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He will give his own angels a command concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.—Ps. 91:11
Hilkiah the priest found the book of Jehovah’s law.—2 Chron. 34:14.
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Hilkiah handed the book to the royal secretary Shaphan who, in turn, began to read its contents 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 provided a message condemning some of the religious practices that had been carried on in Judah. Yet, Josiah’s good efforts to remove idolatrous practices were noted, and he remained in Jehovah’s favor despite the calamities predicted for the nation as a whole. (2 Chron. 34:19-28) Surely our desire is the same as Josiah’s was. We want to respond to Jehovah’s direction promptly, taking to heart the warning example of what can happen if we allow apostasy and unfaithfulness to encroach on our worship. And we can be confident that Jehovah will note with approval our zeal for true worship, just as he did in Josiah’s case. w09 6/15 1:20
Keep walking by spirit.—Gal. 5:16.
“Walking by spirit” involves accepting the action of the holy spirit upon you, allowing the holy spirit to influence you. You might say that it means to be governed by the holy spirit in your daily activities. Galatians chapter 5 brings out the contrast between being under the influence of the holy spirit and that of the flesh. (Gal. 5:17, 18) If you are under the influence of the holy spirit, you seek to refrain from the works of the flesh. Those include such things as “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, 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
When they beheld the outspokenness 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 heaven.” (Col. 1:23) When we
consider that most of them were “unlettered and ordinary,” it
becomes obvious that they were motivated by a stronger force. Living
in a way that allows holy spirit to direct our lives can also
motivate us to carry out our ministry courageously. The combined
benefits of constantly praying for the spirit, diligently engaging in
meaningful personal study, prayerfully meditating on what we read,
and regularly attending Christian meetings can help us to be “aglow
with the spirit.”—Rom. 12:11. w10
2/15 1:13, 14
Those who embraced his word heartily were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.—Acts 2:41.
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Let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.—Gal. 6:10.
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When Bible students are abandoned by former friends who have no love for God, members of the congregation can fill the void. What, though, if a friend inside the congregation decides to turn his or her back on Jehovah, perhaps needing to be disfellowshipped? Such a circumstance can be very distressing. Describing her reaction when a close friend stopped serving Jehovah, one sister said: “I felt as if something 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 family. I then began to reassess my own motives. Was I serving Jehovah 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
I need not be considered! God will announce welfare to Pharaoh.—Gen. 41:16.
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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 imprisoned, he was courteous even to his fellow prisoners. (Gen. 40:8, 14) His words to Pharaoh show that he had learned the proper way to address a person of high office. (Gen. 41:33, 34) The Ten Commandments given to the sons of Israel included this command: “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 parents was by having good manners at home. Jephthah’s daughter showed outstanding respect for her father by complying with his vow in a very trialsome situation.—Judg. 11:35-40. w09 11/15 5:14, 15
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 knowledge of Jehovah, we can grow in appreciation for his attributes—his justice, power, 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 reflect on all of Jehovah’s creative works and be in awe of his superior wisdom. (Ps. 104:24) The universe also gives proof that Jehovah is the Source of dynamic energy and inexhaustible power. (Isa. 40:26) What can be said about God’s dominant quality, his love? It is expansive and affects us all. He expressed that love in providing the ransom for mankind’s redemption. This provision is available to the whole world of mankind. (John 3:16, 36) God’s offering Jesus as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins ought to stir love within us in return. w09 12/15 4:5, 6
The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.—Matt. 21:43.
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The apostle Peter clearly
identified this new nation. He wrote the following to his fellow
Christians: “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 accepted 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 anointed Christians, who have the
heavenly hope. They are “the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16) In a
vision, the apostle John saw that these spiritual Israelites number
144,000.—Rev. 14:1, 4; 20:6. w10
3/15 4:2-4.
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I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; 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.
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Israel
proved unfaithful to God, but the three basic requirements 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 righteous ways. (Matt.
22:37) Second, ‘we must listen to Jehovah’s voice’ by studying
God’s Word and obeying his commandments. (1 John 5:3) This
calls for our regular presence at Christian meetings, where the Bible
is discussed. (Heb. 10:23-25) Third, ‘we must stick to Jehovah.’
Regardless 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
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 similar boldness. When challenged by “rulers [of the people] and older men and scribes,” the apostles Peter and John said: “Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” Rather than praying to God for persecution to stop, they and fellow believers made supplication, saying the words of today’s text. Jehovah helped them muster up boldness 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
The spirit and the bride keep on saying: “Come!”—Rev. 22:17.
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