Examining

the Scriptures
Daily

2011

es11-E
 Examining
the Scriptures
Daily

2011

Name
 Examining
the Scriptures
Daily
2011

˘ 2010
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OF PENNSYLVANIA
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Examining the Scriptures Daily—2011

English (es11-E)

Made in the United States of America

 Examining the Scriptures Daily
Foreword
“Good morning!” This cheerful greeting is
heard around the world countless times each day.
In whatever form or language, it is usually the first
thing said to family members on awakening or to
others we meet later on. It seems to say: “Hello,
it’s good to see you. Hope you have a nice day.” For
most people, however, it is just an expression. In
fact, when greeted with the words “good morning,”
one individual would often say, “Let’s make it so.”
But what would make a morning “good”?
Some feel that starting the day with a nourish-
ing breakfast is most important. Others equate a
good day with feeling well and being energetic.
Weather conditions can also be a significant factor
in our outlook. To many, having a good day is just
being able to get started and satisfy their needs.
Those needs, however, include more than food,
clothing, shelter, and other basic necessities. When
tempted by the Devil to turn stones into bread, Je-
sus said: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but
on every utterance coming forth through Jeho-
vah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4) Yes, we have another ba-
sic need to care for if we truly want to be happy.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made mention
of it when he said: “Happy are those conscious of
their spiritual need.” (Matt. 5:3) Happiness is pos-
sible because that need can be satisfied through an
understanding of God’s written Word, the Bible.
For many, that spiritual need comes to the sur-
face when they ask: ‘Why are we here? What is the
purpose of life?’ The answer becomes clear when
they are helped to realize that rather than evolv-
ing from lower life-forms, man was created by a
loving God. Moreover, we were formed “in God’s
image,” mirroring some of his qualities. (Gen. 1:27;
Deut. 32:4; Job 12:13; Isa. 40:26; 1 John 4:8) Jeho-
vah created us not only with physical needs but
also with a spiritual need. We have an innate desire
to know and worship God. (Rev. 4:11) By studying
the Bible, we learn spiritual truths—facts about
God, his standards, and his purpose for mankind.
What we learn is for our good because Jehovah
teaches us the best way of life.—Isa. 48:17; Luke
11:28.
Just as our body needs to be sustained regu-
larly with physical food, our spirituality must be
nourished regularly. Even though we have learned
many spiritual truths, our imperfect minds tend to
forget. We become engrossed in the daily concerns
of life. We are bombarded by the propaganda of
Satan’s system of things. But the inspired Word
of God can teach us, reprove us when necessary,
set matters straight, and keep us “fully compe-
tent, completely equipped for every good work.”
—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
How important, then, daily reminders from the
Bible are! That is why this publication, the 2011
edition of Examining the Scriptures Daily, is pro-
duced. In it you will find a Scripture text with com-
ments for each day of the year. These daily gems
will remind you of the truths you cherish, of the
need to stay spiritually awake, and of the way
you can please God. (1 Thess. 5:6) The brevity of
the printed comments makes it possible to review
them in just a few minutes. Many do this in the
morning, either by themselves or with their family
at the breakfast table. If you begin each day in this
way, it will truly be a good start to the day.
 2011 Yeartext
“Take refuge in the name of Jehovah.”
—Zeph. 3:12.
On January 12, 2010, the Haitian city of Port-au-
Prince was struck by a devastating earthquake with a mag-
nitude of 7.0. Many buildings collapsed, including hos-
pitals, schools, the headquarters of the United Nations
mission, and sections of the presidential palace. More than
225,000 deaths resulted. Not knowing where to go for ref-
uge, people poured into the streets and for weeks after-
ward camped in any open areas they could find. This
proved wise, as aftershocks rocked the city, including one
of 6.1 magnitude that occurred on January 20.
The best place to seek refuge is always a question
when a calamity strikes. Should one stay put or move?
What location will prove safest? Who can be turned to for
help? Decisions are easier when just a relatively small area
is affected. But what if the calamity is widespread, even
global?
Those who think that a global calamity is far-fetched
need to consider the Flood and Jesus’ warning: “Just as the
days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will
be.” And did not Jesus say that unless the great tribulation
was cut short, “no flesh would be saved”?—Matt. 24:22, 37.
Also of note is the prophetic account in Revelation
chapter 16. In verse 14, we learn that demonic expressions
“go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gath-
er them together to the war of the great day of God the Al-
mighty.” The prophecy goes on to relate that “a great
earthquake occurred such as had not occurred since men
came to be on the earth, so extensive an earthquake, so
great.” (Rev. 16:18) While those statements are symbolic in
nature, they do indicate that destructive events of global
proportions are coming and that there is a great need to
seek a place of refuge. And Jehovah has promised such ref-
uge for those who seek him in true faith.—Zeph. 1:14, 15,
18; 2:2, 3.
Even now, before those foretold events occur, there is
a need to find refuge. Why? After foretelling the Devil’s
defeat and his ouster from heaven at the time of the King-
dom’s birth in 1914, the Bible relates that Satan—full of
wrath and confined to the vicinity of the earth—goes off
to wage war with those “who observe the commandments
of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.”
—Rev. 12:17.
A powerful, invisible enemy who is aware of our per-
sonal weaknesses is a fearsome foe indeed. But there are
those who are more powerful than Satan, foremost of
whom is Jehovah God. What better stronghold, what bet-
ter place of refuge, could there be than in the protec-
tion of the Almighty One himself? With inspired wisdom,
King Solomon wrote: “The name of Jehovah is a strong
tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.”
—Prov. 18:10.
The Hebrew prophet Joel cited the saving power of Je-
hovah’s name when he wrote: “Everyone who calls on the
name of Jehovah will get away safe.” (Joel 2:32) The apos-
tle Peter confirmed this when the Christian congregation
was founded on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. Peter said:
“Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”
(Acts 2:21) Years later, the apostle Paul made the same
point. (Rom. 10:13) Today, it is Jehovah God in whom we
too must find refuge. He will prove to be our unconquer-
able stronghold!
As the name Jehovah (meaning “He Causes To Be-
come”) implies, God will prove to be whatever is needed in
any circumstances. He will do so for the sake of his people
and in line with his purpose. Jehovah can meet any chal-
lenge successfully. There is no greater refuge in these
trialsome times. It is with this in mind that the Governing
Body has chosen as the yeartext for 2011 these words found
at Zephaniah 3:12: “Take refuge in the name of Jehovah.”

DAILY TEXTS AND COMMENTS

In the following pages, you will find a Scripture text
for each day and comments on that text. The comments
are taken from the Watchtower (w) issues of April 2009 to
March 2010. Figures following the date of the Watchtower is-
sue refer to the number, in order, of each study article (1, 2,
3, 4, or 5) appearing in that issue, followed by the para-
graphs where further comments may be found.
 Saturday, January 1
All those desiring to live with
godly devotion in association
with Christ Jesus will also be
persecuted.—2 Tim. 3:12.
What precious knowledge we
as Jehovah’s servants have! Yes,
we understand who is to blame
for deteriorating world condi-
tions. Do we not, then, feel im-
pelled to share in the field min-
istry so as to inform people of
the identity of the chief trou-
blemaker? And are we not hap-
py to stand up for the true God,
Jehovah, and to explain to oth-
ers how he will put an end to Sa-
tan and to mankind’s woes? Sa-
tan is responsible not only for
many of the world’s sorrows but
also for the opposition that God’s
people experience. He is deter-
mined to put us to the test. Jesus
Christ told the apostle Peter: “Si-
mon, Simon, look! Satan has de-
manded to have you men to sift
you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31) Simi-
larly, each of us who follows in
Jesus’ footsteps will experience
trials in some way or other. Peter
compared the Devil to “a roaring
lion, seeking to devour someone.”
—1 Pet. 5:8. w09 4/15 2:5, 6
Sunday, January 2
We became gentle in the midst
of you.—1 Thess. 2:7.
Jesus was patient and under-
standing. When his disciples
needed correction, he offered
it with love. (Mark 9:33-37) He
encouraged them by expressing
confidence that they would be
effective preachers of the good
news. No man has ever been a
more loving teacher than Jesus.
The love he showed to his disci-
ples impelled them to love him
in return and to keep his com-
mandments. (John 14:15) Like
Jesus, his disciples displayed
deep love and affection for those
to whom they preached. En-
during persecution and risking
death, they ministered to oth-
ers and succeeded in preach-
ing the good news. What affec-
tion they felt for those whom they
helped spiritually! Touching in-
deed are the words of the apos-
tle Paul, who wrote: “Having a
tender affection for you, we were
well pleased to impart to you, not
only the good news of God, but
also our own souls, because you
became beloved to us.”—1 Thess.
2:8. w09 7/15 3:16, 17
Monday, January 3
[Jesus] cured all who were far-
ing badly.—Matt. 8:16.
Practically everyone must face
health problems, either his own
or those of family members. Je-
sus’ mental attitude toward the
sick serves as an example for us.
His love moved him to feel pity
for them and he cured them. To-
day, Christians do not have Je-
sus’ miraculous power to heal,
but they do share Jesus’ com-
passionate attitude toward the
sick. May we also strive to treat
others kindly, even when their
imperfections and weaknesses
come to the fore. Let us coura-
geously obey all of Jehovah’s re-
quirements, even in the face of
trials. Finally, let us show Christ-
like love to all our brothers, as
Christ himself did, “to the end.”
Such love identifies us as Jesus’
true followers. (John 13:1, 34, 35)
Yes, “let your brotherly love con-
tinue.” (Heb. 13:1) Do not hold
back! Use your life to praise Jeho-
vah and to help others! Jehovah
will bless your sincere efforts.
w09 9/15 3:16, 17, 19, 20
 Tuesday, January 4
Safeguard your heart.
—Prov. 4:23.
In the complex world in which
we live, many decisions need to
be made that involve our obe-
dience to God. How can we be
sure that these decisions are in
harmony with God’s will? Jeho-
vah has given us a gift that can
help us greatly in this matter of
obedience. It is the conscience.
What is the conscience? It is a
special kind of self-awareness. It
acts like an internal judge, en-
abling us to look at the choices we
face in life or to reflect on the
actions we have already taken
and to evaluate them as to good
or bad, right or wrong. (Rom. 2:
14, 15) The conscience, however,
has its limitations. For example,
if we were to give the desires of
our heart too much prominence,
our selfish tendencies might well
distort the conscience. (Jer. 17:9)
If we do not rely on the sure,
unchanging guidance of God’s
Word, the Bible, our conscience
might be nearly useless.—Ps.
119:105. w09 8/15 4:6, 8
Wednesday, January 5
The fear of Jehovah is pure,
standing forever.—Ps. 19:9.
Discoveries of hidden treasures
have often made headline news.
Some finds may have historical
or artistic value, but they usual-
ly have little or no effect on our
day-to-day life. However, God’s
Word invites us to search for trea-
sures that truly affect us. The in-
vitation is open to everyone, and
the reward is worth far more than
any material treasure. (Prov. 2:
1-6) Consider the value of the
treasures that Jehovah urges his
worshippers to seek. Among such
treasures is “the fear of Jeho-
vah,” which can be a protection
and a safeguard for us in these
perilous times. Finding “the very
knowledge of God” can lead to
the greatest honor any human
can have—a close personal rela-
tionship with the Most High. And
with the treasures of God-given
wisdom, knowledge, and discern-
ment, we will be able to deal suc-
cessfully with problems and is-
sues in our daily life.—Prov. 9:10,
11. w09 7/15 1:1-3
Thursday, January 6
The kingdom of God will be
taken from you and be given to
a nation producing its fruits.
—Matt. 21:43.
Jehovah spoke of his people,
the ancient nation of Israel, as a
collective servant. “ ‘You [plural]
are my witnesses [plural],’ is the
utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my
servant [singular] whom I have
chosen.’ ” (Isa. 43:10) All mem-
bers of the nation were included
in that one servant class. How-
ever, it is important to note that
only the priests together with
the nonpriestly Levites were re-
sponsible for teaching the nation.
(2 Chron. 35:3; Mal. 2:7) Was the
nation of Israel the slave about
whom Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:
45? No. We know that from the
words of today’s text, which Je-
sus said to the Jews of his day.
Clearly, a change was to occur.
Jehovah would use a new nation.
Nevertheless, when it comes to
spiritual instruction, the work
of the slave in Jesus’ illustration
does follow a pattern similar to
that of God’s “servant” in ancient
Israel. w09 6/15 4:4, 5
 Friday, January 7
Keep yourselves clean.
—Isa. 52:11.
Many years before Isaiah wrote
the above words, good King Asa
vigorously pursued a campaign
to root out immorality in Ju-
dah. (1 Ki. 15:11-13) And centu-
ries later, the apostle Paul told
Titus that Jesus gave himself
to cleanse his followers to make
them “a people peculiarly his
own, zealous for fine works.” (Ti-
tus 2:14) In today’s vice-ridden
society, it is not easy—especial-
ly for youths—to keep morally
clean. For instance, all of God’s
servants, young and old alike,
must battle to keep free from
the contamination of pornog-
raphy that is displayed on bill-
boards, on the TV screen, in
films, and particularly on the In-
ternet. Our zeal in heeding God’s
warnings can help us to develop a
hatred for what is bad. (Ps. 97:
10; Rom. 12:9) We need to abhor
pornography in order to “break
free from its powerful, magnetic
pull,” as one Christian expressed
it. w09 6/15 2:14, 15
Saturday, January 8
The Devil has been sinning from
the beginning.—1 John 3:8.
“At the revelation of the Lord
Jesus from heaven with his pow-
erful angels,” all “who do not
know God and those who do not
obey the good news about our
Lord Jesus” will be destroyed.
(2 Thess. 1:6-10) When John saw
that same event in vision, he
described Jesus and the angel-
ic heavenly armies as going forth
on white horses in order to car-
ry on war in righteousness. (Rev.
19:11-14) John also “saw an an-
gel coming down out of heaven
with the key of the abyss and
a great chain in his hand.” This
is none other than the archangel
Michael, who will bind the Devil
and hurl him—and evidently the
demons—into the abyss. They
will be released briefly at the end
of Christ’s Millennial Reign when
perfect mankind will experience
a final test. Thereafter, Satan
and all other rebels will suffer de-
struction. (Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10) All
rebellion against God will have
been removed. w09 5/15 3:20, 21
Sunday, January 9
He went journeying from city
to city and from village to vil-
lage, preaching and declaring
the good news of the kingdom of
God.—Luke 8:1.
A good teacher makes his stu-
dents feel comfortable so that
they are eager to involve them-
selves in what they are learning
and are happy to express them-
selves. A loving teacher imparts
knowledge because he genuinely
cares for his students. He adapts
his teaching to their needs and
their level of understanding.
He is sensitive to the abilities
and circumstances of his stu-
dents. When teachers have such
love, students will discern it, and
teaching and learning are enjoy-
able. Jesus showed that kind of
love. His greatest expression of
love was to surrender his perfect
human life so that others might
be saved. (John 15:13) During his
ministry, Jesus tirelessly cared
for people physically and espe-
cially spiritually. Rather than ex-
pecting people to come to him,
he traveled hundreds of miles on
foot to share the good news with
them.—Matt. 4:23-25. w09 7/15 3:
15, 16
 Monday, January 10
The zeal for your house will eat
me up.—John 2:17.
In Jerusalem at the temple in
the Court of the Gentiles, Je-
sus discovers “those selling cat-
tle and sheep and doves and the
money brokers in their seats.”
Brandishing a whip made of
ropes, he drives out all the an-
imals. Jesus also pours out the
coins of the money changers and
overturns their tables. He orders
those selling doves to take what
they have and leave. (John 2:13-
16) Jesus’ actions relate direct-
ly to his concern for the temple.
“Stop making the house of my
Father a house of merchandise!”
he commands. As Jesus’ disci-
ples observe these events, they
recall the words penned centu-
ries earlier by the psalmist Da-
vid: “The zeal for your house will
eat me up.” (John 2:16, 17; Ps.
69:9) In this 21st century, over
seven million Christians manifest
concern for God’s house. Individ-
ually, we may ask, ‘How can I in-
crease my personal zeal for Jeho-
vah’s house?’ w09 6/15 1:1-3
Tuesday, January 11
[God] is not far off from each
one of us.—Acts 17:27.
We can seek God and really
come to know him. For example,
the book of creation speaks vol-
umes about God’s qualities and
abilities. Appreciatively reflect-
ing on his creative works can
teach us a great deal about the
Creator. (Rom. 1:20) Jehovah has
also revealed details about him-
self in his written Word, the Bi-
ble. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) The more
we ‘meditate on his activity’ and
‘concern ourselves with his deal-
ings,’ the better we can get to
know Jehovah. (Ps. 77:12) A very
fine way to become even more
intimately acquainted with Je-
hovah is to follow the Christ.
Just think of the glory Jesus
had alongside his Father “before
the world was”! (John 17:5) He is
“the beginning of the creation by
God.” (Rev. 3:14) As “the first-
born of all creation,” he lived for
aeons in heaven with his Father,
Jehovah. (Col. 1:15) During his
prehuman existence, Jesus did
more than just spend time with
his Father. He was God’s person-
al companion. w09 5/15 4:3, 4
Wednesday, January 12
God gave us not a spirit of cow-
ardice, but that of power and of
love and of soundness of mind.
—2 Tim. 1:7.
“Soundness of mind” involves
being able to think and reason
sensibly. It includes the ability
to face things as they are—not
the way you would like them to
be. Some immature youths man-
ifest a spirit of cowardice and
mentally try to escape stressful
situations by resorting to exces-
sive sleep or TV viewing, drug
or alcohol abuse, constant party-
ing, or sexual immorality. Chris-
tians are admonished “to repu-
diate ungodliness and worldly
desires and to live with sound-
ness of mind and righteousness
and godly devotion amid this
present system of things.” (Titus
2:12) The Bible exhorts “youn-
ger men to be sound in mind.”
(Titus 2:6) Heeding this counsel
means that you will face prob-
lems prayerfully and will rely on
God-given strength. (1 Pet. 4:7)
Thus, you will develop confidence
in “the strength that God sup-
plies.”—1 Pet. 4:11. w09 5/15 2:
9, 10
 Thursday, January 13
He went forth conquering and
to complete his conquest.
—Rev. 6:2.
Like D avid, Jesus is a con-
quering king. Shortly after he
was installed as King of God’s
Kingdom, he conquered Satan in
battle and hurled him and his de-
mons down to the earth. (Rev. 12:
7-9) His victorious ride will con-
tinue until he will “complete his
conquest,” completely destroying
Satan’s wicked system. (Rev. 19:
11, 19-21) Like David, though, Je-
sus is a compassionate king, and
he will protect the “great crowd”
through Armageddon. (Rev. 7:9,
14) Furthermore, under the rule
of Jesus and his joint heirs, the
resurrected 144,000, there will be
“a resurrection of both the righ-
teous and the unrighteous.” (Acts
24:15) Those who are resurrected
on earth will have the prospect
of living forever. What a wonder-
ful future awaits them! May we
all be determined to continue to
“do what is good,” so that we will
be alive when the earth is filled
with righteous, happy subjects of
the Greater David.—Ps. 37:27-29.
w09 4/15 5:10, 11
Friday, January 14
Let the name of Jehovah contin-
ue to be blessed.—Job 1:21.
Moses was about 40 years old
when he fled from Egypt and took
up residence in Midian. (Acts 7:
23) During his stay in that land,
he could have heard of the trials
of Job, who was living nearby
in the land of Uz. Jewish tradi-
tion holds that Moses wrote the
book of Job sometime after Job’s
death. The book of Job strength-
ens the faith of God’s servants
in modern times. In what ways?
The narrative opens our eyes
to events of far-reaching impor-
tance that occurred in heaven
and underscores the paramount
issue of God’s universal sover-
eignty. The account of Job also
deepens our understanding of
what is involved in keeping integ-
rity and helps us to grasp why Je-
hovah sometimes allows his ser-
vants to suffer. Furthermore, the
book of Job identifies Satan the
Devil as Jehovah’s chief Adver-
sary and mankind’s enemy. The
book also shows that imperfect
humans like Job can remain loyal
to Jehovah despite intense test-
ing. w09 4/15 1:1, 2
Saturday, January 15
The creation itself also will be
set free from enslavement to
corruption and have the glori-
ous freedom of the children of
God.—Rom. 8:21.
Today, the prospect of living
forever on earth fills the hearts
of millions with gratitude to-
ward Jehovah. The prophet Isa-
iah was inspired to write about
the kind of life that God’s people
will enjoy on earth. (Isa. 65:21-
25) Certain trees that were alive
some 2,700 years ago when Isaiah
wrote those words are evidently
still alive today. Can you imag-
ine yourself living that long with
strength and good health? In-
stead of being a short walk from
the cradle to the grave, life will
present endless opportunities to
build, plant, and learn. Think of
the friendships you will be able to
cultivate. Those loving relation-
ships will continue to grow indef-
initely. What “glorious freedom”
will then be enjoyed on earth by
“the children of God”! w09 8/15 3:
17-19
 Sunday, January 16
[God’s] will is that all sorts of
men should be saved and come
to an accurate knowledge of
truth.—1 Tim. 2:4.
Jehovah’s Witnesses scour the
earth in search of those who
yearn to know and serve God.
In fact, for the past 17 years
in a row, we have spent over
one billion hours annually in the
preaching and disciple-making
work. We do so willingly, although
the preaching work requires that
we sacrifice time, energy, and
material resources. Like Jesus,
we understand that our loving
heavenly Father desires that peo-
ple acquire the knowledge that
leads to everlasting life. (John
17:3) Love moves us to help hon-
esthearted ones to come to know
and love Jehovah as we do. Yes,
to be truly effective teachers, we
need a threefold love—love for
God, love of the truth, and love
for people. As we cultivate that
kind of love and display it in our
ministry, we experience not only
the joy of giving but also the sat-
isfaction of knowing that we im-
itate Jesus and please Jehovah.
w09 7/15 3:18, 20
Monday, January 17
Abhor what is wicked, cling to
what is good.—Rom. 12:9.
The unwholesome influences
that are prevalent in Satan’s
world could cause us to lose our
grip on godly principles. For in-
stance, association with those
who do not adhere to God’s laws
—whether at school or at work
or through some form of un-
godly entertainment—might af-
fect our determination to do what
is right. Do not let that hap-
pen to you! God’s Word warns:
“Do not become wise in your own
eyes.” (Prov. 3:7) Instead, follow
the wise counsel that Moses gave
to God’s people in ancient times:
“Jehovah your God you should
fear. Him you should serve, and
to him you should cling.” (Deut.
10:20) By clinging to Jehovah, we
will be imitating Jesus, of whom
it was said: “You loved righteous-
ness, and you hated lawless-
ness.” (Heb. 1:9) Paying atten-
tion to godly wisdom will deepen
our happiness now and safeguard
us in times to come.—Eccl. 7:12.
w09 4/15 3:18, 19
Tuesday, January 18
Through one man sin entered
into the world and death
through sin, and thus death
spread to all men because they
had all sinned.—Rom. 5:12.
The infection rate of sin is
100 percent. (Rom. 3:23) And
what is the mortality rate? Paul
wrote that sin brings death “to
all men.” Many today do not see
sin and death in such dire terms.
They worry about what they call
premature death, but they dis-
miss as “natural” the death that
creeps up on humans through the
aging process. It is all too easy for
humans to forget the Creator’s
perspective. Our lifespan is infi-
nitely shorter than he meant it to
be. Actually, no human has lived
for even “one day” from Jehovah’s
point of view. (2 Pet. 3:8) God’s
Word thus says that our lives are
as transitory as a season’s growth
of grass or as an exhaled breath.
(Ps. 39:5; 1 Pet. 1:24) We need
to keep that perspective in mind.
Why? If we see the severity of the
“disease” that afflicts us, we can
better appreciate the value of the
“cure”—our deliverance. w09 9/15
5:3, 4
 Wednesday, January 19
In every way we recommend
ourselves as God’s ministers,
. . . by truthful speech.
—2 Cor. 6:4, 7.
This certainly proved to be the
case with a Witness living in Brit-
ain. Attempting to sell a car to a
prospective buyer, he described
all its good points as well as its
faults, including those that could
not be seen. After taking the car
for a test drive, the buyer asked
the brother if he was one of Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses. Why did he draw
that conclusion? The man had
taken note of the brother’s hon-
esty as well as his neat appear-
ance. The ensuing discussion led
to a fine witness being given. Do
we likewise bring praise to our
Creator by our good moral char-
acter? Paul said: “We have re-
nounced the underhanded things
of which to b e ashamed, not
walking with cunning.” (2 Cor.
4:2) Hence, let us do our utmost
to speak truth with our neighbor.
In so doing, we will bring glory to
our heavenly Father and to his
people. w09 6/15 3:19, 20
Thursday, January 20
I am the fine shepherd.
—John 10:11.
The years David spent in fields
and on hills tending sheep pre-
p ared him for the demand-
ing duties and responsibilities of
shepherding the nation of Isra-
el. (Ps. 78:70, 71) Jesus too has
proved to be a model shepherd.
He derives strength and guidance
from Jehovah as he shepherds
his “little flock” and the “other
sheep.” (Luke 12:32; John 10:16)
Thus Jesus proves to be the Fine
Shepherd. He knows his flock
so well that he calls each sheep
by name. He loves his sheep so
much that while on earth he will-
ingly gave of himself for their
well-being. (John 10:3, 14, 15)
As the Fine Shepherd, Jesus ac-
complishes something that David
could never do. His ransom sac-
rifice opened the way for man-
kind to be rescued from death.
Nothing will stop him from shep-
herding his “little flock” to im-
mortal life in heaven and leading
his “other sheep” to everlasting
life in a righteous new world free
from wolflike predators.—John
10:27-29. w09 4/15 5:7
Friday, January 21
Keep yourselves in God’s love.
—Jude 21.
This text implies that some ac-
tion is required on our part.
What, then, do we need to do in
order to remain in God’s love?
We find the answer to that ques-
tion in Jesus’ own words, spoken
on the final night of his life here
on earth. He said: “If you observe
my commandments, you will re-
main in my love, just as I have ob-
served the commandments of
the Father and remain in his
love.” (John 15:10) Clearly, Je-
sus felt that observing Jehovah’s
commandments was essential to
keeping a good standing with his
Father. Now, if that was true of
the perfect Son of God, would it
not be true of us also? Primari-
ly, we show that we love Jehovah
by obeying him. The apostle John
expressed it this way: “This is
what the love of God means, that
we observe his commandments;
and yet his commandments are
not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)
Yes, Jehovah does not ask us to
do something that is too hard for
us. w09 8/15 4:2-4
 Saturday, January 22
What will be the sign of your
presence and of the conclusion
of the system of things?
—Matt. 24:3.
The initial fulfillment of the
prophecy that Jesus gave his dis-
ciples in answer to their question
took place in the first century. Je-
sus spoke of an unusual devel-
opment that would signal that
the end was imminent. Upon ob-
serving that development, “those
in Judea [were to] begin fleeing
to the mountains.” (Matt. 24:1, 2,
15-22) Nearly three decades lat-
er, in 61 C.E., the apostle Paul
penned a strong, sobering mes-
sage to Hebrew Christians living
in Jerusalem and its surround-
ings. Unknown to both Paul and
his fellow believers, the signal
marking the opening stage of a
“great tribulation” was only about
five years away. (Matt. 24:21) In
66 C.E., Cestius Gallus led Ro-
man troops in a nearly successful
attack on Jerusalem. But then he
suddenly withdrew, leaving open
a window of opportunity for en-
dangered ones to escape to safe-
ty. w09 5/15 1:1, 2
Sunday, January 23
He will wipe out every tear from
their eyes, and death will be no
more, neither will mourning nor
outcry nor pain be anymore.
The former things have passed
away.—Rev. 21:4.
Perhaps you recall the joy you
felt when you first learned that
in the near future, people will
no longer grow old and die but
will live forever on earth. (John
17:3) You have probably enjoyed
sharing that Scriptural hope with
others. After all, the hope of
everlasting life is an essential as-
pect of the good news that we
preach. It molds our very out-
look on life. For the most part,
the religions of Christendom
have ignored the hope of ever-
lasting life on earth. Whereas
the Bible teaches that the soul
dies, the majority of churches
teach the unscriptural doctrine
that man has an immortal soul
that survives death and lives
on in the spirit realm. (Ezek.
18:20) Hence, many people are
skeptical about everlasting life
on earth. w09 8/15 1:1, 2
Monday, January 24
He that has endured to the end
is the one that will be saved.
—Matt. 24:13.
It would be a mistake to low-
er our moral and spiritual stan-
dards, perhaps thinking that we
are strong enough to resist the
effects of bad association, includ-
ing when that association might
be in the form of violent, immor-
al entertainment. Instead, we
must protect ourselves and our
children from the corrupting in-
fluences of Satan’s spirit. Com-
puter users take pains to prevent
their equipment from becom-
ing infected with malicious vi-
ruses that can destroy data, in-
terfere with operation, and even
take over the machine. Should we
be any less vigilant in protect-
ing ourselves from Satan’s “crafty
acts”? (Eph. 6:11, ftn.) Practically
every day, in some way we have to
choose if we will do things Jeho-
vah’s way or not. In order to gain
salvation, we must obey God and
live by his righteous principles.
By following Christ’s example of
obedience even “as far as death,”
we show that our faith is real.
—Phil. 2:8. w09 9/15 2:8, 9
 Tuesday, January 25
Unless anyone is born from wa-
ter and spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.
—John 3:5.
Jesus told Nicodemus that
those entering the Kingdom of
the heavens must b e “b orn
again.” (John 3:3, 4) Jesus did not
stop with that. He then spoke of
the hope that is open to the whole
world. (John 3:16) Jesus was re-
ferring to the hope of everlast-
ing life for his anointed follow-
ers in heaven and for others on
earth. After speaking to Nico-
demus in Jerusalem, Jesus trav-
eled north toward Galilee. On
the way, he met a woman at Ja-
cob’s fountain near the city of
Sychar in Samaria. He told her:
“Whoever drinks from the water
that I will give him will never get
thirsty at all, but the water that I
will give him will become in him
a fountain of water bubbling up
to impart everlasting life.” (John
4:5, 6, 14) This water represents
God’s provisions for the restora-
tion of all mankind to everlasting
life, including those who will live
on earth. w09 8/15 2:8, 9
Wednesday, January 26
The advantage of knowledge
is that wisdom itself preserves
alive its owners.—Eccl. 7:12.
If parents strive to apply Bible
principles in everyday matters,
this will not escape their chil-
dren’s notice. The parents’ words
and teachings will carry weight.
However, if children perceive a
double standard, they might
draw the conclusion that Bible
principles are not really impor-
tant or practical. As a result, the
children may be more inclined
to weaken in the face of world-
ly pressure. Christian parents
realize that a child’s upbringing
entails more than providing for
his material needs. Therefore, it
would be extremely shortsighted
to teach a child to pursue goals
that would serve only for his ma-
terial advantage. Jesus taught his
disciples to make spiritual val-
ues and pursuits their priority.
(Matt. 6:33) Therefore, in imita-
tion of Jesus, Christian parents
should also strive to cultivate in
their children a desire to pursue
spiritual goals. w09 7/15 2:13, 14
Thursday, January 27
Jehovah God will raise up for
you from among your brothers a
prophet like me.—Acts 3:22.
Shortly after Pentecost 33 C.E.,
the apostle Peter quoted a proph-
ecy by Moses that was fulfilled
in Jesus Christ. Peter was stand-
ing before a crowd of worship-
pers in the temple. The people
were “surprised out of their wits”
when Peter and John healed a
beggar who was lame from birth.
(Acts 3:11) Peter explained that
this astonishing act was a result
of Jehovah’s holy spirit operat-
ing through Jesus Christ. Then,
quoting from the Hebrew Scrip-
tures, he said the words found
in today’s text. (Deut. 18:15, 18,
19) Those words of Moses were
likely familiar to Peter’s audi-
ence. As Jews, they had a high re-
gard for Moses. (Deut. 34:10)
With keen anticip ation, they
looked forward to the coming of a
prophet greater than Moses. That
prophet would prove to be not
just a messiah, an anointed one
of God like Moses, but the Messi-
ah, “the Christ of God, the Cho-
sen One” of Jehovah.—Luke 23:
35; Heb. 11:26. w09 4/15 4:6, 7
 Friday, January 28
He has not done to us even ac-
cording to our sins; nor accord-
ing to our errors has he brought
upon us what we deserve.
—Ps. 103:10.
In order to grasp the severity of
sin and its effects, we must try to
fathom what it has cost us. That
may be difficult at first because
sin cost us something we have
never yet experienced. Adam and
Eve initially enjoyed perfect hu-
man life. Perfect in mind and
body, they could choose to con-
trol their thoughts, feelings, and
actions. Thus they were free to
grow as servants of Jehovah God,
to fulfill the tremendous poten-
tial within them. Instead, they
threw away that precious gift.
By choosing to sin against Jeho-
vah, they lost for themselves and
their offspring the kind of life
that Jehovah intended for them.
(Gen. 3:16-19) At the same time,
they inflicted on themselves and
on us the terrible “disease” of
sin. Rightly, Jehovah condemned
them. But for us, he holds out the
hope of deliverance. w09 9/15 5:5
Saturday, January 29
In the world you are having
tribulation, but take courage! I
have conquered the world.
—John 16:33.
As king, David was a resolute
warrior who protected the land of
God’s people, and “Jehovah kept
saving David wherever he went.”
Under David’s leadership, the na-
tion’s boundaries were extended
from the river of Egypt to the riv-
er Euphrates. (2 Sam. 8:1-14) In
Jehovah’s strength, he became a
most powerful ruler. The Bible
states: “David’s fame began to go
out into all the lands, and Jeho-
vah himself put the dread of him
upon all the nations.” (1 Chron.
14:17) Like King David, the man
Jesus w as fearless. As King-
Designate, he showed his au-
thority over the demons, rescu-
ing victims from their clutches.
(Mark 5:2, 6-13; Luke 4:36) Even
the archenemy, Satan the Devil,
has no hold on him. With Jeho-
vah’s support, Jesus conquered
the world, which lies in Satan’s
power.—John 14:30; 1 John 5:19.
w09 4/15 5:8, 9
Sunday, January 30
Come to me, all you who are
toiling and loaded down, and I
will refresh you. Take my yoke
upon you and learn from me,
for I am mild-tempered and
lowly in heart, and you will find
refreshment for your souls.
—Matt. 11:28, 29.
Jesus, the perfect Son of God,
willingly came to earth to serve
among imperfect and sinful peo-
ple. Some of those would later
kill him. Yet, Jesus always main-
tained his joy and self-control.
(1 Pet. 2:21-23) ‘Looking intent-
ly’ at Jesus’ example can help
us to do the same when oth-
ers’ faults and imperfections af-
fect us. (Heb. 12:2) Jesus invit-
ed his disciples to ‘get under his
yoke with him’ and thus to learn
from him. (Matt. 11:29, ftn.) What
could they learn? For one thing,
Jesus was mild-tempered, and he
was patient with his disciples de-
spite their faults. On the night
before he died, Jesus washed
their feet, thereby teaching them
a lesson in being “lowly in heart”
that they would never forget.
—John 13:14-17. w09 9/15 1:1, 3
 Monday, January 31
Jehovah himself turned back the
captive condition of Job when he
prayed in behalf of his compan-
ions, and Jehovah began to give
in addition all that had been
Job’s, in double amount.
—Job 42:10.
What Job learned about God
aroused in him the desire to
please Jehovah. In case his fam-
ily members might have done
something displeasing to God or
“have cursed God in their heart,”
he regularly offered sacrifices.
Tuesday, February 1
Become an example to the faith-
ful ones.—1 Tim. 4:12.
Paul was urging Timothy to
keep applying himself in order
to make progress in speech, con-
duct, love, faith, and chasteness,
as well as in the way he fulfilled
his ministry. He was to strive to
make his manner of life exem-
plary. (1 Tim. 4:13-15) When Paul
penned this counsel sometime
between 61 and 64 C.E., Timothy
was already an experienced el-
der. In 49 or 50 C.E. when Timo-
thy was likely in his late teens or
early 20’s, he was “well report-
ed on by the brothers in Lystra
and Iconium,” who had observed
his spiritual progress. (Acts 16:
1-5) At that time, Paul took Tim-
othy with him on his mission-
ary journey. After observing Tim-
othy’s further progress for some
months, Paul dispatched him to
Thessalonica in order to com-
fort and make firm the Christians
in that city. (1 Thess. 3:1-3, 6)
Clearly, Timothy began to make
his advancement manifest to oth-
ers when he was a young person.
w09 5/15 2:3-5
(Job 1:5) Even when being severe-
ly tested, Job still said positive
things about Jehovah. (Job 10:12)
What a fine example! We too must
regularly take in accurate knowl-
edge of Jehovah and his purpos-
es. We hold to a healthy routine in
such spiritual activities as study,
meeting attendance, prayer, and
the preaching of the good news.
Moreover, we do everything in
our power to make known the
name of Jehovah. And just as
Job’s integrity pleased Jehovah,
so the integrity of God’s servants
today makes Jehovah’s heart re-
joice. w09 4/15 1:9, 18
Wednesday, February 2
Ezra . . . had prepared his heart
to consult the law of Jehovah
and to do it.—Ezra 7:10.
One way to prepare our heart is
by diligently studying the Scrip-
tures and Bible-based publica-
tions. Imagine yourself in the fol-
lowing situation. Suppose it is
your evening for personal study.
You have just prayed for Jeho-
vah’s spirit to help you to ap-
ply what you learn from his Word.
You have plans to watch a par-
ticular movie on TV the next
evening, yet you know that it
contains some immorality and vi-
olence. You ponder Paul’s coun-
sel at Ephesians 5:3: “Let forni-
cation and uncleanness of every
sort or greediness not even be
mentioned among you, just as it
befits holy people.” You also re-
call Paul’s advice at Philippians
4:8. As you weigh this inspired
counsel, you ask yourself, ‘If I de-
liberately expose my heart and
mind to such programs, am I fol-
lowing Jesus’ example of strict
obedience to God?’ What will you
do? Will you watch that movie
anyway? w09 9/15 2:5-7
 Thursday, February 3
Who really is the faithful and
discreet slave whom his master
appointed over his domestics, to
give them their food at the
proper time?—Matt. 24:45.
After raising this question, Je-
sus then went on to say that
this slave would be rewarded
for his faithfulness by being ap-
pointed over all of the Master’s
belongings. (Matt. 24:46, 47) Je-
sus, the “master” in the illustra-
tion, did not say that there would
be a multitude of slaves scattered
throughout the various sects of
Christendom. Instead, he clearly
stated that there would be only
one “steward,” or “slave,” whom
he would appoint over all his be-
longings. So as The Watchtower
has often explained, the stew-
ard must represent the “little
flock” of anointed disciples as a
collective body, or group. In the
context of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus
had just referred to these ones.
(Luke 12:32, 42) The “body of at-
tendants,” or “domestics,” refers
to this same group but highlights
their role as individuals. w09 6/15
4:1, 3
Friday, February 4
Jehovah God will raise up for
you from among your brothers a
prophet like me. You must listen
to him.—Acts 3:22.
Two thousand years ago, the
birth of a certain male child
caused a multitude of angels in
heaven to praise God in the hear-
ing of some shepherds. (Luke 2:8-
14) Thirty years later, that child,
now an adult, began a minis-
try that lasted just three and a
half years and yet changed his-
tory. Historian Philip Schaff was
moved to state of this young man:
“Without writing a single line, he
set more pens in motion, and fur-
nished themes for more sermons,
orations, discussions, learned
volumes, works of art, and songs
of praise, than the whole army of
great men of ancient and modern
times.” That remarkable young
man was, of course, Jesus Christ.
Said the apostle John: “There
are, in fact, many other things
also which Jesus did, which, if
ever they were written in full de-
tail, I suppose, the world itself
could not contain the scrolls writ-
ten.”—John 21:25. w09 4/15 4:1, 2
Saturday, February 5
Maintain your conduct fine
among the nations.—1 Pet. 2:12.
At Bethel homes throughout
the world, brothers and sisters
work zealously and for no wag-
es, volunteering their time and
energy to help publish the good
news. Similarly, brothers and sis-
ters who work secularly to care
for their families go about their
business in a whole-souled way.
(Col. 3:23, 24) This often results
in improved job security, as em-
ployers value their conscientious
attitude and do not want to lose
them as employees. Our trust in
Jehovah, our obedience to his in-
structions, and the care we take
of our meeting places are among
ways that we demonstrate zeal
for Jehovah’s house. In addi-
tion, we want to have as full a
share as we can in the Kingdom-
preaching and disciple-making
work. Whether we are young or
old, by our strenuously uphold-
ing the clean standards associ-
ated with our worship, we shall
reap many benefits. And we will
continue to be known as a people
“zealous for fine works.”—Titus
2:14. w09 6/15 2:16-18
 Sunday, February 6
In the re-creation, when the Son
of man sits down upon his glo-
rious throne, you who have fol-
lowed me will also yourselves
sit upon twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.
—Matt. 19:28.
Jesus told his ap ostles that
they would be among those who
would rule as kings and judge
“the twelve tribes of Israel,” that
is, the world of mankind outside
that heavenly ruling class. (1 Cor.
6:2) He also spoke of a reward
for “everyone” who follows him.
Such individuals too “will inher-
it everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:29)
All of this is to take place “in
the re-creation.” What did Je-
sus mean by “the re-creation”?
Since Jesus used the term with-
out explanation, he evidently re-
ferred to what had been the Jew-
ish hope for centuries. There
was to be a re-creation of con-
ditions on earth, so that things
would be as they were in the gar-
den of Eden before Adam and
Eve sinned. The re-creation will
fulfill God’s promise of “creating
new heavens and a new earth.”
—Isa. 65:17. w09 8/15 2:4, 5
Monday, February 7
Jesus . . . gave no consideration
to a seizure, namely, that he
should be equal to God. No, but
he emptied himself and took a
slave’s form.—Phil. 2:5-7.
A Christian wife does well to
imitate Jesus by supporting her
husband’s headship. (1 Pet. 2:
21; 3:1, 2) Consider a situation in
which she has an opportunity to
do this. Her son is seeking per-
mission to engage in an activity
for which parental permission is
needed. Because the matter has
not previously been discussed
by the parents, it would be ap-
propriate for the mother to in-
quire, “Did you ask your father?”
If the son has not, she should
discuss the matter with her hus-
band before anything is decided.
Moreover, a Christian wife would
certainly want to avoid contra-
dicting her husband or challeng-
ing his opinion in front of their
children. If she disagrees with
her husband about something,
she would talk with him in pri-
vate.—Eph. 6:4. w09 7/15 2:9, 10
Tuesday, February 8
[Christ] obtained an everlasting
deliverance for us.—Heb. 9:12.
Among the most imp ortant
sacrifices required by the Law
were those offered on the an-
nual Day of Atonement. On that
day, the high priest offered sacri-
fices to Jehovah to provide for the
atonement of sins—first those of
the priestly class, then those of
the nonpriestly tribes. (Ex. 25:
22; Lev. 16:1-30) The apostle Paul
was inspired to reveal the mean-
ing behind those symbolic ac-
tions. He showed that the high
priest pictured the Messiah, Je-
sus Christ, while the offering of
the sacrifices signified Christ’s
sacrificial death. (Heb. 9:11-
14) That perfect sacrifice would
provide real atonement for two
groups of people—the priestly
class of Christ’s 144,000 spirit-
anointed brothers and the “oth-
er sheep.” (John 10:16) When
the high priest entered the Most
Holy, he foreshadowed Jesus’ en-
try into heaven itself to present
before Jehovah God the value of
the ransom sacrifice.—Heb. 9:24,
25. w09 9/15 5:8, 9
 Wednesday, February 9
We do have the mind of Christ.
—1 Cor. 2:16.
