇ Have You Been Transformed?
ˇ Make Personal Decisions Wisely
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September 15, 2013
6
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Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.
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Jehovah’s
Reminders
Are Trustworthy
“The reminder of Jehovah
is trustworthy, making the
inexperienced one wise.”
—PSALM 19:7.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What kind of reminders does
Jehovah give us in the Bible?
How can Jehovah’s reminders
help Christians today?
Why can we trust that following
Jehovah’s reminders is always
for our benefit?
WHILE preparing for the Watchtower Study, have
you ever thought, ‘It seems that we have studied
this subject before’? If you have been attending
meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses for some time,
you probably have noticed that some subjects are
discussed again and again. We often study about
God’s Kingdom, the ransom, the preaching work,
and qualities such as love and faith. Regularly
studying these subjects keeps our faith strong
and helps us to “become doers of the word, and
not hearers only.”—James 1:22.
2 In the Bible, “reminders” often mean laws,
commands, and rules that God gives to his people. Jehovah’s laws are very different from human
laws, which are imperfect and often need to be
changed. God’s laws are perfect, and we can trust
that obeying them is always good for us. It is true
that God gave some laws in the past that his people today do not have to follow anymore. But this
is not because there was something wrong with
those laws. The psalmist said: “The righteousness
of your reminders is to time indefinite.”—Psalm
119:144.
3 Jehovah’s reminders sometimes include
warnings. The nation of Israel regularly received
warnings through God’s prophets. For example,
1. What subjects do we often study at our meetings? How
does regularly studying these subjects help us?
2. (a) What does the word “reminders” often mean in the Bible? (b) How are Jehovah’s laws different from human laws?
3, 4. (a) What do Jehovah’s reminders sometimes include?
(b) How would the Israelites benefit if they obeyed God’s
commands?
3
SOME
EXPRESSIONS
EXPLAINED
Jehovah’s reminders are
trustworthy: Jehovah’s
reminders are perfect, and
we can trust that following
them is always good for us
just before the Israelites entered the
Promised Land, Moses warned them:
“Watch out for yourselves for fear
your heart may be enticed, and you
do turn aside and worship other gods
and bow down to them, and Jehovah’s anger does blaze against you.”
(Deuteronomy 11:16, 17) In the Bible,
we read about many other helpful reminders that God gave his people.
4 Jehovah often reminded his people to fear him, to obey him, and to
honor his name. (Deuteronomy 4:2931; 5:28, 29) God promised that if they
obeyed these commands, he would
give them many blessings.—Leviticus 26:3-6; Deuteronomy 28:1-4.
HOW ISRAEL REACTED
TO GOD’S REMINDERS
Throughout the history of the Israelites, God always kept his promise
to them. For example, when Assyrian
King Sennacherib invaded Judah and
threatened King Hezekiah, Jehovah
sent an angel to help His people. In
just one night, God’s angel destroyed
185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Sennacherib had to return home completely
humiliated. (2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21) Why did God fight for
King Hezekiah? Because Hezekiah
was loyal to him and “continued keep5
Reminders:
Laws, commands, warnings,
and direction that we receive
from Jehovah
ing his commandments.”—2 Kings 18:
1, 5, 6.
6 Another example of someone
who obeyed Jehovah’s commands is
King Josiah. From the time he was
Because King Hezekiah
and King Josiah were
loyal and obedient,
Jehovah blessed them
very young, he did “what was right
in Jehovah’s eyes.” (2 Chronicles 34:
1, 2) Josiah showed that he trusted in
Jehovah by destroying all the idols in
the land and by helping the people to
worship Jehovah again. Because Josiah did these things, Jehovah blessed
not only him but also the entire nation.—Read 2 Chronicles 34:31-33.
7 Sadly, though, God’s people did
not always trust Jehovah’s reminders.
Throughout the centuries, they disobeyed Jehovah many times. When
their faith was weak, others easily influenced them to worship false gods.
6. How did King Josiah show that he trusted in
Jehovah?
7. What happened when Israel disobeyed Jeho-
5. Why did Jehovah fight for King Hezekiah?
4
vah?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
(Ephesians 4:13, 14) And as God had
warned them, when they did not put
their trust in him, they suffered.—Leviticus 26:23-25; Jeremiah 5:23-25.
8 How is our situation similar to
that of the Israelites? God’s people
today receive counsel and discipline,
just as the Israelites did. (2 Peter 1:12)
We are reminded of God’s commands
every time we read the Bible. And Jehovah allows us to choose whether we
will obey his commands or whether
we will just do what seems right to us.
(Proverbs 14:12) Let us discuss why
we should pay attention to Jehovah’s
reminders and how we benefit from
doing that.
OBEY GOD AND LIVE
9 When the Israelites began their
40-year journey through the wilderness, Jehovah did not explain to them
exactly how he would direct, protect,
and care for them. But he showed
them in many ways that they would
benefit if they trusted in him and
obeyed his instructions. By leading
them with a pillar of cloud during the
day and a pillar of fire at night, Jehovah reminded the Israelites that he
was supporting them on their difficult
journey. (Exodus 40:36-38; Deuteronomy 1:19) He also made sure that they
had all the things they needed. “They
lacked nothing. Their very garments
did not wear out, and their feet themselves did not become swollen.”—Nehemiah 9:19-21.
Josiah listened to Jehovah’s reminders and
helped the people to worship Jehovah again
(See paragraph 6)
9. When the Israelites were in the wilderness,
God’s servants today will soon be
in a righteous new world. Do we trust
that Jehovah is giving us everything
we need to survive the “great tribulation”? (Matthew 24:21, 22; Psalm 119:
40, 41) It is true that Jehovah does not
use a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire
to lead us into the new world. But he
does use his organization to give us reminders. For example, we have been
encouraged to strengthen our friendship with Jehovah by reading the Bible, by having a Family Worship evening, as well as by regularly going to
the meetings and out in the ministry.
how did Jehovah remind them that he was supporting them?
10. How is Jehovah leading his people today?
8. How is our situation similar to that of the Is-
raelites?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
10
5
Have you made adjustments in your life so
that you can follow the
instructions we receive
from God’s organization?
education we need. We have also received instructions on how to prepare
for emergencies. And think of the reminders that help us to be safe in
our homes, cars, and Kingdom Halls.
All this counsel shows that God cares
about our health and happiness.
REMINDERS HELPED THE FIRST
CHRISTIANS TO STAY FAITHFUL
Listening to Jehovah’s reminders helps
us to keep our Kingdom Hall safe
(See paragraph 11)
Have we made adjustments in our life
so that we can follow these instructions? Doing this will help us to have
the strong faith that we need to survive into the new world.
11 God’s organization also gives us
direction that helps us make good decisions in our everyday life. For example, we have been encouraged to
have the right attitude toward material things and to live a simple life so
that we have less anxiety. We have received direction on deciding how to
dress and care for our appearance,
on choosing the right kind of entertainment, and on deciding how much
11. In what ways does God show that he cares
about our health and happiness?
6
In the first century, God’s people
regularly received reminders. Jesus often talked to his disciples about how
important it is to be humble. But he
did not just explain to them what it
means to be humble. He showed them
by his example. On the night before
he died, Jesus and his apostles were
together for the Passover. While his
apostles were eating, Jesus got up
from the meal and washed their feet.
This was usually the job of a servant. (John 13:1-17) What Jesus did
that night taught the apostles a powerful lesson that they never forgot.