If the flaws of others easily an-
noy us, we need to ask ourselves,
‘How can I better reflect “the
mind of Christ”?’ Try to keep in
mind that Jesus did not become
upset with his disciples, even
when they showed a measure of
spiritual weakness. Consider the
case of the apostle Peter. When
Jesus invited Peter to get out of
the boat and walk toward Him
on the water, Peter actually did
so for a while. Then Peter looked
at the windstorm and began to
sink. Did Jesus become incensed
and say to him: “Serves you right!
Let that be a lesson to you”?
No! “Immediately stretching out
his hand Jesus caught hold of him
and said to him: ‘You with lit-
tle faith, why did you give way
to doubt?’ ” (Matt. 14:28-31) If
we ever have to deal with a broth-
er’s apparent lack of faith, can
we figuratively stretch out our
hand and help him to gain more
faith? That is certainly a lesson
evident in Jesus’ mild-tempered
action toward Peter. w09 9/15 1:
2, 4, 5
Thursday, February 10
Hold a good conscience.
—1 Pet. 3:16.
Sadly, many p eople in this
world give undue prominence to
the desires of the heart while
paying little or no attention to
the standards set out in God’s
Word. (Eph. 4:17-19) That is why
so many people, though endowed
with a conscience, do terrible
things. (1 Tim. 4:2) We should
be determined never to be like
that! Rather, let us continue to
let God’s Word educate and train
our conscience so that it can be
truly useful to us. We need to
listen to our Bible-trained con-
science instead of letting our
selfish inclinations overwhelm it.
At the same time, we should en-
deavor to respect the consciences
of our beloved spiritual brothers
and sisters. We make every effort
to avoid stumbling them, keeping
in mind that our brother’s con-
science may be more sensitive or
restrictive than our own.—1 Cor.
8:12; 2 Cor. 4:2. w09 8/15 4:8, 9
Friday, February 11
I do indeed also consider all
things to be loss on account of
the excelling value of the knowl-
edge of Christ Jesus.—Phil. 3:8.
From an early age, Robert ex-
celled in school. His academ-
ic achievements as a high-school
student qualified him to attend
any of the best universities in his
country. But Robert chose to for-
go what many viewed as a once-
in-a-lifetime opportunity in or-
der to pursue his goal of serving
as a regular pioneer. (1 Cor. 7:
29-31) What motivates Christians
like Robert to expend themselves
in the preaching work? In ad-
dition to their love for Jehovah,
which is the foremost reason,
they appreciate the excelling val-
ue of divine education. Have you
considered lately what your life
might be like if you had not come
to a knowledge of the truth? Re-
flecting on some of the outstand-
ing blessings we enjoy as a result
of being taught by Jehovah will
help us to maintain our apprecia-
tion for the good news and to be
zealous in sharing it with others.
w09 9/15 4:1, 2
 Saturday, February 12
We mustered up boldness . . .
to speak to you the good news.
—1 Thess. 2:2.
How pleasant it is to hear good
news! And the best news of all
is the good news of God’s King-
dom. This good news assures us
of an end to suffering, sickness,
pain, sorrow, and death. It opens
the way to everlasting life, re-
veals God’s purpose, and shows
us how to come into a loving re-
lationship with him. You would
think that everyone would re-
joice to hear this news that Je-
sus shared with mankind. Sad-
ly, though, that is not the case.
Jesus told his disciples: “Do not
think I came to put peace upon
the earth; I came to put, not
peace, but a sword. . . . Indeed, a
man’s enemies will be persons of
his own household.” (Matt. 10:34-
36) Instead of embracing the
good news, most people reject it.
Some make themselves enemies
of those who proclaim it, even if
they are close family members.
w09 7/15 4:1, 2
Sunday, February 13
As for the tree of the knowledge
of good and bad you must not
eat from it, for in the day you
eat from it you will positively
die.—Gen. 2:17.
Jehovah’s purp ose for man-
kind was made evident at the
very beginning of human history.
God clearly indicated that Adam
would live forever if he was obedi-
ent. (Gen. 2:9; 3:22) Adam’s ear-
ly descendants no doubt learned
about man’s fall from perfection,
which was confirmed by visible
evidence. The entrance to the
garden of Eden was blocked, and
people grew old and died. (Gen. 3:
23, 24) With the passing of time,
the human life span declined.
Adam lived for 930 years. The
Flood survivor Shem lived for only
600 years, and his son Arpachshad
for 438 years. Abraham’s father,
Terah, lived for 205 years. The life
span of Abraham was 175 years,
that of his son Isaac was 180 years,
and that of Jacob was 147 years.
(Gen. 5:5; 11:10-13, 32; 25:7; 35:
28; 47:28) Many people must have
realized what this decline meant
—the prospect of everlasting life
had been lost! w09 8/15 1:3
Monday, February 14
Look out: perhaps there may be
someone who will carry you off
as his prey through the philoso-
phy and empty deception ac-
cording to the tradition of men.
—Col. 2:8.
We too must beware of the in-
fluences from Satan and his wick-
ed system. Worldly philosophy,
including secular humanism and
the theory of evolution, shapes
people’s thinking, morals, goals,
and lifestyle. False religion plays
a major role in many popular hol-
iday celebrations. The entertain-
ment industry panders to the
debased tendencies of the fall-
en flesh, and much of the con-
tent of the Internet poses a real
danger to young and old alike.
Constant exposure to these and
other worldly trends can easily
affect our feelings and attitude
toward the direction that Jeho-
vah provides, causing us to re-
lax our firm hold on the real life.
(1 Tim. 6:17-19) Clearly, we need
to grasp the meaning of Paul’s
words to the Colossians and take
his counsel to heart if we do not
want to succumb to Satan’s cun-
ning schemes. w09 7/15 1:5, 6
 Tuesday, February 15
Upon them be peace and mercy,
even upon the Israel of God.
—Gal. 6:16.
The new nation, “the Israel of
God,” is made up of spiritual Is-
raelites. (Matt. 21:43; Rom. 2:28,
29; 9:6) It came into existence
with the outpouring of God’s
spirit at Pentecost 33 C.E. There-
after, all spirit-anointed Chris-
tians became part of the nation
that now served as the slave class
appointed by the Master, Jesus
Christ. Each member of that na-
tion was given the commission
to preach the good news and
make disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20)
But was every member of that
group to be involved with provid-
ing spiritual food at the proper
time? No. The apostle Paul tells
us: “Not all are apostles, are they?
Not all are prophets, are they?
Not all are teachers, are they?”
(1 Cor. 12:29) Although all spirit-
begotten Christians engaged in
the preaching work, only a very
limited number—just eight dif-
ferent men—were used to write
the 27 books of the Christian
Greek Scriptures. w09 6/15 4:
6, 10
Wednesday, February 16
You must love your fellow as
yourself. I am Jehovah.
—Lev. 19:18.
Jesus showed what God re-
quires of us and how he feels
about his worshippers. (Matt.
22:36-40; Luke 12:6, 7; 15:4-7) For
example, after quoting one of the
Ten Commandments—“you must
not commit adultery”—Jesus ex-
plained God’s view of what takes
place inside the heart of a man
long before he commits that act.
He said: “Everyone that keeps
on looking at a woman so as to
have a passion for her has already
committed adultery with her in
his heart.” (Ex. 20:14; Matt. 5:27,
28) After stating the Pharisaic in-
terpretation of a statement in the
Law—“you must love your neigh-
bor and hate your enemy”—Jesus
made known Jehovah’s thinking,
saying: “Continue to love your en-
emies and to pray for those per-
secuting you.” (Matt. 5:43, 44; Ex.
23:4) Gaining insight into how
God thinks and feels and what he
requires of us equips us to imitate
him more fully. w09 5/15 4:6
Thursday, February 17
Honor your father and your
mother.—Matt. 15:4.
You youngsters may at times
be tempted to disobey your par-
ents. So, what can help you to
follow Jesus’ example and re-
sist temptation? (Matt. 4:1-10)
Likely, most of your schoolmates
have little or no regard for Bi-
ble standards. They might try to
get you to participate in ques-
tionable activities and make fun
of you when you refuse. Do your
schoolmates ever call you names
because you refuse to participate
in certain activities with them?
If so, how do you react? You
know that if you allow yourself to
be intimidated and go along with
the crowd, you will disappoint
your parents and Jehovah. Where
would you wind up if you followed
your schoolmates? Perhaps you
have set certain goals for your-
self, such as becoming a pioneer
or a ministerial servant, serving
in a territory where there is a
greater need for Kingdom pub-
lishers, or becoming a Bethelite.
Will associating with your school-
mates help you reach your goals?
w09 7/15 2:16, 17
 Friday, February 18
Will God truly dwell upon the
earth? Look! The heavens, yes,
the heaven of the heavens,
themselves cannot contain you;
how much less, then, this house
that I have built!—1 Ki. 8:27.
In ancient Israel, the house of
God was the temple in Jerusa-
lem. Of course, Jehovah did not
literally live there. He declared:
“The heavens are my throne, and
the earth is my footstool. Where,
then, is the house that you peo-
ple can build for me, and where,
then, is the place as a resting-
place for me?” (Isa. 66:1) Never-
theless, the temple built during
Solomon’s reign served as the fo-
cal point for the worship of Jeho-
vah, where prayers were offered.
(1 Ki. 8:28-30) Today, Jehovah’s
house is no stone edifice in Jeru-
salem or anywhere else. Rather,
it is the arrangement for us to ap-
proach him in worship on the ba-
sis of Christ’s ransom sacrifice.
All of God’s faithful servants on
earth unite to worship Jehovah in
this spiritual temple.—Isa. 60:4,
8, 13; Acts 17:24; Heb. 8:5; 9:24.
w09 6/15 1:4, 5
Saturday, February 19
The man immediately became
sound in health, and he picked
up his cot and began to walk.
—John 5:9.
In Jerusalem, Jesus restored a
sick man to health at the pool
of Bethzatha. To the Jews who
criticized what he did, Jesus ex-
plained that “the Son cannot do
a single thing of his own initia-
tive, but only what he beholds the
Father doing.” After telling them
that the Father “has committed
all the judging to the Son,” Jesus
said: “He that hears my word and
believes him that sent me has
everlasting life.” Jesus also said:
“The hour is coming in which all
those in the memorial tombs will
hear [the Son of man’s] voice and
come out, those who did good
things to a resurrection of life,
those who practiced vile things
to a resurrection of judgment.”
(John 5:1-8, 19, 22, 24-29) Jesus
was telling the persecuting Jews
that he was the one appointed
by God to fulfill the Jewish hope
of everlasting life on earth and
that he would do so by raising the
dead. w09 8/15 2:10
Sunday, February 20
I am no part of the world.
—John 17:16.
Surrounded as we are by this
world’s attitudes and conduct, we
need courage to resist contami-
nation. Christians deal with mor-
al, social, financial, and religious
pressures that could cause them
to deviate from Jehovah’s righ-
teous ways. Many face family op-
position. In some countries, edu-
cational institutions promote the
theory of evolution ever more ag-
gressively, and atheism is gain-
ing more attention. In the face of
such pressures, we cannot merely
hunker down and do nothing. We
must take action in order to resist
and thus protect ourselves. Jesus’
example shows us how we can
succeed. He never yielded to the
world’s influence. He never al-
lowed the world to stop him from
carrying out his preaching com-
mission or to cause him to low-
er his standards for true worship
and proper conduct; nor should
we. Studying Christ’s courageous
example and reflecting on it can
give us the necessary courage to
remain separate from the world.
w09 9/15 2:10, 11
 Monday, February 21
[Job] got up early in the morn-
ing and offered up burnt sacri-
fices according to the number of
all [his children]. That is the
way Job would do always.
—Job 1:5.
How can we show that we keep
the real enemy in mind when a
tragedy befalls a fellow believ-
er? Instead of distancing our-
selves from the affected broth-
er, we act like Elihu of old, who
spoke to Job as a true friend.
We join our brother in the strug-
gle against our common ene-
my, Satan. (Prov. 3:27; 1 Thess.
5:25) Our goal is to help our
fellow servant to maintain his
integrity, come what may, and
thus make Jehovah’s heart re-
joice. The first asset that Satan
caused Job to lose was his live-
stock. Those animals were valu-
able, likely his livelihood. But Job
also used them in worship. Once
the trials began, that was no lon-
ger possible. Job had no “valuable
things” with which to honor Je-
hovah. (Prov. 3:9) But he could
—and did—honor Jehovah with
his lips! w09 4/15 2:7, 8
Tuesday, February 22
Give me now wisdom and knowl-
edge.—2 Chron. 1:10.
When Solomon became king,
Jehovah appeared to him in a
dream and said that He would
give him anything he asked for.
(2 Chron. 1:7) Solomon could have
asked for more wealth, power,
or a longer life. Instead, he un-
selfishly asked for wisdom and
knowledge. Jehovah answered
Solomon’s prayer. (2 Chron. 1:
11, 12) As long as Solomon was
faithful to Jehovah, his words of
wisdom were unmatched among
his contemporaries. (1 Ki. 4:30,
32, 34) Many of his proverbs were
written down and are still trea-
sured by those who seek wisdom.
The queen of Sheba traveled
some 1,500 miles to test Solo-
mon’s wisdom with “perplexing
questions.” She was impressed by
what Solomon said and by the
prosperity of his kingdom. (1 Ki.
10:1-9) The Bible identifies the
Source of Solomon’s wisdom by
stating: “All the people of the
earth were seeking the face of
Solomon to hear his wisdom that
God had put in his heart.”—1 Ki.
10:24. w09 4/15 5:12, 13
Wednesday, February 23
Do not make yourselves like a
horse or mule without under-
standing.—Ps. 32:9.
Some young adults have rushed
into marriage, believing that it
is the solution to unhappiness,
loneliness, boredom, and prob-
lems at home. However, the ex-
changing of marriage vows is a
serious matter. (Prov. 20:25) At
times, young adults do not se-
riously consider the demands of
marriage. Later, they find that
much more is involved than they
had realized. So before pursuing
a courtship, ask yourself: ‘Why do
I want to get married? What ex-
pectations do I have? Is this the
right person for me? What can I
bring to a marriage?’ To help you
make an insightful examination,
“the faithful and discreet slave”
has published very specific arti-
cles. (Matt. 24:45-47) View such
material as advice that Jehovah
is giving you. Carefully evaluate
what is stated there and apply it.
Never allow yourself to become
“like a horse or mule without un-
derstanding.” w09 5/15 2:12, 13
 Thursday, February 24
Take the young child and its
mother and flee into Egypt, and
stay there until I give you word;
for Herod is about to search for
the young child to destroy it.
—Matt. 2:13.
In some respects, the earthly
life of Jesus resembled the life
of Moses. For instance, as babes,
both Moses and Jesus escaped
death at the hands of a tyrannical
ruler. (Ex. 1:22–2:10) In addition,
both were ‘called out of Egypt.’
The prophet Hosea stated: “When
Israel was a boy, then I loved
him, and out of Egypt I called my
son.” (Hos. 11:1) Hosea’s words
pointed back to the time when
the nation of Israel, under its di-
vinely appointed leader, Moses,
was led out of Egypt. (Ex. 4:22,
23; 12:29-37) However, Hosea’s
words referred not only to a past
event but also to a future one. His
words were a prophecy that was
fulfilled when Joseph and Mary
returned from Egypt with Jesus
after the death of King Herod.
—Matt. 2:15, 19-23. w09 4/15 4:8
Friday, February 25
Now that we have left the pri-
mary doctrine about the Christ,
let us press on to maturity.
—Heb. 6:1.
Paul not only encouraged the
first-century Hebrew Christians
to press on to maturity but also
told them what spiritual maturity
involves. (Heb. 5:12-14) “Mature
people” are not content to partake
only of “milk.” They take in “solid
food.” Therefore, they know both
“the elementary things” and “the
deep things” of the truth. (1 Cor.
2:10) Moreover, their percep-
tive powers are trained through
use—through application of
what they know—helping them
to distinguish right from wrong.
When they are faced with a deci-
sion, this training enables them
to discern what Scriptural princi-
ples are involved and how to apply
them. “It is necessary for us to
pay more than the usual atten-
tion to the things heard by us,”
wrote Paul, “that we may never
drift away.”—Heb. 2:1. w09 5/15 1:
3, 5, 6
Saturday, February 26
He will bruise you in the head
and you will bruise him in the
heel.—Gen. 3:15.
In this prophecy, we learn
something about the cost of de-
liverance. Jehovah would provide
a “seed,” a rescuer, who would
one day destroy Satan, crushing
him out of existence. However,
that rescuer would suffer along
the way, receiving a figurative
wound in the heel. That sounds
painful and debilitating, but
what does it mean? Just what
would Jehovah’s Chosen One
have to endure? In order to save
mankind from sin, the rescuer
would have to provide a means of
atonement, a way of reconciling
humans to God by undoing the
effects of sin. What would that
involve? There were early indi-
cations that a sacrifice would be
required. When the first faithful
human, Abel, offered animal sac-
rifices to Jehovah, he met with
divine approval. Later, such God-
fearing patriarchs as Noah, Abra-
ham, Jacob, and Job offered simi-
lar sacrifices, which pleased God.
—Gen. 4:4; 8:20, 21; 22:13; 31:54;
Job 1:5. w09 9/15 5:6, 7
 Sunday, February 27
The woman was thoroughly de-
ceived.—1 Tim. 2:14.
Many do not believe that Sa-
tan exists. Thus, although they
might be alarmed about world
conditions, they do not discern
the real cause—Satan the Devil.
True, much of the responsibility
for mankind’s woes rests with hu-
mans themselves. Our first par-
ents, Adam and Eve, chose in-
dependence from their Creator.
And since then, successive gener-
ations have acted very unwisely.
Still, it was the Devil who de-
ceived Eve into rebelling against
God. He is the one who has de-
veloped among imperfect, dying
mankind a world system under
his control. Because Satan is “the
god of this system of things,” hu-
man society displays the same
basic characteristics that he does
—pride, contentiousness, jealou-
sy, greed, deception, and rebel-
liousness. (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 3:6;
Jas. 3:14, 15) Such characteristics
have led to political and religious
conflicts, hatred, corruption, and
disorder, which contribute much
to mankind’s misery. w09 4/15 2:4
Tuesday, March 1
When the Son of man arrives
. . . , all the nations will be
gathered before him, and he will
separate people one from an-
other, just as a shepherd sepa-
rates the sheep from the goats.
—Matt. 25:31, 32.
Jesus spoke of everlasting life
in his discourse about the con-
clusion of the system of things.
(Matt. 24:1-3) He mentioned that
those receiving an adverse judg-
ment “will depart into everlast-
ing cutting-off, but the righteous
Monday, February 28
There is no one like him in the
earth.—Job 1:8.
Job is described as a man who
“proved to be blameless and up-
right, and fearing God and turn-
ing aside from bad.” It was Job’s
godly devotion—not his wealth
and influence—that made him a
target for the attacks of Satan
the Devil. (Job 1:1; 29:7-16; 31:1)
Satan claimed that Job’s wor-
ship of God was based on selfish-
ness, not integrity. Satan alleged
that Job would be loyal to Jeho-
vah only as long as God contin-
ued to reward and protect him.
To provide an answer to Satan’s
charge, Jehovah allowed Satan to
attack that faithful man. As a re-
sult, within the course of one day,
Job learned that his livestock had
been stolen or destroyed, his at-
tendants had been killed, and his
ten children had lost their lives.
(Job 1:13-19) Instead of caving in
to Satan’s attack, Job said: “Jeho-
vah himself has given, and Jeho-
vah himself has taken away. Let
the name of Jehovah continue to
be blessed.”—Job 1:21. w09 4/15
1:3-5
ones into everlasting life.” “The
righteous ones” who receive ever-
lasting life are those who loyally
support Christ’s spirit-anointed
“brothers.” (Matt. 25:33, 34, 40,
41, 45, 46) Since the anointed are
chosen to be rulers in the heav-
enly Kingdom, “the righteous
ones” must be the earthly sub-
jects of that Kingdom. The Bi-
ble foretold: “[Jehovah’s King]
will have subjects from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of
the earth.” (Ps. 72:8) These sub-
jects will enjoy everlasting life on
earth. w09 8/15 2:6
 Wednesday, March 2
If anyone wants to come after
me, let him disown himself and
. . . follow me continually.
—Luke 9:23.
How delighted Jehovah must
feel to see among the congregat-
ed throngs of his worshippers on
earth you newly interested ones
and young ones! As you continue
to study the Bible, attend Chris-
tian meetings regularly, and grow
in your knowledge of the lifesav-
ing truth found in God’s Word,
you need to take to heart Je-
sus’ invitation stated in today’s
text. Jesus is saying that disown-
ing yourself and becoming his
follower is something you would
want to do. What about those of
us who are already walking in
the footsteps of Jesus Christ? We
are exhorted to “keep on doing
it more fully.” (1 Thess. 4:1, 2)
Whether we embraced true wor-
ship recently or decades ago, re-
flecting on reasons for following
the Christ will help us to apply
Paul’s exhortation and follow
Him ever more fully in our daily
lives. w09 5/15 4:1, 2
Thursday, March 3
These words that I am command-
ing you today must prove to be on
your heart.—Deut. 6:6.
Jesus is an excellent model for
Christian parents. How so? He
lovingly and patiently taught his
disciples by word and example.
He showed them how to carry
out the commission that he gave
them. (Luke 8:1) Jesus’ disposi-
tion and conduct toward his dis-
ciples taught them how they were
to treat one another. (John 13:14-
17) Children tend to imitate their
parents, either for good or for
bad. So, parents, ask yourselves:
‘What message are we sending
to our children when it comes to
the amount of time that we dedi-
cate to TV and entertainment on
the one hand and Bible study and
participation in the field service
on the other? What really are our
family’s priorities? Are we setting
a good example by centering our
lives and our decisions on true
worship?’ God’s law must first be
in the parents’ own hearts if they
are to rear God-fearing children.
w09 7/15 2:11, 12
Friday, March 4
The princely rule will come to be
upon his shoulder. And his name
will be called Wonderful Coun-
selor, Mighty God, Eternal Fa-
ther, Prince of Peace.—Isa. 9:6.
John and the other three Gos-
pel writers point to Moses, David,
and Solomon as men who fore-
shadowed Jesus as God’s Anoint-
ed One and designated King. In
what way did those ancient ser-
vants of God provide foregleams
of Jesus, and what can we learn
from these accounts? In brief, the
Bible tells us that Moses was a
prophet, a mediator, and a de-
liverer. So is Jesus. David was a
shepherd and a king who con-
quered Israel’s enemies. Jesus
too is a shepherd and a conquer-
ing king. (Ezek. 37:24, 25) While
still faithful, Solomon was a wise
ruler, and under his kingship Is-
rael enjoyed peace. (1 Ki. 4:25,
29) Jesus too is supremely wise
and is called “Prince of Peace.”
Clearly, Christ Jesus’ role resem-
bles that of those earlier men but
Jesus’ place in God’s purpose is
superlative. w09 4/15 4:4, 5
 Saturday, March 5
Have intense love for one
another.—1 Pet. 4:8.
Around the world, Jehovah’s
Witnesses are known for putting
their Christlike love into action.
Consider the Witnesses who re-
sponded to the call for help af-
ter storms and hurricanes dev-
astated widespread areas of the
southern United States in 2005.
Moved by Jesus’ example, more
than 20,000 volunteered, many
leaving comfortable homes and
secure jobs to help their afflict-
ed brothers. Two fleshly sis-
ters, widows, packed their be-
longings into a pickup truck and
drove over 2,000 miles to help.
More than 5,600 homes of Wit-
nesses and others in the region
have been rebuilt or repaired.
In numerous cases, displaced lo-
cal Witnesses remained in their
temporary accommodations for a
year or more after their houses
had been rebuilt. Why? In order
to make their new home available
to relief workers. What an exam-
ple of displaying Christ’s mental
attitude! w09 9/15 3:12-15
Sunday, March 6
Happy are those conscious of
their spiritual need, since the
kingdom of the heavens belongs
to them.—Matt. 5:3.
Only one human clearly sur-
passed Solomon in wisdom. That
was Jesus Christ, who described
himself as “something more than
Solomon.” (Matt. 12:42) Jesus
sp oke “sayings of everlasting
life.” (John 6:68) For example, the
Sermon on the Mount expands on
the principles of some of Solo-
mon’s proverbs. Solomon de-
scribed a number of things that
bring happiness to a worshipper
of Jehovah. (Prov. 3:13; 8:32, 33;
14:21; 16:20) Jesus emphasized
that true happiness stems from
things that are related to the
worship of Jehovah and the ful-
fillment of God’s promises. Those
who apply the principles found
in Jesus’ teachings are drawn
closer to Jehovah, “the source of
life.” (Ps. 36:9; Prov. 22:11; Matt.
5:8) Christ embodies “the wisdom
of God.” (1 Cor. 1:24, 30) As the
Messianic King, Jesus Christ has
“the spirit of wisdom.”—Isa. 11:2.
w09 4/15 5:14
Monday, March 7
He was being pierced for our
transgression.—Isa. 53:5.
Isaiah foretold that the Messi-
ah would be rejected, persecut-
ed, and executed, or pierced, to
bear the sins of imperfect hu-
mans. (Isa. 53:4, 7) Before he
came to the earth, God’s only-
begotten Son was aware of what
our deliverance would cost him.
He would have to suffer terri-
bly and then be put to death.
When his Father taught him
those truths, did he shrink back
or rebel? On the contrary, he sub-
mitted willingly to his Father’s
instruction. (Isa. 50:4-6) Like-
wise, while on earth, Jesus obe-
diently carried out his Father’s
will. Why? He provided one an-
swer in these words: “I love the
Father.” He provided another in
these: “No one has love greater
than this, that someone should
surrender his soul in behalf of
his friends.” (John 14:31; 15:13) So
our deliverance is due, in large
part, to the love of Jehovah’s Son.
Though it cost him his perfect
human life, he was glad to do it
for the sake of our deliverance.
w09 9/15 5:10, 11
 Tuesday, March 8
If . . . it is I you are looking for,
let these go.—John 18:8.
Jesus manifested great courage
throughout his ministry. Exercis-
ing his authority as God’s Son, he
fearlessly “entered into the tem-
ple and threw out all those sell-
ing and buying in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the mon-
ey changers and the benches of
those selling doves.” (Matt. 21:12)
When soldiers came to arrest Je-
sus on his last night on earth, he
courageously stepped forward to
protect his disciples, saying the
words of today’s text. Moments
later, he told Peter to put away
his sword, thus showing that the
source of Jesus’ confidence lay,
not in earthly weapons, but in
Jehovah. (John 18:11) Jesus fear-
lessly exposed the unloving false
teachers of his day and their
wrong teachings. (Matt. 23:13, 23,
25) Jesus’ disciples would need
similar courage because false re-
ligious leaders would also perse-
cute them and kill some of them.
—Matt. 23:34; 24:9. w09 9/15 2:
12, 13
Wednesday, March 9
[God] gives undeserved kindness
to the humble ones.—1 Pet. 5:5.
How can we qualify to bene-
fit from divine education? A ma-
jor requirement is that a per-
son be meek and teachable. The
psalmist David wrote: “[Jeho-
vah] will teach the meek ones his
way.” (Ps. 25:8, 9) And Jesus said:
“You have carefully hidden these
things from wise and intellectual
ones, and have revealed them to
babes.” (Luke 10:21) As servants
of Jehovah, can we credit our-
selves with having the good sense
to find the truth? No. In fact,
on our own initiative, we would
never have come to a knowledge
of God. Jesus said: “No man can
come to me unless the Father,
who sent me, draws him.” (John 6:
44) By means of the preaching
work and by means of holy spir-
it, Jehovah is drawing sheep-
like individuals, “the desirable
things of all the nations.” (Hag.
2:7) Are you not grateful to be
one of those whom Jehovah has
drawn to his Son?—Jer. 9:23, 24.
w09 9/15 4:4, 5
Thursday, March 10
Be wise, my son, and make my
heart rejoice, that I may make
a reply to him that is taunting
me.—Prov. 27:11.
Jehovah permitted Satan to
test the integrity of God’s loy-
al servant Job. As a result, Job
lost his livestock, his children,
and his health. But when Sa-
tan challenged Job’s integrity,
he had more in mind than just
the man Job. “Skin in behalf of
skin, and everything that a man
has he will give in behalf of his
soul,” claimed Satan. This chal-
lenge raised an issue that went
far beyond Job as an individual
and that has continued long after
his death. (Job 2:4) In a vision
given to the apostle John, Satan
was seen accusing God’s servants
following his eviction from heav-
en some time after the establish-
ment of God’s Kingdom in 1914.
Yes, even today, so deep into the
last days of this wicked system,
Satan is still challenging the in-
tegrity of God’s servants!—Rev.
12:10. w09 4/15 2:1, 2
 Friday, March 11
The [human] creation was sub-
jected to futility . . . on the basis
of hope.—Rom. 8:20.
The very first prophecy of the
Bible pointed to a “seed” that
would ‘bruise the serp ent in
the head.’ (Gen. 3:1-5, 15) That
promise provided a basis for hope
that God would not abandon his
purpose for mankind. Consid-
er Abraham. When being tested,
Abraham “as good as offered up
Isaac, . . . his only-begotten son.”
(Heb. 11:17) Why was he willing
to do this? (Heb. 11:19) He be-
lieved in the resurrection! Abra-
ham had a basis for his belief. Af-
ter all, Jehovah had brought back
to life Abraham’s reproductive
powers and had made it possible
for him and his wife, Sarah, to
produce a son in their old age.
(Gen. 18:10-14; 21:1-3; Rom. 4:19-
21) Abraham also had Jehovah’s
word. God had said to him: “It
is by means of Isaac that what
will be called your seed will be.”
(Gen. 21:12) Therefore, Abraham
had sound reasons for expecting
that God would resurrect Isaac.
w09 8/15 1:4, 5
Saturday, March 12
If they have persecuted me, they
will persecute you also.
—John 15:20.
In many lands we do not face
outright persecution, but we do
meet with disdain and apathy.
Consequently, we need faith and
courage to endure in our work
of preaching the good news with
boldness. (2 Pet. 1:5-8) Perhaps
you at times find it hard to share
in the ministry, or some aspect
of it may seem intimidating. The
apostle Paul was a bold and fear-
less preacher who had an excel-
lent grasp of the truth, yet even
he had times when it was a strug-
gle for him to preach. To the
Christians in Thessalonica, Paul
wrote: “After we had first suf-
fered and been insolently treated
(just as you know) in Philippi, we
mustered up boldness by means
of our God to speak to you the
good news of God with a great
deal of struggling.” (1 Thess. 2:2)
In Philippi the authorities had
beaten Paul and his compan-
ion Silas with rods, thrown them
into prison, and confined them in
stocks.—Acts 16:16-24. w09 7/15
4:3, 4
Sunday, March 13
They will by no means ever be de-
stroyed, and no one will snatch
them out of my hand.
—John 10:28.
At the Festival of Dedication
in Jerusalem, Jesus told his op-
posers: “You do not believe, be-
cause you are none of my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice, and
I know them, and they follow
me. And I give them everlasting
life.” (John 10:26-28) Was Jesus
speaking only of life in heaven, or
did he also have in mind eter-
nal life in an earthly paradise?
Jesus had recently comforted his
followers with the words: “Have
no fear, little flock, because your
Father has approved of giving
you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
At the time of this same Festi-
val of Dedication, however, Jesus
said: “I have other sheep, which
are not of this fold; those also I
must bring.” (John 10:16) Hence,
when Jesus spoke to those oppos-
ers, his words included both the
hope of heavenly life for the “lit-
tle flock” and the hope of ever-
lasting life on earth for millions
of “other sheep.” w09 8/15 2:12
 Monday, March 14
Never has another man spoken
like this.—John 7:46.
The Bible gives us glimpses
of the impact Jesus made on
those who met him. For instance,
Gospel writer Luke relates that
people in Jesus’ hometown “be-
gan . . . to marvel at the win-
some words proceeding out of
his mouth.” Matthew rep orts
that those who listened to Je-
sus as he taught in the Sermon
on the Mount “were astound-
ed at his way of teaching.” And
John observes that the officers
who were sent to arrest Jesus
returned empty-handed, saying:
“Never has another man spoken
like this.” (Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:
28) Jesus was unquestionably the
greatest Teacher who ever lived.
He taught with clarity, simplici-
ty, and irrefutable logic. He skill-
fully used illustrations and ques-
tions. He adapted his teaching to
those to whom he spoke, wheth-
er they were of high station or
low. The truths he taught were
easy to grasp yet truly profound.
w09 7/15 3:1, 2
Tuesday, March 15
We shall devote ourselves . . . to
the ministry of the word.
—Acts 6:4.
When Jesus app ointed his
12 apostles, their primary work
involved being sent out to preach
the good news to others. (Mark
3:13-15) This assignment was in
harmony with the basic mean-
ing of the Greek word aposto-
los, which is derived from a verb
meaning simply “send forth.”
However, as time went on and
the Christian congregation was
about to be established, the role
of an ap ostle became an “of-
fice of oversight.” (Acts 1:20-26)
What was the primary concern
of the 12 apostles? The answer
is found in the words of today’s
text, in response to a dispute
that arose about the daily dis-
tribution of food to widows. (Acts
6:1-3) The new arrangement re-
sulted in Jehovah’s blessing as
“the word of God went on grow-
ing, and the number of the dis-
ciples kept multiplying in Jeru-
salem very much.” (Acts 6:7) So
the primary responsibility for
the spiritual feeding work rest-
ed with the apostles.—Acts 2:42.
w09 6/15 4:7, 8
Wednesday, March 16
Speak truth each one of you
with his neighbor.—Eph. 4:25.
First-century Roman Governor
Pontius Pilate reflected a warped
view of truth when he cynical-
ly asked Jesus: “What is truth?”
(John 18:38) Conflicting attitudes
about truth abound in our day.
Many people say that the word
“truth” has various shades of
meaning or that truth differs
from one person to another. Oth-
ers are truthful only when it
is convenient or expedient. The
book The Importance of Lying
states: “Honesty may be a noble
ideal, but it has little value in the
life and death struggle for sur-
vival and security. Man has lit-
tle choice in the matter—he must
lie to live.” How different it is for
Christ’s disciples! Jesus’ view of
truth was not philosophical. He
always spoke the truth. Even his
enemies acknowledged: “Teach-
er, we know you are truthful and
teach the way of God in truth.”
(Matt. 22:16) Genuine Christians
imitate Jesus’ example. They do
not hesitate to speak the truth.
w09 6/15 3:1-3
 Thursday, March 17
He that has seen me has seen
the Father also.—John 14:9.
When we read in the Gospels
that Jesus felt compassion for
the needy, empathy for those
suffering, indignation at his dis-
ciples who reprimanded young
children, do we not see the Fa-
ther feeling the same emotions?
(Mark 1:40-42; 10:13, 14; John
11:32-35) Think of how Jesus’ ac-
tions shed light on God’s cardi-
nal attributes. Do not the mira-
cles Christ performed show the
tremendous p ower he had at
his disposal? Yet, he never used
that power for personal gain or
with the intent of harming oth-
ers. (Luke 4:1-4) How clearly his
action of throwing greedy mer-
chants out of the temple shows
his sense of justice! (Mark 11:15-
17; John 2:13-16) His teachings
and the winsome words he used
to reach people’s hearts indicate
that he was “more than Solomon”
in wisdom. (Matt. 12:42) What can
we say about the love Jesus dis-
played by surrendering his soul in
behalf of others except that “no
one has love greater than this”?
—John 15:13. w09 5/15 4:7, 8
Friday, March 18
Everyone that partakes of milk
is unacquainted with the word
of righteousness, for he is a
babe.—Heb. 5:13.
To attain maturity, we must be-
come well-acquainted with God’s
word, his message to us. Since
this message is contained in
his Word, the Bible, we should
be good students of the Scrip-
tures and the publications of
“the faithful and discreet slave.”
(Matt. 24:45-47) Absorbing God’s
thinking in this way can help
us to train our perceptive pow-
ers. Consider the example of
a Christian named Orchid. She
says: “The reminder that has had
the biggest effect on my life is
the one about regular Bible read-
ing. It took me about two years
to finish the whole Bible, but
it seemed that I was meeting
my Creator for the first time. I
learned about his ways, his likes
and his dislikes, the degree of
his power, and the depth of his
wisdom. Reading the Bible daily
has sustained me through some
of the darkest moments of my
life.” w09 5/15 1:7
Saturday, March 19
The Son of man came, not to
be ministered to, but to minister
and to give his soul a ransom in
exchange for many.
—Matt. 20:28.
Reflecting on Jesus’ humble
mental attitude can help us to
‘conduct ourselves as lesser ones’
among our brothers. (Luke 9:46-
48) Doing so contributes to uni-
ty. Jehovah, like the father of
a large family, wants his chil-
dren to “dwell together in uni-
ty,” to get along. (Ps. 133:1) Jesus
prayed to his Father that all true
Christians would be united, in or-
der that “the world may have the
knowledge that you sent me forth
and that you loved them just as
you loved me.” (John 17:23) Thus,
our unity helps to identify us as
Christ’s followers. To enjoy such
unity, we must view others’ im-
perfections as Christ did. Jesus
was forgiving, and he taught that
only by being forgiving can we
receive forgiveness.—Matt. 6:14,
15. w09 9/15 1:6, 7
 Sunday, March 20
With them there was the book of
Jehovah’s law.—2 Chron. 17:9.
Worldwide we endeavor to
teach people from the Bible,
since it is the Word of God. We
make a special effort to show oth-
ers the actual words of the Bi-
ble, featuring it in our ministry.
One householder explained to
Linda, a Witness, that her hus-
band had suffered a stroke and
needed her attention. The house-
holder lamented: “I don’t know
what I have done that God al-
lowed this to happen to me.” Lin-
da responded: “May I assure you
of something?” She then read the
words of James 1:13 and added:
“All the suffering that we and our
loved ones experience is not pun-
ishment from God.” At that, the
householder gave Linda a warm
hug. Linda acknowledges: “I was
able to give comfort by using the
Bible. Sometimes the verses we
read from the Bible are ones the
householder has never heard be-
fore.” That conversation led to
a regular home Bible study with
the woman. w09 6/15 2:7, 9
Monday, March 21
Take your rod and stretch your
hand out over the waters of
Egypt, over their rivers, over
their Nile canals and over their
reedy pools and over all their
impounded waters, that they
may become blood.—Ex. 7:19.
Both Moses and Jesus p er-
formed miracles, thus demon-
strating that they had Jehovah’s
backing. Indeed, Moses was the
first human on record to perform
miracles. (Ex. 4:1-9) For exam-
ple, Moses performed miracles
involving water when at his com-
mand the waters of the Nile and
its reedy pools became blood,
the Red Sea was parted, and wa-
ter came gushing out of rock in
the desert. (Ex. 14:21; 17:5-7) Je-
sus too performed miracles in-
volving water. His very first mira-
cle was that of turning water into
wine at a wedding feast. (John 2:
1-11) Later, he calmed the tur-
bulent Sea of Galilee. And on
one occasion, he even walked on
water!—Matt. 8:23-27; 14:23-25.
w09 4/15 4:9
Tuesday, March 22
Bad associations spoil useful
habits.—1 Cor. 15:33.
When it comes to associations,
people are like sponges. We tend
to absorb whatever is around us.
Our Creator well knows how dan-
gerous—and how helpful—asso-
ciations can be for imperfect hu-
mans. Therefore, he gives us this
wise counsel: “He that is walk-
ing with wise persons will be-
come wise, but he that is having
dealings with the stupid ones will
fare badly.” (Prov. 13:20) None of
us want to “fare badly.” Each of
us wants to “become wise.” Je-
hovah cannot be made any wiser
than he is, nor can he ever be cor-
rupted by anyone. Yet, he sets a
beautiful example for us when it
comes to associations. Think of it
—which imperfect humans does
Jehovah choose as his friends?
Jehovah referred to the patriarch
Abraham as “my friend.” (Isa.
41:8) This man was outstandingly
faithful, righteous, and obedient
—a man of faith. (Jas. 2:21-23)
That is the kind of friend Jehovah
chooses. He befriends such peo-
ple today. w09 8/15 4:11, 12
 Wednesday, March 23
Satan proceeded to enter right
among them.—Job 1:6.
The introductory narrative of
the book of Job describes a gath-
ering in heaven where the an-
gels took their station before Je-
hovah. Satan was also present,
and he leveled charges against
Job. (Job 1:6-11) Although Sa-
tan mentioned Job’s possessions,
he focused his attention on chal-
lenging Job’s integrity. The term
“integrity” carries the thought of
being upright, blameless, righ-
teous, and faultless. As used in
the Bible, human integrity de-
notes a completeness of heart de-
votion to the person of Jehovah.
Later, there was another gather-
ing in heaven. Again Satan lev-
eled charges against Job, saying:
“Skin in behalf of skin, and every-
thing that a man has he will give
in behalf of his soul.” By say-
ing that, the Devil challenged the
integrity not only of Job but of
any “man” who worships Jehovah.
Thereafter, God permitted Satan
to strike Job with a painful dis-
ease.—Job 2:1-8. w09 4/15 1:4, 6
Thursday, March 24
The spirit searches into all
things, even the deep things of
God.—1 Cor. 2:10.
Drawing attention to Timothy’s
imp ortant assignment, Paul
wrote: “I solemnly charge you be-
fore God and Christ Jesus, . . .
preach the word, be at it urgent-
ly.” He added: “Do the work of
an evangelizer, fully accomplish
your ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:1, 2, 5) To
fulfill this charge, Timothy had to
be “nourished with the words of
the faith.” (1 Tim. 4:6) How can
you be “nourished with the words
of the faith”? Paul wrote: “Con-
tinue applying yourself to public
reading, to exhortation, to teach-
ing. Ponder over these things;
be absorbed in them.” (1 Tim. 4:
13, 15) Improvement requires dil-
igent personal study. The expres-
sion “be absorbed” conveys the
idea of being immersed in an ac-
tivity. How are your study hab-
its? Are you absorbed in “the deep
things of God”? (1 Cor. 2:10) Or do
you put forth only minimal effort?
Pondering over what you study
will move your heart.—Prov. 2:
1-5. w09 5/15 2:15, 16
Friday, March 25
In brotherly love have tender
affection for one another. In
showing honor to one another
take the lead.—Rom. 12:10.
Peter, a recipient of Jesus’ love,
urged Christians to cultivate “un-
hypocritical brotherly affection”
and to display “obedience to the
truth.” They are to “love one an-
other intensely from the heart.”
(1 Pet. 1:22) Today, we need more
than ever to develop such Christ-
like qualities. Already, pressures
on all of God’s people are intensi-
fying. No one should put his con-
fidence in any element of this old
world, as the recent turmoil in
the world’s financial system viv-
idly demonstrates. (1 John 2:15-
17) Rather, as the end of this sys-
tem draws ever nearer, we need
to draw closer to Jehovah and
to one another, cultivating genu-
ine friendships within the con-
gregation. And Peter emphasized
the point further, saying: “Above
all things, have intense love for
one another, because love covers
a multitude of sins.”—1 Pet. 4:8.
w09 9/15 3:12
 Saturday, March 26
Carefully concealed in [Christ]
are all the treasures of wisdom
and of knowledge.—Col. 2:3.
To say that all the treasures
of wisdom and of knowledge are
“concealed in” Christ does not
mean that they are locked away,
out of the reach of anyone. Rath-
er, it simply means that to find
the treasures, we must put forth
strenuous effort, and our atten-
tion must be directed to Jesus
Christ. This is in harmony with
what Jesus said about himself: “I
am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Fa-
ther except through me.” (John
14:6) Yes, to find the knowledge
of God, we must avail ourselves of
the help and direction that Je-
sus provides. In addition to being
“the way,” Jesus said that he is
“the truth and the life.” This indi-
cates that his role is much more
than that of being the means of
approach to the Father. Jesus
also has roles that are vital to the
understanding of Bible truth and
the gaining of everlasting life.
w09 7/15 1:7-9
Sunday, March 27
They kept going around through
all the cities of Judah and teach-
ing among the people.
—2 Chron. 17:9.
When we engage in the house-
to-house ministry, how thorough-
ly do we cover our assigned terri-
tory? Interestingly, in the third
year of his reign, Jehoshaphat
sent for five princes, nine Le-
vites, and two priests. He had
them travel through all the cit-
ies to teach the people Jehovah’s
laws. So effective was their cam-
paign that the people of the sur-
rounding nations began to fear
Jehovah. (2 Chron. 17:10) By vis-
iting homes at various times on
different days, we may be able to
speak with several members of
a household. Many of God’s ser-
vants in modern times have been
willing to leave their homes and
move to serve where there is a
greater need for zealous Witness-
es. Can you do so? Some of us
who cannot move away may try to
witness to people who live in our
area but speak a different lan-
guage. w09 6/15 2:7, 8
Monday, March 28
[Jehovah] will guard the very
way of his loyal ones.
—Prov. 2:8.
Contrary to what the Devil
claims, we give our love to Jeho-
vah voluntarily and uncondition-
ally. (Rev. 12:10) This heartfelt
love strengthens us to maintain
integrity under test. (Ps. 97:10)
Love moves us to honor the name
of Jehovah, no matter how limit-
ed we may feel. He sees our good
motives and does not judge us if
we cannot do all we would like to
do. What counts is not only what
we do but also why we do it. Even
though Job was grief-stricken
and had endured much, he spoke
to his accusers about his love for
Jehovah’s ways. (Job 10:12; 28:28)
In the final chapter of the book of
Job, God expressed his anger to-
ward Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar
because they had not spoken the
truth. At the same time, Jeho-
vah indicated his approval of Job
by referring to him four times as
“my servant” and by instructing
him to intercede in behalf of the
wrongdoers. (Job 42:7-9) May we
too act in such a way that Jeho-
vah views us with favor. w09 4/15
2:12, 13
 Tuesday, March 29
Jehovah is with you as long
as you prove to be with him.
—2 Chron. 15:2.
King Asa’s reforms united the
people of Judah as well as a great
number of people from the king-
dom of Israel who came down to
join in a grand assembly at Je-
rusalem. Together they declared
their determination to worship
Jehovah loyally. We read: “They
swore to Jehovah. . . . And all
Judah gave way to rejoicing over
the thing sworn; for it was with
all their heart that they had
sworn and with full pleasure on
their part that they had looked
for him, so that he let himself
be found by them; and Jehovah
continued to give them rest all
around.” (2 Chron. 15:9-15) Jeho-
vah will likewise surely bless us
when we serve him wholeheart-
edly. (Mark 12:30) Sadly, Asa
later resented correction from
Hanani the seer. (2 Chron. 16:7-
10) How do we react when Je-
hovah offers us advice or direc-
tion through Christian elders? Do
we promptly take to heart their
Scripturally based counsel and
avoid falling into the trap of re-
sentment? w09 6/15 1:7, 8
Wednesday, March 30
I behold in my members another
law warring against the law of
my mind and leading me cap-
tive to sin’s law that is in my
members.—Rom. 7:23.
God created Adam and Eve as
intelligent creatures and free
moral agents. As their descen-
dants, we too are free moral
agents. What does that mean? It
means that we can decide to do
good or to do bad. In other words,
God has given us the freedom
to choose to obey him or to dis-
obey. Along with such great free-
dom comes responsibility, ac-
countability. Our moral decisions
mean life or death for us. They
also impact on those around us.
Because of our inherited imper-
fection, obedience does not come
naturally. It is not always easy
to obey God’s laws. Of course,
when no sacrifice, pain, or incon-
venience is involved, obedience is
easier. But how do we respond
when there is a conflict between
our desire to be obedient and “the
desire of the flesh and the de-
sire of the eyes”?—1 John 2:16.
w09 9/15 2:4, 5
Thursday, March 31
Ponder over these things; be ab-
sorbed in them, that your ad-
vancement may be manifest to
all persons.—1 Tim. 4:15.
Good judgment needs to be ex-
ercised by young people. Consid-
er the advice the ap ostle
Paul gave to the Corinthians. He
wrote: “Do not become young
children in p owers of under-
standing . . . Become full-grown
in p owers of understanding.”
(1 Cor. 14:20) Heeding the coun-
sel to acquire the ability to think
and reason like a full-grown per-
son will help young people to
avoid making serious mistakes. If
you are a young person, bear in
mind that becoming mature re-
quires effort. Paul told Timothy:
“Become an example to the faith-
ful ones in speaking, in conduct,
in love, in faith, in chasteness.
. . . Continue applying yourself
to public reading, to exhorta-
tion, to teaching.” (1 Tim. 4:
12, 13) Christian youths need to
make progress and make their
advancement manifest to others.
w09 5/15 2:2, 3
 Friday, April 1
We all stumble many times.
—Jas. 3:2.
What would you do if you no-
ticed that an unmarried friend
was becoming emotionally at-
tached to an unbeliever? Out of
fear of harming your friendship,
would you hold back from voicing
your concerns? Or if your friend
ignored your counsel, what would
you do? A good friend would seek
the help of loving shepherds in
assisting a companion who has
taken a false step. Such a course
requires courage. Yet, no lasting
damage will come to a friend-
ship based on love for Jehovah.
At times, we will give our friends
“cause for complaint” against
us, and they too will do or say
things that irritate us. (Col. 3:13,
14) However, the measure of a
friendship is not how often we sin
against each other but how com-
pletely we forgive those griev-
ances. How vital it is that we
build strong friendships by com-
municating openly and forgiving
one another freely! If we display
such love, it will become “a per-
fect bond of union.” w09 10/15 4:
20, 21
Saturday, April 2
I shall put enmity between you
and the woman and between
your seed and her seed.
—Gen. 3:15.
The supreme example of cour-
age and boldness was, of course,
Jesus Christ. Still, since the be-
ginning of human history, bold-
ness has always been needed
by all of those loyal to Jeho-
vah. Why so? Following the re-
bellion in Eden, Jehovah fore-
told that there would be enmity
between those who served God
and those who served Satan.
This enmity quickly became evi-
dent when Abel, a righteous man,
was killed by his brother. Lat-
er, enmity was directed against
Enoch, another faithful man
who lived before the Flood. He
prophesied that God would come
with His holy myriads to exe-
cute judgment against the un-
godly. (Jude 14, 15) This mes-
sage was certainly not a popular
one. People hated Enoch and ev-
idently would have murdered him
had Jehovah not cut his life short.
What boldness Enoch displayed!
—Gen. 5:21-24. w09 7/15 4:5
Sunday, April 3
The earth will certainly be filled
with the knowledge of Jehovah
as the waters are covering the
very sea.—Isa. 11:9.
Using a beautiful word picture,
Isaiah’s prophecy depicts the
transformation of human per-
sonalities that is taking place in
our time. Formerly violent peo-
ple have become peaceable. (Isa.
11:6-8) Those who were once at
enmity with one another because
of differences in race, nationali-
ty, tribe, or some other cultur-
al background have learned to
dwell together in unity. Figu-
ratively sp eaking, they have
‘beaten their swords into plow-
shares.’ (Isa. 2:4) What accounts
for these remarkable changes?
People have taken in “the knowl-
edge of Jehovah” and have ap-
plied it in their lives. Although
God’s servants are imperfect,
they form a true international
brotherhood. The universal ap-
peal of the good news and the
fine fruitage it produces testify to
the excelling value of divine edu-
cation.—Matt. 11:19. w09 9/15 4:6
 Monday, April 4
The body of older men laid their
hands upon you.—1 Tim. 4:14.
The Roman province of Gala-
tia, in what is now Turkey, was
home to the boy Timothy. There,
several Christian congregations
were established after Jesus’
death. At some point, young Tim-
othy, his mother, and his grand-
mother embraced Christiani-
ty and became active in one of
the congregations. (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:
14, 15) Timothy surely enjoyed
his life as a young Christian
amid those familiar surround-
ings. However, things began to
change with the apostle Paul’s
second visit to the area. At the
time, Timothy may have been in
his late teens or early 20’s. Paul
took note of the fact that Timo-
thy was “well reported on by the
brothers” in the local congrega-
tions. (Acts 16:2) Young Timothy
must have displayed a maturi-
ty beyond his years. Then, under
the direction of the holy spirit,
Paul and the local body of el-
ders laid their hands upon Tim-
othy, setting him apart for spe-
cial work in the congregation.
—2 Tim. 1:6. w09 12/15 1:1, 2
Tuesday, April 5
O Hearer of prayer, even to you
people of all flesh will come.
—Ps. 65:2.
Jehovah never turns a deaf ear
to the petitions of his faithful
servants. We can be confident
that he hears us. Even if millions
of Jehovah’s Witnesses were to
pray to God at the same time, not
one would get a ‘busy signal.’ If
our prayers are to be answered,
we must approach God with hu-
mility. (Ps. 138:6) We should ask
Jehovah to examine us, as Da-
vid did when he said: “Search
through me, O God, and know
my heart. Examine me, and know
my disquieting thoughts, and see
whether there is in me any pain-
ful way, and lead me in the way of
time indefinite.” (Ps. 139:23, 24)
Let us not only pray but also sub-
mit to God’s examination and the
counsel of his Word. Jehovah can
lead us in “the way of time in-
definite,” helping us to pursue a
course leading to everlasting life.
w09 11/15 1:1-3
Wednesday, April 6
Are you yet holding fast your
integrity? Curse God and die!
—Job 2:9.
Initially, Job’s wife suffered the
same blows that her husband
suffered. The loss of her chil-
dren and the family wealth must
have devastated her. (Job 1:13-
19) It must have hurt her to see
her husband suffering a pain-
ful disease, causing her to say
the above. Then, three men ar-
rived—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zo-
phar—ostensibly to offer Job
comfort. Instead, they used de-
ceptive reasoning and proved to
be “troublesome comforters.” For
example, Bildad suggested that
Job’s children had engaged in
wrongdoing and deserved their
fate. Eliphaz insinuated that
Job’s suffering was punishment
for past sins. He even questioned
whether those who keep integri-
ty are of any value to God! (Job 2:
11; 4:8; 8:4; 16:2; 22:2, 3) Under
such heavy pressure, Job kept his
integrity. True, he could be fault-
ed when he turned to “declar-
ing his own soul righteous rath-
er than God.” (Job 32:2) Still, he
remained faithful through it all.
w09 4/15 1:7
 Thursday, April 7
I shall surely multiply your seed
like the stars of the heavens and
like the grains of sand that are
on the seashore.—Gen. 22:17.
How many his “seed” would
number was unknown to Abra-
ham. However, later that num-
ber was revealed. Jesus Christ
and the 144,000, who will rule
with him in his Kingdom, consti-
tute the “seed.” (Gal. 3:29; Rev.
7:4; 14:1) The Messianic Kingdom
is the means by which “all na-
tions of the earth will . . . bless
themselves.” (Gen. 22:18) Abra-
ham could not p ossibly have
understood the full significance
of the covenant Jehovah made
with him. Nevertheless, “he was
awaiting the city having real
foundations,” states the Bible.
(Heb. 11:10) That city is God’s
Kingdom. To receive blessings
under that Kingdom, Abraham
will have to live again. Everlast-
ing life on earth will be possi-
ble for him through the resur-
rection. And life eternal will be
possible for those who survive Ar-
mageddon or those who will be
raised from the dead.—Rev. 7:9,
14; 20:12-14. w09 8/15 1:6, 7
Friday, April 8
You do not have the love of God
in you.—John 5:42.
Among the scribes and Phari-
sees, there were doubtless intel-
ligent men who possessed knowl-
edge and the skills to impart it.
What made Jesus’ way of teach-
ing so different from theirs? The
religious leaders of the day had
no love for the common peo-
ple. Rather, they despised them,
viewing them as “accursed peo-
ple.” (John 7:49) In contrast,
Jesus was moved with pity for
them, since they were “skinned
and thrown about like sheep
without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:
36) He was warm, sympathet-
ic, and kind. Further, the reli-
gious leaders had no true love for
God. Jesus, however, loved his
Father and delighted to do his
will. The religious leaders twist-
ed God’s words to serve their own
ends, but Jesus loved “the word
of God”—he taught it, explained
it, defended it, and lived by it.
(Luke 11:28) Yes, love permeated
the very being of the Christ, gov-
erning what he taught and how
he dealt with people. w09 7/15 3:3
Saturday, April 9
Keep your senses in all things,
suffer evil, do the work of an
evangelizer, fully accomplish
your ministry.—2 Tim. 4:5.
‘Doing the work of an evange-
lizer’ means making your min-
istry more effective and help-
ing others to gain salvation. This
requires developing the “art of
teaching.” (2 Tim. 4:2) By arrang-
ing to share in the ministry with
those who are experienced in this
work, you will be able to learn
from their teaching methods,
as Timothy learned from work-
ing with Paul. (1 Cor. 4:17) Re-
ferring to those he had helped,
Paul said that he not only shared
the good news with them but also
gave of his ‘own soul,’ or used
his very life in helping them,
because they became beloved
to him. (1 Thess. 2:8) To follow
Paul’s example in the ministry,
you must have the same dispo-
sition as Timothy, who genuine-
ly cared about others and ‘slaved
in furtherance of the good news.’
(Phil. 2:19-23) Do you show this
self-sacrificing spirit in your min-
istry? w09 5/15 2:15, 18
 Sunday, April 10
God is not partial, but in every
nation the man that fears him
and works righteousness is ac-
ceptable to him.—Acts 10:34, 35.
Jesus showed his disciples that
God does not favor one race or
nationality over another. (John
4:5-26) We, therefore, should re-
gard all people as our neighbor,
extending love even to those who
act like enemies. (Matt. 5:43-45)
Yet, what did Paul mean when he
said that we should speak truth
with our neighbor? (Eph. 4:25)
Speaking truth involves shar-
ing information that is factual,
free from any deceit. True Chris-
tians do not twist or misrepre-
sent the facts so as to mislead
others. They “abhor what is wick-
ed” and “cling to what is good.”
(Rom. 12:9) In imitation of “the
God of truth,” we should strive
to be honest and forthright in all
our dealings. (Ps. 15:1, 2; 31:5)
By choosing our words careful-
ly, even embarrassing or uncom-
fortable situations can be tact-
fully resolved without resorting
to guile.—Col. 3:9, 10. w09 6/15
3:4, 5
Monday, April 11
Have among yourselves the same
mental attitude that Christ Jesus
had.—Rom. 15:5.
We can learn much by imitating
the faith of those who have spent
many years imitating Christ.
Like Jesus, these usually show
understanding of others’ imper-
fections. They have learned that
showing Christlike compassion
not only helps us to “bear the
weaknesses of those not strong”
but also contributes to unity.
(Rom. 15:1) Furthermore, it en-
courages the entire congregation
to reflect Christ’s mental atti-
tude. Jesus linked being “lowly
in heart” with mildness, which
is part of the fruitage of God’s
holy spirit. (Matt. 11:29) There-
fore, along with studying Jesus’
example, we need Jehovah’s holy
spirit, so that we can imitate
that example properly. We should
pray for God’s holy spirit and
strive to cultivate its fruitage.
(Gal. 5:22, 23) By thus following
the pattern of humility and mild-
ness that Jesus provided, we will
please our heavenly Father, Je-
hovah. w09 9/15 1:8, 9
Tuesday, April 12
The Son of man came . . . to
give his soul a ransom in ex-
change for many.—Matt. 20:28.
Jesus’ course stimulates a re-
sponse in us. As we think about
what Christ has done for us, our
love for him deepens. In respond-
ing to Christ’s love for all man-
kind, we feel compelled to finish
our assignment before the end
comes. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) The love
Christ displayed was central to
his accomplishing what God has
purposed for mankind. And the
model Christ left for us to fol-
low closely enables each of us to
have a part in that divine pur-
pose. This requires that we suc-
cessfully cultivate love of God to
the fullest extent possible. (Matt.
22:37) By observing what Jesus
taught and keeping his com-
mandments, we show that we
love him and are determined to
uphold God’s sovereignty at any
cost, just as Jesus did.—John 14:
23, 24; 15:10. w09 12/15 4:9-11
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 9)
Matthew 26:6-13
 Wednesday, April 13
What I teach is not mine, but
belongs to him that sent me.
—John 7:16.
On earth, Jesus was “the Fa-
ther’s representative.” (John 16:
27, 28) Although Jesus had over-
whelming credentials proving
that he was the Messiah, the vast
majority of the first-century Jews
did not acclaim him. Why? Be-
cause they had their own pre-
conceived ideas about the Messi-
ah, including that he would be
a political messiah who would
liberate them from Roman op-
pression. (John 12:34) Thus, they
could not accept the Messiah who
fulfilled the prophecies that said
he would be despised, avoided
by men, meant for pains and for
having acquaintance with sick-
ness, and finally killed. (Isa. 53:
3, 5) Even some of Jesus’ loy-
al disciples were disappointed at
his not providing political deliv-
erance. But they remained loy-
al, and in time, accurate under-
standing was given them.—Luke
24:21. w09 12/15 3:10, 11
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 9)
Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17
Thursday, April 14
I have called you friends, be-
cause all the things I have heard
from my Father I have made
known to you.—John 15:15.
The men sitting in the upper
room with Jesus that night in Je-
rusalem were convinced that Je-
sus was the promised Messiah.
(John 6:68, 69) It must surely
have warmed their hearts to hear
him say to them the words of to-
day’s text. Those words of Jesus
to his faithful apostles apply in
principle to all anointed Chris-
tians today and, by extension,
to their “other sheep” compan-
ions. (John 10:16) No matter what
our background, we can have the
privilege of being friends of Je-
sus. Our friendship with him is of
utmost importance because be-
ing his friends makes us friends
of Jehovah too. In fact, it is im-
possible to draw close to Jeho-
vah without first drawing close to
Christ.—John 14:6, 21. w09 10/15
3:1, 2
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 10)
Matthew 21:18, 19; 21:12, 13;
John 12:20-50
Friday, April 15
I set the pattern for you, that,
just as I did to you, you should
do also.—John 13:15.
What Jesus did in washing his
disciples’ feet was neither a mere
ritual nor just an act of kind-
ness. Before relating the account,
John wrote: “Jesus, having loved
his own that were in the world,
loved them to the end.” (John
13:1) It was his love for the dis-
ciples that moved Jesus to ren-
der a service usually performed
by a slave. Now they must humbly
do loving things for one anoth-
er. Yes, genuine brotherly love
should move us to display care
and concern for all our Christian
brothers and sisters. The apostle
John, whose feet were washed by
the Lord, wrote: “Little children,
let us love, neither in word nor
with the tongue, but in deed and
truth.”—1 John 3:18. w09 11/15 4:
20, 21
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 11)
Matthew 21:33-41; 22:15-22;
23:1-12; 24:1-3
 Saturday, April 16
The bearing witness to Jesus
is what inspires prophesying.
—Rev. 19:10.
From Jehovah’s first prophet-
ic declaration, recorded at Gene-
sis 3:15, to the glorious visions
of the book of Revelation, Bi-
ble prophecies can be correct-
ly understood only when the role
of Jesus in connection with the
Messianic Kingdom is taken into
consideration. That explains why
many of the prophecies in the
Hebrew Scriptures are puzzling
to those who do not accept Je-
sus as the promised Messiah. It
also explains why Jesus appears
to be no more than a great man
to those who do not value the
Hebrew Scriptures, which con-
tain many Messianic prophecies.
Knowledge of Jesus gives God’s
people the key to unlocking the
meaning of Bible prophecies that
are yet to be fulfilled.—2 Cor. 1:
20. w09 7/15 1:11
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 12)
Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Luke 22:1-6
Memorial Date
After Sundown
Sunday, April 17
You will be with me in Paradise.
—Luke 23:43.
The evildoer to whom Jesus
spoke needed no explanation
about Paradise. He knew about
the hope of everlasting life on
earth in a world to come. What did
require an explanation, however,
was Jesus’ reference to the heav-
enly hope. When he spoke to his
disciples about his going to heav-
en to prepare a place for them,
they did not understand what he
meant. (John 14:2-5) Later Je-
sus told them: “When that one ar-
rives, the spirit of the truth, he
will guide you into all the truth.”
(John 16:13) Only after Pente-
cost of 33 C.E. when they were
anointed by God’s spirit to be fu-
ture kings did Jesus’ followers dis-
cern that their thrones would be
in heaven.—1 Cor. 15:49; Col. 1:5;
1 Pet. 1:3, 4. w09 8/15 2:13, 14
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 13 and 14)
Matthew 26:17-56; Luke 22:7-13
Monday, April 18
We are preaching . . . Christ Je-
sus as Lord.—2 Cor. 4:5.
In the Bible, the title “Christ”
is used with reference to Je-
sus in various ways, such as Je-
sus Christ, Christ Jesus, and the
Christ. Jesus himself first used
the term “Jesus Christ”—the
name followed by the title. (John
17:3) This usage clearly draws at-
tention to the one who was sent
forth by God and became his
Anointed One. When the title
is placed ahead of the name, as
in “Christ Jesus,” the emphasis
shifts from the person to the po-
sition, or office, held by him. Us-
ing the expression “the Christ,”
the title preceded by the definite
article, is another way to empha-
size Jesus’ office as the Messiah.
(Acts 5:42) Regardless of how the
title “Christ” is used with refer-
ence to Jesus, it highlights that
Jesus was the Anointed One of
Jehovah. w09 5/15 4:10, 11
Memorial Bible reading:
(Events on Nisan 14)
Matthew 27:1, 2, 27-37
 Tuesday, April 19
Esau . . . began to embrace [Ja-
cob] and fall upon his neck and
kiss him, and they burst into
tears.—Gen. 33:4.
Prayer can reduce anx iety.
Fearing danger from his twin
brother, Esau, Jacob prayed: “O
Jehovah, . . . deliver me, I pray
you, from my brother’s hand,
from Esau’s hand, because I am
afraid of him that he may come
and certainly assault me, mother
together with children. And you,
you have said, ‘Unquestionably
I shall deal well with you and I
will constitute your seed like the
grains of sand of the sea, which
cannot be numbered for multi-
tude.’ ” (Gen. 32:9-12) Although
Jacob took precautionary steps,
his prayer was answered when he
and Esau were reconciled. (Gen.
33:1-3) Read that petition care-
fully, and you will see that Ja-
cob did not just plead for help.
He expressed faith in the prom-
ised Seed and gratitude for God’s
loving-kindness. Likewise, our
prayers should contain not only
requests but also expressions of
faith. w09 11/15 2:5, 6
Wednesday, April 20
Present your bodies a sacrifice
living, holy, acceptable to God.
—Rom. 12:1.
Jehovah appreciates willing
sacrifices made by his servants
to express their love for him and
their submission to his will. In
ancient times, he accepted vari-
ous animal sacrifices and other
offerings. These were made ac-
cording to the Mosaic Law by Is-
raelites seeking to obtain for-
giveness for sins and to express
thanksgiving. In the Christian
congregation, Jehovah does not
require us to offer such formal,
material sacrifices. However,
the apostle Paul shows that we
are still expected to offer sac-
rifices. Paul explains that Chris-
tians should show their gratitude
by a life of self-sacrifice. To that
end, we have to make our minds
over. Through inherited imper-
fection, we are subject to “the
law of sin and of death.” (Rom.
8:2) We, therefore, need to be
transformed, “be made new in
the force actuating [our] mind,”
by radically changing our inclina-
tions.—Eph. 4:23. w09 10/15 1:1, 2
Thursday, April 21
Come out of the man, you un-
clean spirit.—Mark 5:8.
Jesus took a courageous stand
even against the demons. On one
occasion, he was confronted by a
demon-possessed man so strong
that no one could bind that man
with a chain. Unintimidated, Je-
sus expelled the many demons
that held the man in their con-
trol. (Mark 5:1-13) Today, God
has not given Christians the pow-
er to perform such miracles. Still,
in our preaching and teaching,
we too must wage spiritual war-
fare against Satan, the one who
has “blinded the minds of the un-
believers.” (2 Cor. 4:4) As in Je-
sus’ case, our weapons “are not
fleshly, but powerful by God for
overturning strongly entrenched
things”—deeply ingrained but
wrong religious notions. (2 Cor.
10:4) In wielding these spiritual
weapons, we learn much from Je-
sus’ example. Jesus’ courage was
based, not on bravado, but on
faith. Ours must be too.—Mark 4:
40. w09 9/15 2:14, 15
 Friday, April 22
Jehoshaphat . . . set his face to
search for Jehovah.
—2 Chron. 20:3.
Faced with the threat of the
combined forces of Ammon,
Moab, and the people of the
mountainous region of Seir, Je-
hoshaphat movingly beseeched
Jehovah: “O our God, will you not
execute judgment upon them?
For in us there is no power be-
fore this large crowd that is com-
ing against us.” (2 Chron. 20:12,
13) After Jehoshaphat prayed, Je-
hovah’s spirit moved Jahaziel, a
Levite, to utter words of comfort
that instilled confidence in the
people. (2 Chron. 20:14-17) Yes,
back then, Jehoshaphat and the
kingdom of Judah received direc-
tion from Jehovah through Jaha-
ziel. Today, we receive comfort
and direction through the faith-
ful and discreet slave class. Cer-
tainly, we always want to cooper-
ate with and show respect for
the appointed elders, who work
hard in shepherding us and im-
plementing the directions of
“the faithful and discreet slave.”
—Matt. 24:45; 1 Thess. 5:12, 13.
w09 6/15 1:9, 10
Saturday, April 23
You will be called a prophet of
the Most High.—Luke 1:76.
A true prophet is an inspired
sp okesman for Jehovah, one
who proclaims “the magnificent
things of God.” (Acts 2:11, 16, 17)
Among other things, his prophe-
sying could include announc-
ing future events, revealing as-
pects of Jehovah’s purpose, or
proclaiming God’s judgments. In
the first century, Zechariah acted
as a prophet in revealing God’s
purpose regarding his son, John.
That son became John the Bap-
tizer, who announced the com-
ing of the long-awaited proph-
et greater than Moses—Jesus
Christ. (John 1:23-36) As a proph-
et, Jesus spoke about his own
death, foretelling how he would
die, where he would die, and at
whose hands he would die. (Matt.
20:17-19) To the surprise of his
listeners, Jesus also foretold the
destruction of Jerusalem with its
temple. (Mark 13:1, 2) His proph-
ecies reach right down to our own
time.—Matt. 24:3-41. w09 4/15 4:
10, 11
Sunday, April 24
By this all will know that you
are my disciples, if you have
love among yourselves.
—John 13:35.
Marcelino, a man in Cameroon,
lost his eyesight at work. After
his accident, the rumor spread
that he had become blind be-
cause he was a witch. Instead
of giving him comfort, his pastor
and other members of his church
expelled him from the congrega-
tion. When one of Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses invited him to a meet-
ing, Marcelino hesitated. He did
not want to face more rejection.
Marcelino was surprised by what
happened at the Kingdom Hall.
He was warmly welcomed, and
he gained comfort from the Bi-
ble teachings he heard. He be-
gan attending all congregation
meetings, progressed in his Bible
study, and was baptized in 2006.
Now he is sharing the truth with
his family and neighbors and
has started several Bible stud-
ies. Marcelino wants the individ-
uals studying the Bible with him
to feel the same love he has ex-
perienced among God’s people.
w09 11/15 4:1-3
 Monday, April 25
They pained even the Holy One
of Israel.—Ps. 78:41.
Jehovah is not paralyzed by
hurt and disappointment. When
complications have arisen, Jeho-
vah has promptly taken steps to
minimize the bad consequences
of what happened. He has also
taken long-term measures so
that in the end his purpose will
be fulfilled. (Ps. 104:31) Yes, Je-
hovah remains “the happy God.”
(1 Tim. 1:11; Ps. 16:11) Because
we were created in Jehovah’s im-
age, we have thinking ability and
practical wisdom, allowing us to
analyze our problems and take
positive action whenever possi-
ble. One important factor that
can help us cope with life’s prob-
lems is to recognize that cer-
tain things are simply beyond our
control. Agonizing over such mat-
ters may lead to added frustra-
tion and rob us of the many joys
associated with true worship. Af-
ter taking reasonable measures
to resolve a problem, it is best
to move on and focus on more
productive endeavors. w09 12/15
2:5-8
Tuesday, April 26
Give my greetings to the friends
by name.—3 John 14.
Jesus continues to care for us
not only through the oversight
of loving shepherds but also by
providing us with spiritual moth-
ers and brothers and sisters with-
in the congregation. (Mark 10:29,
30) When you first began asso-
ciating with Jehovah’s organiza-
tion, how did your relatives react?
Hopefully, they supported your
efforts to draw close to God and
Christ. But Jesus warned that
sometimes “a man’s enemies will
be persons of his own household.”
(Matt. 10:36) How comforting to
know that within the congrega-
tion, we can find those who will
stick closer to us than a literal
brother! (Prov. 18:24) As indicat-
ed by Paul’s personal greetings at
the conclusion of his letter to the
congregation in Rome, he forged
many close friendships. (Rom.
16:8-16) Obviously, the apostle
John too developed many endur-
ing friendships. w09 10/15 3:19, 20
Wednesday, April 27
I came to be beside him as a
master worker, and I came to be
the one he was specially fond
of.—Prov. 8:30.
Jesus was not the Originator or
Purposer behind the ransom sac-
rifice. Rather, this means of de-
liverance was a key feature of
Jehovah’s will. The apostle Paul
indicated that the altar at the
temple, upon which the sacrifices
were offered, represented Jeho-
vah’s will. (Heb. 10:10) So the de-
liverance we receive by means
of Christ’s sacrifice is something
we owe first and foremost to Je-
hovah. (Luke 1:68) It is an ex-
pression of his great love for hu-
mans. (John 3:16) He and his Son
had enjoyed associating togeth-
er for countless millions, per-
haps even billions, of years. The
Son worked joyously with the Fa-
ther as his beloved “master work-
er” and as his Spokesman, “the
Word.” (Prov. 8:22, 31; John 1:1)
What Jehovah endured as his Son
was tormented, ridiculed, and
then executed as a criminal is
far more than we can know. Our
deliverance cost Jehovah dearly!
w09 9/15 5:12, 14
 Thursday, April 28
“Abraham put faith in Jehovah,
and it was counted to him as
righteousness,” and he came to
be called “Jehovah’s friend.”
—Jas. 2:23.
What can help you to make
good choices as to your friends?
Studying Bible examples can
prove motivating. Consider the
friendship between Ruth and her
mother-in-law Naomi, the one
between David and Jonathan,
or the one between Timothy
and Paul. (Ruth 1:16, 17; 1 Sam.
23:16-18; Phil. 2:19-22) These
friendships thrived for one rea-
son above all others: They were
based on genuine love for Jeho-
vah. Can you find friends who
love Jehovah as much as you
do? Be assured that the Chris-
tian congregation is rich with po-
tential for finding friends of that
kind. Such friends will not lead
you to fare badly in a spiritual
sense. Rather, they will help you
to obey Jehovah, to grow spiritu-
ally, and to sow with a view to
the spirit. (Gal. 6:7, 8) They will
help you to remain in God’s love.
—Jude 21. w09 8/15 4:12, 13
Friday, April 29
We have a helper with the Fa-
ther, Jesus Christ.—1 John 2:1.
As Jehovah’s servants today, we
enjoy important benefits. For in-
stance, Jesus Christ provided the
ransom sacrifice and thus laid
the groundwork for forgiveness
of sins. On the basis of that sac-
rifice, we can have a close re-
lationship with God despite our
imperfection. (Jas. 4:8) When fac-
ing trials, we also pray for the
support and strengthening aid
of God’s holy spirit. Additional-
ly, we have the complete Bible,
and if we read it and meditate
on its contents, we prepare our-
selves for tests of faith. Study
helps us to understand the issues
of universal sovereignty and per-
sonal integrity. Further, we ben-
efit greatly from being part of the
earth-wide brotherhood that Je-
hovah supplies with spiritual
food. (Matt. 24:45-47) In each of
the approximately 100,000 con-
gregations of Jehovah’s Witness-
es, meetings are conducted that
instruct us and strengthen us.
w09 4/15 2:15, 16
Saturday, April 30
If you were part of the world,
the world would be fond of what
is its own. Now because you are
no part of the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world, on
this account the world hates
you.—John 15:19.
Jesus warned his followers that
they would meet up with oppo-
sition from the nations of the
world, and on the evening pre-
ceding his death, he explained
why by saying the above. The
apostle Paul experienced the
truthfulness of Jesus’ words. In
his second letter to his young
companion Timothy, Paul wrote:
“You have closely followed my
teaching, my course of life,
my purpose, my faith, my long-
suffering, my love, my endur-
ance, my persecutions, my suf-
ferings.” Then Paul added: “In
fact, all those desiring to live
with godly devotion in associa-
tion with Christ Jesus will also
be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:10-
12) In writing to the Christians
in Rome, Paul gave wise counsel
on how they should react to op-
position. His words can give us
guidance in this time of the end.
—Rom. 12:17-21. w09 10/15 2:1, 2
 Sunday, May 1
The wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God.
—1 Cor. 3:19.
The word “wisdom” is used
loosely. Some say that a person is
wise if he has merely accumulat-
ed a wealth of knowledge. How-
ever, the world’s so-called intel-
lectuals offer no trustworthy
guidance for finding true mean-
ing in life. On the contrary, those
who allow themselves to be influ-
enced by such ones end up be-
ing “tossed about as by waves
and carried hither and thither by
every wind of teaching.” (Eph. 4:
14) How different it is with those
who acquire true wisdom, the
Source of which is Jehovah God!
The Bible tells us that Jehovah
is “wise alone.” (Rom. 16:27) He
knows all that there is to know
about the universe, including its
composition and its history. The
physical laws of nature—upon
which humans rely for their re-
search—are all of Jehovah’s mak-
ing. Thus, he is not impressed by
man-made inventions, and he is
not intrigued by the so-called el-
evated thinking of human philos-
ophy. w09 4/15 3:1, 2
Monday, May 2
Become imitators of me, even as
I am of Christ.—1 Cor. 11:1.
The apostle Paul was an im-
itator of Christ. Because of fol-
lowing Christ’s steps closely, Paul
had freeness of speech in urg-
ing his brothers to become imita-
tors of him. Although he urged
Corinthian Christians to keep
zealously seeking certain gifts of
the spirit that were manifest in
the first century, such as heal-
ing and speaking in tongues,
Paul showed them that there
was something better to pursue.
At 1 Corinthians 12:31, he ex-
plained: “Yet I show you a sur-
passing way.” The context in the
verses that follow shows that this
was the surpassing way of love.
In what sense was it surpassing?
Paul proceeded to illustrate what
he meant. (1 Cor. 13:1-3) If he
had certain outstanding abilities
and accomplished great things
but did not have love, what would
he amount to? Nothing! Moved by
God’s spirit, he drove home this
important point. w09 12/15 4:12
Tuesday, May 3
Become imitators of God.
—Eph. 5:1.
Jehovah God sets the perfect
example of courtesy. Despite his
high position as Sovereign of
the universe, he treats humans
with great kindness and respect.
In addressing both Abraham and
Moses, Jehovah used a Hebrew
term often translated “please.”
(Gen. 13:14; Ex. 4:6) When his
servants commit errors, Jeho-
vah is “merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abundant in
loving-kindness and trueness.”
(Ps. 86:15) He is far different from
some humans who explode with
fury when others do not meet
their expectations. God’s good
manners are also evident in the
way he listens to humans. When
Abraham raised questions re-
garding the people of Sodom, Je-
hovah patiently answered each
one. (Gen. 18:23-32) He did not
view Abraham’s concern as a
drain on His time. Jehovah lis-
tens to the prayers of his servants
and to the cries of repentant
sinners. (Ps. 51:11, 17) Should
we not imitate Jehovah by lis-
tening when others speak to us?
w09 11/15 5:3, 4
 Wednesday, May 4
Many are the friends of the rich
person.—Prov. 14:20.
That observation sums up the
tendency of imperfect humans to
form friendships based on what
they can receive rather than on
what they can give. Jesus dis-
played no such weakness. He was
not swayed by a person’s finan-
cial or social status. Jesus was
known, not for his connections to
the wealthy and prominent, but
for befriending the lowly and de-
spised. (Matt. 11:19) Certainly,
Jesus’ friends were flawed indi-
viduals. Peter on occasion failed
to view matters from a spiri-
tual perspective. (Matt. 16:21-23)
James and John showed an ambi-
tious spirit when they asked that
Jesus give them prominent posi-
tions in the Kingdom. Their ac-
tion incensed the other apostles,
and the issue of prominence was
an ongoing cause of contention.
Jesus, however, patiently tried to
correct the thinking of his friends
and did not easily become exas-
perated with them.—Matt. 20:20-
28. w09 10/15 3:3, 4
Thursday, May 5
He is a propitiatory sacrifice for
our sins.—1 John 2:2.
If we appreciate what Jehovah
and his Son have done in order to
deliver us from sin and death, we
will show it. (1 John 5:3) We will
fight against our tendency to sin.
Never will we give in to the will-
ful practice of sin and lead the
hypocritical double life that of-
ten goes with it. Such a course
would amount to saying that we
do not value or appreciate the
ransom at all. Rather, we will
show our appreciation by working
hard to stay clean in God’s sight.
(2 Pet. 3:14) We will show it by
sharing with others our wonder-
ful hope of deliverance, so that
they too may have a clean stand-
ing with Jehovah and the hope for
an eternal future. (1 Tim. 4:16)
Surely Jehovah and his Son are
worth every bit of the time and
energy we can devote to praising
them! (Mark 12:28-30) Think of
it! We can look forward to life as
God meant it to be, in perfec-
tion, forever—all because of what
Jehovah has done to deliver us!
—Rom. 8:21. w09 9/15 5:15, 17
Friday, May 6
Have regard for those who are
working hard among you and
presiding over you.
—1 Thess. 5:12.
We must show respect for au-
thority. Why is this so difficult for
us to do at times? For one thing,
humans in positions of author-
ity are imperfect. In addition,
we ourselves are imperfect. We
struggle with an inborn tenden-
cy to rebel. You might wonder,
then, ‘If it is such a challenge for
us to respect authority, why do
we need to do it?’ The answer
comes down to the issue of sover-
eignty. Whom will you choose as
your sovereign, your ruler? If we
choose Jehovah as our Sovereign,
we need to respect his authori-
ty. If we do not, can we truthful-
ly call him our Ruler? Further-
more, Jehovah usually exercises
his authority through imperfect
humans whom he entrusts with
responsibility to care for his peo-
ple. If we were to rebel against
those humans, how would Jeho-
vah view our actions?—1 Thess.
5:13. w09 8/15 4:14, 15
 Saturday, May 7
Never has another man spoken
like this.—John 7:46.
In addition to being a proph-
et, Jesus was a preacher and a
teacher. He preached the good
news of God’s Kingdom, and no
one spoke with greater bold-
ness than he did. (Luke 4:16-
21, 43) As a teacher, he had no
equal. Jesus was zealous in his
efforts to spread the good news,
and he inspired his followers with
that same zeal for the Kingdom.
Thus, he laid the foundation for
a global preaching and teach-
ing campaign that is still con-
tinuing. (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 5:
42) Last year, some seven million
of Christ’s followers spent over
1,500,000,000 hours in preaching
the good news of the Kingdom
and teaching interested ones Bi-
ble truths. Do you have a mean-
ingful share in that work? Medi-
tating on the example of Jesus
moves us to “stay awake and
keep our senses” as to what God
will soon do.—1 Thess. 5:2, 6.
w09 4/15 4:12, 13
Sunday, May 8
I am the way and the truth and
the life.—John 14:6.
Jesus’ words have meaning for
those who hope to gain everlast-
ing life on earth. (Rev. 7:9, 10; 21:
1-4) How so? Jesus Christ is “the
way.” That is, he is the only one
through whom it is possible for
us to approach God. This is true
in the matter of prayer, for only
by praying through Jesus do we
have the assurance that the Fa-
ther will give us whatever we may
request in harmony with His will.
(John 15:16) However, Jesus is
“the way” also in a further sense.
Sin has alienated mankind from
God. (Isa. 59:2) Jesus gave “his
soul a ransom in exchange for
many.” (Matt. 20:28) As a result,
the Bible explains: “The blood of
Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin.”
(1 John 1:7) The Son has thus
opened up the way of reconcilia-
tion with God. (Rom. 5:8-10) It
is by putting faith in Jesus and
obeying him that we can have an
approved relationship with God.
—John 3:36. w09 5/15 4:12, 13
Monday, May 9
I am giving you a new com-
mandment, that you love one
another.—John 13:34.
The love of the true Christian
brotherhood has no equal in hu-
man society. Just as a magnet
draws iron, so love draws Jeho-
vah’s servants together in uni-
ty and attracts sincere ones to
true worship. Appealing as it
is, our brotherly love cannot be
taken for granted. Think of a
campfire burning at night, draw-
ing people to its warm, flicker-
ing flames. Unless those enjoying
the fire supply it with fuel, it will
go out. Likewise, the wonderful
bond of love in the congregation
will weaken unless we as individ-
ual Christians work to strengthen
it. How can we do so? The apostle
Paul answers: “Go on walking in
love, just as the Christ also loved
you and delivered himself up for
you as an offering and a sacri-
fice to God for a sweet-smelling
odor.” (Eph. 5:2) So ask yourself,
‘In what ways can I go on walking
in love?’ w09 11/15 4:1, 2, 4
 Tuesday, May 10
Look out: perhaps there may be
someone who will carry you off
as his prey through the philoso-
phy and empty deception ac-
cording to the tradition of men
. . . and not according to Christ.
—Col. 2:8.
The apostle Paul likened the
ministry of God’s servants to
spiritual warfare. He wrote: “The
weapons of our warfare are not
fleshly, but powerful by God for
overturning strongly entrenched
things. For we are overturning
reasonings and every lofty thing
raised up against the knowledge
of God.” (2 Cor. 10:4, 5) What are
some of the “strongly entrenched
things” from which divine edu-
cation frees people? The burden
of false teachings, superstitions,
and human philosophies, to men-
tion just a few. Divine education
helps people to overcome bad
practices and to cultivate god-
ly qualities. (1 Cor. 6:9-11) It im-
proves family life. And it gives
those without hope a real pur-
pose in life. This is the kind of
education that is needed today.
w09 9/15 4:7
Wednesday, May 11
Brothers, I do not yet consider
myself as having laid hold on it;
but . . . I am pursuing down to-
ward the goal for the prize of
the upward call of God by
means of Christ Jesus.
—Phil. 3:13, 14.
Individuals who are anointed
by God’s holy spirit receive a
heavenly “calling,” or “invitation.”
(Heb. 3:1; ftn.) This personal in-
vitation is from God. They do not
select this hope for themselves,
but Jehovah puts his seal, or holy
spirit, upon them. (2 Cor. 1:21, 22;
1 Pet. 1:3, 4) They realize that al-
though they have received a won-
derful invitation, it is only that
—an invitation. They must re-
main faithful until death in order
to obtain this prize. The anoint-
ed remnant must do their utmost
to ‘walk worthily of the calling
with which they were called, with
complete lowliness of mind,’ do-
ing so “with fear and trembling.”
—Eph. 4:1, 2; Phil. 2:12; 1 Thess.
2:12. w09 6/15 4:13, 14
Thursday, May 12
Return evil for evil to no one.
—Rom. 12:17.