Some 30 years later, the apostle Peter,
who had been at that meal, gave other Christians counsel about humility.
(1 Peter 5:5) Jesus’ example should en12
12. (a) What subject did Jesus often talk to his
disciples about? (b) What lesson in humility
did Peter never forget? What should we learn
from Jesus’ example?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
courage all of us to be humble in the
way we treat one another.—Philippians 2:5-8.
13 Another subject that Jesus often
talked to his disciples about was the
need for strong faith. Once, the disciples were not able to heal a boy
who was controlled by a demon. They
asked Jesus: “Why is it we could not
expel it?” Jesus answered: “Because of
your little faith.” Then he told them
that if they had faith the size of “a
Do you attend all our
conventions, assemblies,
and meetings so that
you can strengthen
your faith?
mustard grain,” nothing would be
impossible for them. (Matthew 17:1420) During Jesus’ entire ministry on
earth, he taught his disciples that it
is extremely important to have faith.
(Read Matthew 21:18-22.) Do we attend all our conventions, assemblies,
and meetings so that we can strengthen our faith? These are much more
than just happy gatherings. They are
opportunities for us to show our trust
in Jehovah.
14 The Christian Greek Scriptures
include many reminders for us to
show love for one another. Jesus said
13. Jesus taught his disciples about the need to
have what important quality?
14. Why is it important to show unselfish love
today?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
that the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as
yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Jesus’ half
brother James called love “the kingly law.” (James 2:8) And the apostle
John wrote: “Beloved ones, I am writing you, not a new commandment,
but an old commandment which you
have had from the beginning.” (1 John
2:7, 8) What did John mean by the “old
commandment”? He was referring to
the command to love. This command
was “old” because Jesus had given it
many years earlier, “from the beginning.” But this command was also
“new” because the disciples would later have to show unselfish love in new
situations. Today, we are grateful to
receive warnings that help us not to
have a selfish attitude like that of most
in the world. Instead, we show unselfish love.
15 Jesus truly cared for people. He
showed this by healing the sick and
by resurrecting the dead. But healing
people was not the main reason Jesus came to earth. His preaching and
teaching helped the people in a much
greater way. How? All of those whom
Jesus healed and resurrected, for example, later became old and died, but
those who accepted the message he
preached had the opportunity to receive everlasting life.—John 11:25, 26.
16 Jesus commanded his disciples:
“Go therefore and make disciples of
people of all the nations.” (Matthew
28:19) Christians in the first century continued the work Jesus started,
15. What was the main reason Jesus came to
earth?
16. How are Jehovah’s Witnesses today obey-
ing Jesus’ command to make disciples?
7
and we today preach to more people
in more places than ever before. More
than seven million Witnesses of Jehovah are zealously teaching others
about God’s Kingdom in more than
230 lands, and the Witnesses are
studying the Bible regularly with millions. This preaching work proves that
we are living in the last days.
TRUST IN JEHOVAH TODAY
Reminders helped Christians in
the first century to strengthen their
faith. For example, when Paul was
in prison in Rome, he told Timothy:
“Keep holding the pattern of healthful words that you heard from me.”
(2 Timothy 1:13) These words must
17
Jehovah gives us
reminders because he
loves us and wants to
help us stay faithful
have been very encouraging for Timothy. Also, after Peter encouraged
Christians to work hard to show qualities such as endurance, brotherly affection, and self-control, he added: “I
shall be disposed always to remind
you of these things, although you
know them and are firmly set in the
truth.”—2 Peter 1:5-8, 12.
18 It is true that what Paul and Peter
wrote to the congregations was simi17. What counsel did Paul and Peter give Chris-
tians in the first century?
18. How did Christians in the first century feel
about receiving direction?
8
lar to what was “previously spoken by
the holy prophets.” (2 Peter 3:2) But
did our brothers in the first century
get upset when they received such direction? No. They knew that God was
giving them this direction because he
loved them and wanted to help them
to stay faithful.—2 Peter 3:18.
19 Today, we have so many reasons
to trust that following the direction Jehovah gives us in his Word, the Bible, is best for us. The counsel in his
Word is never wrong. (Read Joshua
23:14.) The Bible tells us about how
God has dealt with humans over thousands of years. This was written down
for our benefit. (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11) Also, we have seen Bible
prophecies fulfilled in our day. Prophecies are like reminders that are given
many years in advance. For example,
millions of people have become worshippers of Jehovah, as the prophecy
said would happen in “the final part of
the days.” (Isaiah 2:2, 3) This world is
getting worse and worse. This is also a
fulfillment of Bible prophecy. And, as
we have already discussed, the worldwide preaching work is directly fulfilling Jesus’ words.—Matthew 24:14.
20 Throughout the centuries, our
Creator has clearly shown that we can
trust in him. Are we benefiting from
his reminders? One sister named
Rosellen says: “As I began to put my
full trust in Jehovah, I began to see
more clearly his loving hand sustaining and strengthening me.” We too
can benefit from paying attention to
Jehovah’s reminders.
19, 20. Why can we trust that following the direction Jehovah gives us is best for us? How do
we benefit from Jehovah’s reminders?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Make Jehovah’s
Reminders the
Exultation of
Your Heart
“I have taken your
reminders as a
possession to time
indefinite.”—PSALM 119:111.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
Why should we be happy to
obey Jehovah’s commands?
What can we do to strengthen
our trust in Jehovah?
Why is it important to keep busy
in God’s service?
PEOPLE react to direction in different ways. For
example, some may accept a reminder from a
person who has authority but may reject it from
someone their own age or from someone who
has less authority. When some receive discipline
or counsel, they may feel sad, depressed, or embarrassed. But others might feel motivated and
confident and want to do better. Why do people
react so differently? One reason is pride. When a
proud person receives counsel, he thinks that it
does not apply to him, so he rejects it and does
not benefit from the instruction he could have received.—Proverbs 16:18.
2 True Christians react differently. We value
helpful advice, especially when it comes from
God’s Word. Jehovah’s reminders help us to
see the danger of wrong conduct. For example,
they help us to avoid things that will harm us,
such as materialism, sexual immorality, and the
wrong use of drugs and alcohol. (Proverbs 20:1;
2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 1 Timothy 6:6-11) Also, we have “the good condition of
the heart” that results from obeying God’s commands.—Isaiah 65:14.
3 To keep our precious friendship with our
heavenly Father, we must continue to use
1. (a) In what ways do people react to reminders, and why?
(b) How does a proud person react to counsel?
2. Why do true Christians value advice from God’s Word?
3. What attitude of the psalmist should we imitate?
9
SOME
EXPRESSIONS
EXPLAINED
Make Jehovah’s reminders the exultation of your heart:
Strengthen your trust in Jehovah’s commands and be
happy to obey them
Jehovah’s wise instruction in our life.
We should imitate the attitude of
the psalmist who wrote: “I have taken your reminders as a possession
to time indefinite, for they are the
exultation of my heart.” (Psalm 119:
111) Like the psalmist, are you happy to obey Jehovah’s commands? Or
do you sometimes feel that they are
too difficult to obey? Even if at times
you find it hard to accept counsel, do
not be discouraged. You can strengthen your trust that obeying God’s wise
commands is always best for you. Let
us discuss three ways to do this.