Paul explained that when faced
with hostility, we should not re-
taliate in kind. Heeding his coun-
sel is particularly important in
homes that are religiously divid-
ed. The Christian mate resists
the temptation to repay an un-
kind word or act with another un-
kindness. No good comes from
‘returning evil for evil.’ On the
contrary, such an attitude can
only aggravate the situation. Paul
recommends a better way: “Pro-
vide fine things in the sight of
all men.” In the domestic set-
ting, a wife who shows genuine
kindness to her husband after
he makes unpleasant comments
about her beliefs may well de-
fuse a potentially explosive situ-
ation. (Prov. 31:12) As to pro-
viding “fine things in the sight
of all men,” Jehovah’s Witnesses
have often overcome prejudice by
providing practical assistance to
their neighbors when a disaster
strikes. w09 10/15 2:3, 4
 Friday, May 13
This man is for a certainty the
savior of the world.—John 4:42.
One reason why people reject-
ed Jesus as the promised Messiah
was his teachings, which many
found hard to accept. Entry into
the Kingdom would require ‘dis-
owning oneself,’ ‘eating’ Jesus’
flesh and blood, being “born
again,” and being “no part of
the world.” (Mark 8:34; John 3:3;
6:53; 17:14, 16) The proud, the
rich, and the hypocritical viewed
these requirements as too dif-
ficult to fulfill. However, humble
Jews accepted Jesus as the Mes-
siah, as did some Samaritans.
Jesus foretold that he would be
condemned by the chief priests
and be impaled by Gentiles, but
on the third day, he would rise.
(Matt. 20:17-19) His affirmation
before the Sanhedrin that he was
“the Christ the Son of God” was
judged to be blasphemy. (Matt.
26:63-66) Pilate found in him
“nothing deserving of death,” but
because the Jews charged him
also with sedition, Pilate “surren-
dered Jesus to their will.”—Luke
23:13-15, 25. w09 12/15 3:12, 13
Saturday, May 14
The creation itself also will be
set free from enslavement to
corruption.—Rom. 8:21.
In the Christian congregation,
we enjoy a true spiritual para-
dise. We have peace with God and
with our fellow man. Note what
Isaiah prophesied about the con-
ditions that we are experienc-
ing today: “They will have to beat
their swords into plowshares and
their spears into pruning shears.
Nation will not lift up sword
against nation, neither will they
learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:3, 4)
By acting in harmony with God’s
spirit, we contribute to the beau-
ty of the spiritual paradise. How-
ever, the future will be even bet-
ter. As obedient humans enjoy
peace to an unprecedented de-
gree under Jesus’ rule, they will
reach human perfection. After
they pass the final test at the end
of the Thousand Year Reign, “the
meek ones themselves will pos-
sess the earth, and they will in-
deed find their exquisite delight
in the abundance of peace.”—Ps.
37:11; Rev. 20:7-10. w09 4/15 5:
18, 19
Sunday, May 15
I am the light of the world.
—John 8:12.
Long before Jesus’ birth on
earth, the prophet Isaiah fore-
told: “The people that were walk-
ing in the darkness have seen a
great light. As for those dwell-
ing in the land of deep shadow,
light itself has shone upon them.”
(Isa. 9:2) The apostle Matthew
explained that Jesus fulfilled
that prophecy when He com-
menced preaching and said: “Re-
pent, you people, for the king-
dom of the heavens has drawn
near.” (Matt. 4:16, 17) Jesus’ min-
istry brought to the people spiri-
tual enlightenment and freedom
from enslavement to false reli-
gious teachings. “I have come as a
light into the world,” said Jesus,
“in order that everyone putting
faith in me may not remain in the
darkness.” (John 1:3-5; 12:46) Do
you appreciate the spiritual trea-
sures you have found in Jesus so
much that you would recommend
them to others, both by word of
mouth and by your fine Christian
conduct? w09 7/15 1:12, 13
 Monday, May 16
The peace of God that excels
all thought will guard your
hearts and your mental powers
by means of Christ Jesus.
—Phil. 4:7.
The apostle Paul had an afflic-
tion that caused him much dis-
tress. Whatever its nature, Paul
did what he could to remove this
affliction, praying to Jehovah for
relief. After the third time, God
revealed to Paul that the “thorn
in the flesh” would not be re-
moved miraculously. Paul accept-
ed this fact and concentrated on
serving Jehovah fully. (2 Cor. 12:
7-10) This does not mean that we
should stop praying to Jehovah
about distressing matters. (Ps.
86:7) On the contrary, God’s Word
entreats us: “Do not be anxious
over anything, but in everything
by prayer and supplication along
with thanksgiving let your peti-
tions be made known to God.”
(Phil. 4:6) Jehovah may not take
away our problem, but he can re-
spond to our prayers by guarding
our mental powers. After praying
about a matter, we may realize
the danger of being consumed by
anxieties. w09 12/15 2:10, 11
Tuesday, May 17
I am writing you these things
. . . that you may know how
you ought to conduct yourself
in God’s household.
—1 Tim. 3:14, 15.
One way to find our place in
the congregation and give evi-
dence that we treasure it is to
cooperate fully with “the faithful
and discreet slave” and its repre-
sentative Governing Body. (Matt.
24:45-47) We need to examine our
response to the direction we re-
ceive from the slave class. Over
the years, for example, we have
received pointed direction on
dress and grooming, entertain-
ment, and improper use of the In-
ternet. Do we carefully heed this
good counsel so that we are spiri-
tually protected? What about the
admonition to establish a regular
routine of family worship? Have
we taken the advice to heart and
set aside an evening for that pur-
pose? If we are single, are we
making time for personal study
of the Scriptures? Jehovah will
bless us individually and as fami-
lies if we follow the guidance of
the slave class. w09 11/15 3:2, 3
Wednesday, May 18
Speak truth each one of you
with his neighbor.—Eph. 4:25.
Does being truthful with others
mean that we must disclose every
detail to whoever asks us a ques-
tion? Not necessarily. While on
earth, Jesus demonstrated that
some people are undeserving of
a direct answer or of certain in-
formation. When hypocritical re-
ligious leaders asked him by what
power or authority he performed
signs and miracles, Jesus said: “I
will ask you one question. You
answer me, and I will also tell
you by what authority I do these
things.” When the scribes and
older men were unwilling to give
an answer, Jesus said: “Neither
am I telling you by what authori-
ty I do these things.” (Mark 11:27-
33) He did not feel obligated
to answer the question in view of
their corrupt practices and faith-
less example. (Matt. 12:10-13;
23:27, 28) Similarly today, Jeho-
vah’s people need to be on guard
against apostates and other wick-
ed men who use trickery or cun-
ning for selfish purposes.—Matt.
10:16; Eph. 4:14. w09 6/15 3:3, 6
 Thursday, May 19
Are they not all spirits for pub-
lic service, sent forth to minister
for those who are going to in-
herit salvation?—Heb. 1:14.
There are millions of faithful
angels in heaven. All of them are
“mighty in power, carrying out
his word.” (Ps. 103:20; Rev. 5:11)
These spirit sons of God have
personality, divine qualities, and
free will. They are superbly orga-
nized and have high positions in
God’s arrangement. All the an-
gels rejoiced at the ‘founding of
the earth’ and shared with de-
light in their assigned work as
this unique jewel in space devel-
oped into mankind’s home. (Job
38:4, 7) Jehovah created man “a
little lower than angels” but in
His “image,” thus enabling hu-
mans to reflect the Creator’s lofty
qualities. (Heb. 2:7; Gen. 1:26)
By exercising the gift of free will
properly, Adam and Eve and their
descendants could have enjoyed
life in a paradise home as part
of Jehovah’s universal family of
intelligent creatures. w09 5/15 3:
1, 2, 4
Friday, May 20
Elihu the son of Barachel the
Buzite proceeded to answer and
say: “Young I am in days and
you men are aged. That is why I
drew back and was afraid to
declare my knowledge to you
men.”—Job 32:6.
After reading of Job’s three
false comforters, we read of Eli-
hu, who had also come to vis-
it Job. Elihu first listened to the
arguments presented by Job and
his three companions. Although
younger than the other four men,
Elihu showed greater wisdom.
He addressed Job considerately,
using Job’s personal name. Eli-
hu commended Job for his up-
right course. But he also said
that Job had focused too much on
trying to prove his own faultless-
ness. Then Elihu assured Job that
serving God faithfully is always
worthwhile. (Job 36:1, 11) What
a fine example for those who
need to offer counsel today! Elihu
showed patience, listened care-
fully, commended where possi-
ble, and offered upbuilding coun-
sel.—Job 33:32. w09 4/15 1:8
Saturday, May 21
The heavens and the earth that
are now are stored up for fire
and are being reserved to the
day of judgment and of destruc-
tion of the ungodly men.
—2 Pet. 3:7.
By inspiration, the apostle Pe-
ter wrote about the future of
mankind, saying the above. What
will replace the governmental
heavens and the wicked human
society that are present now?
(2 Pet. 3:13) They will be re-
placed by “new heavens”—God’s
Messianic Kingdom—and “a new
earth”—a righteous human soci-
ety of true worshippers. The last
book of the Bible stirs our hearts
with its vision of mankind lifted
to perfection. (Rev. 21:1-4) This
has been the hope of believing
mankind ever since human per-
fection was lost in the garden of
Eden. Upright people will live in
Paradise on earth endlessly with-
out aging. This hope is solidly
based on both the Hebrew Scrip-
tures and the Christian Greek
Scriptures, and it continues to
strengthen faithful servants of
Jehovah to this day.—Rev. 22:1, 2.
w09 8/15 2:16, 17
 Sunday, May 22
Christ [left] you a model for
you to follow his steps closely.
—1 Pet. 2:21.
As followers of Christ, we de-
sire to imitate him in our min-
istry and in our life. Thus, our
objective is not only to impart
Bible knowledge but also to re-
flect Jehovah’s qualities, espe-
cially his love. Whether we have
a lot of knowledge or just a lit-
tle, an abundance of teaching
skills or just a few, the love we
show will go a long way in reach-
ing the hearts of those to whom
we preach. To be truly effec-
tive in our disciple-making work,
we must imitate Jesus by teach-
ing with love. Of course, to be
good teachers, we need knowl-
edge of our subject and we need
skill to impart that knowledge.
Jesus helped his disciples to ac-
quire both, and Jehovah, through
his organization, helps us to do
so today. (Isa. 54:13; Luke 12:
42) Still, we should aim to teach
not only with our minds but also
with our hearts. When knowl-
edge, skill, and love work togeth-
er, the results can be most satis-
fying. w09 7/15 3:4, 5
Monday, May 23
Make me know your own ways,
O Jehovah.—Ps. 25:4.
A desire to please Jehovah
should motivate you to pray for
wisdom. Moses prayed for knowl-
edge of God’s ways. “See,” he
pleaded, “you [Jehovah] are say-
ing to me, ‘Lead this people up
[from Egypt]’ . . . And now, if,
please, I have found favor in your
eyes, make me know, please, your
ways.” (Ex. 33:12, 13) In response,
God gave Moses greater knowl-
edge of His ways—a necessity if
he was to take the lead among Je-
hovah’s people. Solomon entreat-
ed God for the wisdom required
to discharge the duties of king-
ship in Israel. Solomon’s prayer
pleased Jehovah, who gave him
not only what he requested but
also riches and glory. (1 Ki. 3:
7-14) If you receive service priv-
ileges that seem overwhelm-
ing, pray for wisdom and display
a humble spirit. Then God will
help you to acquire the knowl-
edge and exercise the wisdom
needed to care for your respon-
sibilities in a proper and loving
manner. w09 11/15 2:7, 8
Tuesday, May 24
Quit being fashioned after this
system of things, but be trans-
formed by making your mind
over, that you may prove to
yourselves the good and accept-
able and perfect will of God.
—Rom. 12:2.
Such a complete change can
be brought about only with the
help of God and his spirit. It
also requires serious effort on our
part, using our “power of reason.”
(Rom. 12:1) It means that we do
our utmost not to be “fashioned
after this system of things” with
its corrupt morals, debased en-
tertainment, and warped think-
ing. (Eph. 2:1-3) Paul also invites
us to use our “power of reason” to
prove to ourselves what is “the
good and acceptable and perfect
will of God.” Thus, we engage
in Christian activities because
we are moved by God’s spirit to
demonstrate our heartfelt love
for Jehovah. Furthermore, we are
personally convinced that carry-
ing out such activities is God’s
will for us.—Zech. 4:6; Eph. 5:10.
w09 10/15 1:2, 3
 Wednesday, May 25
Paul expressed the desire for
[Timothy] to go out with him.
—Acts 16:3.
Timothy was presented with an
unusual invitation—to become
the apostle Paul’s traveling com-
panion! Imagine how surprised
and excited Timothy must have
been! For years to come, Timo-
thy would travel with Paul and at
times with others, carrying out
various missions on behalf of
the apostles and older men. Paul
and Timothy engaged in travel-
ing work that contributed much
to the spiritual upbuilding of the
brothers. (Acts 16:4, 5) Hence,
Timothy became well-known to
many Christians for his spiritu-
al advancement. After some ten
years of working with Timothy,
the apostle Paul wrote to the Phi-
lippians: “I have no one else of a
disposition like [Timothy’s] who
will genuinely care for the things
pertaining to you. . . . Like a child
with a father he slaved with me in
furtherance of the good news.”
—Phil. 2:20-22. w09 12/15 1:3
Thursday, May 26
Daughter, your faith has made
you well. Go in peace.
—Mark 5:34.
Jesus put his pity and compas-
sion into action. Consider one in-
stance. For 12 long years, a wom-
an suffered from an abnormal
flow of blood. She knew that un-
der the Mosaic Law, her condi-
tion made her and anyone who
touched her ceremonially un-
clean. (Lev. 15:25-27) Still, Jesus’
reputation and demeanor must
have convinced her that he could
and would heal her. She kept
saying: “If I touch just his outer
garments I shall get well.” Sum-
moning courage, she did so and
immediately sensed that she had
been healed. Jesus was aware
that someone had touched him,
and he looked around to see who
it was. The woman, likely fearing
a rebuke because she had violat-
ed the Law, fell down trembling
at his feet and poured out the
whole truth. Did Jesus reprimand
this poor, suffering woman? Far
from it! Reassuringly, he said the
words of today’s text. (Mark 5:25-
33) How comforted she must have
been to hear such kind words!
w09 9/15 1:11, 12
Friday, May 27
Until I expire I shall not take
away my integrity from myself!
—Job 27:5.
During the time period be-
tween the lives of Abraham’s
great-grandson Joseph and the
prophet Moses, there lived a
man named Job. The Bible book
of Job, likely composed by Mo-
ses, explains why Jehovah al-
lowed Job to suffer and how the
matter turned out for him. How-
ever, the book of Job is not mere-
ly an account about one man’s
trials; it centers on issues of
universal importance. The book
provides insight into Jehovah’s
righteousness in exercising his
sovereignty, and it reveals that
the integrity and life prospects
of all of God’s earthly servants
are involved in the issue raised
in Eden. Although Job did not
understand this issue, he did
not allow his three companions
to make him think that he had
failed as an integrity keeper.
This should strengthen our faith
and help us to realize that we
can maintain our integrity and
uphold Jehovah’s sovereignty.
w09 8/15 1:8
 Saturday, May 28
Faith follows the thing heard.
—Rom. 10:17.
How can we acquire real faith?
Jesus’ example guides us. He dis-
played a thorough knowledge of
the Scriptures and complete con-
fidence in them. As a weapon, Je-
sus wielded, not a literal sword,
but the sword of the spirit, God’s
Word. Time and again he sup-
ported his teachings with a ref-
erence to the Scriptures. Often
he prefaced his words with the
statement: “It is written,” that is,
in God’s Word. (Matt. 21:13; John
8:17) To build faith that can with-
stand the trials of the sort that
inevitably come with disciple-
ship, we must read and study the
Bible daily and attend Christian
meetings, putting into our minds
the truths that are the founda-
tion of faith. We must also medi-
tate—reflect deeply—on what we
learn, letting it sink into our
heart. Only faith that is alive can
move us to courageous action.
(Jas. 2:17) And we must pray for
holy spirit because faith is part of
the spirit’s fruitage.—Gal. 5:22.
w09 9/15 2:15, 16
Sunday, May 29
These things I command you,
that you love one another.
—John 15:17.
During his final night on earth,
Jesus encouraged his loyal disci-
ples to remain friends with one
another. The apostles needed
to remain close friends if they
were to endure the trials that
lay ahead and to accomplish the
work that Jesus would soon as-
sign them. Indeed, first-century
Christians became known for
their unbreakable devotion to
God and to one another. Today,
what a pleasure it is to be as-
sociated with a worldwide orga-
nization whose members follow
the pattern set by those first-
century Christians! We are deter-
mined to obey Jesus’ command
to display genuine love for one
another. However, during these
last days, people in general are
disloyal and fail to show natu-
ral affection. (2 Tim. 3:1-3) The
friendships they do form are of-
ten shallow and self-serving. To
keep our identity as true Chris-
tians, we must rise above such at-
titudes. w09 10/15 4:1, 2
Monday, May 30
The word of God is alive and
exerts power.—Heb. 4:12.
Spiritual babes of Paul’s day
failed to use God’s Word and
test its value by actual practice.
(Heb. 5:13) They did not acquaint
themselves with the message by
allowing it to guide them in mak-
ing wise decisions in their lives.
To become acquainted with the
Word of God means to know what
it says and to put that knowl-
edge into practice. The experi-
ence of a Christian sister named
Kyle shows how this can be done.
Kyle had an altercation with one
of her workmates. What did she
do to heal the breach? She ex-
plains: “The scripture that readi-
ly came to my mind was Romans
12:18, which says: ‘As far as it
depends upon you, be peaceable
with all men.’ So I made an ap-
pointment to meet this work-
mate after work.” The meet-
ing was very successful, and the
fellow employee was impressed
that Kyle had taken that step.
“I learned that we can never go
wrong if we apply Bible princi-
ples,” says Kyle. w09 5/15 1:8-10
 Tuesday, May 31
If any one of you is lacking in
wisdom, let him keep on asking
God.—Jas. 1:5.
How can we, as followers of the
Greater Solomon, benefit from
godly wisdom? Since Jehovah’s
wisdom is revealed in his Word,
we must put forth the effort to
find it by carefully studying the
Bible, particularly the record-
ed words of Jesus, and by medi-
tating on what we read. (Prov. 2:
1-5) Further, we need to perse-
vere in asking God for wisdom.
God’s Word assures us that our
Wednesday, June 1
Whoever loses his soul for my
sake is the one that will save it.
—Luke 9:24.
What enables Christians to en-
dure no matter what trials, dif-
ficult situations, and problems
they encounter? Basically it is
love based on principle. Such love
goes beyond just giving up some-
thing in a material way. It ex-
tends to the point of being will-
ing to maintain our integrity and
even to lose our life for the sake
of Christ. (Luke 9:25) Reflect on
the faithful course of Witness-
es who suffered in concentration
camps, labor camps, and prisons
during and after World War II.
A young German Witness named
Wilhelm well illustrates this.
Rather than compromise, he re-
mained loyal when facing death
by a Nazi firing squad. In a fare-
well letter to his family, he wrote:
“Above all we must love God,
as our Leader Jesus Christ com-
manded. If we stand up for him,
he will reward us.” w09 12/15 4:
14, 15
sincere prayers for help will be
answered. With the help of the
holy spirit, we will find gems of
wisdom in God’s Word that can
help us to deal with challenges
and make wise decisions. (Luke
11:13) Solomon was also called
“the congregator” who “taught
the people knowledge continual-
ly.” (Eccl. 12:9, 10) Jesus, as Head
of the Christian congregation, is
also a congregator of his people.
(John 10:16; Col. 1:18) Therefore,
we do well to attend congregation
meetings, where we are ‘taught
continually.’ w09 4/15 5:15
Thursday, June 2
We pray to God that you may do
nothing wrong.—2 Cor. 13:7.
Do we individually pray for holy
spirit, asking Jehovah to help us
display its fruitage of love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, kindness,
goodness, faith, mildness, and
self-control? (Luke 11:13; Gal. 5:
22, 23) If so, our words and deeds
will show that we are walking and
living by spirit. (Gal. 5:16, 25) If
we learn that our children are be-
ing tempted to cheat on tests at
school, we should pray for them
and also give them Scriptural
help so that they will act honest-
ly and will not do anything wrong.
Paul told Christians in Corinth
the words of today’s text. Hum-
ble prayers of that kind please
Jehovah and speak well of us.
(Prov. 15:8) We can ask that oth-
ers pray for us, even as the apos-
tle Paul did. “Carry on prayer for
us,” he wrote, “for we trust we
have an honest conscience, as we
wish to conduct ourselves hon-
estly in all things.”—Heb. 13:18.
w09 11/15 1:10, 11
 Friday, June 3
We wish to conduct ourselves
honestly in all things.
—Heb. 13:18.
A woman in India accepted a
Bible study and in time qualified
as an unbaptized publisher. One
day while returning home from
working on a Kingdom Hall con-
struction project, she found on
the ground near a bus station a
gold chain worth eight hundred
dollars (U.S.). Although of hum-
ble means, she took the chain to
the police station and turned it
in. The police officer there could
not believe his eyes! Later, an-
other officer asked her, “Why did
you choose to turn in the chain?”
She explained, “Bible teaching
has transformed me, so I am an
honest person now.” Impressed,
he said to the Christian elder who
accompanied her to the station:
“There are over 38 million people
in this state. If you can help ten
people to become like this wom-
an, it would be a great achieve-
ment.” When we consider the
millions of lives that have been
improved by divine education, do
we not have abundant reasons to
praise Jehovah? w09 9/15 4:8
Saturday, June 4
The accuser of our brothers has
been hurled down, who accuses
them day and night before our
God.—Rev. 12:10.
Jehovah is the Creator of the
universe, Sovereign of all cre-
ation. Why did he not ignore the
Devil’s challenge concerning Job?
God knew that neither ignoring
Satan nor destroying him would
resolve the issue that had been
raised. The Devil had claimed
that Job would not remain loy-
al if he lost his favored economic
situation. Job’s loyalty withstood
the test. Then Satan claimed
that any human would turn away
from God if he suffered physical-
ly. Job suffered, but his integri-
ty was not broken. Hence, Satan
was proved to be a liar in the case
of that faithful though imperfect
man. What of other worshippers
of God? In effect, each servant
of God who keeps his integrity
despite whatever Satan brings
against him demonstrates that in
his own personal case, the accu-
sations of that remorseless ene-
my are false. w09 4/15 1:10, 11
Sunday, June 5
I shall put enmity between you
and the woman and between
your seed and her seed.
—Gen. 3:15.
Enmity would persist between
Satan and God’s “woman.” Yes,
Jehovah viewed the heavenly
organization of faithful spir-
it creatures as a beloved wife
bonded with him as Husband.
This prophecy provided a sure
basis for hope, although the de-
tails remained a “sacred secret”
to be revealed progressively. God
purposed that one from with-
in the heavenly part of his or-
ganization would crush all rebels
and that through him “the things
in the heavens and the things on
the earth” would be brought to-
gether. (Eph. 1:8-10) In Noah’s
day, a number of angels left their
“proper dwelling place” and ma-
terialized fleshly bodies in or-
der to pursue selfish pleasure on
earth. (Jude 6; Gen. 6:1-4) Jeho-
vah cast those rebels into dense
darkness, and they thus joined
Satan in becoming “wicked spirit
forces” and vicious foes of God’s
servants.—Eph. 6:11-13; 2 Pet.
2:4. w09 5/15 3:6, 7
 Monday, June 6
They are murmuring against
me.—Num. 14:27.
When the Israelites murmured
and rebelled against Moses, Je-
hovah took their reb ellious
actions personally, as direct-
ed against him. (Num. 14:26, 27)
God has not changed. If we were
ever to rebel against those he
has put in positions of authori-
ty, we would be rebelling against
him! The apostle Paul reveals the
right attitude to cultivate toward
those who have positions of re-
sponsibility in the Christian con-
gregation. He wrote: “Be obedi-
ent to those who are taking the
lead among you and be submis-
sive, for they are keeping watch
over your souls as those who will
render an account; that they may
do this with joy and not with
sighing, for this would be damag-
ing to you.” (Heb. 13:17) Grant-
ed, it takes real effort on our
part to develop such an obedient
and submissive spirit. Remem-
ber, though, that we are working
to remain in God’s love. Is that
goal not worth our every effort?
w09 8/15 4:16, 17
Tuesday, June 7
They did not get the fulfillment
of the promises, but they saw
them afar off and welcomed
them.—Heb. 11:13.
Faithful ones of pre-Christian
times, such as Abel, Abraham,
Sarah, Elij ah, and Jeremiah,
looked to a bright and appeal-
ing future. (Titus 1:2) Upon being
resurrected, they will eventually
reach perfection and be “set free
from enslavement to corruption”
through the priestly services of
Christ Jesus and his 144,000 un-
derpriests. (Rom. 8:21) Moreover,
Jeremiah and other bold servants
of God in ancient times took
courage because of Jehovah’s as-
surance, reflected in his promise
to Jeremiah: “They will be cer-
tain to fight against you, but they
will not prevail against you, for ‘I
am with you,’ is the utterance of
Jehovah, ‘to deliver you.’” (Jer.
1:19) Today, when we reflect on
God’s promises for our future and
his assurance of spiritual protec-
tion, we are likewise strength-
ened.—Prov. 2:7; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18.
w09 7/15 4:7, 8
Wednesday, June 8
Each of us will render an ac-
count for himself to God.
—Rom. 14:12.
How should other Christians
view a person who claims to have
been anointed and begins to par-
take of the emblems at the Me-
morial? He or she should not be
judged. The matter is between
this person and Jehovah. How-
ever, Christians who have tru-
ly received this anointing do not
demand special attention. They
do not believe that their be-
ing of the anointed gives them
special insights beyond what
even some experienced members
of the “great crowd” may have.
(Rev. 7:9) They do not believe
that they necessarily have more
holy spirit than their companions
of the “other sheep” have. (John
10:16) They do not expect spe-
cial treatment; nor do they claim
that their partaking of the em-
blems places them above the ap-
pointed elders in the congrega-
tion. w09 6/15 4:15
 Thursday, June 9
If somebody could overpower
one alone, two together could
make a stand against him. And
a threefold cord cannot quickly
be torn in two.—Eccl. 4:12.
The strongest friendships are
founded on a love for Jehovah.
When Jehovah is the third cord
in a friendship, that friendship
will endure. True, those who do
not love Jehovah can also form
rewarding friendships. But when
individuals are drawn together
by a mutual love for God, their
friendship will be unshakable.
If misunderstandings arise, true
friends will treat each other
in a way that pleases Jehovah.
If opposers of God try to cause
divisions, these enemies dis-
cover that friendships among
true Christians are unbreakable.
Throughout history, servants of
Jehovah have proved their will-
ingness to face death rather than
betray one another. (1 John 3:16)
Without a doubt, the most sat-
isfying friendships we can enjoy
are with those who love Jehovah.
w09 10/15 4:3-5
Friday, June 10
The Son of man came . . . to
give his soul a ransom in ex-
change for many.—Matt. 20:28.
Jesus’ faithfulness unto death
resolved an important aspect of
the “sacred secret.” (Col. 1:26, 27)
He proved to the ultimate degree
that a perfect man can main-
tain “godly devotion” and uphold
God’s sovereignty despite the se-
verest of tests imposed by Sa-
tan. (1 Tim. 3:16) And, as “a cor-
responding ransom,” Jesus paid
the penalty for sin inherited by
Adam’s offspring and made it
possible to give everlasting life
to all who accept him as God’s
means of salvation. (1 Tim. 2:5, 6)
After three days in the grave,
Christ was resurrected, and for
40 days he appeared to his disci-
ples, proving that he was alive
and giving them further instruc-
tions. (Acts 1:3-5) Then he as-
cended to heaven to present to
Jehovah the value of his precious
sacrifice and await the appointed
time when his presence as Mes-
sianic King would begin. In the
meantime, he had much to do.
w09 12/15 3:14, 15
Saturday, June 11
I am the way and the truth and
the life.—John 14:6.
Jesus is “the truth” not only be-
cause he always spoke and lived
the truth but also because all
the prophecies written about the
Messiah—scores of them—were
fulfilled in him. “No matter how
many the promises of God are,”
wrote the apostle Paul, “they
have become Yes by means of
him.” (2 Cor. 1:20) Even “a shad-
ow of the good things to come”
contained in the Mosaic Law be-
came a reality in Christ Jesus.
(Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17) Jesus is the
focal point on which all prophe-
cies concentrate, and they shed
light on his central role in the
outworking of Jehovah’s purpose.
(Rev. 19:10) To benefit from the
fulfillment of what God has pur-
posed for us, we need to follow
the Messiah. Jesus is “the life”
because he has bought the hu-
man race with his lifeblood, and
everlasting life is a gift that God
gives “by Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Rom. 6:23. w09 5/15 4:12, 14, 15
 Sunday, June 12
O the depth of God’s riches and
wisdom and knowledge! How
unsearchable his judgments are
and past tracing out his ways
are!—Rom. 11:33.
The wisdom that comes from
God lays emphasis on sound
judgment and is based on accu-
rate knowledge and understand-
ing. (Jas. 3:17) Because Jeho-
vah is all-wise, we are confident
that his laws guide us in the best
way of living. After all, Jeho-
vah knows more than anyone else
what we need in order to be hap-
py. (Prov. 3:5, 6) Jehovah’s wis-
dom, along with his other match-
less qualities, can be observed in
the things he made. (Rom. 1:20)
From the largest to the smallest,
Jehovah’s works reveal aspects
of his personality. No matter
where we look—to the heavens
above or to the soil beneath our
feet—we find abundant evidence
of an all-wise and loving Creator.
We can learn much about him by
considering the things that he
has made.—Ps. 19:1; Isa. 40:26.
w09 4/15 3:3, 4
Monday, June 13
Because of the pain of the heart
there is a stricken spirit.
—Prov. 15:13.
Some Christians have become
disheartened to the point of dis-
continuing their personal Bible
reading and their meditation on
God’s Word. Their prayers have
become perfunctory, and they
may isolate themselves from fel-
low worshippers. Clearly, re-
maining in a state of dejection
can be harmful. (Prov. 18:1, 14)
On the other hand, a positive per-
spective will help us to focus on
aspects of our lives from which
we can derive delight and joy.
When matters go wrong in our
lives, the last thing we should do
is discontinue our healthy rou-
tine of worship. In fact, an anti-
dote for sadness is to engage in
activities that bring happiness.
Jehovah tells us that we can find
delight and happiness in read-
ing his Word and in peering into
it regularly. (Ps. 1:1, 2; Jas. 1:25)
Both from the Holy Scriptures
and from Christian meetings, we
receive “pleasant sayings” that
can buoy us up and make our
hearts rejoice.—Prov. 12:25; 16:
24. w09 12/15 2:12, 13
Tuesday, June 14
You, too, widen out.
—2 Cor. 6:13.
Why did Paul urge the Corinthi-
ans to widen out in their love?
Consider how the congregation
in ancient Corinth got its start.
Paul came to Corinth in the fall
of 50 C.E. Although his preach-
ing work there began with dif-
ficulty, the apostle did not give
up. In a short time, many in that
city put faith in the good news.
For “a year and six months,”
Paul spent himself teaching and
strengthening the new congrega-
tion. Clearly, he had deep love for
the Corinthian Christians. (Acts
18:5, 6, 9-11) They had every rea-
son to love and respect him in re-
turn. However, some in the con-
gregation drew away from him.
Perhaps a few did not like his
frank counsel. (1 Cor. 5:1-5; 6:
1-10) Others may have listened
to the slander of the “superfine
apostles.” (2 Cor. 11:5, 6) Paul
wanted the genuine love of all his
brothers and sisters. So he en-
treated them to “widen out” by
drawing close to him and other
fellow believers. w09 11/15 4:5, 6
 Wednesday, June 15
If your enemy is hungry, feed
him; if he is thirsty, give him
something to drink; for by doing
this you will heap fiery coals
upon his head.—Rom. 12:20.
Paul doubtless had in mind
what we read at Proverbs 25:21,
22: “If the one hating you is hun-
gry, give him bread to eat; and if
he is thirsty, give him water to
drink. For coals are what you are
raking together upon his head,
and Jehovah himself will reward
you.” In view of his counsel found
in Romans chapter 12, Paul could
hardly have meant that the illus-
trative coals were to inflict pun-
ishment or shame upon an op-
poser. Rather, the proverb—as
well as Paul’s similar words to the
Romans—seems to refer to an
ancient method used for smelt-
ing metal ores. Like “fiery coals,”
acts of kindness can warm the
hearts of opposers and perhaps
melt down their hostility. Kind
actions can win people over to
a more favorable attitude toward
Jehovah’s people and the Bible
message they preach. w09 10/15
2:5, 6
Thursday, June 16
Jesus, having loved his own that
were in the world, loved them to
the end.—John 13:1.
Jesus set the perfect example
of love. Everything about him
—his speech, his conduct, his
teaching, and his sacrificial
death—demonstrated his love.
To the very end of his life on
earth, Jesus showed love toward
those whom he met and espe-
cially toward his disciples. Jesus’
outstanding example of love sets
a high standard for his follow-
ers to uphold. It also motivates
us to show similar love toward
our spiritual brothers and sis-
ters as well as toward all others.
On the night before Jesus’ death,
his own apostle Peter denied him
three times. (Mark 14:66-72) Yet,
once Peter had returned, as Jesus
foretold he would, Jesus forgave
him. Later, Jesus entrusted Pe-
ter with weighty responsibilities.
—Luke 22:32; Acts 2:14; 8:14-17;
10:44, 45. w09 9/15 3:1-3
Friday, June 17
They . . . learn to be unoccu-
pied, gadding about to the hous-
es; yes, not only unoccupied, but
also gossipers and meddlers in
other people’s affairs, talking of
things they ought not.
—1 Tim. 5:13.
Paul indicated that some peo-
ple may not be entitled to re-
ceive a full or complete answer.
He said that “gossipers and med-
dlers in other people’s affairs”
are “talking of things they ought
not.” Yes, those who pry into the
affairs of others or those who
cannot be trusted to keep a con-
fidence may find that others are
reluctant to share personal in-
formation with them. How much
better it is to heed Paul’s in-
spired counsel: “Make it your aim
to live quietly and to mind your
own business.” (1 Thess. 4:11) At
times, however, congregation el-
ders may need to ask questions
about personal matters in order
to carry out their assigned du-
ties. In such a case, our coopera-
tion in speaking truth is much
appreciated and is a great help.
—1 Pet. 5:2. w09 6/15 3:7
 Saturday, June 18
I always do the things pleasing
to [the Father].—John 8:29.
Usually, we are eager to share
with others what we know
about a person whom we love. We
praise, honor, and defend him.
We do that because we want oth-
ers to feel as attracted to that
person and his qualities as we
are. Before we can cultivate love
for Jehovah in others, we must
know and love him ourselves. Af-
ter all, true worship is based on
love for God. (Matt. 22:36-38) Je-
sus set a perfect example. He
loved Jehovah with his whole
heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Having spent perhaps billions of
years in heaven with his heaven-
ly Father, Jesus knew him well.
The result? “I love the Father,”
Jesus said. (John 14:31) That love
motivated him always to do the
things pleasing to God. It im-
pelled him to denounce the reli-
gious leaders, who hypocritically
claimed to represent God. It also
moved him to speak about Jeho-
vah and to help others to know
and love God. w09 7/15 3:6, 7
Sunday, June 19
O Daniel, make secret the words
. . . until the time of the end.
—Dan. 12:4.
The lifting of mankind to the
perfection that Adam lost was
part of the hope of Israel. The
Christian Greek Scriptures ex-
plain by what means God will
make possible everlasting life for
mankind in Paradise on earth.
So why did man’s hope have to
be rediscovered? Jesus foretold
that false prophets would corrupt
his teachings and that most peo-
ple would be misled. (Matt. 24:11)
The apostle Peter warned Chris-
tians: “There will also be false
teachers among you.” (2 Pet. 2:1)
The apostle Paul spoke of “a peri-
od of time when [people would]
not put up with the healthful
teaching, but, in accord with
their own desires, they [would]
accumulate teachers for them-
selves to have their ears tickled.”
(2 Tim. 4:3, 4) Satan is involved in
misleading people and has used
apostate Christianity to obscure
the heartwarming truth about
God’s purpose for man and the
earth.—2 Cor. 4:3, 4. w09 8/15
3:2, 3
Monday, June 20
Keep my covenant.
—Ex. 19:5.
Like Moses, Jesus was a media-
tor. A mediator acts as a bridge
between two parties. Moses me-
diated the Law covenant be-
tween Jehovah and the Israel-
ites. In 33 C.E., Jehovah initiated
a better covenant with a new Is-
rael, “the Israel of God,” which
became a worldwide congrega-
tion made up of anointed Chris-
tians. (Gal. 6:16) While the cove-
nant mediated by Moses included
laws written by God on stone, the
covenant mediated by Jesus is su-
perior. Its laws are inscribed by
God on human hearts. (1 Tim.
2:5; Heb. 8:10) Thus, “the Isra-
el of God” is now God’s special
property, ‘a nation producing the
fruits’ of the Messianic Kingdom.
(Matt. 21:43) Members of that
spiritual nation are the partici-
pants in that new covenant. Still,
they are not the only ones to ben-
efit from it. Untold multitudes,
even many who at present are
asleep in death, will receive ever-
lasting blessings because of that
superlative covenant. w09 4/15 4:
14, 15
 Tuesday, June 21
Let us press on to maturity.
—Heb. 6:1.
Pressing on to maturity re-
quires that we do our utmost
to obey Jehovah. As exemplified
by Jesus Christ, obedience is of-
ten learned from the things suf-
fered. (Heb. 5:8, 9) Before com-
ing to earth, Jesus was obedient
to his Father. However, doing
his Father’s will on earth in-
volved physical and mental suf-
fering. Through obedience un-
der extreme adversity, Jesus was
“made perfect” for the new posi-
tion God had in mind for him,
that of b eing King and High
Priest. What about us? Are we de-
termined to obey Jehovah even
when we are faced with distress-
ful problems? (1 Pet. 1:6, 7) God’s
counsel regarding morals, hones-
ty, proper use of the tongue, per-
sonal reading and study of the
Scriptures, attendance at Chris-
tian meetings, and participation
in the preaching work is clear.
(Josh. 1:8; Matt. 28:19, 20; Eph. 4:
25, 28, 29; 5:3-5; Heb. 10:24, 25)
Our obedience, even under ad-
versity, is an indication that we
have progressed toward maturity.
w09 5/15 1:3, 12, 13
Wednesday, June 22
Stay by these things, for by do-
ing this you will save both your-
self and those who listen to you.
—1 Tim. 4:16.
Prior to writing those words,
Paul had journeyed to Macedonia
but had asked Timothy to remain
in Ephesus. Why? Some in that
city were becoming a divisive in-
fluence in the congregation by in-
troducing false teachings. Timo-
thy was to protect the spiritual
purity of the congregation. How
was he to accomplish this? In
part, by setting a good example
for others to imitate. Paul wrote
to Timothy: “Become an example
to the faithful ones in speaking,
in conduct, in love, in faith, in
chasteness.” Paul added: “Ponder
over these things; be absorbed
in them, that your advancement
may be manifest to all persons.”
(1 Tim. 4:12, 15) This advance-
ment had to do with Timothy’s
spiritual qualities rather than
with any position of authority.
This is the kind of advancement
that every Christian should want
to manifest. w09 12/15 1:5, 6
Thursday, June 23
Your heart must prove to be
complete with Jehovah our God
by walking in his regulations
and by keeping his command-
ments as at this day.
—1 Ki. 8:61.
To be heard, prayer must come
from the heart. Solomon offered
a heartfelt prayer, recorded at
1 Kings chapter 8, before throngs
assembled in Jerusalem for the
inauguration of Jehovah’s temple
in 1026 B.C.E. After the ark of the
covenant was placed in the Most
Holy and Jehovah’s cloud filled
the temple, Solomon praised
God. Study Solomon’s prayer,
and note its references to the
heart. Solomon acknowledged
that Jehovah alone knows a per-
son’s heart. (1 Ki. 8:38, 39) The
same prayer shows that there is
hope for a sinner who ‘returns to
God with all his heart.’ If an ene-
my captured God’s people, their
pleas would be heard if their
heart was complete with Jeho-
vah. (1 Ki. 8:48, 58) Surely, then,
your prayers should come from
the heart. w09 11/15 2:9, 10
 Friday, June 24
You are my friends if you do
what I am commanding you.
—John 15:14.
Jesus did not remain friends
with his imperfect disciples be-
cause he was overly indulgent
or blind to their imperfections.
Rather, he chose to focus on
their good intentions and posi-
tive qualities. For example, Peter,
James, and John fell asleep in-
stead of supporting Jesus through
his most trying hour. Jesus was
understandably disappointed in
them. Even so, he saw that their
motives were good, saying: “The
spirit, of course, is eager, but the
flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41) In
contrast, Jesus ended his friend-
ship with Judas Iscariot. Even
though Judas maintained the
outward appearance of friend-
ship, Jesus detected that this for-
mer close companion had allowed
his heart to be corrupted. Be-
cause Judas had become a friend
of the world, he had made him-
self an enemy of God. (Jas. 4:4)
Therefore, Jesus had already dis-
missed Judas when He declared
His friendship with the remaining
11 faithful apostles.—John 13:21-
35. w09 10/15 3:5, 6
Saturday, June 25
We thank God the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ always when
we pray for you, since we heard
of your faith in connection with
Christ Jesus and the love you
have for all the holy ones.
—Col. 1:3, 4.
We undoubtedly pray for our-
selves, but our prayers ought to
include others—even Christians
we do not know by name. Though
the apostle Paul may not have
known all the believers in Co-
lossae, he wrote the above. Paul
also prayed for Christians in
Thessalonica. (2 Thess. 1:11, 12)
Prayers of that kind say much
about us and how we view our
brothers and sisters in the faith.
Our prayers for anointed Chris-
tians and for their “other sheep”
companions give evidence of our
concern for God’s organization.
(John 10:16) Paul asked fellow
worshippers to pray so that ‘abil-
ity to speak might be given him
to make known the sacred secret
of the good news.’ (Eph. 6:17-20)
Do we personally pray for other
Christians in that way? w09 11/15
1:8, 9
Sunday, June 26
In no way are we giving any
cause for stumbling, that our
ministry might not be found
fault with; but in every way we
recommend ourselves as God’s
ministers.—2 Cor. 6:3, 4.
Some might reason that areas
such as entertainment and dress
and grooming are personal mat-
ters. For the dedicated Chris-
tian who cherishes his place in
the congregation, though, per-
sonal preferences should not
be the sole determining factor
when making decisions. Consid-
eration must especially be giv-
en to Jehovah’s viewpoint as re-
vealed through his Word, the
Bible. Its message should prove
to be ‘a lamp to our foot, and
a light to our roadway.’ (Ps. 119:
105) Thus we can guard against
developing a spirit of indepen-
dence. We are wise also to consid-
er how the choices we make in
personal matters affect our min-
istry and other people, both in-
side and outside the congrega-
tion. w09 11/15 3:4, 5
 Monday, June 27
I have become full of words; spir-
it has brought pressure upon me
in my belly.—Job 32:18.
Although what Elihu spoke un-
der inspiration was fulfilled in
Job’s restoration, his words are
also meaningful to others. They
hold out hope for all integri-
ty keepers. Jehovah sometimes
gives a message to an individual
that also has a broader application
for mankind in general. This can
be seen from Daniel’s prophecy
involving Babylonian King Neb-
uchadnezzar’s dream about the
chopping down of an immense
tree. (Dan. 4:10-27) That dream
indicated that divine sovereignty
toward the earth expressed by a
kingdom in the line of King David
would be manifested again after a
period of 2,520 years, beginning
in 607 B.C.E. God’s sovereign-
ty toward our globe began to be
asserted anew with the installa-
tion of Jesus Christ as heavenly
King in the year 1914. Just think of
how Kingdom rule will soon fulfill
the hopes of obedient mankind!
w09 8/15 1:9, 10
Tuesday, June 28
We have gifts differing accord-
ing to the undeserved kindness
given to us.—Rom. 12:6.
Some of the gifts Paul men-
tions—exhorting, presiding—es-
pecially concern Christian el-
ders, who are admonished to
preside “in real earnest.” That
same earnestness should be evi-
dent, states Paul, in the way over-
seers serve as teachers and car-
ry out “a ministry.” The context
seems to indicate that Paul here
refers to “a ministry” carried out
within the congregation, or the
“one body.” (Rom. 12:4, 5, 7, 8)
That ministry is similar to the
one mentioned at Acts 6:4, where
the apostles declare: “We shall
devote ourselves to prayer and to
the ministry of the word.” What
does such a ministry involve?
Christian elders use their gifts to
build up the members of the con-
gregation. They show themselves
to “be at this ministry” when they
earnestly provide guidance and
instruction to the congregation
from God’s Word by their prayer-
ful study, research, teaching, and
shepherding. w09 10/15 1:4, 5
Wednesday, June 29
Whoever does not receive the
kingdom of God like a young
child will by no means enter
into it.—Mark 10:15.
On one occasion, Jesus’ disci-
ples tried to prevent people from
bringing their young children to
Jesus for him to touch. Jesus was
not pleased with his disciples. He
told them: “Let the young chil-
dren come to me; do not try to
stop them, for the kingdom of
God belongs to suchlike ones.”
(Mark 10:13, 14) Then, using the
children to provide an object les-
son, he said the words of to-
day’s text. Think for a moment
about how some of those children
would feel years later when as
men and women, they would re-
call that Jesus Christ ‘took them
into his arms and blessed them.’
(Mark 10:16) Today’s children too
will look back with fondness on
the elders and others who show
them wholesome, unselfish inter-
est. More important, from an ear-
ly age, children who receive such
genuine concern in the congrega-
tion learn that Jehovah’s spirit is
on his people. w09 9/15 1:13, 14
 Thursday, June 30
See, the Lamb of God!
—John 1:36.
Throughout the Bible, sheep
played a notable role in the re-
mission of sin and approach to
God. For instance, after Abra-
ham had demonstrated that he
was willing to offer his son Isaac,
he was told not to harm Isaac
and was provided with a ram,
or male sheep, as a substitute.
(Gen. 22:12, 13) When the Israel-
ites were delivered from Egypt,
sheep again played a significant
Friday, July 1
This is my Son, the one that has
been chosen. Listen to him.
—Luke 9:35.
Peter, John, and James wit-
nessed the transfiguration. At
that time, they heard a voice
from heaven say the above. Our
obeying the command to lis-
ten to the Messiah is a serious
matter. (Acts 3:22, 23) Listening
to Jesus involves ‘looking intent-
ly at him, considering his exam-
ple closely.’ (Heb. 12:2, 3) Hence,
we do well to “pay more than the
usual attention to the things” we
read about him in the Bible and
in the publications of “the faith-
ful and discreet slave,” as well as
what we hear about him at Chris-
tian meetings. (Heb. 2:1; Matt.
24:45) As his sheep, let us be
eager to listen to Jesus and fol-
low him. (John 10:27) Can we suc-
ceed in following the Christ con-
tinually? Yes, we can, provided
that we “keep holding the pattern
of healthful words” by practic-
ing what we learn “with the faith
and love that are in connection
with Christ Jesus.”—2 Tim. 1:13.
w09 5/15 4:17-19
role, this time as part of “Jeho-
vah’s passover.” (Ex. 12:1-13)
Further, the Mosaic Law provid-
ed for the sacrifice of various an-
imals, including sheep and goats.
(Ex. 29:38-42; Lev. 5:6, 7) None of
those sacrifices—in fact, no sac-
rifice offered by humans—could
bring permanent release from
sin and death. (Heb. 10:1-4) Je-
sus, on the other hand, is “the
Lamb of God that takes away the
sin of the world.” (John 1:29) This
fact alone makes Jesus a treasure
that outranks any material trea-
sure that has ever been found.
w09 7/15 1:14, 15
Saturday, July 2
He kept sticking to Jehovah.
—2 Ki. 18:6.
Hezekiah and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem invited the whole
nation—even those of the north-
ern kingdom—to attend the
Passover celebration. Runners
sped through the land carrying
letters of invitation. (2 Chron.
30:6-9) In recent years, we have
shared in a similar effort. We
have used appealing printed invi-
tations to invite people in our ter-
ritories to gather with us in com-
memorating the Lord’s Evening
Meal, in obedience to Jesus’ com-
mand. (Luke 22:19, 20) We have
zealously shared in this work.
And how Jehovah has blessed
this effort! Why, in 2008, some
seven million of us distributed in-
vitations, and a total of 17,790,-
631 people attended! It was said
of Hezekiah: “In Jehovah the God
of Israel he trusted.” (2 Ki. 18:5)
May it be similar in our case. Our
zeal for God’s house will help us
‘keep sticking to Jehovah’ with
the prospect of everlasting life in
view.—Deut. 30:16. w09 6/15 1:
16-18
 Sunday, July 3
I, for my part, shall rejoice in
Jehovah.—Ps. 104:34.
Jesus’ first-century disciples
simply could not stop speak-
ing about the things they had
seen and heard. (Acts 4:20; 5:
28) They knew that Jehovah was
with them and would bless them
—and bless them he did! In fact,
less than 30 years after Jesus’
death, the apostle Paul could
write that the good news had
been preached “in all creation
that is under heaven.” (Col. 1:
23) If we want to be truly ef-
fective teachers, we too need
to make sure that we contin-
ue to strengthen our love for
God. How can we do that? By
often communicating with God
through prayer. We also strength-
en our love for God by studying
his Word, by reading Bible-based
publications, and by attending
Christian meetings. As we grow
in knowledge of God, our hearts
will be filled with love for him.
Then, as we express our love for
God in words and deeds, others
will observe it and may be drawn
to Jehovah. w09 7/15 3:8, 9
Monday, July 4
This crowd that does not know
the Law are accursed people.
—John 7:49.
The Jewish religious leaders
viewed those who did not know
the Law as “accursed people” and
treated them as such. It was not
so with the Son of God. Martha,
Mary, Zacchaeus, and many oth-
ers heard him call them by their
name. (Luke 10:41, 42; 19:5) While
cultural norms and circumstanc-
es may dictate how we address
people today, Jehovah’s servants
cultivate warmth toward others.
They do not allow class distinc-
tions to curtail the respect their
fellow believers and others de-
serve. (Jas. 2:1-4) The gracious
way that God and his Son treat
people of all nations and ethnic
groups dignifies such individu-
als and attracts those rightly dis-
posed to the truth. Of course,
what constitutes good manners
varies from place to place. Hence,
we do not follow rigid protocol
in regard to manners. Rather,
we allow Bible principles to give
us flexibility in dignifying fellow
humans everywhere. w09 11/15
5:6, 7
Tuesday, July 5
A man’s enemies will be persons
of his own household.
—Matt. 10:36.
Frontal assaults against God’s
people in general are one thing.
When opposition comes upon in-
dividual Christians from fami-
ly members, it is quite different.
Did not Jesus foretell that this
would take place? Yes, and many
have experienced the truthful-
ness of his words. (Matt. 10:35)
Teenagers have endured oppo-
sition from unbelieving parents.
Some have even been ordered out
of the home, but they were tak-
en in by kindly Witnesses. Others
have been disowned. What en-
abled such ones to endure mis-
treatment? Not just their love for
the brotherhood but, above all,
their genuine love for Jehovah
and his Son. (1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 4:
21) There are many other situa-
tions in life that call for the love
that endures all things. Within
the marriage union, a husband
and wife clothed with this quality
are fortified to stick to each other
and keep their marriage intact.
—Col. 3:14. w09 12/15 4:17, 18
 Wednesday, July 6
Do not hold back good from
those to whom it is owing, when
it happens to be in the power of
your hand to do it.—Prov. 3:27.
Good friendships are not
formed by accident. A mutu-
al love for Jehovah is the foun-
dation. But enduring friendships
are a product of hard work and
self-sacrifice. Even siblings who
worship Jehovah within Chris-
tian families need to work at
forming a close friendship. How,
then, can you make good friends?
Take the initiative. The apostle
Paul encourages us to “follow the
course of hospitality.” (Rom. 12:
13) Following a literal course in-
volves taking a series of steps,
one after the other. Likewise, be-
ing hospitable involves taking a
series of small, regular actions.
Nobody else can walk the path
of hospitality for you. One way
you can be hospitable is by in-
viting different ones in the con-
gregation to share a simple meal
with you. Can you make it a reg-
ular part of your routine to show
hospitality to members of your
congregation? w09 10/15 4:6, 7
Thursday, July 7
Try to readjust such a man in a
spirit of mildness.—Gal. 6:1.
A situation that can be particu-
larly heartrending is dealing with
serious wrongdoing. Sadly, as the
last days of Satan’s system come
to their climax, the spirit of the
world is taking an ever great-
er moral toll. The world’s bad
or indifferent moral attitudes can
rub off on young and old alike,
eroding their resolve to walk the
narrow way. In the first century,
some had to be disfellowshipped
from the Christian congrega-
tion, and others were reproved.
It is similar today. (1 Cor. 5:11-
13; 1 Tim. 5:20) Nevertheless,
when elders who handle these
matters show Christlike love, this
can have a profound impact on
the wrongdoer. Like Jesus, elders
must uphold Jehovah’s righteous
standards at all times. In doing
so, they reflect Jehovah’s mild-
ness, kindness, and love. When
someone is truly repentant, it
may not be difficult for elders to
“readjust such a man in a spirit
of mildness.”—Ps. 34:18. w09 9/15
3:4, 5
Friday, July 8
[Jesus] obtained an everlasting
deliverance for us.—Heb. 9:12.
On their last night before the
Exodus, some of the offspring
of Israel were in grave danger.
Soon, God’s angel would pass
through the land of Egypt, kill-
ing all the firstborn. Jehovah told
Moses that the firstborn of Israel
would be saved if the Israelites
took the blood of the Passover
lamb and sprinkled it on the lin-
tels and doorposts of their door-
ways. (Ex. 12:1-13, 21-23) So it
proved to be. Later, the whole na-
tion was in serious danger. They
were trapped between the Red
Sea and the pursuing Egyptian
war chariots. Jehovah again pro-
vided deliverance through Moses,
who miraculously parted the wa-
ters of that sea. (Ex. 14:13, 21)
Great as those acts of deliver-
ance were, the deliverance Jeho-
vah performed through Jesus is
much greater. Jesus is the means
by which obedient ones are deliv-
ered from slavery to sin. (Rom.
5:12, 18) And that deliverance
is “an everlasting deliverance.”
w09 4/15 4:16, 17
 Saturday, July 9
You . . . appear righteous to
men, but inside you are full of
hypocrisy and lawlessness.
—Matt. 23:28.
Led before the Sanhedrin and
questioned by the high priest, Je-
sus fearlessly affirmed that He
was both Christ and the Son of
God. (Mark 14:53, 57-65) Short-
ly thereafter, Jesus stood bound
before Pilate, who could have
freed him. But Jesus remained
silent in resp onse to the ac-
cusations against him. (Mark 15:
1-5) All of this took much cour-
age. To Pilate, Jesus did say:
“For this I have been born, and
for this I have come into the
world, that I should bear witness
to the truth.” (John 18:37) Jeho-
vah had commissioned Jesus to
preach the good news, and Je-
sus delighted to do so because he
loved his heavenly Father. (Luke
4:18, 19) Jesus also had love for
the people. He knew their lives
were difficult. Likewise, our bold
and fearless witnessing is deeply
rooted in love of God and love
of neighbor.—Matt. 22:36-40.
w09 7/15 4:10, 11
Sunday, July 10
To Jehovah the heavens belong,
but the earth he has given to the
sons of men.—Ps. 115:16.
According to the Scriptures,
mankind will be elevated to per-
fection on earth. (Rev. 20:1-3,
6, 12; 21:1-4) However, apostate
religious leaders of Christen-
dom have embraced other ideas.
Theologians twisted the Scrip-
tures to make texts that de-
scribe the heavenly hope appear
to teach that all good people go
to heaven. According to this view,
a person’s life on earth is intend-
ed to be transitory—a test to de-
termine if he is worthy of life in
heaven. Something similar hap-
pened to the early Jewish hope
of everlasting life on earth. As
the Jews gradually adopted the
Greek idea of inherent immortal-
ity, their original hope of life on
earth faded. How different this
is from the way man is present-
ed in the Bible! Man is a physi-
cal creature, not a spirit. Jeho-
vah said to the first man: “Dust
you are.” (Gen. 3:19) The earth,
not heaven, is man’s everlasting
home.—Ps. 104:5. w09 8/15 3:4, 7
Monday, July 11
Roll upon Jehovah your way,
and rely upon him, and he him-
self will act.—Ps. 37:5.
Studying the Psalms can enrich
your prayers and help you to wait
for God to answer them. Consider
the patience of an exiled Levite.
Although he could not go to Je-
hovah’s sanctuary for a time, he
sang: “Why are you in despair, O
my soul, and why are you boister-
ous within me? Wait for God, for I
shall yet laud him as the grand
salvation of my person and as my
God.” (Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5) What
can you learn from that Levite? If
imprisonment for righteousness’
sake were to prevent you from be-
ing with fellow believers in their
place of worship for a time, wait
patiently for God to act in your
behalf. Meditate on past joys in
God’s service, and pray for en-
durance while you “wait for God”
to restore you to active associa-
tion with his people. w09 11/15 2:
11, 12
 Tuesday, July 12
If he does not listen to them,
speak to the congregation.
—Matt. 18:17.
Are all anointed ones through-
out the earth part of a glob-
al network that is somehow in-
volved in revealing new spiritual
truths? No. Although as a com-
posite body the slave class is re-
sponsible for feeding the spiritu-
al household, not all individuals
of the slave class have the same
responsibilities or work assign-
ments. (1 Cor. 12:14-18) In the
first century, all were involved
in the vital preaching work. But
only a very limited number were
used to write the books of the
Bible and oversee the Christian
congregation. To illustrate: The
Scriptures at times speak of “the
congregation” as taking certain
action in handling judicial mat-
ters. In real terms, though, it
is only the elders who take this
action in their capacity as rep-
resentatives of the congregation.
w09 6/15 4:16, 17
Wednesday, July 13
The angel of Jehovah is camp-
ing all around those fearing
him, and he rescues them.
—Ps. 34:7.
Angels are ever alert to inter-
vene according to God’s will.
They rescued Shadrach, Me-
shach, Abednego, Daniel, and
Peter but did not prevent the
deaths of Stephen and James
at enemy hands. (Dan. 3:17, 18,
28; 6:22; Acts 7:59, 60; 12:1-3, 7,
11) The circumstances and is-
sues were different. Similarly,
some of our brothers in Nazi con-
centration camps were execut-
ed, whereas Jehovah saw to it
that most of them survived. The
Scriptures do not teach that each
person on earth has a guardian
angel. Of course, Jehovah could
send an angel to assist us, but
help may come in a different
manner. Fellow Christians may
be motivated to provide help and
comfort. God may give us the wis-
dom and inner strength needed
to cope with “a thorn in the flesh”
that afflicts us as if we were being
slapped by “an angel of Satan.”
—2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Thess. 5:14.
w09 5/15 3:9, 10
Thursday, July 14
Go to the ant, you lazy one; see
its ways and become wise.
—Prov. 6:6.
Consider the instinctive wis-
dom of the ant. (Prov. 30:24, 25)
Some researchers believe that for
every human there are at least
200,000 ants, all of them busily
toiling on and under the earth’s
surface. Ants are organized
into colonies, and in most colo-
nies three types of ants can be
found: queens, males, and work-
ers. Each group contributes in its
own way to caring for the col-
ony’s needs. One particular ant,
the South American leaf-cutting
ant, could be called a sophis-
ticated gardener. This little in-
sect fertilizes, transplants, and
prunes its fungus gardens in ways
that maximize yield. Researchers
have found that this skillful “gar-
dener” adjusts its efforts accord-
ing to the amount of food that
is needed by the colony. We can
learn from the ants. They teach
us that diligent effort is needed if
we wish to produce good fruitage.
w09 4/15 3:7-9
 Friday, July 15
You must not make your souls
unclean.—Lev. 11:44.
Jehovah wants us to be clean.
He knows that cleanliness is es-
sential to our well-being. He also
knows that our cleanliness re-
flects on him, our heavenly Fa-
ther. That is of great importance,
for people may be drawn to the
God we serve because they no-
tice how we stand out as differ-
ent from the crowd in this defiled
world. In what ways do we need
to remain clean? Really, in all
respects. In ancient Israel, Jeho-
vah made it clear to his people
that physical cleanliness was es-
sential. (Lev. 15:31) The Mosaic
Law touched on such matters as
the disposal of waste, the cleans-
ing of vessels, and the wash-
ing of hands, feet, and clothing.
(Ex. 30:17-21; Lev. 11:32; Num.
19:17-20; Deut. 23:13, 14) The Is-
raelites were reminded that their
God, Jehovah, is holy—which
means “clean,” “pure,” and “sa-
cred.” Servants of the holy God
need to be holy as well.—Lev. 11:
45. w09 8/15 4:18, 19
Saturday, July 16
The word of God is alive and
exerts power and is sharper
than any two-edged sword and
pierces even to the dividing of
soul and spirit, and of joints
and their marrow, and is able to
discern thoughts and intentions
of the heart.—Heb. 4:12.
The transforming p ower of
God’s Word, along with the help
that Jehovah provides by means
of his holy spirit, enables peo-
ple to make profound changes in
their lives. (Rom. 12:2; Gal. 5:22,
23) Colossians 3:10 says: “Clothe
yourselves with the new per-
sonality, which through accurate
knowledge is being made new ac-
cording to the image of the One
who created it.” The message
found in God’s Word, the Bible,
has the power to reveal what a
person really is on the inside, and
it can change the way he thinks
and even how he feels about
things. By coming to an accurate
knowledge of the Scriptures and
by conforming his life to Jeho-
vah’s righteous standards, a per-
son can become a friend of God,
with the prospect of living for-
ever. w09 9/15 4:9
Sunday, July 17
Our being adequately qualified
issues from God.—2 Cor. 3:5.
The gifts we may have are due
to Jehovah’s “undeserved kind-
ness.” (Rom. 12:3) Therefore, we
should not glorify ourselves. We
should humbly recognize that
any fruitage we may have in our
ministry is the result of God’s
blessing, not our own compe-
tence. (1 Cor. 3:6, 7) In line with
this, Paul states: “I tell every-
one there among you not to think
more of himself than it is nec-
essary to think.” It is necessary
that we have self-respect and
find joy and satisfaction in our
Kingdom service. However, be-
ing modest, or being aware of our
limitations, will prevent us from
becoming opinionated. It takes
true humility and conscious ef-
fort to recognize that each of our
brothers and sisters is superior to
us in one way or another. (Phil.
2:3) While privileges of special
service may bring some into the
limelight, all will find deep joy
in accomplishing “lowly things,”
humble tasks that often go unno-
ticed by men.—Rom. 12:16; 1 Pet.
5:5. w09 10/15 1:7, 8
 Monday, July 18
Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaks.
—Matt. 12:34.
Our speech says much about
us. Jesus’ half brother James
recognized the impact that our
speech can have on our worship.
He wrote: “If any man seems
to himself to be a formal wor-
shiper and yet does not bridle
his tongue, but goes on deceiving
his own heart, this man’s form
of worship is futile.” (Jas. 1:26)
Our speech can reveal to others
in the congregation the degree to
which we have progressed spiri-
tually. Accordingly, instead of us-
ing speech that is undignified,
negative, critical, or hurtful, ma-
ture Christians strive to build up,
comfort, console, and encourage.
(Prov. 12:18; Eph. 4:29; 1 Tim. 6:
3-5, 20) Our readiness to discuss
our moral convictions with others
and to speak out in defense of
God’s lofty standards can reveal
our devotion to God. (Rom. 1:15,
16) Righthearted ones will surely
observe how we use the gift of
speech and may follow our exam-
ple.—Phil. 4:8, 9. w09 12/15 1:8, 9
Tuesday, July 19
They kept on investigating.
—1 Pet. 1:11.
In Hebrews chapter 11, we find
Paul’s masterful discussion of
faith, which includes a concise
definition and a list of such ex-
emplary men and women of faith
as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, and
Rahab. With all of this in mind,
Paul urged his fellow Christians
to “look intently at the Chief
Agent and Perfecter of our faith,
Jesus.” Why? Although those
faithful men and women listed in
Hebrews chapter 11 had strong
faith in God’s promise, they did
not know all the details of how
God would fulfill his promise
through the Messiah and the
Kingdom. In that sense, their
faith was incomplete. In fact,
even those who were used by Je-
hovah to pen the many Messianic
prophecies did not fully grasp the
import of what they wrote. Only
through Jesus can faith be per-
fected, or made complete. How
essential that we clearly under-
stand and recognize Jesus’ role as
“the Chief Agent and Perfecter of
our faith”!—Heb. 12:1, 2. w09 7/15
1:16, 17
Wednesday, July 20
Become kind to one another,
tenderly compassionate, freely
forgiving one another just as
God also by Christ freely for-
gave you.—Eph. 4:32.
Many problems and misun-
derstandings can be reduced or
eliminated by being open, hon-
est, and kind in our communica-
tion. For example, when we make
a mistake, do we hesitate to ac-
knowledge it to our mate, to our
children, or to other close fami-
ly members? Offering a sincere
apology from the heart helps to
promote peace and unity within
the family. (1 Pet. 3:8-10) Speak-
ing truth does not mean that we
should be blunt, tactless. Being
rude does not increase the value
of the truth or its impact. Paul
said: “Let all malicious bitterness
and anger and wrath and scream-
ing and abusive speech be taken
away from you along with all bad-
ness.” (Eph. 4:31) When we speak
in a kind and dignified manner, it
elevates our message and shows
honor to those to whom we speak.
—Matt. 23:12. w09 6/15 3:8, 9
 Thursday, July 21
Satan went out away from the
person of Jehovah and struck
Job with a malignant boil from
the sole of his foot to the crown
of his head.—Job 2:7.
The Hebrew Scriptures provide
details about Satan’s shameful
role in challenging Jehovah and
leading mankind astray. In the
Christian Greek Scriptures, we
find more information about Sa-
tan’s opposition to Jehovah, and
in the book of Revelation, we
learn of the vindication of Je-
hovah’s sovereignty and Satan’s
final destruction. The book of
Job adds to our knowledge of
Satan’s rebellious course. When
Satan was present at the gath-
erings in heaven, he did not at-
tend with the intention of prais-
ing Jehovah. The Devil had a
malicious attitude and a sinister
objective. After he accused Job
and received permission to test
him, “Satan went out away from
the person of Jehovah.” (Job 1:12)
Hence, the book of Job identifies
Satan as mankind’s merciless en-
emy. w09 4/15 1:13, 14
Friday, July 22
Men will be lovers of themselves,
. . . having no natural affection,
. . . without love of goodness.
—2 Tim. 3:2, 3.
The atmosphere within the
true Christian congregation pro-
vides a refreshing contrast to
that of the unkind world. By imi-
tating Jesus, each of us can con-
tribute to that wholesome atmo-
sphere. How can we do so? To
begin with, many in the con-
gregation need our help and en-
couragement because they face
health problems or other adverse
circumstances. In these “last
days,” such problems may be on
the rise, but they are by no means
new. (2 Tim. 3:1) In Bible times,
Christians suffered from simi-
lar problems. Accordingly, help-
ful actions are as appropriate now
as they were for Christians liv-
ing back then. Paul, for example,
exhorted Christians to “speak
consolingly to the depressed
souls, support the weak, be long-
suffering toward all.” (1 Thess. 5:
14) This involves putting Christ-
like kindness to work. w09 9/15 1:
15, 16
Saturday, July 23
If possible, as far as it depends
upon you, be peaceable with all
men.—Rom. 12:18.
Genuine Christians are peace
lovers and peacemakers. (Matt.
5:9, ftn.) One way to be a peace-
maker within the family cir-
cle is to settle disagreements
as quickly as p ossible rather
than allow situations to dete-
riorate. (Prov. 15:18; Eph. 4:
26) This also holds true within
the Christian congregation. How-
ever, Paul goes beyond the need
to be peaceable within the fami-
ly circle and in the congrega-
tion. He says that we should be
“peaceable with all men.” That
includes neighbors, fellow em-
ployees, schoolmates, and people
we meet in our public ministry.
The apostle qualifies his coun-
sel, however, saying: “If possible,
as far as it depends upon you.”
That means doing all we reason-
ably can to be “peaceable with
all” but not to the extent of com-
promising God’s righteous prin-
ciples. w09 10/15 2:7-9
 Sunday, July 24
Let us work what is good to-
ward all.—Gal. 6:10.
While we wait for the wonder-
ful future in store for us, Jeho-
vah’s will is that we enjoy the
good things that he gives us. The
Bible says: “I have come to know
that there is nothing better for
[mankind] than to rejoice and to
do good during one’s life; and
also that every man should eat
and indeed drink and see good
for all his hard work. It is the gift
of God.” (Eccl. 3:12, 13) “To do
good” includes performing good
deeds in behalf of others. Jesus
said that there is more happi-
ness in giving than there is in re-
ceiving. Acts of kindness toward
our mates, children, parents, and
other relatives bring deep satis-
faction. (Prov. 3:27) Being ten-
der, hospitable, and forgiving to-
ward our spiritual brothers and
sisters also results in much joy,
and it pleases Jehovah. (Col. 3:
12-14; 1 Pet. 4:8, 9) And accom-
plishing our ministry with a self-
sacrificing spirit is truly reward-
ing. w09 12/15 2:15
Monday, July 25
Daughter, your faith has made
you well. Go in peace, and be in
good health from your grievous
sickness.—Mark 5:34.
Among the many things that
Jesus Christ learned from his Fa-
ther was courtesy. Although his
ministry at times placed great
demands on his time and ener-
gy, Jesus was always patient and
kind. Lepers, blind people re-
duced to begging, and others in
need found Jesus ready and will-
ing to help them. He did not ig-
nore them, although they came
to him without an appointment.
He often stopped what he was
doing in order to help a dis-
traught individual. Jesus was ex-
traordinarily considerate toward
those who put their faith in him.
(Mark 5:30-33; Luke 18:35-41) As
Christians, we follow Jesus’ ex-
ample by being kind and helpful.
Such conduct does not go unno-
ticed by our relatives, neighbors,
and others. Moreover, such con-
duct glorifies Jehovah and brings
us happiness. w09 11/15 5:5
Tuesday, July 26
I have found a ransom!
—Job 33:24.
Elihu probably did not under-
stand the full significance of the
ransom. (1 Pet. 1:10-12) Still, Eli-
hu’s words reflect the hope that
God would one day accept a ran-
som and set man free from the
process of aging and from death.
Elihu’s words presented the won-
derful prospect of everlasting
life. The book of Job also shows
that there will be a resurrec-
tion. (Job 14:14, 15) Today, Elihu’s
words continue to have mean-
ing for millions of Christians who
hope to survive the destruction
of the present system of things.
Elderly ones among the survi-
vors will return to the days of
their youthful vigor. (Rev. 7:9, 10,
14-17) Moreover, the prospect of
seeing resurrected ones restored
to the days of their youth contin-
ues to delight faithful people. Of
course, both immortality in heav-
en for anointed Christians and
everlasting life on earth for Je-
sus’ “other sheep” depend on the
exercising of faith in Christ’s ran-
som sacrifice.—John 10:16; Rom.
6:23. w09 8/15 1:11-13
 Wednesday, July 27
Let fornication . . . not even be
mentioned among you.
—Eph. 5:3.
It is a real protection for a
Christian to have p erceptive
powers that are properly trained
to distinguish right from wrong
in a world that is “past all moral
sense.” (Eph. 4:19) For example, a
brother named James, who regu-
larly read and deeply appreciated
Scriptural publications, accept-
ed a job where all his cowork-
ers were women. “While many of
these clearly showed a lack of
moral sense,” says James, “one
employee seemed to be of good
character and showed interest in
Bible truth. When we were alone
in a production room, though, she
began making sexual advances.
. . . Right then I recalled an
experience related in The Watch-
tower regarding a brother who
faced a similar temptation on
his job. The article used the ex-
ample of Joseph and Potiphar’s
wife. I promptly pushed the girl
away, and she ran out.” (Gen. 39:
7-12) James was thankful that he
maintained a good conscience.
—1 Tim. 1:5. w09 5/15 1:13, 14
Thursday, July 28
Welcome one another, just as
the Christ also welcomed us.
—Rom. 15:7.
The Greek word rendered “wel-
come” means “to receive kindly or
hospitably, admit to one’s society
and friendship.” When a hospita-
ble host in Bible times received
friends into his home, he let them
know how happy he was to see
them. Christ has figuratively wel-
comed us in that way, and we are
exhorted to imitate him in wel-
coming fellow worshippers. As we
greet our brothers at the King-
dom Hall and other places, we
can pay attention to those whom
we have not seen or with whom
we have not spoken recently. Why
not spend a few minutes convers-
ing with them? At the next meet-
ing, we can do the same with oth-
ers. In a short while, we will have
had delightful conversations with
just about all our brothers and
sisters. There is no need to worry
if we do not get to speak with
everyone on the same day. No one
should take offense if we are not
able to greet them at every meet-
ing. w09 11/15 4:8, 9
Friday, July 29
Holy Father, watch over them
on account of your own name
which you have given me, in or-
der that they may be one just as
we are.—John 17:11.
Jesus looked past the faults of
his loyal friends and acted in
their best interests. For instance,
he prayed for his Father to pro-
tect them during their trials. Je-
sus showed consideration for
their physical limitations. (Mark
6:30-32) And he was interested
not just in telling them what he
thought but also in hearing and
understanding what they thought
and felt. (Matt. 16:13-16; 17:24-
26) Jesus both lived and died for
his friends. True, he knew that he
must offer his life as a legal re-
quirement to satisfy his Father’s
standard of justice. (Matt. 26:27,
28; Heb. 9:22, 28) But Jesus gave
his life as an expression of love.
“No one has love greater than
this,” said Jesus, “that someone
should surrender his soul in be-
half of his friends.”—John 15:13.
w09 10/15 3:7, 8
 Saturday, July 30
Whatever you are doing, work
at it whole-souled as to Jeho-
vah, and not to men, for you
know that it is from Jehovah
you will receive the due reward.
—Col. 3:23, 24.
A way to show that we cher-
ish our place in the congrega-
tion is by closely examining our
personal circumstances and do-
ing all we can to ‘glorify our min-
istry’ and bring honor to Jeho-
vah. (Rom. 11:13) Some are able
to be regular pioneers. Others
serve in such special forms of
full-time service as missionaries,
traveling overseers, and mem-
bers of Bethel families through-
out the world. Many brothers and
sisters assist with Kingdom Hall
construction. The great majori-
ty of Jehovah’s people are doing
their best to care for the spiritual
needs of their families and have
a full share in the ministry each
week. We can be confident that
when we offer ourselves willingly
in God’s service and do our best
to serve him whole-souled, there
is always a place for us in his ar-
rangement. w09 11/15 3:6
Monday, August 1
Keep your senses, be watchful.
—1 Pet. 5:8.
The rock badger is a compar-
atively small creature that
can teach us important lessons.
(Prov. 30:26) First, note that
this animal does not leave itself
vulnerable to attack. Rather, it
takes advantage of its keen eye-
sight to see predators from afar,
and it stays close to holes and
crevices that can provide lifesav-
ing shelter. Similarly, we need
to have sharp spiritual vision so
Sunday, July 31
Inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the founding of the
world.—Matt. 25:34.
Throughout the centuries since
his resurrection, Jesus has faith-
fully supervised the activities of
the Christian congregation over
which he has been ruling as King.
(Col. 1:13) At the appointed time,
he would start wielding his pow-
er as King of God’s Kingdom. Bi-
ble prophecies and world events
confirm that his presence as King
began in 1914, as did “the con-
clusion of the system of things.”
(Matt. 24:3; Rev. 11:15) Shortly
thereafter, he led the holy an-
gels in casting Satan and his de-
mons from heaven. (Rev. 12:7-
10) The preaching and teaching
work that Jesus began in 29 C.E.
is nearing its grand climax. Soon
he will judge all the living. He
will then tell sheeplike ones who
accept him as Jehovah’s means
of salvation to “inherit the king-
dom.” (Matt. 25:31-33, 41) Those
who reject Jesus as King will
suffer destruction.—Rev. 19:11.
w09 12/15 3:16, 17
that we can perceive the dan-
gers that lurk in Satan’s world.
One way we can be watchful is by
taking advantage of the spiritu-
al protection that Jehovah makes
available to us. Study of God’s
Word and attendance at Christian
meetings should not be neglect-
ed. (Luke 4:4; Heb. 10:24, 25) Fur-
thermore, just as the rock badger
thrives in a close-knit communi-
ty, we need to stay close to our
fellow Christians so that we can
enjoy “an interchange of encour-
agement” with them.—Rom. 1:
12. w09 4/15 3:11-13
 Tuesday, August 2
An angel from heaven appeared
to him and strengthened him.
—Luke 22:43.
The angels could have prevent-
ed Jesus’ arrest and cruel death.
Instead, however, an angel was
sent to strengthen him. In accord
with Jehovah’s purpose, Jesus
died a sacrificial death and fur-
nished proof that a perfect man
can maintain integrity to God
despite being tested to the lim-
it. Jehovah therefore resurrect-
ed Jesus to immortal heavenly
life, giving him “all authority” and
making angels subject to him.
(Matt. 28:18; Luke 24:4-7; Acts 2:
32; 1 Pet. 3:22) Jesus thus proved
to be the principal part of the
“seed” of God’s “woman.” (Gen. 3:
15; Gal. 3:16) Jesus knew that it
was wrong for him to put Jehovah
to the test by expecting angels
to rescue him if he were to en-
gage in reckless behavior. (Matt.
4:5-7) So let us imitate Jesus’ ex-
ample by living with “soundness
of mind,” not taking unnecessary
risks, yet facing persecution con-
fidently.—Titus 2:12. w09 5/15 3:
11, 12
Wednesday, August 3
Peter lifted him up, saying:
“Rise; I myself am also a man.”
—Acts 10:26.
Today a limited numb er of
anointed men have the respon-
sibility of representing the slave
class. They make up the Govern-
ing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
These spirit-anointed men over-
see the Kingdom work and the
spiritual feeding program. As
in the first century, though, the
Governing Body does not consult
with each individual member of
the slave class before making de-
cisions. (Acts 16:4, 5) Members
of the great crowd appreciate
the spiritual food produced un-
der the Governing Body’s direc-
tion. But at the same time, while
respecting the slave as a class,
members of the great crowd are
careful not to elevate any indi-
viduals who claim to be part
of that slave. No Christian who
genuinely receives the anointing
with God’s spirit would want or
expect such treatment.—Acts 14:
14, 15. w09 6/15 4:18, 19
Thursday, August 4
Light itself has flashed up for
the righteous one.—Ps. 97:11.
Although most religions that
claim to be Christian deny the
hope of everlasting life on earth,
Satan did not always succeed
in obscuring the truth. Down
through the ages, a few care-
ful Bible readers saw flashes of
truth as they understood some
aspects of how God will restore
mankind to perfection. (Matt. 7:
13, 14; 13:37-39) By the 1600’s, Bi-
ble translation and printing had
made the Holy Scriptures more
widely available. In 1651, one
scholar wrote that since through
Adam men “have forfeited Para-
dise, and Eternall Life on Earth,”
so in the Christ “all men shall be
made to live on Earth; for else
the comparison were not prop-
er.” (1 Cor. 15:21, 22) One of the
English-speaking world’s famous
poets, John Milton (1608-1674),
wrote Paradise Lost and its se-
quel Paradise Regained. In his
works, Milton referred to the re-
ward that the faithful will re-
ceive in an earthly paradise.
w09 8/15 3:8
 Friday, August 5
What benefit will it be to a man
if he gains the whole world but
forfeits his soul?—Matt. 16:26.
One distinct way that divine
education prepares us for the
coming of Jehovah’s day is by
helping us to set proper priori-
ties. The apostle Paul wrote to
Timothy: “Give orders to those
who are rich in the present sys-
tem of things not to be high-
minded, and to rest their hope,
not on uncertain riches, but on
God.” Even if we are not affluent,
we can benefit from this divine-
ly inspired counsel. What does
it involve? Instead of storing up
material riches, we should strive
“to work at good” and “to be rich
in fine works.” By putting spir-
itual matters first in our lives,
we ‘treasure up for ourselves a
fine foundation for the future.’
(1 Tim. 6:17-19) Such a course
of self-sacrifice reflects practi-
cal wisdom. (Matt. 16:27) In view
of the nearness of Jehovah’s day,
each of us does well to consider:
‘Where am I storing up treasure?
Am I slaving for God or for Rich-
es?’—Matt. 6:19, 20, 24. w09 9/15
4:11
Saturday, August 6
If you greet your brothers only,
what extraordinary thing are
you doing? Are not also the peo-
ple of the nations doing the
same thing?—Matt. 5:47.
In the fast-paced life that is
common in many places today,
two people often pass each other
without saying “hello” or “how are
you?” Of course, no one is expect-
ed to speak to everyone pass-
ing by on a crowded sidewalk.
In many other situations, how-
ever, it is appropriate and desir-
able to greet others. Is it your
custom to greet people? Or do
you often walk by without a smile
or a pleasant word? With no bad
intention, a person could de-
velop a habit that is in reali-
ty ill-mannered. In this regard,
consultant Donald Weiss wrote:
“People resent it when others
look through or past them. . . .
The remedy is simple: Greet peo-
ple. Talk to them.” If we do not
let aloofness or coldness on our
part chill our contact with oth-
ers, we will have good results.
w09 11/15 5:8, 9
Sunday, August 7
God will wipe out every tear
from their eyes.—Rev. 7:17.
During his Thousand Year
Reign, Jesus will fully live up to
all his titles, such as “Wonder-
ful Counselor, Mighty God, Eter-
nal Father, Prince of Peace.”
(Isa. 9:6, 7) His Kingdom rule will
lift humans to perfection, includ-
ing those resurrected from the
dead. (John 5:26-29) The Messi-
ah will guide willing humans to
“fountains of waters of life,” en-
abling obedient mankind to enjoy
a peaceful relationship with Je-
hovah. (Rev. 7:16) After the final
test, all rebels, including Satan
and his demons, will be “hurled
into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:
10) How wonderfully and flaw-
lessly Jesus fulfills his role as
the Messiah! A paradise earth
will be filled with redeemed hu-
mans, who will live forever in per-
fect health and happiness. Jeho-
vah’s sacred name will have been
cleared of all reproach, and the
rightfulness of his universal sov-
ereignty fully vindicated. What a
grand heritage lies just ahead for
all who obey God’s Anointed One!
w09 12/15 3:18, 19
 Monday, August 8
Safeguard your tongue against
what is b ad, and your lips
against speaking deception.
—Ps. 34:13.
When his apostles repeated-
ly argued among themselves as
to who was greater, Jesus firm-
ly but patiently helped them
to understand the need for hu-
mility. (Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-
48; 22:24-27; John 13:14) Similar-
ly, while firm for righteousness,
Christian elders today do not lord
it over God’s flock. (Mark 10:42-
44) They imitate Christ by be-
ing “kind to one another” and
“tenderly compassionate” in their
dealings with others. (Eph. 4:32)
By being candid with our broth-
ers but not overly frank, we can
express what is on our mind with-
out being offensive. Indeed, nev-
er would we want our tongue to
be “sharpened like a razor,” using
it to inflict painful wounds with
abusive or degrading speech. (Ps.
52:2; Prov. 12:18) In this way, we
honor God and promote unity
in the congregation. w09 6/15 3:
10, 11
Tuesday, August 9
Now, however, there remain
faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
—1 Cor. 13:13.
Among Jehovah’s people today,
we see the wisdom of pursuing
the surpassing way of love. Tru-
ly, it excels in any and all situa-
tions. Note how the apostle Paul
emphasized that truth. First,
he pointed out that gifts of the
spirit would pass away and that
the Christian congregation would
grow out of its infancy stage
and reach maturity. (1 Cor. 13:8-
12) Then he concluded with the
words of today’s text. Eventually,
things that we have faith in will
become reality, and therefore
the need for faith in them will
end. Hope in promises we long
to see fulfilled will no longer be
entertained after all things have
become new. But what about
love? That will never fail, or end.
With everlasting life in view, we
will surely see and understand
ever more facets of God’s love.
—1 John 2:17. w09 12/15 4:20, 21
Wednesday, August 10
You, too, widen out.
—2 Cor. 6:13.
If the interests that we share
with some Christians separate us
from others, we need to “widen
out.” It would be wise to ask our-
selves, ‘Do I greet both older and
younger ones in the congrega-
tion?’ Greeting others is the first
step in welcoming them. (Rom.
15:7) It is a step that can lead to
enjoyable discussions and lasting
friendships. For example, when
those attending conventions and
assemblies introduce themselves
to others and begin talking, they
look forward to seeing one anoth-
er again. Kingdom Hall construc-
tion volunteers as well as those
sharing in relief work often be-
come good friends because they
get to know one another’s fine
qualities through the experienc-
es they share. The opportunities
for forming lasting friendships
abound in Jehovah’s organiza-
tion. If we “widen out,” our cir-
cle of friends will grow, intensify-
ing the love that unites us in true
worship. w09 11/15 4:5, 7, 10
 Thursday, August 11
You are the ones that have
stuck with me in my trials.
—Luke 22:28.
Jesus was generous in giving
of his time, affection, and re-
sources. As a result, people were
drawn to him and were happy to
give to him in return. (Luke 8:1-3)
From personal experience, Jesus
could say: “Practice giving, and
people will give to you. They will
pour into your laps a fine mea-
sure, pressed down, shaken to-
gether and overflowing. For with
the measure that you are mea-
suring out, they will measure out
to you in return.” (Luke 6:38)
Of course, some did try to asso-
ciate with Jesus purely for what
they could get out of him. These
false friends abandoned Jesus
when they misunderstood some-
thing he said. Rather than give
Jesus the benefit of the doubt,
they jumped to a wrong conclu-
sion and turned their backs on
him. In contrast, the apostles
were loyal. Their friendship with
Christ was often tested, but they
did their best to support him dur-
ing good times and bad.—John 6:
26, 56, 60, 66-68. w09 10/15 3:9, 10
Friday, August 12
We do have the mind of Christ.
—1 Cor. 2:16.
When a wrongdoer rej ects
Scriptural counsel or tries to
shift the blame for his wrong, el-
ders and others may feel indig-
nant. Knowing the damage the
person has already caused, they
may be tempted to express their
own feelings about the individu-
al’s actions and attitude. Yet, an-
ger is damaging and does not re-
flect “the mind of Christ.” (Jas.
1:19, 20) Jesus warned some in
his day in no uncertain terms,
but never once did he say any-
thing that was hateful or was in-
tended to cause pain. (1 Pet. 2:
23) Rather, he left the way open
for wrongdoers to repent and re-
turn to Jehovah’s favor. Indeed,
one of the main reasons for Je-
sus’ coming into the world was
“to save sinners.” (1 Tim. 1:15)
Remember that the Scriptur-
al arrangement for judicial action
within the congregation protects
the flock and may move a disci-
plined wrongdoer to repentance.
—2 Cor. 2:6-8. w09 9/15 3:6, 7
Saturday, August 13
He will save his people from
their sins.—Matt. 1:21.
Jesus not only rescues us from
our past sins but also opens the
way for us to enjoy a better fu-
ture. By delivering them from
slavery to sin, Jesus saves his fol-
lowers from the wrath of God and
brings them into a loving rela-
tionship with Jehovah. The de-
liverance from sin that Jesus
provides will in due time in-
clude freedom from its grim ef-
fects—sickness and even death.
To visualize what that will mean,
consider what happened when
Jesus went to the home of a cer-
tain man named Jairus, whose
12-year-old daughter had died.