STRENGTHEN YOUR TRUST
THROUGH PRAYER
King David had good times and
bad times in his life, but one thing
never changed. He always had complete trust in his Creator. He said: “To
you, O Jehovah, I raise my very soul.
O my God, in you have I put my trust.”
(Psalm 25:1, 2) How did David learn
to have such strong trust in his heavenly Father?
5 Many people pray to God only
when they are having serious problems. They are like a friend who talks
to you only when he needs money or
4
4. What is the one thing that never changed in
David’s life?
5, 6. What do David’s prayers show about his
friendship with Jehovah?
10
Throughout David’s life,
his prayers showed that
he truly loved Jehovah
and trusted in him
wants you to do something for him.
After a while, you may begin to wonder whether this friend really loves
you. But David’s friendship with Jehovah was not like that. Throughout
David’s life, both in good times and
bad, his prayers showed that he truly loved Jehovah and trusted in him.
—Psalm 40:8.
6 Notice how David gave praise and
thanks to Jehovah: “O Jehovah our
Lord, how majestic your name is in
all the earth, you whose dignity is recounted above the heavens!” (Psalm
8:1) Can you tell from David’s words
how close his friendship with his
heavenly Father was? David was so
impressed by Jehovah’s greatness and
glory that he was inspired to praise Jehovah “all day long.”—Psalm 35:28.
7 Like David, we need to communicate with Jehovah regularly so that we
can strengthen our trust in him. The
7. How does regularly communicating with Jehovah help us?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Bible says: “Draw close to God, and
he will draw close to you.” (James 4:8)
Praying to Jehovah draws us closer to
him and is also an important way that
we receive holy spirit.—Read 1 John
3:22.
8 When you pray, do you use the
same words or expressions every
time? If you do, try to take a little time
before you pray to think about what
you want to say. To illustrate: If you
said the same things over and over
again to a friend each time you saw
him, how would he feel? He might
not want to listen to you anymore. Of
Avoid saying the
same things over
and over again
every time you pray
course, Jehovah would never ignore a
sincere prayer of one of his loyal servants. But we should try to avoid saying the same things over and over
again every time we pray.
9 Clearly, if we want to get closer to
God, we cannot pray only about general things. The more we tell Jehovah our deepest thoughts and feelings, the stronger our trust in him
will be. What should we include in
our prayers? God’s Word answers:
“In everything by prayer and suppli8. Why should we avoid using the same words
or expressions every time we pray?
cation along with thanksgiving let
your petitions be made known to
God.” (Philippians 4:6) Really, anything that affects our life or our
friendship with God can be included
in our prayers.
10 We can learn a lot from the
prayers of faithful men and women of
the past. (1 Samuel 1:10, 11; Acts 4:2431) In the Psalms, for example, there
are many sincere prayers and songs
to Jehovah that include every emotion from agony to great joy. Studying
these prayers can help us to make our
own prayers more meaningful.
MEDITATE ON GOD’S
REMINDERS
David said: “The reminder of Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise.” (Psalm 19:7)
So even if we are inexperienced, we
can become wise by obeying God’s
commands. But there is some counsel
in the Bible that we must meditate on
if we want to stay faithful in all situations in life. For example, meditating on Bible principles can help you to
stay loyal when tempted to do something wrong at school or at work. It
can also help you to obey God’s laws
regarding blood and Christian neutrality and to apply Bible principles
when choosing clothing. Meditating
on God’s counsel will help us to prepare for situations like these. Then we
can decide what we will do before the
situation ever happens. This kind of
preparation can help us to avoid painful mistakes.—Proverbs 15:28.
11
9, 10. (a) What should we include in our
prayers? (b) What can help us to make our
prayers more meaningful?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
11. Why do we need to meditate on Bible coun-
sel?
11
Will you show that you trust in Jehovah as the Israelites in Joshua’s time did?
(See paragraphs 17, 18)
While we wait for God’s promises to come true, are we showing that
our faith in them is still strong and
that God’s will is still the most important thing in our life? For example, do we truly believe that Babylon
the Great will soon be destroyed? Are
12
Is your zeal for the
ministry still strong, or
are you putting your
own desires first?
future blessings, such as everlasting
life on a paradise earth and the resurrection, as real to us now as when
we first learned about them? Have we
12. Thinking about what questions can help us
to keep God’s reminders?
12
kept our zeal for the ministry strong,
or are we putting our own desires first
in our life? Are the sanctification of
Jehovah’s name and the vindication
of his sovereignty still very important
to us? Thinking deeply about questions like these can help us to keep
God’s “reminders as a possession to
time indefinite.”—Psalm 119:111.
13 There are some things in the Bible that we do not completely understand because Jehovah has chosen
not to explain them yet. Jesus again
and again told his apostles that he
would have to suffer and be killed.
(Read Matthew 12:40; 16:21.) But the
apostles did not understand what he
meant. They understood his words
only after Jesus had been resurrected, had appeared to his disciples, and
13. Why did Christians in the first century find
some things difficult to understand? Give an
example.
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
had helped them to understand the
prophecies about the Christ. (Luke
24:44-46; Acts 1:3) And it was only
after Christ’s followers had received
holy spirit at Pentecost of the year
33 that they understood that God’s
Kingdom would rule from heaven.
—Acts 1:6-8.
14 In a similar way, at the beginning of the 20th century, true Christians had wrong expectations about
what would happen during “the last
days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) For example, in
the year 1914, some thought that they
would soon be taken up to heaven,
but that did not happen. Those Christians continued to study the Scriptures and realized that a great preaching work needed to be done first.
(Mark 13:10) So in 1922, J. F. Rutherford, who took the lead in the preaching work at that time, told those gathered at the international convention
at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A.: “Behold,
the King reigns! You are his publicity agents. Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.” From that time on, Jehovah’s
servants have been known for preaching “the good news of the kingdom.”
—Matthew 4:23; 24:14.
15 It is good to meditate on the wonderful way Jehovah has made his
promises come true for his people,
both past and present. This helps us
to have greater trust that Jehovah is
able to fulfill his purpose in the future. Meditating on God’s promises
keeps us excited about them and
strengthens our trust that they will
come true.
STRENGTHEN YOUR TRUST
THROUGH ACTS OF WORSHIP
Jehovah is a dynamic God, that
is, a God of action. The psalmist said:
“Who is vigorous like you, O Jah?”
He added: “Your hand is strong, your
right hand is exalted.” (Psalm 89:8,
13) Because he is a God of action, Jehovah is pleased when we do our best
in his service, and he blesses us for it.
He sees that all of his servants, men
and women, young and old, are not
eating “the bread of laziness.” They
are working hard. (Proverbs 31:27)
When we keep busy in his service, we
imitate our Creator. Doing our best
in God’s service also makes us happy and pleases Jehovah.—Read Psalm
62:12.
17 How is our trust in Jehovah
strengthened by our acts of faith?
Think about what happened when it
was time for Israel to enter the Promised Land. Jehovah had instructed the
priests who were carrying the ark of
the covenant to march right into the
Jordan River. But as the people got
closer to the river, they saw that the
waters were high and moving very
fast because of the spring rains. What
would the Israelites do? Would they
set up camp on the side of the river and wait several weeks or longer
for the waters to go down? No, they
trusted completely in Jehovah and
16
16. What blessings come from working hard in
14. What good example did our brothers at the
God’s service?
beginning of the 20th century set for us?
15. Why is it good for us to meditate on what
Jehovah has done for his people?
17, 18. How is our trust in Jehovah strength-
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
ened when we follow his directions? Give an
example.
13
followed his directions. What was the
result? The Bible says: “As soon as
the feet of the priests touched the water, the river stopped flowing.” After
that, “the priests stood in the middle
of the dry riverbed near Jericho while
everyone else crossed over.” (Joshua
3:12-17, Contemporary English Version) Imagine how happy the Israelites must have been to see those fastmoving waters stop flowing! Their
faith in Jehovah was strengthened because they followed his directions.
18 True, Jehovah does not perform
miracles like this for his people today.
But he does bless us when we show
faith and follow his directions. God’s
holy spirit gives us the courage we
need to preach the Kingdom message
Jehovah blesses us
when we show faith and
follow his directions
all over the world. And Jesus Christ,
Jehovah’s main Witness, promised
his disciples that he would support
them in this important work. He told
them: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.”
Then he promised: “I am with you all
the days until the conclusion of the
system of things.” (Matthew 28:19,
20) Many Witnesses who may be shy
or nervous about speaking to others say that God’s holy spirit gives
them the courage to speak to strangers in the ministry.—Read Psalm 119:
46; 2 Corinthians 4:7.
14
19 Some brothers and sisters cannot do as much as they would like to
in God’s service because of sickness
or old age. But they can be sure that
“the Father of tender mercies and the
God of all comfort” understands their
circumstances. (2 Corinthians 1:3)
He values all that we are able to do in
his service. And all of us need to remember that our salvation depends
mainly on our faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice.—Hebrews 10:39.
20 Our worship involves using our
time, energy, and material things as
much as we can in God’s service.
We want to do our very best in the
preaching work. (2 Timothy 4:5) We
are happy to help others to have “accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) Clearly, honoring and praising Jehovah makes us rich spiritually.
(Proverbs 10:22) And it helps us to
have complete trust in our Creator,
no matter what may happen.—Romans 8:35-39.
21 As we have discussed, trusting
in Jehovah for wise direction requires
effort. So, strengthen your trust
through prayer. Meditate on how
Jehovah has fulfilled his promises
in the past and how he will do the
same in the future. And continue
to strengthen your trust in Jehovah
through acts of worship. Remember,
Jehovah’s reminders will last to time
indefinite. And if you pay attention
to those reminders, you can live forever!
19. Even if we cannot do as much as we would
like to in God’s service, of what can we be sure?
20, 21. What are some ways that we show
trust in Jehovah?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Have You Been
Transformed?
“Be transformed by making
your mind over.”
—ROMANS 12:2.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN?
Why do all Christians need
to be transformed?
What transformation must
each Christian make?
How can we make the transformation we need?
ALL of us are influenced by the way we were
raised and our environment, that is, our friends,
our culture, and the community in which we live.
That is why we like certain foods and why we
dress and behave in a certain way.
2 But some things are much more important
than the way we dress or what we eat. For example, as we grow up, we are taught that some
things are right and that some things are wrong.
But different people have different opinions
about what is right and what is wrong. Our conscience also influences the choices we make. The
Bible says that often “people of the nations that
do not have law do by nature the things of the
law.” (Romans 2:14) But if there is no specific law
from God, can we just follow the standards of our
family or follow the standards that are common
where we live?
3 There are at least two important reasons why
Christians do not do that. First, the Bible says:
“There exists a way that is upright before a man,
but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” (Proverbs 16:25) Because we are imperfect, we are not able to guide our steps perfectly.
(Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 10:23) Second, the Bible says that Satan is “the god of this system of
things.” He controls the world’s standards, that
is, what the world thinks is right or wrong and
what becomes popular. (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John
5:19) If we want to make Jehovah happy and want
1, 2. How does the way we were raised and our environment
influence our life?
3. Give two reasons why Christians do not just follow the
standards of the world.
15
SOME
EXPRESSIONS
EXPLAINED
To “be transformed”:
To change in order to become the kind of person
God wants us to be. We stop
any bad conduct and change
both our attitude and our
thinking
If we want to make
Jehovah happy and want
him to bless us, we
must be transformed
him to bless us, we must obey what is
said at Romans 12:2.—Read.
4 This article will discuss three important points mentioned at Romans
12:2. They are (1) Why do we need
to be “transformed,” or changed?
(2) What do we need to transform?
(3) How can we be transformed?
WHY DO WE NEED
TO BE TRANSFORMED?
When Paul wrote the letter to the
Romans in the year 56, he was not
writing a letter to all the people in
Rome. He was writing to the anointed Christians who lived there. (Romans 1:7) He urged them to be transformed and to “quit being fashioned
after this system of things.” The “system of things” he wrote about includ5
4. What will we discuss in this article?
5. To whom did Paul write the counsel at Ro-
mans 12:2?
16
To “quit being fashioned
after this system of
things”: To stop allowing the
world to change our attitude
and the way we think
ed what the people in Rome thought
was right and wrong as well as their
customs, conduct, and way of dressing. Paul said “quit being fashioned”
because there were brothers and sisters who were still acting and thinking
like the Romans. How were they being influenced?
6 When tourists visit Rome today,
they see the ruins of temples, tombs,
and monuments that were built thousands of years ago. These buildings help us to learn more about how
people lived and worshipped in ancient Rome. In history books we read
about violent gladiatorial games,
chariot races, and plays and musicals
that were sometimes immoral. Rome
was a rich city where people had lots
of opportunities to make money.—Romans 6:21; 1 Peter 4:3, 4.
7 The Romans had many temples
and worshipped many gods, but most
people did not try to have a real and
close relationship with their gods.
The religion of the Romans mainly required that they participate in rituals,
such as at births, marriages, or funerals. These rituals were part of their
daily life. It must have been very dif6, 7. In Paul’s day, why was it difficult to be a
Christian in Rome?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
ficult for Christians in Rome. Many
of them were raised to worship false
gods, so they had to make changes
to become Christians. Even after their
baptism, they still had changes to
make.
8 Similarly, the world today is a dangerous place for Christians. Why? Because the spirit of the world is everywhere. (Read Ephesians 2:2, 3; 1 John
2:16.) The world tries to influence us
with its desires, thinking, standards,
and morals, and we are in constant
danger of becoming part of the world.
So we really need to obey the counsel
to “quit being fashioned after this system of things” and “be transformed.”
What must we do to be transformed?
As a person studies the Bible and
applies what he learns, he begins
to draw closer to Jehovah. He leaves
false religion and makes changes in
his life. He works hard to develop
the new personality and to imitate Jesus. (Ephesians 4:22-24) We are happy that hundreds of thousands of peo-
ple make this kind of progress each
year, dedicate themselves to Jehovah
God, and get baptized. This certainly makes Jehovah happy. (Proverbs 27:
11) But are these the only changes that
a person must make?
10 Being transformed is more than
making progress or improving ourselves. For example, an item at the
market may have a label that says “improved,” that is, the item has been
changed to make it better. But often
it has only one new ingredient or it
is just in a new package. The item is
almost the same as it was before. A
Bible dictionary says that the expression “be transformed” at Romans
12:2 involves renewing or changing
our thinking by the power of holy spirit. So a Christian is not transformed
by simply stopping his harmful habits, bad speech, or immoral conduct.
Some people who do not know what
the Bible says try to avoid these bad
things. So, then, what do we as Christians have to do to be transformed,
or to change the way we think and
feel?