Jesus reassured Jairus: “Have no
fear, only put forth faith, and
she will be saved.” (Luke 8:41,
42, 49, 50) True to his words, the
girl rose from the dead! Can you
imagine the joy of her parents?
Then you have an idea of the sur-
passing joy that will be ours when
“all those in the memorial tombs
will hear [Jesus’] voice and come
out” in the resurrection.—John 5:
28, 29. w09 4/15 4:17, 18
 Sunday, August 14
You have sayings of everlasting
life.—John 6:68.
If a teacher cares about what he
teaches, his enthusiasm will be
evident, exerting a powerful in-
fluence on those whom he teach-
es. On the other hand, if a teach-
er does not truly appreciate what
he teaches, how can he expect his
students to value what they are
hearing? Never underestimate
your example as a teacher of
God’s Word. Jesus said: “Every
well-trained student will be like
his teacher.” (Luke 6:40, The New
Berkeley Version in Modern En-
glish) Jesus loved what he taught.
He knew he had something pre-
cious to share—the truth about
his heavenly Father, the very
“sayings of God.” (John 3:34) Like
a piercing light, the truths that
Jesus taught exposed what was
bad and highlighted what was
good. They brought hope and
comfort to humble ones who were
deceived by false religious lead-
ers and oppressed by the Dev-
il. (Acts 10:38) The love Jesus
had for truth is found not only in
his teachings but in all he did.
w09 7/15 3:10, 11
Monday, August 15
I will be joyful and rejoice in
your loving-kindness, in that
you have seen my affliction; you
have known about the distresses
of my soul.—Ps. 31:7.
Even while undergoing trials,
we can find joy in whatever ma-
terial gifts we have received
from Jehovah. Furthermore, a
breathtaking sunset, a majes-
tic landscape, the antics of young
animals, and other wonders of
nature cost nothing, yet they can
fill us with awe and bring us joy.
As we reflect on such things, we
grow in our love for Jehovah, for
he is the Giver of all good things.
Ultimately, our love for God, obe-
dience to his commandments,
and faith in the ransom sacri-
fice will result in our complete re-
lief from the adversities of im-
perfect life and lead us to lasting
joy. (1 John 5:3) In the meantime,
we find comfort in knowing that
Jehovah is well-aware of all the
things that afflict us. Moved by
his love for us, Jehovah will res-
cue us from calamity.—Ps. 34:19.
w09 12/15 2:16, 17
Tuesday, August 16
We, although many, are one
body.—Rom. 12:5.
Paul compares anointed Chris-
tians to members of a body serv-
ing unitedly under their Head,
Christ. (Col. 1:18) He reminds
spirit-begotten Christians that
a body has many members with
different functions and that they,
“although many, are one body in
union with Christ.” (Rom. 12:4)
In a similar vein, Paul exhort-
ed anointed Christians in Ephe-
sus: “Let us by love grow up in all
things into him who is the head,
Christ. From him all the body,
by being harmoniously joined to-
gether and being made to co-
operate through every joint that
gives what is needed, accord-
ing to the functioning of each
respective member in due mea-
sure, makes for the growth of the
body for the building up of it-
self in love.” (Eph. 4:15, 16) Al-
though the “other sheep” are
not part of the composite body
of Christ, they can learn much
from this illustration and do their
share to contribute to Christian
unity.—John 10:16. w09 10/15 1:
9, 10
 Wednesday, August 17
We have gifts differing accord-
ing to the undeserved kindness
given to us.—Rom. 12:6.
It is important to scrutinize our
circumstances because, to some
extent, our place in the congrega-
tion depends on what we are able
to do or are in a position to do.
For example, the place a brother
occupies in the congregation dif-
fers in some respects from that
of a sister. Age, health, and oth-
er factors also influence what we
are able to do in Jehovah’s ser-
vice. “The beauty of young men is
their power,” states Proverbs 20:
29, “and the splendor of old men
is their gray-headedness.” Youn-
ger members of the congregation
may be able to do more phys-
ically because of their youthful
energy, whereas older ones ben-
efit the congregation greatly be-
cause of their wisdom and expe-
rience. We also need to bear in
mind that anything we are able to
do in Jehovah’s organization de-
pends on God’s undeserved kind-
ness.—Acts 14:26; Rom. 12:6-8.
w09 11/15 3:7
Thursday, August 18
Even yet [Job] is holding fast
his integrity, although you in-
cite me against him to swallow
him up without cause.—Job 2:3.
The Devil tested Job both when
he was prosperous and when he
was destitute. Clearly, Satan has
no compassion for the needy or
for victims of calamity. He hates
people of integrity. (Job 2:3-5)
Nevertheless, Job’s faithfulness
showed that Satan is a liar. Sa-
tan was the first creature to turn
apostate. Modern-day apostates
display characteristics similar to
those of the Devil. Their mind
may be poisoned by a critical at-
titude toward individuals in the
congregations, Christian elders,
or the Governing Body. Some
apostates oppose the use of the
divine name, Jehovah. They are
not interested in learning about
Jehovah or in serving him. Like
their father, Satan, apostates
target people of integrity. (John
8:44) No wonder servants of Jeho-
vah avoid all contact with them!
—2 John 10, 11. w09 4/15 1:14, 15
Friday, August 19
Become full-grown in powers of
understanding.—1 Cor. 14:20.
When we strive to make spiri-
tual progress, our mind stays fo-
cused on “the more important
things.” (Phil. 1:9, 10) We thus
grow in our appreciation for God
and for all the provisions he has
made for our benefit. (Rom. 3:
24) A Christian who is “full-grown
in powers of understanding” de-
velops such gratitude and enjoys
intimacy with Jehovah. A sis-
ter named Louise admitted that
for some time after baptism, her
main concern was the impres-
sion she gave to others. “My heart
was not ablaze with the desire to
serve Jehovah,” she said. “I re-
alized that I had to make some
changes if I was going to feel that
I was giving everything I could to
Jehovah. The biggest change was
to throw my whole heart into his
worship.” By putting forth such
effort, Louise developed ‘firm-
ness of heart,’ and it proved to be
vital when she faced a distressing
health problem. (Jas. 5:8) Louise
said, “I struggled greatly, but
I really drew close to Jehovah.”
w09 5/15 1:15, 16
 Saturday, August 20
Fear began to fall upon every
soul, and many portents and
signs began to occur through the
apostles.—Acts 2:43.
Infuriated by what Jesus’ dis-
ciples were accomplishing, the
religious leaders arrested Peter
and John and ordered them not
to speak about Jesus. Upon be-
ing released, the two reported to
the brothers what had occurred,
and they all prayed about the op-
position they faced, requesting:
“Jehovah, . . . grant your slaves
to keep speaking your word with
all boldness.” The result? “They
were one and all filled with the
holy spirit and were speaking
the word of God with boldness.”
(Acts 2:41; 4:24-31) Notice that
it was Jehovah’s powerful holy
spirit that helped the disciples
speak God’s word with boldness.
The courage to speak the truth
to others, even to opposers, does
not rest with us. Jehovah can and
will give us his holy spirit if we
ask him to do so. With Jehovah’s
help, we too can come off victori-
ous in the face of any opposition.
—Ps. 138:3. w09 7/15 4:12-14
Sunday, August 21
Turn away, turn away, get
out of there, touch nothing un-
clean; get out from the midst of
her, keep yourselves clean.
—Isa. 52:11.
We need to be clean on the in-
side as well as on the outside. We
strive to keep our thoughts clean.
We adhere faithfully to Jehovah’s
standards of moral cleanness, re-
gardless of the sexual degrada-
tion of the world around us. Most
important, we insist on keep-
ing our worship clean, avoiding
any contamination from false re-
ligion. We keep ever in mind the
inspired warning that is found in
today’s text. Today, we stay spir-
itually clean by refraining from
even touching what our heaven-
ly Father views as unclean in a
religious sense. That is why, for
example, we carefully avoid the
false religious celebrations and
holidays so popular in today’s
world. True, it is a challenge to
remain clean. But Jehovah’s peo-
ple strive to do so because this
helps them remain in God’s love.
—Jude 21. w09 8/15 4:20
Monday, August 22
Keep on asking in faith.
—Jas. 1:6.
Regardless of your circum-
stances, always pray in faith. If
you are facing a test of integri-
ty, follow the counsel of the dis-
ciple James. Turn to Jehovah in
prayer, and do not doubt that he
can give you the wisdom need-
ed to cope with your trial. (Jas.
1:5-8) God is aware of any dis-
turbing thoughts you may have,
and he can guide and comfort
you by means of his spirit. Open
your heart to him in full faith,
“not doubting at all,” and accept
the guidance of his spirit and
the counsel of his Word. Child-
less Hannah, one of the Levite
Elkanah’s two wives, prayed for a
son and had faith that her prayer
would be answered. (1 Sam. 1:9-
18) Your taking time to meditate
on her prayer on that occasion
may well enrich your own prayers
and help you to see that even
sadness over a distressing prob-
lem can be overcome if you pray
in faith that Jehovah will answer
you.—1 Sam. 2:1-10. w09 11/15 2:
13-15
 Tuesday, August 23
Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am mild-
tempered and lowly in heart,
and you will find refreshment
for your souls. For my yoke is
kindly and my load is light.
—Matt. 11:29, 30.
Christians have the responsi-
bility to ‘receive their broth-
ers kindly,’ to treat them as
Jesus would have treated them,
showing genuine concern even
for those we may never before
have met. (3 John 5-8) As Je-
sus took the initiative in showing
compassion to others, so should
we, always being refreshing to
others. (Isa. 32:2; Matt. 11:28)
Each of us can show kindness
by taking an active interest in
the welfare of others. Look for
ways and make opportunities to
do so. Reach out! “In brother-
ly love have tender affection for
one another,” urged Paul, add-
ing: “In showing honor to one an-
other take the lead.” (Rom. 12:
10) That means following Christ’s
example, treating others with
warmth and kindness, learning
to show “love free from hypocri-
sy.”—2 Cor. 6:6. w09 9/15 1:17, 18
Wednesday, August 24
The love of money is a root
of all sorts of injurious things.
—1 Tim. 6:10.
Saying the right things with-
out doing the right things would
make one a hypocrite. Paul was
well-acquainted with the hypoc-
risy of the Pharisees and the
damaging result of their course.
More than once, he cautioned
Timothy against such insinceri-
ty and pretense. (1 Tim. 1:5; 4:
1, 2) But Timothy was not a hyp-
ocrite. In his second letter to
Timothy, Paul wrote: “I recollect
the faith which is in you without
any hypocrisy.” (2 Tim. 1:5) Still,
Timothy needed to make his gen-
uineness as a Christian mani-
fest to others. Paul’s two letters
to Timothy provided exhortation
on several areas of conduct. For
instance, Timothy was to avoid
the pursuit of riches. The love of
riches is a sign of spiritual defi-
ciency. In contrast, Christians
who find contentment in a sim-
ple life, “having sustenance and
covering,” manifest spiritual ad-
vancement.—1 Tim. 6:6-8; Phil.
4:11-13. w09 12/15 1:10, 11
Thursday, August 25
You must keep my statutes and
my judicial decisions, which if
a man will do, he must also live
by means of them.—Lev. 18:5.
When giving the nation of Isra-
el the Law, Jehovah stated the
above. Since they could not live
up to the Law’s perfect stan-
dards, however, the Israelites
were condemned by the Law and
needed a release from that con-
demnation. (Gal. 3:13) After Mo-
ses, Jehovah inspired other Bi-
ble writers to mention the hope
of everlasting life. (Ps. 21:4; 37:
29) For example, the psalmist
David concluded a psalm about
the unity of true worshippers at
Zion with the words: “There Jeho-
vah commanded the blessing to
be, even life to time indefinite.”
(Ps. 133:3) Jehovah inspired Isa-
iah to prophesy about everlast-
ing life on earth. (Isa. 25:7, 8)
Like a suffocating “envelopment”
—a blanket—sin and death have
weighed heavily on mankind. Je-
hovah assures his people that sin
and death will be swallowed up,
or removed, “from all the earth.”
w09 8/15 1:14-16
 Friday, August 26
All things, therefore, that you
want men to do to you, you also
must likewise do to them.
—Matt. 7:12.
After the first human p air
sinned, the redemption of sinful
mankind became an important
part of Jehovah’s purpose. Je-
hovah provided Christ’s ransom
sacrifice to make that redemp-
tion possible. (Rom. 5:8) Further-
more, Jehovah provided his Word,
the Bible, which gives guidance
to man on how best to cope with
inherited imperfection. (Ps. 119:
105) In his Word, Jehovah pro-
vides direction to help people
maintain strong, happy families.
Regarding marriage, the book of
Genesis states that a man must
“stick to his wife and they must
become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24)
During his earthly ministry, Je-
sus emphasized that marriage
was intended to be permanent.
He taught principles that when
applied would help family mem-
bers to avoid attitudes and con-
duct that threatened their mar-
riage or the happiness of their
family.—Matt. 5:27-37. w09 7/15
2:2, 3
Saturday, August 27
Do not avenge yourselves, be-
loved, but yield place to the
wrath; for it is written: “Ven-
geance is mine; I will repay,
says Jehovah.”—Rom. 12:19.
Even with “those not favorably
disposed” toward our work and
our message, including outright
opposers, we will keep ourselves
“restrained under evil” and act
“with mildness.” (2 Tim. 2:23-25)
Paul counsels Christians not to
avenge themselves but to “yield
place to the wrath.” To whose
wrath is Paul referring? He could
hardly mean that we should give
free rein to our own wrath. Clear-
ly, we yield place to God’s wrath.
As Christians, we know that it
does not belong to us to take ven-
geance. The psalmist wrote: “Let
anger alone and leave rage; do
not show yourself heated up only
to do evil.” (Ps. 37:8) And Sol-
omon counseled: “Do not say: ‘I
will pay back evil!’ Hope in Je-
hovah, and he will save you.”
—Prov. 20:22. w09 10/15 2:10
Sunday, August 28
Our Father in the heavens, let
your name be sanctified. Let
your kingdom come. Let your
will take place, as in heaven,
also upon earth.—Matt. 6:9, 10.
Our prayers to God reveal our
motives, interests, and desires.
Jehovah knows what we are in-
side. Says Proverbs 17:3: “The re-
fining pot is for silver and the fur-
nace for gold, but Jehovah is the
examiner of hearts.” God sees
what is in our heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)
He knows how we feel about our
meetings, our ministry, and our
spiritual brothers and sisters. Je-
hovah is aware of what we think
of Christ’s “brothers.” (Matt. 25:
40) He knows whether we really
desire what we pray for or we are
merely repeating a set of words.
“When praying,” said Jesus, “do
not say the same things over and
over again, just as the people of
the nations do, for they [wrong-
ly] imagine they will get a hear-
ing for their use of many words.”
—Matt. 6:7. w09 11/15 1:12, 13
 Monday, August 29
Make for us a god who will go
ahead of us, because as regards
this Moses, . . . we certainly do
not know what has happened to
him.—Ex. 32:1.
Applying what we have learned
from the Scriptures can be a
challenge, particularly when cir-
cumstances are difficult. For ex-
ample, shortly after Jehovah lib-
erated the sons of Israel from
Egyptian bondage, they “fell to
quarreling with Moses” and kept
“putting Jehovah to the test.”
Why? Because of a lack of water
to drink. (Ex. 17:1-4) Less than
two months after entering into
a divine covenant and agreeing
to do “all the words that Jeho-
vah [had] spoken,” they violated
his law on idolatry. (Ex. 24:3, 12-
18; 32:2, 7-9) Whatever their rea-
son was, the Israelites “refused
to become obedient.” (Acts 7:39-
41) Paul urged Christians to ‘do
their utmost’ to avoid ‘falling into
the same pattern of disobedi-
ence’ that the Israelites showed
when they were afraid to enter
the Promised Land.—Heb. 4:3,
11. w09 5/15 1:11
Tuesday, August 30
They came to consult Jehovah.
—2 Chron. 20:4.
Just as Jehoshaphat and his
people gathered together to seek
Jehovah’s guidance, let us not
neglect regular attendance at
congregation meetings along
with our brothers and sisters. If
we sometimes find ourselves in
sore straits, not knowing what to
do, let us follow the fine example
set by Jehoshaphat and the peo-
ple of Judah and turn to Jeho-
vah in prayer with full trust in
Him. (Prov. 3:5, 6; Phil. 4:6, 7)
Even if we are isolated, our pe-
titions to Jehovah unite us with
“the entire association of [our]
brothers in the world.” (1 Pet.
5:9) Jehoshaphat and his people
followed Jahaziel’s God-given di-
rection. With what result? They
came off victorious in the ensu-
ing battle and returned to Jeru-
salem “with rejoicing” and “with
stringed instruments and with
harps and with trumpets to the
house of Jehovah.” (2 Chron. 20:
27, 28) We likewise respect Jeho-
vah’s direction given through his
channel and join in praising him.
w09 6/15 1:9, 11, 12
Wednesday, August 31
Moses was by far the meekest of
all the men.—Num. 12:3.
Moses showed b oldness in
speaking to Pharaoh, a ruler who
was viewed, not as a mere repre-
sentative of the gods, but as a
god himself. Pharaoh’s word was
law; he ruled by decree. Power-
ful, arrogant, and stubborn, Pha-
raoh was not accustomed to hav-
ing others tell him what to do.
It was before this man that Mo-
ses, a meek shepherd, appeared
repeatedly—unbidden and un-
welcome. And what did Moses
foretell? Devastating plagues.
And what did he demand? Per-
mission for several million of
Pharaoh’s slaves to leave the
country! Did Moses need bold-
ness? Absolutely! (Heb. 11:27)
During the centuries that fol-
lowed, prophets and other faith-
ful servants of God continued to
take a courageous stand for pure
worship. Satan’s world was not
kind to them. Paul states: “They
were stoned, . . . they died by
slaughter with the sword, . . . they
were in want, in tribulation, un-
der ill-treatment.”—Heb. 11:37.
w09 7/15 4:6, 7
 Thursday, September 1
Mere man sees what appears to
the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he
sees what the heart is.
—1 Sam. 16:7.
He did not look like a king.
Rather, to the prophet Samuel,
he appeared to be nothing more
than a young shepherd boy. Yet,
God could discern David’s heart
condition, and it was pleasing to
him. With God, it is not the mere
outward appearance that mat-
ters; it is what a person really
is on the inside. So when Samu-
el learned that Jehovah had not
chosen any of the seven older
sons of Jesse, he asked that the
youngest be brought in from the
pastures. The account says: “Ac-
cordingly [Jesse] sent and had
[David] come. Now he was rud-
dy, a young man with beautiful
eyes and handsome in appear-
ance. Then Jehovah said: ‘Get
up, anoint him, for this is he!’ Ac-
cordingly Samuel took the horn
of oil and anointed him in the
midst of his brothers. And the
spirit of Jehovah began to be
operative upon David from that
day forward.”—1 Sam. 16:12, 13.
w09 4/15 5:1, 3
Friday, September 2
The prayer of the upright ones
is a pleasure to [Jehovah].
—Prov. 15:8.
We need to keep asking for Je-
hovah’s help and guidance. He
can “do more than superabun-
dantly beyond all the things we
ask or conceive.” (Eph. 3:20; Luke
11:13) How would you answer,
though, if someone inquired,
“Why should I continue to ask if
God already knows ‘what things
I am needing before ever I ask
him’?” (Matt. 6:8) Well, for one
thing, by praying for holy spir-
it, you acknowledge your reli-
ance on Jehovah. For example, if
someone came to you for aid, you
would do whatever you could to
help him, one reason being that
he asked you to assist him, show-
ing trust in you. (Compare Prov-
erbs 3:27.) Likewise, Jehovah
finds pleasure in your asking him
for his spirit, and he will give it
to you. Another way to come un-
der the influence of God’s spir-
it involves our meetings, assem-
blies, and conventions. Paying
attention to the program is very
important in understanding “the
deep things of God.”—1 Cor. 2:10.
w10 3/15 2:8, 9
Saturday, September 3
You are my witnesses.
—Isa. 43:10.
Have you made a dedication to
God in prayer, and are you hop-
ing to get baptized? From your
study of the Bible, you very like-
ly now know that your life should
be focused on praising Jehovah,
not on merely pleasing your-
self or acquiring material posses-
sions. (Ps. 148:11-13; Luke 12:15)
As a dedicated Christian, your
life will have the highest purpose.
You will be happy because you
are doing the divine will. (Rom.
12:1, 2) Jehovah’s holy spirit will
produce in you such godly quali-
ties as peace and faith. (Gal. 5:22,
23) God will answer your prayers
and bless your efforts to conform
your life to his Word. Your minis-
try will be joyful, and living in
the way that God approves will
strengthen your hope of everlast-
ing life. Moreover, making a ded-
ication and getting baptized will
show that you really want to be
one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.—Isa.
43:11, 12. w10 2/15 4:4, 5
 Sunday, September 4
I must declare the good news of
the kingdom of God.
—Luke 4:43.
Why did Jesus make God’s
Kingdom the main theme of his
ministry? He knew that he him-
self as King of that Kingdom,
along with his resurrected spirit-
begotten brothers, would deal
with the root causes of man-
kind’s woes—sin and the Dev-
il. (Rom. 5:12; Rev. 20:10) Hence,
he commanded his followers to
proclaim that Kingdom until
the end of the present system
of things. (Matt. 24:14) People
who merely profess to be follow-
ers of Christ do not engage in
this work—in fact, they cannot.
Why? For at least three reasons:
First, they cannot preach what
they do not understand. Second,
most of them lack the humility
and courage needed to face the
ridicule and opposition that may
result from sharing the King-
dom message with their neigh-
bors. (Matt. 24:9; 1 Pet. 2:23)
And third, false Christians do not
have God’s spirit.—John 14:16,
17. w10 1/15 3:6
Monday, September 5
Women [should] adorn them-
selves in well-arranged dress,
with modesty and soundness of
mind.—1 Tim. 2:9.
Women who are modest and
sound in mind in their choice
of dress and grooming, as well
as in other areas of their per-
sonal life, set excellent exam-
ples. (1 Tim. 3:11) This princi-
ple applies to Christian men
too. Paul admonished overseers
to be “moderate in habits, sound
in mind, orderly.” (1 Tim. 3:2)
When we display these qualities
in our daily activities, our ad-
vancement will be made manifest
to all. When Paul told Timothy
to be exemplary in chasteness,
he was alluding to a very specif-
ic area of conduct, that of sex-
ual morality. Especially in Tim-
othy’s dealings with women was
his conduct to be above reproach.
He was to treat “older women as
mothers, younger women as sis-
ters with all chasteness.” (1 Tim.
4:12; 5:2) Even acts of immorali-
ty that might seem to be secret
are known to God and are cer-
tain to become known to fellow
humans eventually.—1 Tim. 5:24.
w09 12/15 1:12, 13
Tuesday, September 6
Become kind to one another,
tenderly compassionate, freely
forgiving one another just as
God also by Christ freely for-
gave you.—Eph. 4:32.
Paul described Christlike love
this way: “Love is long-suffering
and kind. Love is not jealous,
it does not brag, does not get
puffed up.” (1 Cor. 13:4) Rath-
er than holding grudges against
our brothers and sisters, may
we heed the admonition of to-
day’s text. Our striving to cul-
tivate and show Christlike kind-
ness at all times and in every
situation brings us rich rewards.
Jehovah’s spirit will be able to
operate freely in the congrega-
tion, producing the spirit’s good
fruitage. In addition, when we
follow the pattern Jesus left and
help others to do the same, our
happy, united worship will bring
joy to God himself. Therefore, let
us constantly strive to reflect Je-
sus’ mildness and kindness in our
dealings with others. w09 9/15 1:
18, 19
 Wednesday, September 7
Be careful! Do not do that! All I
am is a fellow slave of you and
of your brothers.—Rev. 22:9.
Jehovah’s angels provide us
with fine examples of humble
service. Certain angels refused to
disclose their names to humans.
(Gen. 32:29; Judg. 13:17, 18) Al-
though there are millions of spir-
it creatures in heaven, the Bi-
ble reveals the names of only
Michael and Gabriel. This may
serve as a safeguard against our
giving angels undue honor. (Luke
1:26; Rev. 12:7) Our worship, in-
cluding our prayers, should go
only to God. (Matt. 4:8-10) The
angels also set an example in pa-
tience. Though they are intensely
interested in knowing God’s sa-
cred secrets, they are not privy
to all of them. “Into these very
things angels are desiring to
peer,” states the Bible. (1 Pet. 1:
12) So, what do they do? They
wait patiently until God’s due
time for his “diversified wisdom”
to “be made known through the
congregation.”—Eph. 3:10, 11.
w09 5/15 3:14, 15
Thursday, September 8
Do not be anxious over anything,
but in everything by prayer and
supplication along with thanks-
giving let your petitions be made
known to God.—Phil. 4:6.
“To supplicate” means “to make
a humble entreaty.” Especial-
ly during danger or persecution
should we beseech Jehovah for
help and guidance. If we prayed
only when we needed something,
however, what would that re-
veal about our motives? Paul said
that we should make our peti-
tions known to God “along with
thanksgiving.” We certainly have
reason to express sentiments like
those of David found at 1 Chroni-
cles 29:11-13. Jesus thanked God
for food and for the bread and
wine used at the Lord’s Evening
Meal. (Matt. 15:36; Mark 14:22,
23) Besides expressing similar
gratitude, we should “give thanks
to Jehovah” for “his wonderful
works to the sons of men,” for
his “righteous judicial decisions,”
and for his word, or message, now
available in the Bible.—Ps. 107:
15; 119:62, 105. w09 11/15 1:5-7
Friday, September 9
Husbands, continue loving your
wives, just as the Christ also
loved the congregation.
—Eph. 5:25.
Jesus was “mild-tempered and
lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:29) He
was also a man of action. Nev-
er did he abdicate his respon-
sibilities. (Mark 6:34; John 2:14-
17) He kindly gave counsel to his
disciples, even repeatedly when
necessary. (Matt. 20:21-28; Mark
9:33-37; Luke 22:24-27) Still, Je-
sus did not berate or humili-
ate them, nor did he make them
feel unloved or incapable of car-
rying out what he was teaching
them to do. Instead, he praised
and encouraged his disciples.
(Luke 10:17-21) No wonder Jesus
gained the respect of his disci-
ples by his loving and compas-
sionate treatment of them! Jesus’
example teaches husbands that
Christian headship is not a posi-
tion of harsh domination. Rath-
er, it is one marked by respect
and self-sacrificing love. w09 7/15
2:4-6
 Saturday, September 10
The peace of your sons will be
abundant.—Isa. 54:13.
The world has nothing that can
rightly be compared with our
spiritual paradise. This is es-
pecially evident at international
conventions, where our brothers
and sisters from many nations,
languages, and ethnic groups
come together in an atmosphere
of peace, unity, and brotherly
love. The spiritual paradise that
we enjoy stands in stark contrast
with the deplorable conditions
in the world today. (Isa. 65:13,
14) By proclaiming the Kingdom
message, we have the privilege
of extending to others an invita-
tion to enter the spiritual para-
dise. It is also a blessing to assist
those who have recently become
associated with the congregation
and would benefit from train-
ing in the ministry. As directed
by the elders, we may be blessed
with the privilege of helping cer-
tain new ones, even as Aquila and
Priscilla “expounded the way of
God more correctly” to Apollos.
—Acts 18:24-26. w10 2/15 4:12, 13
Sunday, September 11
There is eagerness on my part to
declare the good news . . . For I
am not ashamed of the good
news.—Rom. 1:15, 16.
Like Jesus, his disciples loved
and valued the truth about Jeho-
vah and Christ so much that op-
posers could not discourage them
from sharing it with others. Paul
considered it an honor to pro-
claim the truth. He wrote: “To
me, . . . this undeserved kindness
was given, that I should declare
to the nations the good news
about the unfathomable riches of
the Christ.” (Eph. 3:8) It is not
difficult to imagine Paul’s enthu-
siasm as he taught others about
Jehovah and His purposes. The
good news found in God’s Word
enables us to come to know the
Creator and to enter into a loving
relationship with him. That good
news provides satisfying answers
to life’s important questions and
has the power to transform our
life, to infuse us with hope, and to
fortify us in times of adversity.
w09 7/15 3:12, 13
Monday, September 12
Go on walking in love.
—Eph. 5:2.
Each Christian should ask him-
self, ‘Do I make myself available
to others or do I often appear to
be too busy?’ Habits that are not
wrong in themselves can some-
times raise barricades to conver-
sation. If we frequently use a cel-
lular telephone or use earphones
to listen to recordings in the pres-
ence of others, for example, we
may send the message that we
prefer not to have their company.
If others often see us engrossed
in looking at a handheld comput-
er, they might conclude that we
do not care to speak to them. Of
course, there is “a time to keep
quiet.” But when we are around
people, it is often the “time to
speak.” (Eccl. 3:7) Some might
say, “I prefer to keep to myself” or
“I don’t feel like talking in the
morning.” Nonetheless, engag-
ing in friendly conversation even
when we are not inclined to do
so is evidence of love that “does
not look for its own interests.”
—1 Cor. 13:5. w09 11/15 4:12
 Tuesday, September 13
These have been written down
that you may believe that Je-
sus is the Christ the Son of God.
—John 20:31.
Just like the first-century Jews,
most people today ignore the ev-
idence of the Messiah’s presence.
They too want a political messi-
ah or at least one who will work
through human political rulers.
You, though, came to know that
Jesus is now reigning as King
of God’s Kingdom. Were you not
thrilled to find that out? Just
like the first-century disciples,
you were moved to proclaim: “We
have found the Messiah.” (John 1:
41) Today, when you talk about
the truth, do you highlight Je-
sus’ role as the Messiah? Doing
so will enhance your apprecia-
tion for what he has done for
you, what he is doing now, and
what he will yet accomplish. Like
Andrew and Philip, you no doubt
have talked to your relatives
and friends about the Messiah.
Why not approach them with re-
newed zeal and show them that
Jesus Christ is indeed the prom-
ised Messiah, God’s means of sal-
vation? w09 12/15 3:2, 20, 21
Wednesday, September 14
The fruitage of the spirit is love.
—Gal. 5:22.
It is tragic that some are un-
repentant and must be disfellow-
shipped, yet it is heartwarming
to know that a large number of
such ones later return to Jehovah
and his congregation. When el-
ders show a Christlike attitude,
they help to smooth the way for
the person to have a change of
heart and eventually to return. In
the future, some of these former
wrongdoers may not remember
all the Scriptural counsel that
the elders gave them, but they
will certainly remember that
the elders respected their digni-
ty and treated them with love.
Elders should never rush to put
a wrongdoer out of the congre-
gation. They ought to show that
they want erring ones to return
to Jehovah. Thus, when a sinner
later has a change of heart, as
many do, he may be deeply grate-
ful both to Jehovah and to the
“gifts in men” who made it easier
for him to return to the congrega-
tion.—Eph. 4:8, 11, 12. w09 9/15
3:7, 8
Thursday, September 15
We became reconciled to God
through the death of his Son.
—Rom. 5:10.
None of us have a natural father
who could pass on to us life as it
should be—perfect life. (1 Tim. 6:
19) We were not born as sons of
God because when the first hu-
man pair sinned, the human race
was separated from its loving Fa-
ther and Creator. (Compare Deu-
teronomy 32:5.) From that time
onward, the world of mankind
has lived outside Jehovah’s uni-
versal family, alienated from
God. Nevertheless, as individuals
we can request that God accept
us into his family of approved ser-
vants. How is that possible for
sinners such as we are? The apos-
tle Paul answered with the words
of today’s text. At baptism we
make a request to God for a good
conscience so as to be acceptable
to him. (1 Pet. 3:21) Prior to bap-
tism, however, there are steps we
must take. We must get to know
God, learn to trust him, repent,
and change our ways.—John 17:3;
Acts 3:19; Heb. 11:6. w10 1/15 1:
11, 12
 Friday, September 16
Make me know your own ways,
O Jehovah; teach me your own
paths. Make me walk in your
truth.—Ps. 25:4, 5.
What if we simply lack moti-
vation to do more in Jehovah’s
service and are inclined to coast
along in the congregation? Paul
states: “God is the one that, for
the sake of his good pleasure, is
acting within you in order for you
both to will and to act.” Yes, Je-
hovah can act within us and af-
fect our will, or desires. (Phil. 2:
13; 4:13) Should we not, then, ask
Jehovah to make us want to do
his will? King David of ancient
Israel did just that, as shown in
the words of today’s text. We can
do the same by praying that Je-
hovah will make us want to do
what pleases him. When we re-
flect upon how Jehovah God and
his Son feel about what we do in
serving their interests, our hearts
are filled with appreciation for
them. (Matt. 26:6-10; Luke 21:
1-4) That feeling of gratitude can
move us to beg Jehovah to make
us want to make spiritual ad-
vancement. w09 11/15 3:9, 10
Saturday, September 17
They were . . . filled with
the holy spirit and were speak-
ing the word of God with bold-
ness.—Acts 4:31.
Three days before his death,
Jesus told his disciples: “This
good news of the kingdom will
be preached in all the inhabit-
ed earth for a witness to all
the nations; and then the end
will come.” Before his ascension
to heaven, the resurrected Je-
sus commissioned his followers
to ‘make disciples of people of
all the nations, teaching them
to observe all the things he had
commanded them.’ He promised
them that he would be with them
“all the days until the conclusion
of the system of things.” (Matt.
24:14; 26:1, 2; 28:19, 20) As Je-
hovah’s Witnesses, we have an
active share in a work that had
its beginning in the first centu-
ry. No other work is equal in im-
portance to the lifesaving work of
Kingdom preaching and disciple
making. How vital it is, then, that
we be effective in our ministry!
w10 2/15 1:1, 2
Sunday, September 18
Make disciples of people of all
the nations, baptizing them in
the name of . . . the holy spirit.
—Matt. 28:19.
Jehovah is the Source of holy
spirit. He uses the spirit to open
the hearts and minds of the bride
class to understand his Word, the
Bible. The spirit impels them to
extend the invitation and explain
Scriptural truths to those who
have the prospect of living for-
ever in Paradise on earth. What
about those who accept the in-
vitation, become disciples of Je-
sus Christ, and extend the invita-
tion to still others? The spirit is
involved in their case too. Hav-
ing been baptized ‘in the name
of the holy spirit,’ they cooper-
ate with and rely on the spirit to
help them. Think also of the mes-
sage preached by the anointed
and the growing great crowd. It
comes from the Bible—the book
written under the direct influ-
ence of God’s spirit. Thus, the in-
vitation is extended by means of
holy spirit. We are, in fact, direct-
ed by that spirit. w10 2/15 3:12
 Monday, September 19
I actually do not know how to
speak, for I am but a boy.
—Jer. 1:6.
When Jehovah assigned Jere-
miah to be His prophet, Jeremi-
ah said the above. Later, he even
said: “I shall speak no more in his
name.” (Jer. 20:9) Yet, with Jeho-
vah’s encouragement, Jeremiah
was able to preach an unpopular
message for 40 years. Jehovah re-
peatedly reassured him with the
words: “I am with you, to save you
and to deliver you.” (Jer. 1:8, 19;
15:20) Just as Jehovah strength-
ened Jeremiah, he can help us to
do what he expects of Christians
today. The key factor is to rely
on God. The Bible says: “Trust in
Jehovah with all your heart . . .
In all your ways take notice of
him, and he himself will make
your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:
5, 6) We reveal that we trust in
Jehovah when we avail ourselves
of the help he provides through
his Word and through the con-
gregation. If we allow Jehovah to
guide our steps in life, nothing
will prevent us from being faith-
ful to him. w10 1/15 2:7, 8
Tuesday, September 20
You cannot slave for God and
for Riches.—Matt. 6:24.
Dedicating ourselves to Jeho-
vah and thereafter living in har-
mony with that dedication by
doing his will brings more hap-
piness than being dedicated to
anything or anyone else. For ex-
ample, many people devote their
life to the pursuit of material
wealth without attaining true
happiness and genuine satisfac-
tion. However, those who dedi-
cate themselves to Jehovah find
long-lasting happiness. The hon-
or of being “God’s fellow workers”
makes them happy, yet their ded-
ication is not to a work but to our
appreciative God. (1 Cor. 3:9) No
one could be more appreciative of
their self-sacrifice than he is. He
will even restore his loyal ones
to their youth so that they can
benefit from his care forever. (Job
33:25; Heb. 6:10) Dedicating your
life to Jehovah brings you into a
close relationship with him. The
Bible says: “Draw close to God,
and he will draw close to you.”
—Jas. 4:8. w10 1/15 1:18, 19
Wednesday, September 21
We wish to conduct ourselves
honestly in all things.
—Heb. 13:18.
We are living in an age of ram-
pant dishonesty, so it may be dif-
ficult to resist the temptation to
be less than honest with an em-
ployer. When applying for a job,
many resort to outright lies.
They may, for instance, exagger-
ate their
´ experience
´ or education
on a resume in order to obtain a
better or higher-paying job. On
the other hand, many employees
claim to be working when they
are actually attending to person-
al matters, though that is con-
trary to company rules. They
may be reading material unrelat-
ed to their job, making person-
al phone calls, sending personal
electronic messages, or brows-
ing the Internet. True Christians
do not view being honest and
truthful as something optional.
(Prov. 6:16-19) Thus, Christians
give their employer a full day’s
work for a full day’s pay. (Eph. 6:
5-8) Being a conscientious work-
er can also bring praise to our
heavenly Father.—1 Pet. 2:12.
w09 6/15 3:13, 14
 Thursday, September 22
Keep walking by spirit.
—Gal. 5:16.
We need God’s spirit so that
we can lead a life dedicated to
him. Your goal is to serve Je-
hovah forever. Through God’s
Word and his spirit-directed or-
ganization, holy spirit will move
you in the right direction. If you
have been studying with Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses, enjoying spiritu-
al association with them, but you
have yet to take the vital steps
of dedication and baptism, ask
yourself, ‘Why should I hesitate?’
If you recognize the holy spirit’s
role in accomplishing Jehovah’s
will today and appreciate its op-
eration, then take the steps you
have learned to be right. Jehovah
will richly bless you. He will gen-
erously provide his holy spirit for
you. If you were baptized years
or decades ago, surely you have
experienced the influence of the
holy spirit. You have seen and felt
how God can strengthen you with
his spirit. That can continue to be
the case—yes, into the endless
future. Thus, be determined to
keep on walking by holy spirit.
w10 3/15 2:17, 18
Friday, September 23
I do indeed also consider all
things to be loss on account of
the excelling value of the knowl-
edge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
On account of him I have taken
the loss of all things and I con-
sider them as a lot of refuse.
—Phil. 3:8.
Prior to his becoming a Chris-
tian, the apostle Paul was be-
ing groomed for success in the
Jewish system of things. When he
was likely no more than 13 years
old, he moved from his native city
of Tarsus to Jerusalem to study
under the highly esteemed Law
teacher Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3) In
time, Paul began to stand out
among his contemporaries, and
had he continued in that course,
he might have risen to promi-
nence in Judaism. (Gal. 1:13, 14)
When he accepted the good news
and took up the preaching work,
he left all of that behind. Did
Paul regret the choice he had
made? No, as the words of today’s
text show. Like Paul, Christians
today make sacrifices for the sake
of the good news.—Mark 10:29,
30. w09 9/15 4:13, 14
Saturday, September 24
You will receive power when the
holy spirit arrives upon you,
and you will be witnesses of me
both in Jerusalem and in all Ju-
dea and Samaria and to the
most distant part of the earth.
—Acts 1:8.
The resurrected Jesus told his
disciples the words above. The
work that began then is being
done on an unprecedented scale
today. Close to seven million Wit-
nesses of Jehovah are declaring
the Kingdom message in over 230
lands, spending nearly 1.5 bil-
lion hours a year in the minis-
try. How thrilling it is to have a
zealous share in this never-to-be-
repeated work! As in the first cen-
tury, the global preaching work
today is done under the direction
of God’s spirit. If we respond to
the spirit’s direction, we will dis-
play “the greatest freeness of
speech” in our ministry. (Acts 28:
31) By all means, then, let us be
guided by the spirit as we declare
the good news of God’s Kingdom!
w10 2/15 1:17, 18
 Sunday, September 25
Let anyone that wishes take life’s
water free.—Rev. 22:17.
An open invitation has been ex-
tended to humans by means of
holy spirit. The invitation is to
“come” and satisfy one’s thirst
with a very special type of water.
It is not ordinary water composed
of two parts hydrogen and one
part oxygen. Though literal wa-
ter is essential for sustaining life
on earth, Jesus had in mind a dif-
ferent type of water when he said
to a Samaritan woman at a well:
“Whoever drinks from the water
that I will give him will never get
thirsty at all, but the water that I
will give him will become in him a
fountain of water bubbling up to
impart everlasting life.” (John 4:
14) The extraordinary water that
humans are invited to partake
of imparts everlasting life. The
water of life represents all of
God’s provisions for recovering
obedient humans from sin and
death and giving them unending
perfect life in Paradise on earth.
—1 John 4:9, 10. w10 2/15 3:3, 4
Monday, September 26
You, though, are not to be that
way.—Luke 22:26.
Honest prayer to Jehovah re-
garding our motives can help us
to discern the truth about them.
For instance, is eagerness to
serve in a position of oversight
among God’s p eople really a
humble desire to be helpful and
to do the most we can for the
advancement of Kingdom in-
terests? Or could it be that we
want to have “the first place” or
even wish to “lord it over” others?
(3 John 9, 10; Luke 22:24-27) If we
have wrong desires, honesty in
praying to Jehovah God can ex-
pose them and help us to change
before they become firmly en-
trenched. Christian wives may
have a keen desire that their hus-
bands serve as ministerial ser-
vants or elders. These sisters may
work along with the feelings they
express in their private prayers
by striving to conduct themselves
in an exemplary manner. This
is important, for the speech and
conduct of a man’s family have
a bearing on how he is viewed
in the congregation. w09 11/15 1:
15, 16
Tuesday, September 27
Jehovah is my helper; I will not
be afraid. What can man do to
me?—Heb. 13:6.
In our day, as in times past, the
truth continues to divide people.
Some respond favorably, while
others neither understand nor
appreciate our form of worship.
Some criticize, ridicule, or even
hate us, just as Jesus foretold.
(Matt. 10:22) At times, we are the
target of misinformation and ma-
licious propaganda through the
media. (Ps. 109:1-3) In this world
alienated from God, it takes
boldness to preach as Jesus did.
What will help you to do so? Look
to the future. Keep strong your
love of God and neighbor. Pray to
Jehovah for courage. Always re-
member, you are never on your
own, for Jesus is with you. (Matt.
28:20) Holy spirit will strengthen
you. And Jehovah will bless and
support you. Therefore, may we
be of good courage and say the
words of today’s text. w09 7/15 4:
15, 18
 Wednesday, September 28
A true companion is loving all
the time, and is a brother that is
born for when there is distress.
—Prov. 17:17.
When composing those words,
Solomon may have had in mind
the friendship that his father,
David, enjoyed with Jonathan.
(1 Sam. 18:1) King Saul wanted
his son Jonathan to inherit the
throne of Israel. But Jonathan
accepted the fact that Jehovah
had chosen David for this privi-
lege. Unlike Saul, Jonathan did
not become envious of David. He
did not resent the praise David
received, nor did he swallow the
slander that Saul spread about
David. (1 Sam. 20:24-34) Are we
like Jonathan? When our friends
receive privileges, are we happy
for them? When they suffer hard-
ships, do we comfort and support
them? If we hear harmful gos-
sip about a friend, are we quick
to believe it? Or, like Jonathan,
do we loyally defend our friend?
w09 10/15 4:11
Thursday, September 29
If they have persecuted me, they
will persecute you also.
—John 15:20.