11 “Be transformed by making your
mind over,” Paul wrote. The “mind”
refers to our ability to think. But in
the Bible, it also includes what we
like to think about as well as our attitude and our ability to reason on a
matter. Earlier in his letter to the
Romans, Paul described people who
had “a disapproved mental state” because of their ‘unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, and badness.’
8. Why is the world today a dangerous place
10. Why is being transformed more than just
for Christians?
9. What changes do many make so that they
qualify to get baptized?
11. What did Paul say was needed for a person
A Christian is not
transformed by simply
stopping his harmful
habits, bad speech, or
immoral conduct
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TRANSFORM?
9
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
improving ourselves?
to be transformed?
17
They were “full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit,” and other bad things. (Romans 1:28-31) We can understand
why Paul counseled the Christians
who lived around people like that to
‘be transformed by making their mind
over.’
12 Sadly, many people in the world
around us have the kind of thinking
that Paul described. They think that it
is old-fashioned to live by standards
and principles and that no one should
force others to live by them. Many
teachers and parents allow children
to do whatever they want. They even
teach them that each person has the
freedom to decide for himself what is
right or what is wrong. Such people
believe that there is really no way to
Only we know if we
have allowed what we
have learned from
the Bible to transform
us and whether it
continues to do so
know what is right and what is wrong.
Even many who say that they believe
in God do not think that they need
to do what God says is right. (Psalm
14:1) This attitude is dangerous for
Christians. If we are not careful, we
might stop following the instructions
we receive from God’s organization
12. What do many people think today? Why is
it dangerous for Christians to think this way?
18
Many need to come out of Satan’s
world and be transformed
(See paragraph 9)
and may even start complaining about
anything we do not like. Or maybe we
do not completely agree with Scriptural counsel we receive about entertainment, the use of the Internet, and
higher education.
13 If we want to stop being “fashioned after this system of things,” that
is, not allow the world to mold the way
we think and feel, we need to think
honestly about the person we really
are. We need to examine our deepest
attitudes and feelings, our goals, and
our standards. Others may not know
who we really are inside, and they
may tell us that we are doing well.
But only we know if we have allowed
what we have learned from the Bible
to transform us and whether it continues to do so.—Read James 1:23-25.
HOW WE CAN BE TRANSFORMED
14
To be transformed, we need to
13. Why should we think honestly about who
we really are inside?
14. What can help us to discover the changes
we need to make?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
‘Let all anger and
wrath and screaming
and abusive speech be
taken away from you.’
—Ephesians 4:31
change what is in our heart, that is,
who we really are. What can help us
to make such deep changes? When
we study the Bible, we learn about the
kind of person Jehovah wants us to be.
The way we react to what we read in
the Bible will help us to discover what
is really in our heart. This will help
us to know what changes we need to
make to do the “perfect will of God.”
—Romans 12:2; Hebrews 4:12.
15 Read Isaiah 64:8. The illustration
that the prophet Isaiah used teaches us an important lesson. We are
like clay, and Jehovah is like a potter. When he molds us as a potter
does the clay, he does not change the
way we look on the outside. Instead,
he changes the kind of person we are
on the inside. When we respond to
his molding, we allow him to transform us on the inside, that is, he helps
us to change how we feel and how we
think. This is exactly what we need
15. What transformation happens to us when
Jehovah molds us?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
so that we can fight against the influences of the world. How does Jehovah
mold us?
16 If a potter wants to make a special vessel, he needs to use very good
clay. But there are two things that a
potter needs to do to the clay before
he molds it. First, the clay needs to be
cleaned. Then, the clay needs to have
the right amount of water added to it
and be worked so that it will be able
to keep its shape when it is molded.
17 A potter uses water not only to
clean the clay but also to make the
clay easy to work with. Then he can
make any kind of vessel he wants to
make, even a delicate one. Just as the
water changes the clay, God’s Word
changes us. When we started to learn
about God, the Bible helped us to
stop thinking like the world and begin
thinking the way God thinks. Then
he could transform us into a valuable
vessel that he could use. (Ephesians
5:26) We have been reminded many
times to read the Bible each day and to
attend Christian meetings regularly.
Why have we been encouraged to do
these things? Because by doing them,
we respond well to Jehovah’s molding.—Psalm 1:2; Acts 17:11; Hebrews
10:24, 25.
18 If we want God’s Word to transform us, we need to do more than
read and learn from it. Many people
16, 17. (a) Explain what a potter does to the
clay he uses to make a valuable vessel. (b) How
does God’s Word help us to be transformed
into a valuable vessel that Jehovah can use?
18. (a) Why do we need to meditate on God’s
Word if we want it to transform us? (b) What
questions can help us do that?
19
this often does not change their thinking and their way of life. Why? Because God’s Word transforms people
only when they allow it to be “sounded down,” that is, to let it reach deep
into their heart. (Galatians 6:6, foot-
note) We need to meditate on what we
learn from the Bible. We should ask
ourselves: ‘Am I convinced that this
is more than just a religious teaching?
Have I seen proof in my life that this
is really the truth? Do I apply in my
own life what I have learned and not
just teach it to others? Do I believe
that what I learn comes from Jehovah, as if he were talking to me personally?’ If we meditate on questions
like these, we will draw closer to Jehovah. When what we learn touches our heart, we will be motivated to
make changes in our life that make
God happy.—Proverbs 4:23; Luke
6:45.
19 If we regularly read the Bible and
meditate on it, this will help us to
continue to do what Paul said: “Strip
off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the
new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new.”
(Colossians 3:9, 10) If we really understand what the Bible teaches and apply what we learn, it will motivate us
to put on the new Christian personality that can protect us from Satan’s
traps.
20 “As obedient children, quit being fashioned according to the desires
you formerly had,” the apostle Peter
reminds us, but “become holy yourselves in all your conduct.” (1 Peter 1:
14, 15) The following article will explain how Jehovah will bless us if we
do our best to be transformed in our
thinking and attitude.
1 See the example given in The Watchtower of February 1, 1994, page 9, paragraph 7.
19, 20. How will we benefit if we apply Bible
counsel?
Being transformed will help you handle
problems in a better way than in the past
(See paragraph 18)
read the Bible and know a lot about
what it says. Perhaps you have met
people like this in the ministry. Some
are even able to repeat Bible verses
from memory.1 (See footnote.) But
If we put on the new
Christian personality,
we can be protected
from Satan’s traps
20
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Make Personal
Decisions Wisely
“Trust in Jehovah
with all your heart
and do not lean upon
your own understanding.”
—PROVERBS 3:5.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What does it mean to have a
sound mind when we make
decisions?
How can we learn to make wise
decisions?
What can help us to do what we
have decided to do?
EVERY day we have to make many decisions.
How do you feel about making decisions? Some
people are eager to decide everything for themselves. They think that they have the right to
make all their own decisions and do not like the
idea of anyone else deciding for them. Others are
afraid of making important decisions. Some look
for advice in books or from counselors and even
spend a lot of money to get the help they think
they need to make decisions.
2 Many of us realize that although there are
some decisions we do not have the right to make,
there are many personal decisions we can make
in life. (Galatians 6:5) However, we probably
know that not all the decisions we make are wise
or beneficial.
3 As servants of Jehovah, we can be happy that
he has given us clear directions about many of
the important matters in our life. We know that if
we follow his directions, we can make decisions
that will both please Jehovah and benefit us. But
the Bible does not provide directions for all problems or situations. How should we decide what to
do when that happens? For example, the Bible
says that we should not steal. (Ephesians 4:28)
But some say that it is not always wrong for a person to take something that does not belong to him
if it is not very valuable or if he really needs it.
How do we make a decision when some say that
there is no clear direction on what to do? What is
there to help us?
1, 2. Do you like making decisions? How do you feel about
some of the decisions you have made?
3. What directions do we have to help us make decisions?
Why is it not always easy to know what decision to make?
21
SOME
EXPRESSIONS
EXPLAINED
To have a sound mind:
To control our thinking and
feelings and imitate the way
Jehovah thinks and acts.
This is also called sound
thinking
MAKE YOUR DECISION
WITH A SOUND MIND
To train our perceptive
powers: To learn to make
wise decisions in small
matters so that we will also
make wise decisions in
important matters
A person could think
a long time before
making a decision
but still make the
wrong decision
When we tell a fellow Christian
that we have to make an important decision, he might tell us to make the
decision with a sound mind. That is
good advice. The Bible gives us this
counsel about not rushing to make a
decision: “Everyone that is hasty surely heads for want.” (Proverbs 21:5) But
what does it mean to make a decision
with a sound mind? Does this simply mean that we should think carefully about the situation, be reasonable, and try to understand all the
facts before we decide? All of this is
important, but there is more to having
a sound mind.—Romans 12:3; 1 Peter
4:7.
5 None of us are born with a perfectly sound mind. Because all of us
are sinners and are imperfect, we do
not have perfect health or perfectly
sound thinking. (Psalm 51:5; Romans
3:23) Also, many of us were “blinded”
by Satan until we learned about Jehovah and his standards. (2 Corinthians 4:4; Titus 3:3) So even if a person
thinks for a long time before making
a decision based on what he thinks
is good and reasonable, he may still
make the wrong decision.—Proverbs
14:12.
6 Though we are imperfect, Jehovah, our heavenly Father, is perfect
in every way. (Deuteronomy 32:4) He
has given us what we need to change
the way we think and to learn to have
a sound mind. (Read 2 Timothy 1:7.)
As Christians, we want to think, reason, and act in a sensible way. So we
need to learn to control our thinking
and feelings and imitate the way Jehovah thinks, feels, and acts.
7 Here is an example. It is common
for some immigrants to send their
newborn babies back to their relatives in their home country. In this
4. What advice do we sometimes get when we
6. What can help us to have a sound mind?
have to make a decision?
5. Why do we not have a perfectly sound
mind?
7, 8. What experience shows that we can
make a good decision even when we are being
pressured or are having problems?
4
22
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
way, the parents can continue to work
and make money in their new country.1 (See footnote.) One woman had
a lovely baby boy. About that time,
she started to study the Bible and
to apply what she was learning. Her
friends and relatives began telling her
and her husband that it was the custom to send babies back home so that
the grandparents could raise them.
But the wife was learning in her study
that Jehovah had given her and her
husband the responsibility to raise
their child. (Psalm 127:3; Ephesians
6:4) Should she follow the custom because everyone else thought it was the
right thing to do? Or should she apply what she was learning from the
Bible, even though it would be difficult to live with less money and others might criticize her? What would
you have done if you had been in that
situation?
8 The young woman was under
stress because others were pressuring
her. So she prayed to Jehovah about
how she felt and begged for his direction. As she talked to her Bible teacher and others in the congregation, she
started to understand what Jehovah
thinks about this situation. She also
realized that it could damage her son
emotionally if he was separated from
his parents as he was growing up. After thinking carefully about what the
Bible had to say about her situation,
she decided that it was not right to
send the baby away. When her husband saw how the members of the
1 Another reason that some send their babies back
home is that the grandparents can show their new
grandchildren to friends and relatives.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
congregation were quick to help them
and how happy and healthy the baby
was, he accepted a Bible study and began to attend the meetings with his
wife.
9 That is just one example, but
it shows that there is more to having a sound mind than just doing
what we think is reasonable or what
We need to make sure
that our thinking and
feelings are guided by
God’s standards
others think is best or easiest. Our
imperfect mind and heart can be like
a watch that is going too fast or too
slow. If we trust the watch even when
it is wrong, we can have big problems.
(Jeremiah 17:9) To avoid having problems, we need to make sure that our
thinking and feelings are guided by
God’s standards.—Read Isaiah 55:8, 9.
10 We find this wise counsel in the
Bible: “Trust in Jehovah with all your
heart and do not lean upon your own
understanding. In all your ways take
notice of him, and he himself will
make your paths straight.” (Proverbs
3:5, 6) Note that it says “do not lean
upon your own understanding.” Then
it says to “take notice” of Jehovah.
He is the only One who has perfectly
sound thinking. So whenever we have
to make a decision, we need to look in
the Bible to find out what God thinks
9, 10. What does it mean to have a sound
mind? How can we have a sound mind?
23
When we make the right choices in daily life, we train our perceptive powers
(See paragraph 11)
about the situation so that we can decide the way he would decide. If we
want a sound mind, we must imitate
Jehovah’s way of thinking.
TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS
11 It is not easy to learn to make
wise decisions and then do what we
have decided to do. This can be especially hard for those who are newly
baptized or who are just now making
progress in the truth. But it is possible for them to make real progress.
The Bible calls them ‘babes’ because
they are like infants who are learning how to walk. An infant learns to
walk by repeatedly taking small steps.
Those who are learning to make wise
decisions do something similar. The
apostle Paul said that mature people are “those who through use have
their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.” The
11. What does a person need to do to make
wise decisions?
24
words “through use” and “trained”
both show that we need to make continuous effort. So new ones need to
continue making efforts to learn to
make wise decisions.—Read Hebrews
5:13, 14.
12 Each day we must make many
decisions. They can be big or small.
Some who did research on how people make decisions said that we make
almost half of our decisions based on
our habits and not based on careful
thinking. For example, every morning you have to decide what to wear.
It may seem that this is a small decision and that you do not have to
think a lot about it. However, it is important for you to think about whether what you wear is what a servant
of Jehovah should wear. (2 Corinthians 6:3, 4) When you shop for clothes,
you probably think about the style of
clothing that is popular. But do you
12. How can we learn to make wise decisions?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
also think about whether the clothing is modest and whether you have
enough money to pay for it? Making
good choices in smaller things can
help us to train our perceptive powers.
If we do this, it will help us to make
right decisions in areas that are much
more important.—Luke 16:10; 1 Corinthians 10:31.
HAVE A STRONG DESIRE
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
Even when we make the right decision, it is not always easy to do what
we have decided to do. For example,
some want to stop smoking, but their
desire to stop is not strong enough to
help them succeed. We need to have
a strong desire to do the things that
we have decided to do. Some say that
we can strengthen this desire in the
same way that we strengthen a muscle. The more we use a muscle or exercise it, the stronger it becomes. If we
do not use the muscle often, it will get
weak. What can help us to strengthen our desire to do the things that we
have decided to do? We need to rely
on Jehovah for help.—Read Philippians 2:13.
14 Paul knew that it was difficult
to do what was right because of
his own experience. He once said
that he wished to do “what is fine”
but that this was sometimes difficult
for him. He knew what he wanted to
do or what he should do, but he was
sometimes not able to do it. He confessed: “I really delight in the law of
13
13. What will help us to do the things that we
have decided to do?