Responding in kind to dispar-
aging comments does not pro-
duce good results. How should we
react? The apostle Peter wrote:
“Sanctify the Christ as Lord in
your hearts, alw ays ready to
make a defense before everyone
that demands of you a reason for
the hope in you, but doing so to-
gether with a mild temper and
deep respect.” (1 Pet. 3:15) Our
displaying courtesy—respond-
ing mildly and respectfully—may
soften the attitude of those who
insult us. (Titus 2:7, 8) Paul rec-
ommended: “Let your utterance
be always with graciousness, sea-
soned with salt, so as to know
how you ought to give an an-
swer to each one.” (Col. 4:6) If
we make it a habit to be cour-
teous to family members, fellow
students, coworkers, members of
the congregation, and people in
the neighborhood, we are better
prepared to face mockery and in-
sults in a way worthy of a Chris-
tian.—Rom. 12:17-21. w09 11/15
5:11, 12
Friday, September 30
If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him.
—1 John 2:15.
The world and its fleshly spir-
it stand in opposition to Jeho-
vah and his holy spirit. Hence,
Christ’s true followers do not
merely refrain from being a part
of the world. They reject it at
heart, knowing that as the dis-
ciple James wrote, “friendship
with the world is enmity with
God.” (Jas. 4:4) It can be a chal-
lenge to heed James’ words in a
world that offers countless temp-
tations. (2 Tim. 4:10) Jesus there-
fore prayed in behalf of his fol-
lowers: “I request you, not to take
them out of the world, but to
watch over them because of the
wicked one. They are no part of
the world, just as I am no part
of the world.” (John 17:15, 16)
Ask yourself: ‘Do I strive to be
no part of the world? Do others
know my stand on unscriptural
celebrations and customs as well
as on those that may not have a
pagan origin but clearly reflect
the spirit of the world?’—2 Cor. 6:
17; 1 Pet. 4:3, 4. w10 1/15 3:15, 16
 Saturday, October 1
For this I have come into the
world, that I should bear wit-
ness to the truth.—John 18:37.
Jesus knew that the best way of
life centered on serving God and
bearing witness to the truth. He
knew that he would be tested se-
verely and put to death. (Matt.
20:18, 19; Heb. 4:15) Shortly after
Jesus was baptized, Satan tempt-
ed him to abandon the best way
of life—but to no avail. (Matt.
4:1-11) This teaches us that re-
gardless of what Satan does, we
can maintain our integrity. He
is likely to focus his attention
on those approaching baptism as
well as on newly baptized ones.
(1 Pet. 5:8) Opposition may come
from well-intentioned but mis-
informed family members. Yet,
such tests afford us opportunities
to manifest fine Christian qual-
ities, such as respect and tact,
when we answer questions and
give a witness. (1 Pet. 3:15) These
experiences can therefore have a
positive effect on those who lis-
ten to us.—1 Tim. 4:16. w10 2/15
4:14, 15
Sunday, October 2
Keep on blessing those who per-
secute; be blessing and do not be
cursing.—Rom. 12:14.
We know that our Christian ac-
tivity will provoke the anger of
our enemies, for Jesus warned us:
“You will be objects of hatred by
all the nations on account of my
name.” (Matt. 24:9) Consequent-
ly, we are not surprised or dis-
couraged when we meet up with
opposition. (1 Pet. 4:12, 13) Rath-
er than feeling animosity toward
our persecutors, we try to en-
lighten them, realizing that some
among them may be acting out
of ignorance. (2 Cor. 4:4) We en-
deavor to heed Paul’s counsel as
found in today’s text. One way
to bless opposers is to pray for
them. Jesus said in his Sermon
on the Mount: “Continue to love
your enemies, to do good to those
hating you, to bless those curs-
ing you, to pray for those who are
insulting you.”—Luke 6:27, 28.
w09 10/15 2:13, 14
Monday, October 3
Peter said to them: “Repent, and
let each one of you be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for for-
giveness of your sins, and you
will receive the free gift of the
holy spirit.”—Acts 2:38.
Think of the religious situation
of those Jews and proselytes who
heard Peter. They had already
accepted Jehovah as their God.
And from the Hebrew Scriptures,
they knew about the holy spir-
it, God’s active force used during
creation and thereafter. (Gen.
1:2; Judg. 14:5, 6; 1 Sam. 10:6;
Ps. 33:6) But they needed some-
thing more. It was vital for them
to understand and accept God’s
means of salvation—the Messiah,
Jesus. Hence, Peter highlighted
their need for being “baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ.” Some
days before, the resurrected Je-
sus commanded Peter and others
to baptize people “in the name of
the Father and of the Son and
of the holy spirit.” (Matt. 28:19,
20) That had profound meaning
in the first century, and it still
does. w10 3/15 1:2, 3
 Tuesday, October 4
Offer your very selves to him:
a living sacrifice, dedicated and
fit for his acceptance.—Rom.
12:1, “The New English Bible.”
Before someone who is alienat-
ed from God can become a mem-
ber of God’s family of approved
servants, he first needs to make a
solemn promise to Jehovah. To
understand why, imagine a re-
spectable father who shows kind
interest in an orphaned youth
and wishes to adopt him as a
member of his own family. The
father is known to be a good man.
Still, before accepting the youth
as his son, the man wants the boy
to make a promise. So the man
says, “Before I accept you as a
son, I need to know that you will
love and respect me as your fa-
ther.” Only if the youth is willing
to make a solemn promise will
the man admit him into his fami-
ly. Is that not reasonable? Sim-
ilarly, Jehovah accepts into his
family only those who are willing
to make a vow of dedication to
him. w10 1/15 1:13
Wednesday, October 5
Share with the holy ones accord-
ing to their needs.
—Rom. 12:13.
Our love for our brothers will
move us to “share with the holy
ones according to their needs”
and according to our ability. Even
if we have few of this world’s
goods, we can share what we
have. Writing of Christians in
Macedonia, Paul stated: “Dur-
ing a great test under affliction
their abundance of joy and their
deep poverty made the riches of
their generosity abound. For ac-
cording to their actual ability,
yes, I testify, beyond their ac-
tual ability this was, while they
of their own accord kept beg-
ging us with much entreaty for
the privilege of kindly giving and
for a share in the ministry des-
tined for the holy ones [in Ju-
dea].” (2 Cor. 8:2-4) Although
poor themselves, Christians in
Macedonia were very generous.
They considered it a privilege to
share with their needy brothers
in Judea. w09 10/15 1:12
Thursday, October 6
[Jesus] continued in retirement
in the deserts and praying.
—Luke 5:16.
Jesus often withdrew from the
crowds in order to pray to his Fa-
ther privately. (Matt. 14:13; Luke
6:12) We have the same need for
solitude. In calm prayer under
peaceful conditions, we are likely
to make decisions that please Je-
hovah and are in our best spiritu-
al interests. However, Jesus also
prayed publicly. At our meetings,
loyal men represent the congre-
gation in public prayer. (1 Tim.
2:8) Fellow believers should be
able to say “amen,” meaning
“so be it,” at the end of such
a prayer. To do so, however,
they must agree with what was
said. There is nothing shocking
or tactless about Jesus’ model
prayer. (Luke 11:2-4) Moreover,
he did not itemize all the needs
or problems of each person in
his audience. Personal concerns
are suitable subjects for private,
not public, prayer. And when
representing a group in prayer,
we should refrain from including
confidential matters. w09 11/15 1:
17, 18
 Friday, October 7
Let those in Judea begin fleeing
to the mountains.—Luke 21:21.
During their flight from Jerusa-
lem, Christians needed to show
Christlike love for one anoth-
er, even as Christ had shown
love for them. They surely had
to share whatever they had with
one another. But Jesus’ prophe-
cy reached far beyond the razing
of that ancient city. He foretold:
“There will be great tribulation
such as has not occurred since
the world’s beginning until now,
no, nor will occur again.” (Matt.
24:17, 18, 21) Before and dur-
ing that “great tribulation” yet
ahead, we too may face hardships
and deprivations. Having Christ’s
mental attitude will help us to
get through them. At that time,
we will need to follow Jesus’ ex-
ample, showing unselfish love.
In this connection, Paul coun-
seled: “Let each of us please his
neighbor in what is good for his
upbuilding. For even the Christ
did not please himself . . . Have
among yourselves the same men-
tal attitude that Christ Jesus
had.”—Rom. 15:2, 3, 5. w09 9/15
3:9-11
Saturday, October 8
They were . . . speaking the
word of God with boldness.
—Acts 4:31.
Our God-given work of King-
dom proclamation is a privilege
beyond compare. However, it is
not without challenges. While
some people readily accept the
good news of God’s Kingdom,
many prove to be like those living
in the days of Noah. They “took
no note until the flood came and
swept them all away,” said Je-
sus. (Matt. 24:38, 39) Then there
are those who ridicule or oppose
us. (2 Pet. 3:3) Opposition may
come from those in authority,
from schoolmates or workmates,
or even from close family mem-
bers. Add to this our own person-
al weaknesses, such as shyness
and fear of being rejected. A mul-
titude of factors can make it dif-
ficult for us to exercise “freeness
of speech” and speak the word
of God with “boldness.” (Eph. 6:
19, 20) Boldness, however, does
not mean bluntness or rudeness.
(Col. 4:6) While being bold, we
also want to be peaceable with
all.—Rom. 12:18. w10 2/15 1:3, 4
Sunday, October 9
Taste and see that Jehovah is
good.—Ps. 34:8.
If you have been sharing in the
preaching and teaching work
for some time now, you have no
doubt had opportunities to taste
and see that Jehovah is good.
Have there been times when you
sensed the help of his spirit as
you were presenting the good
news? Have you seen others’ eyes
light up as Jehovah opened their
heart to pay attention to the mes-
sage? (Acts 16:14) Has Jehovah
helped you to overcome obsta-
cles, perhaps opening the way for
you to expand your ministry? Has
he supported you in times of dif-
ficulty, enabling you to continue
serving him when you felt that
your strength was giving out?
(Phil. 4:13) When we personal-
ly experience Jehovah’s helping
hand as we carry out our minis-
try, he becomes more real to us
and we feel even closer to him.
(Isa. 41:10) Is it not a blessing to
be one of “God’s fellow workers”
in the grand work of divine edu-
cation?—1 Cor. 3:9. w09 9/15 4:
14, 15
 Monday, October 10
Your loyal ones will bless you.
—Ps. 145:10.
In prayer, remember to praise
and thank Jehovah. There are so
many reasons to do so! For exam-
ple, David was eager to extol Je-
hovah’s kingship. (Ps. 145:11-13)
Do your prayers show that you
appreciate the privilege of an-
nouncing Jehovah’s Kingdom?
Words of the psalmists may also
help you to express to God in
heartfelt prayer your gratitude
for Christian meetings, assem-
blies, and conventions. (Ps. 27:4;
122:1) Gratitude for your pre-
cious relationship with God may
move you to pray from the heart
with thoughts like these: “I shall
laud you among the peoples,
O Jehovah . . . For your loving-
kindness is great up to the heav-
ens, and your trueness up to the
skies. Do be exalted above the
heavens, O God; let your glo-
ry be above all the earth.” (Ps.
57:9-11) What heartwarming sen-
timents! Do you not agree that
such touching words from the
Psalms can affect and enrich your
prayers? w09 11/15 2:18, 19
Tuesday, October 11
He is . . . mentally diseased over
questionings and debates about
words.—1 Tim. 6:4.
Could Timothy risk toying with
the harmful ideas that were infil-
trating the congregation? No, for
Paul urged Timothy to “fight the
fine fight of the faith” and turn
away “from the empty speeches
that violate what is holy and from
the contradictions of the false-
ly called ‘knowledge.’ ” (1 Tim. 6:
12, 20, 21) There can be no doubt
that Timothy followed Paul’s
wise advice. (1 Cor. 10:12) Inter-
estingly, Timothy was told that
in “later periods of time some
[would] fall away from the faith,
paying attention to misleading
inspired utterances and teach-
ings of demons.” (1 Tim. 4:1) All
in the congregation, including
those in positions of responsibili-
ty, need to be like Timothy in dis-
playing strong, unwavering faith.
By taking a strong stand and de-
cisive action against apostasy, we
can make our advancement man-
ifest and be an example in faith.
w09 12/15 1:16, 17
Wednesday, October 12
Do not severely criticize an old-
er man. To the contrary, entreat
him as a father, younger men as
brothers, older women as moth-
ers, younger women as sisters
with all chasteness.
—1 Tim. 5:1, 2.
Paul encouraged young Timo-
thy to have respect for all mem-
bers of the congregation. We too
should treat older Christians as if
they were our mothers and fa-
thers and the younger ones as
our siblings, that is, children of
our own parents. When we have
that attitude, none of our dear
brothers and sisters will feel like
strangers in our presence. As we
engage others in upbuilding con-
versation, we contribute to their
spirituality and emotional well-
being. A brother working at a
branch office fondly remembers
several older Bethelites who reg-
ularly took time to speak with
him in his early days at Bethel.
Their encouraging words made
him feel that he really was part of
the Bethel family. Now he tries to
imitate them by conversing with
his fellow Bethelites. w09 11/15 4:
13, 14
 Thursday, October 13
There is more happiness in giving
than there is in receiving.
—Acts 20:35.
There is no body of knowledge
more precious or more impor-
tant than the good news. It is a
priceless gift that has been given
to us, bringing us great joy. And
it brings us added joy when we
share that gift with others. What
can you do to strengthen your
love for the good news even fur-
ther? While reading God’s Word,
pause at times to reflect on what
you read. For example, imag-
ine yourself accompanying Je-
sus during his earthly ministry
or traveling along with the apos-
tle Paul. Picture yourself in the
new world, and envision how dif-
ferent life will be. Reflect on
the blessings you have received
through your obedience to the
good news. If you keep your love
for the good news strong, those
whom you teach will sense that
love. For good reason, then, we
should carefully ponder what we
have learned and pay attention to
what we teach.—1 Tim. 4:15, 16.
w09 7/15 3:13, 14
Friday, October 14
Your God whom you are serving
with constancy, he himself will
rescue you.—Dan. 6:16.
The prophet Daniel demon-
strated the importance of reg-
ularity in worship. (Dan. 6:4-10,
19-22) He did not change his spir-
itual routine—his habit of pray-
ing to God “three times in a day,
. . . as he had been regularly
doing”—even for one month, al-
though that meant being thrown
into the lions’ pit. How clearly
his actions indicated to observ-
ers that nothing is more impor-
tant than regular worship of Je-
hovah! (Matt. 5:16) Daniel was
willing to die rather than neglect
his spiritual routine. What about
us? What sacrifices are we mak-
ing or are we willing to make in
order to declare the good news of
God’s Kingdom with constancy?
Why, we should not let a month go
by without speaking about Jeho-
vah to others! If at all possible,
should we not endeavor to partic-
ipate in the ministry each week?
w10 2/15 3:14, 16
Saturday, October 15
Always [be] ready to make a
defense before everyone that de-
mands of you a reason for the
hope in you.—1 Pet. 3:15.
“Handling the word of the truth
aright” involves more than ex-
plaining Scriptural truths accu-
rately. (2 Tim. 2:15) We should be
careful that we do not use the Bi-
ble to intimidate people. Though
we can use the Scriptures to de-
fend the truth, as Jesus did when
he was tempted by the Devil, the
Bible is not a club with which
to browbeat our listeners. (Deut.
6:16; 8:3; 10:20; Matt. 4:4, 7, 10)
When handled properly, what can
the truth of God’s Word accom-
plish? (2 Cor. 10:4, 5) Scriptural
truth can overturn “strongly en-
trenched things,” that is, expose
false doctrines, harmful prac-
tices, and philosophies that re-
flect imperfect human wisdom.
We can use the Bible to cut away
any ideas that are “raised up
against the knowledge of God.”
The teachings of the Bible can be
used to help others bring their
thinking in line with the truth.
w10 2/15 2:11, 12
 Sunday, October 16
[God’s] will is that all sorts of
men should be saved and come
to an accurate knowledge of
truth.—1 Tim. 2:4.
We engage in a campaign to
help people break free from false
religious teachings, including the
practice of idolatry. Our house-
to-house ministry enables us to
meet all sorts of people. One
young Asian girl rememb ers
how her mother performed ritu-
als in front of numerous images
in their home. Reasoning that
not all the images could repre-
sent the true God, the girl of-
ten prayed that she could get to
know his real identity. When she
answered a knock on the door
of her house, she found two Wit-
nesses who were ready to help
her learn the true God’s distinc-
tive name, Jehovah. And how
grateful she was to learn the
truth about idols! Now she dem-
onstrates commendable zeal by
sharing diligently in field service,
helping other people spiritually.
—Ps. 83:18; 115:4-8; 1 John 5:21.
w09 6/15 2:6
Monday, October 17
Both if we live, we live to Jeho-
vah, and if we die, we die to Je-
hovah.—Rom. 14:8.
Just as our confidence in a sur-
geon may grow as we learn of his
reputation, so our trust in Jeho-
vah will grow as we continue to
learn about him. Hence, we con-
tinue to study God’s Word care-
fully because that will help us to
love him in a way that will dis-
pel any fear of belonging to him.
(1 John 4:18) Jehovah grants free-
dom of choice to all people. His
Word says: “You must choose life
in order that you may keep alive,
you and your offspring, by loving
Jehovah your God.” (Deut. 30:19,
20) He wants us to express our
love for him by freely choosing
to serve him. Rather than rob-
bing us of freedom, belonging to
the God we love will surely make
and keep us happy. As sinners,
we do not deserve to belong to
a perfect God. Only God’s unde-
served kindness makes it possi-
ble.—2 Tim. 1:9. w10 1/15 2:17-19
Tuesday, October 18
One man died for all.
—2 Cor. 5:14.
How did you feel upon learn-
ing what the Son of God did for
you? (2 Cor. 5:15) Likely you felt
deep gratitude. That helped to
move you to dedicate your life
to God and to ‘live no longer for
yourself, but for him who died
for you.’ Being baptized in the
name of the Son means acknowl-
edging what Jesus has done for
you and accepting his author-
ity as “the Chief Agent of life.”
(Acts 3:15; 5:31) Previously, you
had no relationship with the Cre-
ator, and actually you had no val-
id hope. But by exercising faith
in the shed blood of Jesus Christ
and being baptized, you now
have a relationship with the Fa-
ther. (Eph. 2:12, 13) “You who
were once alienated and enemies
because your minds were on the
works that were wicked,” wrote
the apostle Paul, “[God] now has
again reconciled by means of [Je-
sus’] fleshly body through his
death, in order to present you
holy and unblemished.”—Col. 1:
21, 22. w10 3/15 1:11
 Wednesday, October 19
Return evil for evil to no one.
Provide fine things in the sight
of all men. If possible, as far as
it depends upon you, be peace-
able with all men.
—Rom. 12:17, 18.
Displaying good manners in
difficult situations brings good
results. In Japan, for example,
a certain Witness faced ridicule
from both a householder and his
guest. With a courteous attitude,
the brother left the door. As he
continued preaching in the terri-
tory, he noticed that the guest
was watching him from a short
distance away. When the broth-
er approached him, the man
said: “I’m sorry about what hap-
pened. Even though we said un-
kind things to you, I noticed that
you kept smiling. What do I have
to do to be like that?” Because
that man had lost his job and his
mother had just died, he lacked
all hope of being happy. The Wit-
ness offered him a Bible study,
which the man accepted. Soon
he was studying twice a week.
w09 11/15 5:12, 13
Thursday, October 20
Bad associations spoil useful
habits.—1 Cor. 15:33.
When a Bible student begins
to make changes in his lifestyle,
he may face a real challenge re-
garding friendships. He may have
companions whose company he
enjoys but who do not live by
the Bible’s moral code. In the
past, he may regularly have spent
time socializing with them. Now,
though, he sees that their activi-
ties could have a bad influence on
him, and he feels the need to lim-
it his contact with such compan-
ions. Even so, he may feel that if
he does not associate with them,
he is being disloyal. If you face
this challenge, remember that
a true friend will be happy that
you are trying to improve your
life. He or she may even want to
join with you in learning about
Jehovah. On the other hand, false
friends will “go on speaking abu-
sively of you” because you do not
run with them to “the same low
sink of debauchery.” (1 Pet. 4:3, 4)
Really, it is these friends who are
being disloyal to you, not the re-
verse. w09 10/15 4:12, 13
Friday, October 21
You husbands, continue dwell-
ing in like manner with [your
wives] . . . assigning them
honor.—1 Pet. 3:7.
How can a husband exercise his
authority and at the same time
treat his wife as someone wor-
thy of honor? One way a hus-
band can honor his wife is by
carefully considering her point
of view and her feelings before
he makes decisions that affect
the family. Perhaps a decision
has to be made regarding a move
or a change of job or regarding
everyday matters, such as where
to take a vacation or how to ad-
just the family budget so as to
cope with the rising cost of liv-
ing. Because the family will be
affected, it would be beneficial
and kind for the husband to con-
sider his wife’s opinion, as it may
help him to arrive at a balanced,
more considerate decision, and it
will be easier for her to support
him. (Prov. 15:22) Christian hus-
bands who honor their wives gain
not only the love and respect of
their wives but, more important,
the approval of Jehovah.—Eph.
5:28, 29. w09 7/15 2:6, 7
 Saturday, October 22
Beg the Master of the harvest
to send out workers into his har-
vest.—Matt. 9:38.
Jesus did not stop with just say-
ing what is quoted above. After
speaking those words, “he sum-
moned his twelve disciples” and
sent them out on a preaching, or
‘harvesting,’ tour. (Matt. 9:35-38;
10:1, 5) Later, Jesus “designat-
ed seventy others and sent them
forth by twos” to do the same
work. (Luke 10:1, 2) The need
for more Kingdom proclaimers is
also great today. The worldwide
Memorial attendance for the 2009
service year was 18,168,323. It ex-
ceeded the total number of Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses by over 10 mil-
lion. The fields are indeed ripe
for harvesting. (John 4:34, 35) We
should, therefore, pray and ask
for more workers. But how can
we act in harmony with such re-
quests? We can do so by becoming
more effective ministers as we
zealously share in the Kingdom-
preaching and disciple-making
work.—Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 13:
10. w10 2/15 2:1, 2
Sunday, October 23
He reasoned with them from the
Scriptures.—Acts 17:2.
Christ’s true followers give the
interests of God’s Kingdom pri-
ority in life, proclaiming it world-
wide, with the help of Jehovah’s
spirit. (Zech. 4:6) Are you hav-
ing a regular share in this work?
Are you trying to improve as a
Kingdom proclaimer, perhaps by
spending more time in the minis-
try or by being more effective in
it? Some have tried to improve
the quality of their ministry by
making better use of the Bible.
“The word of God is alive and
exerts power,” wrote the apos-
tle Paul, who made it his cus-
tom to reason from the Scrip-
tures. (Heb. 4:12; Acts 17:3) So if
it has not been your custom to
use the Bible regularly in your
ministry, why not make it your
goal to do so? Perhaps you could
select a few key texts that ex-
plain what God’s Kingdom is and
how it will solve specific prob-
lems that concern people in your
neighborhood. Then be prepared
to read them as you preach from
door to door. w10 1/15 3:7, 9
Monday, October 24
Remove vexation from your
heart, and ward off calamity
from your flesh; for youth and
the prime of life are vanity.
—Eccl. 11:10.
“O youth, enjoy yourself while
you are young! Let your heart
lead you to enjoyment in the
days of your youth.” (Eccl. 11:9,
Tanakh—The Holy Scriptures) So
wrote wise King Solomon of an-
cient Israel. The Originator of
this message, Jehovah God, cer-
tainly wants you youths to be
happy. More than that, Jeho-
vah wants your joy to last be-
yond the time of youth. How-
ever, those days of youth are
often marred by painful mistakes
that may affect a person’s future
happiness. Even faithful Job be-
moaned having to face “the con-
sequences of the errors of [his]
youth.” (Job 13:26) During ado-
lescence and the following early
years of life, a young Christian
often has to make weighty de-
cisions. Bad judgment can leave
deep emotional scars and create
problems that may affect the rest
of his life. w09 5/15 2:1
 Tuesday, October 25
Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s
things to Caesar, but God’s
things to God.—Matt. 22:21.
What sort of “things” do we owe
Caesar, that is, the governmental
authorities? When Jesus uttered
those words, the discussion cen-
tered on taxes. So to maintain a
clean conscience before God and
men, Christians obey the laws
of the land, including those per-
taining to the paying of taxes.
(Rom. 13:5, 6) But we recognize
that Jehovah is the Supreme Sov-
ereign, the only true God, whom
we love with our whole heart,
soul, mind, and strength. (Mark
12:30; Rev. 4:11) We therefore
render to Jehovah God submis-
sion without reservation. (Ps. 86:
11, 12) Many countries offer so-
cial programs or services to help
those in need of material sup-
port. There is nothing wrong
with a Christian’s receiving such
assistance—provided that he
qualifies. Speaking truth with
our neighbor would rule out giv-
ing false or misleading informa-
tion to governmental authorities
in order to receive public assis-
tance. w09 6/15 3:16, 17
Wednesday, October 26
Christ offered up supplications
and also petitions to the One
who was able to save him.
—Heb. 5:7.
Jesus’ experience as a human
on earth taught him new as-
pects of obedience. (Heb. 5:8) It
may seem that there could be
nothing more for Jesus to learn
about serving Jehovah. After
all, he had enjoyed intimate as-
sociation with Jehovah for un-
known aeons and had been God’s
“master worker” during creation.
(Prov. 8:30) Nevertheless, person-
ally enduring in faith as a hu-
man despite suffering proved his
complete integrity. Although he
was a perfect man, Jesus did not
try to remain perfectly obedient
on his own. He prayed for God’s
help to remain obedient. For us
to remain obedient, we too need
a humble, prayerful attitude.
For this reason, the apostle Paul
counseled Christians: “Keep this
mental attitude in you that was
also in Christ Jesus,” who “hum-
bled himself and became obedi-
ent as far as death.”—Phil. 2:5-8.
w09 9/15 2:2, 3
Thursday, October 27
Love never fails.—1 Cor. 13:8.
Love is a basic human need.
Yet, genuine love of God and
neighbor is woefully lacking. We
see happening what the Bible
foretold about these last days.
Men are “lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, . . . lovers of
pleasures rather than lovers of
God.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) God’s Word
warns us against misguided love.
And the Bible describes what
happens when such love takes
root in one’s heart. (1 Tim. 6:
9, 10) Though Demas was asso-
ciated with Paul, Demas turned
to loving what the world offered.
(2 Tim. 4:10) The apostle John
warned Christians against this
very danger. (1 John 2:15, 16)
Loving the world and its transito-
ry things and ways is not com-
patible with loving God and what
originates with him. We are no
part of this world, though we are
still living in it. Thus, we have the
challenge of avoiding the world’s
distorted view of love. It is vi-
tal that we not let ourselves be
trapped by misguided or pervert-
ed love. w09 12/15 4:1-3
 Friday, October 28
Let the sayings of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
become pleasurable before you,
O Jehovah.—Ps. 19:14.
Today, many simply do not
want to hear what the Bible says.
If we are to persevere in speak-
ing the word of God, it is im-
portant that we study the Scrip-
tures in a manner that allows
us to absorb their message fully.
Regularity—not a hit-or-miss ap-
proach—should mark our study
habits. How important it is that
we take time to meditate on what
we read, so that Bible truths sink
deep down into the heart! Sure-
ly, we should strive to improve
the quality of our personal study.
Another way to benefit from Je-
hovah’s holy spirit is to “consid-
er one another to incite to love
and fine works, not forsaking the
gathering of ourselves togeth-
er.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Exerting our-
selves to be in regular attendance
at Christian meetings, listening
carefully, and applying what we
learn are fine ways to be guided
by the spirit. w10 2/15 1:11, 12
Saturday, October 29
The spirit and the bride keep on
saying: “Come!”—Rev. 22:17.
The spirit, working through the
anointed bride class, is extend-
ing this invitation regarding life’s
water. If you have accepted the
call to “come!” are you deter-
mined to say, “Come!”? What a
privilege it is to be able to share
in this lifesaving work! This vital
work is now being accomplished
under the guidance of holy spir-
it. We read how the holy spirit
was involved in the first centu-
ry in opening up new territo-
ries for missionaries. The apos-
tle Paul and his companions were
“forbidden by the holy spirit to
speak the word in the district of
Asia”; nor were they permitted to
go into Bithynia. We do not know
exactly how the spirit prevent-
ed their going into those places,
yet it is clear that the spirit led
Paul into the vast field of Europe.
He received a vision of a Macedo-
nian man pleading for help. (Acts
16:6-10) Today, Jehovah’s spirit is
likewise directing the worldwide
preaching. w10 3/15 2:10-12
Sunday, October 30
The dragon grew wrathful at
the woman, and went off to
wage war with the remaining
ones of her seed, who observe
the commandments of God and
have the work of bearing wit-
ness to Jesus.—Rev. 12:17.
The apostle John saw an “an-
gel flying in midheaven, and he
had everlasting good news to de-
clare as glad tidings to those who
dwell on the earth.” (Rev. 14:6)
Jehovah’s servants are thus as-
sured of angelic backing as they
preach the good news of the es-
tablished Kingdom despite the
Devil’s vicious opposition. To-
day, angels do not lead us to
honesthearted ones by speak-
ing to us as an angel spoke to
Philip and directed him to the
Ethiopian eunuch. (Acts 8:26-29)
However, many modern-day ex-
periences give evidence that an-
gels behind the scenes are sup-
porting our Kingdom-preaching
work and guiding us to those
“rightly disposed for everlast-
ing life.” (Acts 13:48) How im-
portant it is, then, to share in
the ministry regularly!—John 4:
23, 24. w09 5/15 3:17, 18
 Monday, October 31
You must love your neighbor as
yourself.—Matt. 22:39.
That love (a·gape in Greek) is
a moral love that takes into ac-
count duty, principle, and pro-
priety, but it can be warm and
intense. (1 Pet. 1:22) It is reflect-
ed in selfless words and deeds.
(1 Cor. 13:4-7) Because love is
a product of God’s holy spirit,
it enables true Christians to do
what others cannot do, such as
overcome racial, cultural, and po-
litical barriers. (John 13:34, 35;
Tuesday, November 1
The two will be one flesh.
—Matt. 19:5.
Marriage is a relationship that
requires a high level of commit-
ment. Two people who mere-
ly live together without getting
married can never enjoy real se-
curity; neither can their children.
But partners who are committed
to each other in honorable mar-
riage have an impelling Scriptur-
al reason for striving to resolve
their difficulties with love when
problems arise. (Matt. 19:6; 1 Cor.
13:7, 8; Heb. 13:4) In Bible times,
people benefited from having
binding contracts in business and
employment. (Matt. 20:1, 2, 8)
Today, the same holds true. For
example, we benefit from having
a binding written agreement, or
written contract, before we begin
a business venture or start work-
ing as an employee in a company.
Hence, if commitment enhances
relationships such as friendship,
marriage, and employment, how
much more will making an un-
reserved dedication benefit you
in your relationship with Jeho-
vah! w10 1/15 1:6, 7
Gal. 5:22) Sheeplike ones cannot
help but be moved when they see
such love. For example, when a
young Jewish man in Israel at-
tended his first Christian meet-
ing, he was amazed to see Jewish
and Arab brothers worshipping
Jehovah side by side. As a re-
sult, he began to attend meetings
regularly and accepted a Bible
study. Do you show such heart-
felt love to your brothers? And
do you make it a point to extend
a warm welcome to newcomers
at your Kingdom Hall, regardless
of their nationality, skin color, or
social standing? w10 1/15 3:18, 19
Wednesday, November 2
For everything there is an ap-
pointed time.—Eccl. 3:1.
When we are being represent-
ed in public prayer, we need to
display reverential “fear of God.”
(1 Pet. 2:17) There may be a prop-
er time and place for some ac-
tions that would be inappropriate
at a Christian meeting. For in-
stance, suppose someone sought
to have all in a group link arms or
hold hands during such a prayer.
This might offend or distract
some, including visitors who do
not share our beliefs. Some mar-
riage mates might discreetly hold
hands, but if they embraced each
other during public prayer, those
who got a glimpse of such con-
duct might be stumbled. They
might think or get the impres-
sion that the couple was focusing
on their romantic relationship
instead of reverence for Jeho-
vah. Out of deep respect for him,
let us therefore “do all things
for God’s glory” and avoid con-
duct that could distract, shock,
or stumble anyone.—1 Cor. 10:31,
32; 2 Cor. 6:3. w09 11/15 1:19
 Thursday, November 3
Follow the course of hospitality.
—Rom. 12:13.
Hospitality is sometimes ex-
pressed by inviting someone for a
meal, and when this is done in
love, it is commendable. But if
we show initiative, we will dis-
cover many other ways of being
hospitable. For one thing, if our
means or our strength do not al-
low us to invite others for a meal,
sharing a cup of coffee, tea, or
some other beverage is also a
way of showing hospitality. Chris-
tians who strive to learn anoth-
er language so as to preach the
good news among foreigners who
have moved into the territory of
their congregation can truly be
counted among those who are fol-
lowing the course of hospitality.
Of course, many of us are not in
a position to learn another lan-
guage. Still, all of us can have a
meaningful share in helping for-
eigners by making good use of
our booklet Good News for Peo-
ple of All Nations, which contains
a Bible message in many lan-
guages. w09 10/15 1:12-14
Friday, November 4
O the depth of God’s riches and
wisdom and knowledge! How
unsearchable his judgments are
and past tracing out his ways
are!—Rom. 11:33.
Immediately after Adam and
Eve sinned, Jehovah revealed the
way that he would undo all the
bad effects caused by their rebel-
lion. (Gen. 3:15) Such immediate
action, as well as his progressive-
ly revealing details of this pur-
pose to his servants, brought Je-
hovah’s wisdom into sharp focus.
Nothing can impede God’s abili-
ty to handle matters successfully.
In a world marked by immorality,
war, unreasonableness, disobe-
dience, mercilessness, partiality,
and hypocrisy, Jehovah has had
ample opportunity to demon-
strate to his creatures what real
wisdom is. The disciple James
said: “The wisdom from above is
first of all chaste, then peace-
able, reasonable, ready to obey,
full of mercy and good fruits,
not making p artial distinc-
tions, not hypocritical.”—Jas.
3:17. w10 1/15 4:14
Saturday, November 5
I am making all things new.
—Rev. 21:5.
Those who have not as yet
made a definite decision in fa-
vor of Jehovah should prayer-
fully consider the benefits that
God’s way of ruling will bring to
mankind. Human rule has been
unable to solve the problem of
crime, including terrorism. God’s
rule will remove all the wicked
from the earthly scene. (Ps. 37:1,
2, 9) Man’s rule has led to inces-
sant warfare, but God’s rule will
make “wars to cease to the ex-
tremity of the earth.” (Ps. 46:9)
Why, God’s rule will even restore
peace between humans and an-
imals! (Isa. 11:6-9) Poverty and
hunger have been constant fea-
tures under human rule, but
God’s rule will eliminate them.
(Isa. 65:21) Under God’s rule, the
old and the sick will delight in a
return to youthful vigor. (Job 33:
25; Isa. 35:5, 6) Indeed, the earth
will become a paradise in which
there will even be a resurrection
of the dead.—Luke 23:43; Acts
24:15. w10 1/15 5:16, 17
 Sunday, November 6
He spoke with boldness . . . ,
giving talks and using persua-
sion.—Acts 19:8.
To “persuade” means to “win
over.” The one persuaded is “so
convinced that [he] puts confi-
dence in someth[ing].” When we
persuade a person to accept a
Bible teaching, we are winning
him over to place his trust in that
teaching. To accomplish this, we
need to convince our listener of
the truthfulness of what we say.
When you introduce a scripture,
focus attention on the impor-
tance of knowing God’s think-
ing on the subject. After posing a
question and getting the house-
holder’s response, you may want
to say something to this effect,
‘Let us see how we can get God’s
mind on the matter.’ Or you
might ask, ‘What does God have
to say about this situation?’ In-
troducing the text in this way
emphasizes that the Bible is from
God and helps build high regard
for it in the mind of the listener.
w10 2/15 2:14, 15
Monday, November 7
Your people will be my people,
and your God my God.
—Ruth 1:16.
As a girl, Ruth had probably
worshipped Chemosh and the
other gods of Moab, but she came
to know the true God, Jehovah,
and she married an Israelite who
had come to take refuge in her
land. (Ruth 1:1-6) Later, as Ruth
and her sister-in-law, Orpah,
started out with their mother-in-
law, Naomi, for Bethlehem, Na-
omi urged the two young wom-
en to return home. It would not
be easy for them to settle in Is-
rael. Orpah indeed “returned to
her people and her gods,” but
Ruth did not. (Ruth 1:15) She
acted on her faith and knew
to whom she wanted to belong.
She told Naomi: “Do not plead
with me to abandon you, to turn
back from accompanying you;
for where you go I shall go, and
where you spend the night I shall
spend the night.” Because of her
choice to serve Jehovah, Ruth
benefited from God’s Law, which
made special provision for wid-
ows and for the poor and land-
less. Under Jehovah’s wings, she
found happiness, protection, and
security. w10 1/15 2:4
Tuesday, November 8
The women telling the good
news are a large army.
—Ps. 68:11.
By having a full share in the
ministry and by willingly mak-
ing sacrifices for that work, sis-
ters prove that they treasure
their role in the congregation.
In writing to Titus, Paul stat-
ed: “Let the aged women be rev-
erent in behavior, . . . teachers
of what is good; that they may
recall the young women to their
senses to love their husbands, to
love their children, to be sound in
mind, chaste, workers at home,
good, subjecting themselves to
their own husbands, so that the
word of God may not be spoken
of abusively.” (Titus 2:3-5) What
a force for good the mature sis-
ters in the congregation can be!
By respecting the brothers who
take the lead and by making wise
decisions in such areas of life as
dress and grooming and enter-
tainment, they set a fine example
for others and show a high regard
for their own place in the congre-
gation. w09 11/15 3:13, 14
 Wednesday, November 9
Do not let yourself be conquered
by the evil, but keep conquering
the evil with the good.
—Rom. 12:21.
The apostle Paul knew from his
own experience that a persecu-
tor can become a faithful disci-
ple of Christ and a zealous ser-
vant of Jehovah. (Gal. 1:13-16,
23) In another letter, Paul stat-
ed: “When being reviled, we bless;
when being persecuted, we bear
up; when being defamed, we en-
treat.” (1 Cor. 4:12, 13) Accord-
ingly, a true Christian will heed
the words of today’s text. The
source of all evil is Satan the Dev-
il. (John 8:44; 1 John 5:19) Jesus
revealed that his anointed broth-
ers have “conquered [Satan] be-
cause of the blood of the Lamb
and because of the word of their
witnessing.” (Rev. 12:11) This
shows that the best way to con-
quer Satan and the evil influence
he is exercising over the present
system of things is to do good by
our work of witnessing, preach-
ing the good news of the King-
dom. w09 10/15 2:13-15
Thursday, November 10
Every good tree produces fine
fruit, but every rotten tree pro-
duces worthless fruit.
—Matt. 7:17.
Jesus said that those false-
ly professing to serve him would
be distinguished from his true
followers by their fruits—their
teachings and their conduct.
(Matt. 7:15, 16, 20) Indeed, peo-
ple are inevitably influenced by
what they take into their
mind and heart. (Matt. 15:18, 19)
Those who are fed falsehoods
produce “worthless fruit,” where-
as those who are taught spir-
itual truth produce “fine fruit.”
The two kinds of fruits have be-
come clearly manifest during this
time of the end. (Dan. 12:3, 10)
False Christians have a distort-
ed view of God and often a hyp-
ocritical form of godly devotion,
whereas those having spiritual
insight worship God “with spirit
and truth.” (John 4:24; 2 Tim. 3:
1-5) Ask yourself: ‘Do my conduct
and teachings clearly harmonize
with God’s Word? Do I beauti-
fy the truth in the eyes of those
searching for it?’ w10 1/15 3:1, 2
Friday, November 11
Fo rgi v e w ha t ev e r you h a v e
against anyone; in order that
your Father who is in the heavens
may also forgive you.
—Mark 11:25.
Though you were baptized in
the name of the Son, you are
keenly aware of your own sin-
ful inclinations. That awareness
is helpful every day. For exam-
ple, if someone offends you, do
you bear in mind that both of you
are sinners? You both need God’s
forgiveness, and you should both
be forgiving. To emphasize this
need, Jesus gave an illustration:
The master of a slave canceled
his debt of ten thousand talents
(60 million denarii). Later, that
slave would not release his fel-
low slave who owed him 100 de-
narii. Jesus then made this point:
Jehovah will not forgive the one
who does not forgive his broth-
er. (Matt. 18:23-35) Yes, being
baptized in the name of the Son
means recognizing Jesus’ author-
ity and striving to follow his ex-
ample and teachings, including
that of being willing to forgive
others.—1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6.
w10 3/15 1:12
 Saturday, November 12
The word of God is alive and
exerts power.—Heb. 4:12.
What p ower God’s word, or
message, has! In a figurative
sense, the message emanating
from the Bible is sharper than
any man-made sword, for it figu-
ratively pierces to the dividing of
bones and their marrow. Scrip-
tural truth reaches the inner-
most part of a person and pene-
trates his thoughts and emotions,
exposing what he really is on
the inside. That truth can exert
its transforming power and can
bring about genuine changes in
a person. (Col. 3:10) Yes, God’s
Word can change lives! Moreover,
the Bible is a book of match-
less wisdom. It contains helpful
information that can show peo-
ple how to live in this complex
world. (Ps. 119:105) It is a tre-
mendous help when we are deal-
ing with problems or are mak-
ing decisions about our choice of
friends, entertainment, employ-
ment, dress, and so forth.—Ps.
37:25; Prov. 13:20; John 15:14;
1 Tim. 2:9. w10 2/15 2:4, 5
Sunday, November 13
Our being adequately qualified
issues from God.—2 Cor. 3:5.
As an ordained minister, you
have a ministr y to p erform.
(Rom. 10:14) You may not feel
fully qualified to shoulder such
a responsibility. But, as is the
case of the anointed, it is God
who qualifies you. You can live
up to your dedication by doing
your best and relying on God’s
spirit. Granted, it is not easy
for us imperfect humans to live
up to our dedication to our per-
fect God, Jehovah. One complica-
tion is that some with whom you
once associated may be puzzled
at your new way of life and may
‘speak abusively of you.’ (1 Pet.
4:4) Yet, do not overlook the fact
that you have since cultivated
new friendships, the most impor-
tant being with Jehovah and Je-
sus Christ. (Jas. 2:21-23) It is also
vital to get to know the broth-
ers and sisters in your local con-
gregation, part of “the whole as-
sociation of brothers” throughout
the world.—1 Pet. 2:17; Prov. 17:
17. w10 3/15 2:14, 15
Monday, November 14
Make friends for yourselves by
means of the unrighteous rich-
es, so that, when such fail, they
may receive you into the ever-
lasting dwelling places.
—Luke 16:9.
One way that those of the oth-
er sheep class can help Christ’s
brothers is by financially sup-
porting the preaching work. Je-
sus encouraged his followers to
make friends for themselves by
means of “the unrighteous rich-
es.” Not that we can buy friend-
ship with Jesus or Jehovah. Rath-
er, by using our material assets
to further Kingdom interests, we
prove our friendship and love, not
just in word, but “in deed and
truth.” (1 John 3:16-18) We pro-
vide such financial support when
we engage in the preaching work,
when we donate money toward
the construction and mainte-
nance of our meeting facilities,
and when we contribute funds
toward the worldwide preach-
ing work. Whether the amount
we contribute is small or great,
both Jehovah and Jesus certain-
ly appreciate our cheerful giving.
—2 Cor. 9:7. w09 10/15 3:17
 Tuesday, November 15
The drawing near to God is
good for me.—Ps. 73:28.
We cannot fully enjoy the ben-
efits of being a member of Je-
hovah’s family without making a
vow of dedication. So we dedi-
cate ourselves to God because, in
spite of our imperfection, we de-
sire to belong to him and are re-
solved to be loyal to him, come
what may. (Matt. 22:37) When
we dedicate ourselves to God,
we perform an act of faith. Why
is that so? Our faith in Jehovah
makes us confident that drawing
close to God is good for us. We
know that it will not always be
easy to walk with God while liv-
ing among “a crooked and twist-
ed generation,” but we trust in
God’s promise to support us in
our efforts. (Phil. 2:15; 4:13) We
know that we are imperfect, but
we are confident that Jehovah
will deal mercifully with us even
when we make mistakes. (Ps. 103:
13, 14; Rom. 7:21-25) We have
faith that Jehovah will reward
our resolve to keep our integrity.
—Job 27:5. w10 1/15 1:14, 15
Wednesday, November 16
What actually will there be for
us?—Matt. 19:27.
Peter wanted to know what the
future held for him and for Je-
sus’ other disciples. To devote
themselves fully to the Kingdom-
preaching work, they had made
important sacrifices. (Matt. 4:18-
22) What assurance did Jesus give
them? Jesus indicated that his
disciples would be part of a spir-
itual brotherhood. He said: “No
one has left house or brothers
or sisters or mother or father or
children or fields for my sake and
for the sake of the good news who
will not get a hundredfold now in
this period of time, houses and
brothers and sisters and moth-
ers and children and fields, with
persecutions, and in the coming
system of things everlasting life.”
(Mark 10:29, 30) First-century
Christians, such as Lydia, Aquila,
Priscilla, and Gaius, were among
those who provided “houses” and
became “brothers and sisters and
mothers” to fellow believers, as
Jesus had promised.—Acts 16:14,
15; 18:2-4; 3 John 1, 5-8. w10 2/15
4:7, 8
Thursday, November 17
All those taking refuge in [Jeho-
vah] will rejoice; to time indef-
inite they will cry out joyfully.
—Ps. 5:11.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are not im-
mune to the calamities that be-
fall mankind in general. Many of
God’s people have been victims
of crime, war, and other injus-
tices. Natural disasters, poverty,
sickness, and death cause much
distress. (Rom. 8:22) We are also
victims of our own imperfection.
(Ps. 38:4) And, like Jesus, true
Christians are hated and perse-
cuted. (Matt. 10:22, 23; John 15:
20; 16:2) Does this mean that true
Christians pursue a life devoid
of joy and happiness? Should our
lives be marked only by sadness
and grief until the end comes?
Clearly, Jehovah wants us to be
happy as we await the fulfillment
of his promises. Time and again,
the Bible describes true worship-
pers as happy people. (Isa. 65:13,
14) Yes, it is possible to experi-
ence considerable joy, peace of
mind, and contentment even in
the midst of calamities. w09 12/15
2:1-3
 Friday, November 18
Euodia I exhort and Syntyche I
exhort to be of the same mind in
the Lord.—Phil. 4:2.
Euodia and Syntyche, two
Christian sisters in ancient Phi-
lippi, apparently had some dif-
ficulty in resolving a problem that
arose between them. A heated
dispute between Paul and Bar-
nabas became public knowledge
and resulted in their going sepa-
rate ways for a while. (Acts 15:37-
39) These accounts show that
true worshippers are not im-
mune to disagreements. Jehovah
provides us with help to resolve
conflicts and restore friendships.
But he requires something of us.
Imagine that you and a friend are
going to take a trip by automo-
bile. Before you can begin your
journey, you must put a key into
the ignition and start the car’s
engine. The process of resolving
personal differences is also start-
ed with a key. The key is hu-
mility. (Jas. 4:10) That key allows
those at odds with each other to
begin applying Bible principles.
w09 11/15 4:15, 16
Saturday, November 19
The spirit and the bride keep on
saying: “Come!”—Rev. 22:17.
The anointed followers of
Christ have been extending that
invitation since as far back as
1918. In that year, the public
talk entitled “Millions Now Living
May Never Die” offered hope that
many will gain life in a paradise
earth after the battle of Arma-
geddon. A talk given at the con-
vention of Bible Students at Ce-
dar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., in 1922
urged listeners to ‘advertise the
King and his kingdom.’ This ap-
peal helped the remnant of the
bride class to reach more peo-
ple with the invitation. In 1929,
the March 15 issue of The Watch-
tower contained an article enti-
tled “Gracious Invitation.” In
part, the article stated: “The
faithful remnant class join [the
Most High] in the gracious invita-
tion and say, ‘Come.’ This mes-
sage is to be proclaimed to those
who have a desire for righteous-
ness and truth. It must be done
now.” To this day, the bride class
continues to extend that invita-
tion. w10 2/15 3:8
Sunday, November 20
Jehovah, give attention to their
threats, and grant your slaves
to keep speaking your word
with all boldness.—Acts 4:29.
After the apostle Paul and his
companions had been ‘insolently
treated in Philippi,’ how did they
‘muster up boldness’ to speak
to those in Thessalonica? “By
means of our God,” wrote Paul.
(1 Thess. 2:2) Jehovah God can
dispel our fears and give us simi-
lar boldness. When challenged by
“rulers [of the people] and old-
er men and scribes,” the apos-
tles Peter and John said: “Wheth-
er it is righteous in the sight
of God to listen to you rather
than to God, judge for your-
selves. But as for us, we cannot
stop speaking about the things
we have seen and heard.” Rather
than praying to God for persecu-
tion to stop, they and fellow be-
lievers made supplication, saying
the words of today’s text. Jeho-
vah helped them muster up bold-
ness by means of his spirit. (Acts
4:5, 19, 20, 31) God’s spirit can do
the same for us. w10 2/15 1:4, 5
 Monday, November 21
I have put life and death before
you, the blessing and the male-
diction; and you must choose life
in order that you may keep alive,
you and your offspring, by loving
Jehovah your God, by listening to
his voice and by sticking to him.
—Deut. 30:19, 20.
Israel proved unfaithful to
God, but the three basic require-
ments for life cited by Moses have
not changed. They were restated
by Jesus and others. First, ‘we
must love Jehovah our God.’ We
demonstrate that we love God by
acting in accord with his righ-
teous ways. (Matt. 22:37) Sec-
ond, ‘we must listen to Jeho-
vah’s voice’ by studying God’s
Word and obeying his command-
ments. (1 John 5:3) This calls for
our regular presence at Chris-
tian meetings, where the Bible is
discussed. (Heb. 10:23-25) Third,
‘we must stick to Jehovah.’ Re-
gardless of what we must face, let
us always exercise faith in God
and follow his Son.—2 Cor. 4:16-
18. w10 2/15 4:16, 17
Tuesday, November 22
The kingdom of God will be tak-
en from you and be given to a na-
tion producing its fruits.
—Matt. 21:43.
The apostle Peter clearly iden-
tified this new nation. He wrote
the following to his fellow Chris-
tians: “You are ‘a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for special possession,
that you should declare abroad
the excellencies’ of the one that
called you out of darkness into
his wonderful light.” (1 Pet. 2:9)
As foretold, natural Jews who ac-
cepted Jesus as the Messiah were
the first members of that new
nation. (Dan. 9:27a; Matt. 10:6)
Later, many non-Israelites were
also included in this nation, for
Peter went on to say: “You were
once not a people, but are now
God’s people.” (1 Pet. 2:10) This
new nation is made up of anoint-
ed Christians, who have the heav-
enly hope. They are “the Israel of
God.” (Gal. 6:16) In a vision, the
apostle John saw that these spir-
itual Israelites number 144,000.
—Rev. 14:1, 4; 20:6. w10 3/15 4:2-4
Wednesday, November 23
God recommends his own love to
us in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
—Rom. 5:8.
By studying the Scriptures and
progressively taking in knowl-
edge of Jehovah, we can grow
in appreciation for his attributes
—his justice, p ower, wisdom
and, above all, superlative love.
Jehovah manifests justice in all
his ways and in his perfect law.
(Deut. 32:4; Ps. 19:7) We can re-
flect on all of Jehovah’s creative
works and be in awe of his su-
perior wisdom. (Ps. 104:24) The
universe also gives proof that Je-
hovah is the Source of dynam-
ic energy and inexhaustible pow-
er. (Isa. 40:26) What can be said
about God’s dominant quality,
his love? It is expansive and af-
fects us all. He expressed that
love in providing the ransom for
mankind’s redemption. This pro-
vision is available to the whole
world of mankind. (John 3:16, 36)
God’s offering Jesus as a propitia-
tory sacrifice for our sins ought
to stir love within us in return.
w09 12/15 4:5, 6
 Thursday, November 24
I need not be considered! God
will announce welfare to Pha-
raoh.—Gen. 41:16.
Godly parents in Bible times
made sure that their children
learned basic points of courtesy
in the home. Consider the polite
way in which Abraham and his
son Isaac addressed each other at
Genesis 22:7. The good training
from his parents was evident also
in the case of Joseph. When im-
prisoned, he was courteous even
to his fellow prisoners. (Gen. 40:
8, 14) His words to Pharaoh show
that he had learned the prop-
er way to address a person of
high office. (Gen. 41:33, 34) The
Ten Commandments given to the
sons of Israel included this com-
mand: “Honor your father and
your mother in order that your
days may prove long upon the
ground that Jehovah your God is
giving you.” (Ex. 20:12) One way
for children to honor their par-
ents was by having good man-
ners at home. Jephthah’s daugh-
ter showed outstanding respect
for her father by complying with
his vow in a very trialsome situa-
tion.—Judg. 11:35-40. w09 11/15
5:14, 15
Friday, November 25
Let us work what is good to-
ward all, but especially toward
those related to us in the faith.
—Gal. 6:10.
When Bible students are aban-
doned by former friends who
have no love for God, members
of the congregation can fill the
void. What, though, if a friend in-
side the congregation decides to
turn his or her back on Jehovah,
perhaps needing to be disfellow-
shipped? Such a circumstance
can be very distressing. Describ-
ing her reaction when a close
friend stopped serving Jehovah,
one sister said: “I felt as if some-
thing inside of me died. I thought
my friend was firmly grounded
in the truth, but she was not. I
wondered if she had been serving
Jehovah just to please her fami-
ly. I then began to reassess my
own motives. Was I serving Jeho-
vah for the right reasons?” How
did this sister cope? “I threw my
burden on Jehovah,” she says. “I
am determined to show Jehovah
that I love him for who he is, not
just because he provides me with
friends inside his organization.”
w09 10/15 4:14, 15
Saturday, November 26
Those who embraced his word
heartily were baptized, and on
that day about three thousand
souls were added.—Acts 2:41.
Jehovah wants us to enjoy the
best way of life. People can live
in various ways, but only one
way is the best. We can do noth-
ing better with our life than con-
form to God’s Word and learn
from his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus
taught his followers to worship
God with spirit and truth, and he
commissioned them to make dis-
ciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20; John 4:
24) By living in harmony with Je-
sus’ instructions, we please Jeho-
vah and enjoy His blessing. When
those “rightly disposed for ever-
lasting life” become believers and
get baptized, we have sound rea-
sons to say to them, “Welcome to
the best way of life!” (Acts 13:48)
During the first century of our
Common Era, thousands of peo-
ple from different nations em-
braced the truth and gave public
evidence of their devotion to God
by being baptized. w10 2/15 4:1, 2
 Sunday, November 27
When they beheld the outspoken-
ness of Peter and John, . . . they
got to wondering.—Acts 4:13.
Holy spirit is the most powerful
force in the universe, and it can
empower humans to do Jehovah’s
will. Under its influence, the first-
century Christians accomplished
a tremendous preaching work.
They preached the good news “in
all creation that is under heav-
en.” (Col. 1:23) When we consider
that most of them were “unlet-
tered and ordinary,” it becomes
obvious that they were motivated
by a stronger force. Living in a
way that allows holy spirit to di-
rect our lives can also motivate us
to carry out our ministry coura-
geously. The combined benefits of
constantly praying for the spirit,
diligently engaging in meaningful
personal study, prayerfully medi-
tating on what we read, and reg-
ularly attending Christian meet-
ings can help us to be “aglow with
the spirit.”—Rom. 12:11. w10 2/15
1:13, 14
Monday, November 28
Keep walking by spirit.
—Gal. 5:16.
“Walking by spirit” involves ac-
cepting the action of the holy
spirit upon you, allowing the
holy spirit to influence you. You
might say that it means to be gov-
erned by the holy spirit in your
daily activities. Galatians chap-
ter 5 brings out the contrast be-
tween being under the influence
of the holy spirit and that of the
flesh. (Gal. 5:17, 18) If you are un-
der the influence of the holy spir-
it, you seek to refrain from the
works of the flesh. Those include
such things as “fornication, un-
cleanness, loose conduct, idola-
try, practice of spiritism, enmi-
ties, strife, jealousy, fits of anger,
contentions, divisions, sects, en-
vies, drunken bouts, revelries.”
(Gal. 5:19-21) In a sense, you “put
the practices of the body to death
by the spirit.” (Rom. 8:5, 13) It
will help to set your mind on the
things of the spirit and cooperate
with its leadings, rather than let
yourself be controlled by fleshly
desires. w10 3/15 2:4, 5
Tuesday, November 29
Hilkiah the priest found the
book of Jehovah’s law.
—2 Chron. 34:14.
Hilkiah handed the book to the
royal secretary Shaphan who,
in turn, began to read its con-
tents to Josiah. (2 Chron. 34:14-
18) What was the effect? The king
immediately ripped his garments
apart in grief and instructed the
men to consult Jehovah. Through
the prophetess Huldah, God pro-
vided a message condemning
some of the religious practices
that had been carried on in Ju-
dah. Yet, Josiah’s good efforts to
remove idolatrous practices were
noted, and he remained in Je-
hovah’s favor despite the calami-
ties predicted for the nation as a
whole. (2 Chron. 34:19-28) Sure-
ly our desire is the same as Jo-
siah’s was. We want to respond
to Jehovah’s direction promptly,
taking to heart the warning ex-
ample of what can happen if we
allow apostasy and unfaithful-
ness to encroach on our worship.
And we can be confident that Je-
hovah will note with approval our
zeal for true worship, just as he
did in Josiah’s case. w09 6/15 1:20
 Wednesday, November 30
He will give his own angels a
command concerning you, to
guard you in all your ways.
—Ps. 91:11.
Satan has trapped many with a
selfish desire for independence.
(2 Cor. 11:3) He catches others
by promoting greed, pride, and
materialism. Still others he mis-
leads by such philosophies as pa-
triotism, evolution, and false reli-
gion. (Col. 2:8) And many have
been lured into the trap of illic-
Thursday, December 1
You, too, widen out.
—2 Cor. 6:13.
Have you ever felt that there
is just no one in your congrega-
tion whom you can befriend? If
so, could it be that you are re-
stricting your view of who can
be a friend? (Rom. 11:13) Paul
did not restrict his friendships
to those of his own age group.
For instance, he and Timothy be-
came close friends despite a dif-
ference in age and background.
Today, many young ones treasure
the friendships they have formed
with older members of the con-
gregation. “I have a very dear
friend who is in her 50’s,” says
Vanessa, who is in her early 20’s.
“I can tell her anything that I can
tell friends my age. And she cares
about me so much.” How are
such friendships formed? Vanes-
sa says: “I had to seek this friend-
ship out and not just wait for it to
come to me.” Are you willing to
build friendships with those out-
side your age bracket? Jehovah
will certainly reward you for your
efforts. w09 10/15 4:9, 10
it sex relations. Such spiritual-
ly harmful plagues have caused
millions to lose their love for
God. (Ps. 91:7-10; Matt. 24:12)
How comforting it is to know that
heavenly angels guide and pro-
tect us so that we can preach
the good news. (Rev. 14:6) Also,
“the faithful and discreet slave”
provides spiritual food to protect
us against the teaching of evolu-
tion, the enticement of immoral
desires, the pursuit of riches and
prominence, and numerous other
harmful desires and influences.
—Matt. 24:45. w10 1/15 2:12, 13
Friday, December 2
Jehovah . . . , cause it to hap-
pen, please.—Gen. 24:12.
Bible study makes it evident
that you should always pray for
God’s guidance. Consider what
happened when the patriarch
Abraham sent his eldest servant
—likely Eliezer—to Mesopota-
mia to obtain a God-fearing wife
for Isaac. As women drew wa-
ter at a certain well, the servant
prayed to Jehovah: “What must
occur is that the young woman to
whom I shall say, ‘Let your water
jar down, please, that I may take
a drink,’ and who will indeed say,
‘Take a drink, and I shall also wa-
ter your camels,’ this is the one
you must assign to your servant,
to Isaac.” (Gen. 24:13, 14) The
prayer of Abraham’s servant was
answered when Rebekah watered
his camels. She soon accompa-
nied him to Canaan and became
Isaac’s beloved wife. Of course,
you cannot expect God to give
you a special sign. Yet, he will
guide you in life if you pray and
are determined to be led by his
spirit.—Gal. 5:18. w09 11/15 2:3, 4
 Saturday, December 3
Let anyone hearing say:
“Come!”—Rev. 22:17.
Those who hear the invitation
to “come” are invited to say,
“Come!” in resp onse. For ex -
ample, the August 1, 1932, is-
sue of The Watchtower stated on
page 232: “Let the anointed en-
courage all who will to take part
in telling the good news of the
kingdom. They do not have to
be anointed of the Lord in order
to declare the Lord’s message. It
is a great comfort to Jehovah’s
witnesses to now know that they
are permitted to carry the waters
of life to a class of people that
may be taken through Armaged-
don and given everlasting life on
the earth.” In 1935, the identity
of the “great crowd” mentioned
at Revelation 7:9-17 was made
clear. And these, having appre-
ciatively heard the message, have
made a dedication to God, under-
gone water baptism, and joined
the bride class in actively inviting
others to ‘come and drink life’s
water free.’ w10 2/15 3:9, 10
Sunday, December 4
It will not turn out well at all
with the wicked one.
—Eccl. 8:13.
Sooner or later the wicked will
have to be brought to justice.
(Prov. 5:22; Eccl. 8:12) That is
comforting news, especially for
those who love righteousness
and who have suffered injus-
tice and mistreatment at the
hands of the wicked. Foremost
among the wicked who will be
brought to justice is Satan the
Devil. (John 8:44) Back in Eden,
Satan, consumed by feelings of
self-importance, caused humans
to reject Jehovah’s way of govern-
ing. As a result, our first parents
joined Satan in challenging Jeho-
vah’s rightful authority and be-
came sinners in His sight. (Rom.
5:12-14) Of course, Jehovah knew
how their disrespectful and re-
bellious course would turn out
for them. However, that inevita-
ble outcome had to be made ob-
vious to all intelligent creatures.
Hence, time was needed to set-
tle the issue and to demonstrate
convincingly that the rebels were
utterly wrong. w10 1/15 4:1, 2
Monday, December 5
My food is for me to do the will
of him that sent me and to fin-
ish his work.—John 4:34.
Being dedicated to Jehovah re-
sults in happiness because it in-
volves the giving of ourselves. Je-
sus stated a basic truth when he
said: “There is more happiness
in giving than there is in receiv-
ing.” (Acts 20:35) Jesus fully ex-
perienced the happiness of giv-
ing during his earthly ministry.
When necessary, he went without
rest, food, and comfort so that
he could help others to find the
road to life. Jesus found delight
in making his Father’s heart re-
joice. Jesus said: “I always do the
things pleasing to him.” (John 8:
29; Prov. 27:11) Thus, Jesus point-
ed his followers toward a satisfy-
ing way of life when he said: “If
anyone wants to come after me,
let him disown himself.” (Matt.
16:24) Doing so draws us closer
to Jehovah. Could we place our-
selves in the hands of anyone else
who could care for us more lov-
ingly? w10 1/15 1:16, 17
 Tuesday, December 6
Rejoice with people who rejoice;
weep with people who weep.
—Rom. 12:15.
Paul’s counsel in this verse can
be summed up in two words:
Show empathy. We need to learn
to understand and even share an-
other person’s feelings. If we are
aglow with the spirit, our feel-
ings of shared joy or compassion
will be evident. When 70 disciples
of Christ returned joyfully from a
preaching campaign and related
the good results of their work, Je-
sus himself “became overjoyed in
the holy spirit.” (Luke 10:17-21)
He shared their joy. On the oth-
er hand, Jesus ‘wept with peo-
ple who were weeping’ when his
friend Lazarus died. (John 11:32-
35) We want to follow Jesus’ ex-
ample of showing empathy. When
a fellow Christian rejoices, we
wish to share his or her joy. Simi-
larly, we should be sensitive to
the pains and heartaches of our
brothers and sisters. Often, we
can bring much relief to fellow
believers who are suffering emo-
tional pain if we take the time to
listen to them with a truly sym-
pathetic ear. w09 10/15 1:15, 16
Wednesday, December 7
Put on the new personality.
—Eph. 4:24.
In line with your wholeheart-
ed dedication to God, you want
to imitate Jesus to the best of
your ability. This involves con-
tinuing to work at putting away
the old personality and putting
on the new. (Eph. 4:20-23) When
you come to respect a friend, you
likely try to learn from his ex-
ample and good qualities. Like-
wise, you want to learn from
Christ and imitate him. You also
need to respect the way Jesus di-
rects those dedicated to Jehovah.
Christ is using imperfect humans
in the local congregation, partic-
ularly the spiritually older men,
the appointed elders. The provi-
sion of having such men appoint-
ed is “with a view to the readjust-
ment of the holy ones, . . . for the
building up of the body of the
Christ.” (Eph. 4:11, 12) Even if an
imperfect human makes a mis-
take, Jesus as King of the heav-
enly Kingdom is able to handle
the matter in his time and way.
Do you believe that? w10 3/15 1:
13, 14
Thursday, December 8
You people will again certain-
ly see the distinction between a
righteous one and a wicked one,
between one serving God and
one who has not served him.
—Mal. 3:18.
As you reflect on those words,
ask yourself: ‘Do I blend in with
the world, or do I stand out as
different? Do I always strive to
fit in with my secular associates,
whether at school or at work, or
do I remain firm for Bible princi-
ples, even speaking up when
appropriate?’ (1 Pet. 3:16) Of
course, we do not want to appear
self-righteous, but we should
stand out as different from those
who do not love and serve Je-
hovah. If you see room for im-
provement, why not pray about
the matter and seek spiritual
strength through regular Bible
study, prayer, and meeting atten-
dance? The more God’s Word be-
comes a part of you, the more you
will produce “fine fruit,” includ-
ing “the fruit of lips which make
public declaration to [God’s]
name.”—Matt. 7:17; Heb. 13:15.
w10 1/15 3:4, 5
 Friday, December 9
Rejoice in the hope. Endure un-
der tribulation. Persevere in
prayer.—Rom. 12:12.
Romans chapter 12 gives us
abundant counsel on how we
should react to opposition. We
should not retaliate in kind.
We should try to overcome oppo-
sition with acts of kindness. To
the extent possible, without vio-
lating Bible principles, we should
endeavor to live peaceably with
all men. Even when faced with
outright hostility, we do our best
to conquer evil with good, re-
membering that vengeance be-
longs to Jehovah. In addition to
all this wise, practical counsel,
Paul gives three admonitions.
Since we could never do all these
things without Jehovah’s help,
the apostle advises us to “per-
severe in prayer.” This will en-
able us to follow his further coun-
sel to “endure under tribulation.”
Finally, we need to keep our
minds fixed on the future that Je-
hovah holds in store for us and
to “rejoice in the hope” of ever-
lasting life, be it in heaven or on
earth. w09 10/15 2:17, 18
Saturday, December 10
God is love.—1 John 4:8.
The fear-inspiring and wonder-
ful way in which we are made
bears witness to God’s love. Je-
hovah also lovingly provided hu-
mans with a beautiful home con-
taining everything necessar y
for their happiness. (Gen. 1:
29-31; 2:8, 9; Ps. 139:14-16) But
once wickedness was introduced
into the human family, Jeho-
vah expressed his love in new
ways. How? The apostle John
quotes Jesus as saying: “God
loved the world so much that
he gave his only-begotten Son,
in order that everyone exercis-
ing faith in him might not be
destroyed but have everlasting
life.” (John 3:16) Could God have
shown his love for mankind in
a more remarkable way than by
sending his only-begotten Son to
earth in order to ransom sinners?
(John 15:13) This great demon-
stration of love also served as a
pattern for humans, giving them
the opportunity to reflect God’s
self-sacrificing love in everyday
life, even as Jesus did.—John 17:
25, 26. w10 1/15 4:11
Sunday, December 11
There arose no little disturbance
concerning The Way.
—Acts 19:23.
The early disciples of Christ
belonged to “The Way.” (Acts 9:2)
This expression was fitting be-
cause those who became follow-
ers of Christ adhered to a man-
ner of life that centered on faith
in Jesus Christ and on imitat-
ing his example. (1 Pet. 2:21)
The disciple-making work has
sped up in these last days and
is now being done in over 230
lands. During the past ten years,
more than 2,700,000 people have
made the decision to serve Jeho-
vah and be baptized in symbol of
their dedication to him. That is
an average of over 5,000 individu-
als every week! The decision to be
baptized is based on love for God,
knowledge of the Scriptures, and
faith in what they teach. Bap-
tism is a milestone in our life,
for it marks the beginning of an
intimate relationship with Jeho-
vah. It is also a demonstration of
confidence that he will help us to
serve him faithfully.—Isa. 30:21.
w10 2/15 4:2, 3
 Monday, December 12
A diligent inquiry and a careful
search were made by the proph-
ets.—1 Pet. 1:10.
As holy spirit operates upon
you, you manifest godly qualities,
“the fruitage of the spirit.” (Gal. 5:
22, 23) You realize, though, that
this calls for effort on your part.
To illustrate: A farmer cultivates
the land. Of course, sunshine and
water are necessary; without such
he cannot expect any harvest. We
might compare holy spirit to sun-
shine. Holy spirit is needed for us
to manifest the fruitage of the
spirit. Yet, what would be pro-
duced without the farmer’s hard
work? (Prov. 10:4) Yes, how you
cultivate the soil of your heart
makes a difference in the quality
and quantity of the fruitage of the
holy spirit in you. So ask yourself,
‘Am I permitting holy spirit to
produce its fruitage by working
along with it?’ In order to come
under the influence of the holy
spirit, we must read and meditate
on God’s Word. If you are doing
that, you are imitating the fine ex-
amples of the prophets. w10 3/15
2:6, 7
Tuesday, December 13
Come to me, . . . and I will re-
fresh you. Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I
am mild-tempered and lowly in
heart.—Matt. 11:28, 29.
You may have wondered if you
will be able to do what Jeho-
vah expects of you. It is easy
to feel overwhelmed by the pros-
pect of being a servant of God,
living by his law, and speaking
in his name. For example, Moses
felt inadequate when he was sent
to speak to the Israelites and to
the king of Egypt. But God was
not unreasonable in what he ex-
pected of Moses. Jehovah ‘taught
him what to do.’ (Ex. 3:11; 4:1,
10, 13-15) Since Moses accepted
the help offered, he experienced
the joy of accomplishing God’s
will. Jehovah is just as reason-
able in what he expects of us. He
understands our imperfect na-
ture, and he wants to help us.
(Ps. 103:14) Serving God as a fol-
lower of Jesus is refreshing rath-
er than overwhelming because
such a life course benefits others
and makes Jehovah’s heart glad.
w10 1/15 2:6
Wednesday, December 14
Humble yourselves in the eyes of
Jehovah, and he will exalt you.
—Jas. 4:10.
The Bible contains excellent
counsel on resolving conflicts.
(Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15-17; Eph.
4:26, 27) Unless we humbly ap-
ply that counsel, however, mak-
ing peace will be difficult. Waiting
for the other person to show hu-
mility is not the solution when we
too are holding the key of humility
in our hand. If our initial attempts
to make peace seem unfruitful for
some reason, we should not give
up hope. The other person may
need time to sort out his feelings.
Joseph’s brothers dealt treacher-
ously with Joseph. It was a long
time before they faced him as
prime minister of Egypt. Final-
ly, however, they had a change
of heart and begged for forgive-
ness. Joseph pardoned them, and
Jacob’s sons became a nation
that had the privilege of bear-
ing the name of Jehovah. (Gen.
50:15-21) By maintaining peace
with our brothers and sisters, we
contribute to the unity and joy of
the congregation.—Col. 3:12-14.
w09 11/15 4:16, 18, 19
 Thursday, December 15
Be obedient to those who are tak-
ing the lead among you and be
submissive, for they are keeping
watch over your souls as those
who will render an account; that
they may do this with joy and not
with sighing, for this would be
damaging to you.—Heb. 13:17.
A way that all of us can prove
that we are friends of Christ is
by cooperating with the direction
provided by congregation elders.
These men are app ointed by
holy spirit under Christ’s direc-
tion. (Eph. 5:23) At times, we may
find it a challenge to obey the
Bible-based direction given to us
by the local elders. We are likely
aware of their imperfections, and
this may distort our view of their
counsel. Still, Christ, the Head
of the congregation, is pleased to
use these imperfect men. There-
fore, the way we react to their
authority directly influences our
friendship with Christ. When we
overlook the faults of the elders
and joyfully follow their direc-
tion, we prove our love for Christ.
w09 10/15 3:18
Friday, December 16
Everyone who calls on the name
of Jehovah will be saved.
—Rom. 10:13.
As Jehovah’s Witnesses, how
can we personally live up to our
unique name? For one thing, we
must faithfully bear witness to
God. Also, we should tactfully
expose religious falsehoods that
malign our Creator, such as the
doctrine of hellfire, which in real-
ity attributes to the God of love
the cruel traits of the Devil. (Jer.
7:31; 1 John 4:8; compare Mark 9:
17-27) Are you proud to bear the
name of your heavenly Father?
Do you help others to come to
know that holy name? A woman
in Paris, France, heard that Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses knew the name
of God, so she asked the next
Witness she met to show her that
name in her Bible. When she read
Psalm 83:18, the impact was pro-
found. She began to study the
Bible and is now a faithful sis-
ter serving in another land. So be
proud to bear God’s name and, in
imitation of Jesus, to make that
precious name manifest to all.
w10 1/15 3:13, 14
Saturday, December 17
If you, although being wicked,
know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more
so will the Father in heaven give
holy spirit to those asking him!
—Luke 11:13.
The most direct way to receive
God’s holy spirit is to ask for
it. Indeed, we should constant-
ly pray for holy spirit. If cer-
tain aspects of the ministry—do-
ing street witnessing, preaching
informally, or working business
territory—intimidate us, we can
pray to Jehovah for his spirit and
ask him to help us muster up the
needed boldness. (1 Thess. 5:17)
That is what a Christian wom-
an named Rosa did. When a fel-
low worker, disturbed by a report
on mistreated children, cried out,
“What is this world coming to?”
Rosa could not pass up such an
opportunity to give a witness.
What did she do to get the cour-
age to speak up? “I prayed to Je-
hovah and asked for his spirit to
help me,” says Rosa. She was able
to give a fine witness and make a
follow-up arrangement. w10 2/15
1:6, 7
 Sunday, December 18
It is not you whom they have re-
jected, but it is I whom they
have rejected from being king
over them.—1 Sam. 8:7.
Through the prophet Samuel,
Israel demanded a visible, human
king. Jehovah told Samuel to
grant their request. Although Je-
hovah permitted Israel to have a
visible king, he warned them that
rule by a human king would come
at a price. (1 Sam. 8:9-18) His-
tory demonstrated the truth of
Jehovah’s warning. Being ruled
by a human king led to serious
problems for Israel, especially
when that king proved unfaith-
ful. With that example of Israel
in mind, it is not surprising that
throughout the ages, government
in the hands of humans who do
not know Jehovah has failed to
bring permanent good results.
True, some politicians invoke
God’s blessing on their efforts to
achieve peace and security, but
how can God bless those who do
not submit to his way of ruling?
—Ps. 2:10-12. w10 1/15 5:8, 9
Monday, December 19
May the God who gives hope
fill you with all joy and peace
by your believing, that you may
abound in hope with power of
holy spirit.—Rom. 15:13.
Even with helpful friends
around you in the congregation,
you may still find it difficult to
cope with daily challenges. What
you have to contend with may at
times leave you feeling lost, as if
you were in a long tunnel of prob-
lems. That is especially a time
for you to turn to Jehovah, asking
for his holy spirit. “When I am
weak,” wrote the apostle Paul,
“then I am powerful.” (2 Cor. 4:7-
10; 12:10) Paul knew that God’s
spirit can make up for human
weaknesses, regardless of their
nature. Thus, God’s active force
can strengthen you whenever you
feel weak and in need of help.
Paul wrote that he could “take
pleasure in weaknesses.” It was
when he was weak that he felt
holy spirit operating on him. You
can experience the same feeling!
w10 3/15 2:16
Tuesday, December 20
Accept . . . the sword of the spir-
it, that is, God’s word.
—Eph. 6:17.
Applying the principles found
in God’s Word makes it possi-
ble for us to get along well with
others. (Matt. 7:12; Phil. 2:3, 4)
With the road ahead figurative-
ly well-lit, we are able to take
into consideration the long-term
effects of our decisions. (1 Tim.
6:9) The Scriptures also fore-
tell God’s purpose for the fu-
ture, helping us to pursue a life-
style that is consistent with that
purpose. (Matt. 6:33; 1 John 2:17,
18) What a meaningful life a per-
son can enjoy if he allows godly
principles to guide his life! Think,
too, of what a powerful weap-
on the Bible is in our spiritual
warfare. (Eph. 6:12) Paul called
God’s word “the sword of the spir-
it.” When presented effectively,
the Bible’s message can free peo-
ple from spiritual bondage to Sa-
tan. It is a sword that is saving
lives instead of destroying them.
Should we not strive to wield it
skillfully? w10 2/15 2:5, 6
 Wednesday, December 21
Any weapon whatever that will
be formed against you will have
no success.—Isa. 54:17.
Just as we constantly have to
protect ourselves from physical
dangers, such as accidents, crim-
inals, or infections, so we must
act continuously to protect our-
selves from spiritual dangers.
Hence, we should regularly take
advantage of the guidance that
Jehovah provides for us in our
publications and at congrega-
tion meetings and assemblies. We
seek the advice of the elders. And
do we not benefit from the vari-
ety of qualities displayed by our
Christian brothers and sisters?
Indeed, our association with the
congregation helps us to b e-
come wise. (Prov. 13:20; 1 Pet. 4:
10) We have no reason to doubt
that Jehovah can protect us from
anything that could cause us to
lose his approval. (Rom. 8:38, 39)
He has protected the congrega-
tion from powerful religious and
political enemies whose aim has
usually been, not to kill us, but to
separate us from our holy God.
w10 1/15 2:14, 15
Thursday, December 22
All have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God.—Rom. 3:23.
Jehovah has the entire universe
under his authority. He lacks
nothing and needs no one. How-
ever, Jehovah must have felt
some disappointment when one
of his spirit sons rebelled and be-
came Satan. God must have been
affected later when some oth-
er angels joined in the rebel-
lion. Think, too, of the p ain
felt by God when Adam and Eve,
the masterpieces of his physi-
cal creation, turned their backs
on him. Since then, billions of
their descendants have reject-
ed Jehovah’s authority. For some
6,000 years, Jehovah has ob-
served acts of idolatry, violence,
murder, and sexual perversion.
(Gen. 6:5, 6, 11, 12) Furthermore,
he has heard despicable lies and
blasphemies. Even God’s own
true worshippers have on occa-
sion hurt his feelings. (Ps. 78:40,
41) The pain that Jehovah feels
when his people reject him is cer-
tainly great. (Jer. 3:1-10) Clearly,
bad things happen, and Jehovah
feels deeply distressed when they
do.—Isa. 63:9, 10. w09 12/15 2:4, 5
Friday, December 23
Your father and your mother
will rejoice.—Prov. 23:25.
The value of training our chil-
dren to be well-mannered cannot
be overestimated. To get along
well as adults, young ones need
to learn the proper way to greet
visitors, to answer the telephone,
and to eat a meal with others.
They should be helped to un-
derstand why they ought to hold
doors for people, show kind-
ness to the elderly and sick, and
offer to help those carrying heavy
packages. They need to under-
stand the importance of sincere-
ly saying “please,” “thank you,”
“you are welcome,” “may I help
you?,” and “I am sorry.” The best
way to train children to be cour-
teous is by setting a good exam-
ple. Thus, children will be able
to make friends and will main-
tain peace with others. They will
be well-equipped to work with
employers and coworkers. More-
over, children who are courteous,
mannerly, and upright will bring
their parents joy and satisfac-
tion.—Prov. 23:24. w09 11/15 5:
16-18
 Saturday, December 24
They with one accord raised
their voices to God.—Acts 4:24.
Think about your own prayers.
Do they reflect your keen inter-
est in Jehovah’s Kingdom, in the
doing of his will, and in the sanc-
tification of his holy name? (Matt.
6:9, 10) They should. Because
of persecution or other trials,
prayer often includes pleas for
help to serve Jehovah with cour-
age. When the Sanhedrin ordered
Peter and John to stop ‘teaching
upon the basis of Jesus’ name,’
those apostles courageously re-
fused to quit. (Acts 4:18-20) After
being released, they told fellow
believers what had happened.
Then all those present petitioned
God for help in speaking his word
with boldness. How thrilling it
must have been when that prayer
was answered, for they were
“filled with the holy spirit and
were speaking the word of God
with boldness”! (Acts 4:24-31) As
a result, multitudes became wor-
shippers of Jehovah. Prayer can
also strengthen you to declare
the good news boldly. w09 11/15
2:21, 22
Sunday, December 25
Let your utterance be always
with graciousness, seasoned with
salt.—Col. 4:6.
Paul was specifically referring
to the way we should talk to
those “on the outside,” that is,
those who are not our Christian
brothers. (Col. 4:5) Surely, if non-
believers deserve respect when
we speak to them, how much
more so do our friends inside the
congregation! Good friends value
each other’s opinion, so commu-
nication between them needs to
be both gracious and forthright.
Wise King Solomon wrote: “Oil
and incense are what make the
heart rejoice, also the sweetness
of one’s companion due to the
counsel of the soul.” (Prov. 27:9)
Is that how you view any counsel
you receive from a friend? (Ps.
141:5) If a friend expresses con-
cern about some course of action
that you are taking, how do you
react? Do you view the comments
as an act of loving-kindness, or
do you take offense? w09 10/15 4:
17, 18
Monday, December 26
His enemy came and oversowed
weeds in among the wheat.
—Matt. 13:25.
Jesus tells us that the enemy
“is the Devil.” The weeds are de-
scribed as “the sons of the wick-
ed one.” (Matt. 13:38, 39) In a
literal sense, the weeds that Je-
sus referred to were probably the
bearded darnel. This poisonous
plant closely resembles wheat in
its early stages before it reaches
maturity. What a fitting picture
of imitation Christians, those
who claim to be sons of the King-
dom but do not produce gen-
uine fruitage! These hypocritical
Christians who claim to be fol-
lowers of Christ are really part
of the “seed” of Satan the Devil.
(Gen. 3:15) Jesus did not say that
the wheat would become weeds.
So this illustration does not por-
tray genuine Christians who fall
away from the truth. Rather, it
points to a deliberate effort on
the part of Satan to corrupt the
Christian congregation by in-
troducing wicked people into it.
By the time that the last apos-
tle, John, was old, this aposta-
sy was clearly evident.—2 Pet. 2:
1-3; 1 John 2:18. w10 3/15 3:5, 7
 Tuesday, December 27
Keep testing whether you are
in the faith, keep proving what
you yourselves are.—2 Cor. 13:5.
By b eing “on fire with the
Spirit,” we can demonstrate
increased boldness in our house-
to-house ministry and when wit-
nessing informally. (Rom. 12:11,
The Bible—An American Trans-
lation) What if we have lost our
zeal for the ministry or our fervor
for it is not what it used to be?
Then an honest self-examination
is in order. Ask yourself: ‘Am I
still aglow with the spirit? Do
I pray to Jehovah for his spir-
it? Do my prayers show that I
rely upon him to do his will? Do
they contain words of apprecia-
tion for the ministry entrusted to
us? How are my personal study
habits? How much time do I take
to meditate on what I read and
hear? How involved am I in con-
gregation meetings?’ Reflecting
on questions such as these can
help you identify areas of weak-
ness and take corrective mea-
sures. w10 2/15 1:14, 16
Wednesday, December 28
Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaks.
—Matt. 12:34.
How can we demonstrate our
love of God in response to all that
he has done for us? The inspired
answer is significant: “This is
what the love of God means, that
we observe his commandments;
and yet his commandments are
not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)
Yes, love of Jehovah God moti-
vates us to observe his command-
ments. That is one reason we
bear witness about his name and
Kingdom, which benefits oth-
ers. Doing that out of our heart’s
abundance is an evidence that we
observe God’s commandments
with a pure motive. Our broth-
ers around the globe persevere
in observing God’s command-
ments despite facing apathy and
outright rejection of the King-
dom message. They do not let
up in their efforts to accomplish
their ministry fully. (2 Tim. 4:5)
Likewise, we are moved to share
knowledge of God with others as
well as to observe all his other
commands. w09 12/15 4:7, 8
Thursday, December 29
Consider the patience of our
Lord as salvation.—2 Pet. 3:15.
Jehovah’s qualities of patience
and long-suffering would scarcely
have come so prominently to the
fore had it not become necessary
for him to deal with human im-
perfections, sins, and shortcom-
ings. Jehovah’s willingness to do
so for thousands of years dem-
onstrates that he possesses these
marvelous qualities to a perfect
degree, and for that we should
be most grateful. We are all sin-
ners, and we all stumble many
times. (Jas. 3:2; 1 John 1:8, 9) How
grateful we should be that Jeho-
vah is willing to forgive “in a large
way”! (Isa. 55:7) Consider also this
fact: Having been born as imper-
fect sinners, we are in a posi-
tion to experience the profound
joy we feel when God forgives us
our errors. (Ps. 51:5, 9, 17) Per-
sonally experiencing that heart-
warming characteristic of Jeho-
vah strengthens our love for him
and encourages us to follow his
example in our dealings with oth-
ers.—Col. 3:13. w10 1/15 4:15, 16
 Friday, December 30
No man can come to me unless
the Father, who sent me, draws
him.—John 6:44.
Jehovah has lovingly drawn
each of his servants into a rela-
tionship with him. Out of all the
billions of people on the earth,
Jehovah has extended a personal
invitation to us to be a part of
his congregation today. Accept-
ing this invitation was the best
decision we ever made. It has giv-
en our life purpose and meaning.
And what joy and satisfaction
we experience because we have
a place in the congregation! “Je-
hovah, I have loved the dwelling
of your house,” said the psalmist.
He also sang: “My own foot will
certainly stand on a level place;
among the congregated throngs I
shall bless Jehovah.” (Ps. 26:8, 12)
The true God has a place for each
of us in his organization. By con-
tinuing to follow theocratic direc-
tion and by staying busy in God’s
service, we can keep our precious
place in Jehovah’s arrangement.
w09 11/15 3:16, 17
Saturday, December 31
[Paul] reasoned with them from
the Scriptures.—Acts 17:2.
Reason from the Scriptures in
a way that is convincing. Using
heartfelt entreaty and sound log-
ic, Paul convincingly reasoned
with others from the Scriptures.
(Acts 17:4) Like him, endeavor
to reach the heart of your lis-
tener. ‘Draw up’ what is in it
by using kind questions that re-
flect personal interest in the in-
dividual. (Prov. 20:5) Avoid be-
ing blunt. Present arguments in a
clear and logical manner. They
should be supported by satis-
fying evidence. Your statements
should be solidly based on God’s
Word. It is better to use one text
well by explaining and illustrat-
ing the point than to read two
or three scriptures in rapid suc-
cession. Using corroborative evi-
dence can also ‘add persuasive-
ness to your lips.’ (Prov. 16:23) At
times, it may be necessary to do
research and provide additional
information. w10 2/15 2:17

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