14. Why did Paul have the strength to do what
he knew he should do?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
God according to the man I am within, but I behold in my members another law warring against the law
of my mind and leading me captive
to sin’s law that is in my members.”
But he had good reason for hope.
He said: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:18,
To please God, we
have to decide to do
what is right and then
be determined to do it
22-25) He also wrote: “For all things
I have the strength by virtue of him
who imparts power to me.”—Philippians 4:13.
15 To please God, we need to decide
to do what is right and then be determined to do it. Remember what Elijah told the Baal worshippers and the
apostate Israelites at Mount Carmel:
“How long will you be limping upon
two different opinions? If Jehovah is
the true God, go following him; but
if Baal is, go following him.” (1 Kings
18:21) The sons of Israel knew that
they were supposed to worship only
Jehovah. They were “limping upon
two different opinions” because they
were trying to worship both Jehovah and Baal. Joshua was very different. Years earlier, he told the Israelites: “If it is bad in your eyes to serve
Jehovah, choose for yourselves today
whom you will serve . . . As for me
15. Why do we need to be determined to do
what is right?
25
Make wise decisions and find joy among God’s people
(See paragraph 18)
and my household, we shall serve Jehovah.” (Joshua 24:15) What blessing
did he and those with him receive?
They were allowed to enter the Promised Land, which was “a land flowing
with milk and honey.”—Joshua 5:6.
IF YOU MAKE WISE DECISIONS,
YOU WILL BE BLESSED
One newly baptized brother and
his wife have three small children.
His job does not pay very well, but
he chose it so that he could have the
weekends off to attend the meetings
and be in the ministry with his family. One day, a workmate suggested
that he and the brother move to another company that paid more money and would give them other benefits. Our brother thought and prayed
about the decision. He realized that
it would probably be a long time before he could have the weekends off if
16
16, 17. What benefits can come to us when we
decide to do what Jehovah wants us to do?
26
he took the new job. What would you
have done?
17 After thinking about how this decision would affect his relationship
with Jehovah, he did not accept the
job that paid more. Do you think
that later he was sorry that he made
this decision? No, he was not. Instead
of thinking only about getting more
money, he felt that it was more important for him and his family to be
able to draw close to Jehovah. The
brother and his wife were very happy when their ten-year-old daughter
said that she loved her parents, loved
the brothers and sisters, and loved Jehovah very much. She said that she
wanted to dedicate her life to Jehovah
and get baptized. She benefited from
her father’s good example of putting
Jehovah’s worship first in his life.
1 8 Just as Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness, Jesus
Christ has been leading God’s people through Satan’s system for many
years. It will soon be destroyed. And
just as Joshua led the Israelites into
the Promised Land, Jesus will lead
his followers into the promised new
world, where righteousness will be
found. (2 Peter 3:13) Since that day
is so close, it would be unwise for us
to return to our old thinking, habits,
standards, and goals. We need to understand even more clearly how God
wants us to live. (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5) Make wise decisions
and choices, and be the kind of person Jehovah will bless forever.—Read
Hebrews 10:38, 39.
18. Why is it important to make wise decisions
every day?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Pioneering
Strengthens
Our Relationship
With God
“It is good to make melody
to our God.”—PSALM 147:1.
THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT
THESE QUESTIONS
How can pioneering strengthen
your relationship with Jehovah?
If you are a pioneer, what can
help you to continue in this
special service?
If you are not a pioneer yet,
what can you do to become
one?
WHEN we think and speak about someone we
love, our friendship with that person becomes
stronger. The same is true of our friendship with
Jehovah God. As a shepherd, David spent many
nights looking at the stars and meditating on
how amazing the Creator is. He wrote: “When I
see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the
moon and the stars that you have prepared, what
is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the
son of earthling man that you take care of him?”
(Psalm 8:3, 4) And when the apostle Paul wrote
about the wonderful way Jehovah was making
His purpose for anointed Christians come true,
he exclaimed: “O the depth of God’s riches and
wisdom and knowledge!”—Romans 11:17-26, 33.
2 When we go out in the ministry, we think and
talk about Jehovah. This strengthens our friendship with him. Many pioneers have felt that their
love for God has become even deeper because
they are able to spend more time in the ministry. This article will help both pioneers and those
who want to become pioneers to think carefully about these questions: How can pioneering
strengthen your relationship with Jehovah? If you
are pioneering, what will help you to continue in
this special service? If you are not pioneering yet,
what can you do to start? Let us first talk about
1, 2. (a) What happens when we think and speak about
someone we love? (See opening picture.) (b) What questions
will we talk about?
27
SOME
EXPRESSIONS
EXPLAINED
“To make melody to our God” (Psalm 147:1):
To praise our God, Jehovah. We have more opportunities
to do this when we pioneer
ways that pioneering can strengthen
our friendship with God.
HOW PIONEERING STRENGTHENS
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
When we talk about future Kingdom blessings, we become closer to
Jehovah. What is your favorite scripture to use when you go from house
to house? Maybe it is Psalm 37:10, 11;
Daniel 2:44; John 5:28, 29; or Revelation 21:3, 4. Each time we talk about
these promises with others, we are reminded that “every good gift and
every perfect present” comes from
our generous God, Jehovah. This
draws us closer to him.—James 1:17.
4 When we see how unhappy and
helpless most people are, we become
even more grateful for the truth. People in the world do not receive the
help they need to have true success
and happiness. Most worry about the
future and have no hope. They search
for the meaning of life. Even most
who are religious know very little
about the Bible. They are much like
the people of Nineveh. (Read Jonah 4:
11.) The more time we spend speaking to people in the ministry, the more
we realize how well Jehovah takes
3
3. How does talking about future Kingdom
blessings help us?
care of us. (Isaiah 65:13) But Jehovah
does more than take care of the needs
of only his people. He gives everyone
a chance to receive comfort and to
have a real hope. This reminds us of
how good Jehovah really is.—Revelation 22:17.
5 When we teach others the truth,
we learn not to worry so much about
our own problems. Trisha, who is a
regular pioneer, says that she was extremely upset when her parents got
When we teach
others the truth, we
learn not to worry
so much about our
own problems
divorced. One day she was especially sad and did not feel like going out
in the ministry. But she went to conduct a Bible study anyway. The study
was with three children who were
growing up in a family with many
problems. Their father had abandoned them, and their older brother
had treated them cruelly. Trisha says:
4. Why do we become even more grateful for
5. How does teaching others the truth make us
God’s goodness when we preach to others?
feel about our own problems?
28
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
“Any problem or heartache I was dealing with was nothing compared to
theirs. As we studied, their little eyes
would light up and they would giggle
with excitement and joy. Those children were a gift from Jehovah, especially that day.”
6 When we teach Bible truths to
others, our faith in these truths becomes stronger. The apostle Paul
wrote of some Jews in his day who
did not do what they taught others to
do: “Do you, however, the one teaching someone else, not teach yourself?” (Romans 2:21) Pioneers usually have many opportunities to teach
the truth to others and conduct Bible studies. To do this well, they must
first teach themselves. They must prepare for each study and perhaps do
research to answer questions. A pioneer named Janeen explains that each
time she teaches the truth to others,
her own faith in these truths becomes
stronger.
7 When we see that Bible principles help our students improve their
lives, we value God’s wisdom even
more. (Isaiah 48: 17, 18) This makes us
want to continue to use these principles in our own life. Adrianna, another pioneer, says: “People’s lives can be
a mess when they rely on their own
wisdom. But when they start relying
on Jehovah’s wisdom, the benefits begin right away.” A pioneer named Phil
says that he is amazed to see how people are able to change their lives with
Jehovah’s help.
8 We are encouraged by working
with our brothers and sisters in the
ministry. (Proverbs 13:20) Pioneers
spend a lot of time in the ministry
with their brothers and sisters. This
gives them more opportunities for “an
interchange of encouragement.” (Romans 1:12; read Proverbs 27:17.) A
pioneer named Lisa explains that at
her place of work, people are jealous of one another and will do anything to get ahead of others. Every day
she hears people gossip and curse.
She adds: “At times, you are ridiculed
or mocked because of your Christian
conduct. However, working in the
ministry with fellow Christians is truly upbuilding. At the end of the day, I
come home refreshed, no matter how
tired I am.”
9 When we pioneer with our mate,
our marriage becomes stronger. (Ecclesiastes 4:12) Madeline, who pioneers with her husband, explains:
6, 7. (a) How is our faith strengthened when
we teach Bible truths? (b) How do we feel when
we see Bible principles help our students improve their lives?
8. How does working with our brothers and
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
‘Each year that my
husband and I pioneer
together, we grow
closer.’—Madeline
“My husband and I are able to spend
time talking about our day in the
ministry or something in our Bible
reading that can be applied in our
ministry. Each year that we pioneer
sisters in the ministry help us?
9. When husband and wife pioneer together,
how does this help their marriage?
29
together, we grow closer.” A pioneer
named Trisha says that she and her
husband have agreed not to buy
things that they cannot afford. As a
result, they do not fight about money. They also call on their return visits and conduct their Bible studies together. This has helped their marriage
to become even stronger.
10 Our trust in Jehovah increases
as we put the Kingdom first, feel Jehovah’s support, and see him answer our prayers. It is true that all
10. When we put the Kingdom first and feel
God’s support, what happens to our trust in Jehovah?
When we are active in the full-time service,
we can have a satisfying life
(See paragraph 9)
loyal Christians trust in Jehovah. But
pioneers find that it is only by trusting in Jehovah that they can continue pioneering. (Read Matthew 6:3034.) Curt, who is a pioneer and serves
as a substitute circuit overseer, agreed
to visit a congregation two and a half
hours from his home. He and his wife,
who is also a pioneer, had enough gasoline in their car to get to the congregation but not enough to return home,
and his payday was a week away. Curt
says that they were not sure if they
had made the right decision. But they
prayed and decided they should go.
They trusted that God would care for
their needs. Just before they left, a sister called and said that she had a gift
for them. It was the exact amount of
money they needed for the trip. Curt
says that when things like that happen again and again, it is easy to see
that it is Jehovah who is giving us
what we need.
11 Pioneers have often said that the
closer they get to God and the more
they do in his service, the more blessings they receive. (Deuteronomy 28:2)
But pioneering is not always easy. We
all suffer because of imperfection and
because of this wicked world. Sometimes problems may cause pioneers to
stop their service for a while. But it
is often possible to solve or even to
avoid these problems. What can help
pioneers to continue in their special
service?
HOW TO CONTINUE PIONEERING
Most pioneers are very busy. It
can be hard to get everything done, so
it is important to be well organized.
(1 Corinthians 14:33, 40) If a pioneer
is having trouble reaching the hour
requirement, he should think carefully about how he is using his time.
(Ephesians 5:15, 16) He might ask:
‘Am I spending too much time in
recreation? Could I change my work
schedule? Do I spend a lot of time doing things that are unnecessary?’ Pioneers need to ask themselves these
questions regularly and make changes if needed.
13 A pioneer must make time in his
schedule to read the Bible every day,
do personal study, and meditate. A
pioneer needs to make sure that less
important things do not take time
away from those necessary things.
(Philippians 1:10) For example, imagine that a pioneer comes home after
a long day in the ministry. He plans
to use the evening to prepare for the
next meeting. But first he reads his
mail. Then he turns on the computer
and reads and answers e-mail. While
A pioneer must make
time to read the Bible
every day, do personal
study, and meditate
12
11. What are some of the blessings that pioneers enjoy?
12, 13. (a) What should a pioneer do if he is
having trouble reaching the hour requirement?
(b) Why is it so important to make time to
read the Bible every day, do personal study, and
meditate?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
he is online, he checks to see the price
of something he wants to buy. Before
he realizes it, almost two hours have
passed and he has not yet begun to
prepare for the meeting. Why is this a
problem? Well, if an athlete wants to
have a long career, he must regularly
eat healthy food. In the same way, a
pioneer needs regular personal study
to stay in the pioneer work.—1 Timothy 4:16.
14 Successful pioneers do their best
to keep their life simple. This is what
Jesus encouraged his disciples to do.
(Matthew 6:22) He kept his own life
14, 15. (a) Why should pioneers keep their
life simple? (b) If a pioneer has difficulties, what
should he do?
31
16. If you would like to pioneer, what should
17. Why would it be wise to think carefully
you do?
about whether you can pioneer?
CAN YOU BECOME A PIONEER?
16
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If you would like to pioneer and
have the same blessings that pioneers
have, pray to Jehovah about it. (1 John
5:14, 15) Talk to those who are pioneering. Set goals that will help you
become a pioneer. That is what Keith
and Erika did. Like many couples
their age, they had been working full-
time and had bought a house and a
new car soon after they got married.
They say, “We thought those things
would bring us satisfaction—but they
never did.” After Keith lost his job,
he started serving as an auxiliary pioneer. He says, “Pioneering reminded me of how much joy comes from
being in the ministry.” They became
friends with a pioneer couple who
helped them to realize that pioneering and having a simple life results
in much joy. What did Keith and Erika do? They made a list of their
goals, put it on their refrigerator, and
checked off each goal as they reached
it. After some time, they were able to
pioneer.
17 Can you become a pioneer? If
you feel that you are not able to pioneer right now, do all you can to get
closer to Jehovah by doing your best
in the ministry. If you pray to Jehovah and think carefully about your situation, you may realize that making
some changes in your life will allow
you to pioneer. When you start pioneering, your joy will be much greater
than any sacrifices you will make. You
will be happy because you are putting
God’s Kingdom first in your life and
because you are giving more to others.
(Matthew 6:33) You will have more
opportunities to think and talk about
Jehovah, and this will deepen your
love for him and make him happy.
simple so that he could give all of his
attention to the ministry. He once said
that foxes and birds have homes, “but
the Son of man has nowhere to lay
down his head.” (Matthew 8:20) Pioneers who learn from Jesus’ example
remember that the more things they
have, the more they will have to maintain, repair, or replace.
15 Pioneers realize that their service is special, but they do not think
that they are better than others. Instead, they know that pioneer service is a gift from Jehovah. So to
continue in this service, each pioneer must trust in Jehovah. (Philippians 4:13) There will be difficulties.
(Psalm 34:19) When that happens,
pioneers should ask Jehovah for direction and give him the opportunity
to help, instead of quickly giving up
their pioneer service. (Read Psalm
37:5.) As they see how Jehovah lovingly cares for them, their friendship
with him will become stronger.—Isaiah 41:10.