Wednesday, February 20
Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches, so that when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places.—Luke 16:9.
One way to gain friendship with Jehovah is by minimizing our involvement with the commercial world and using our circumstances to seek “true” riches. Abraham, a man of faith in ancient times, obediently left prosperous Ur in order to live in tents and pursue his friendship with Jehovah. (Heb. 11:8-10) He always looked to God as the Source of true wealth, never seeking material advantages that would indicate a lack of trust. (Gen. 14:22, 23) Jesus encouraged this sort of faith, telling a rich young man: “If you want to be perfect, go sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come be my follower.” (Matt. 19:21) That man lacked faith like that of Abraham, but others have shown implicit trust in God. w17.07 1:12
Thursday, February 21
[Jehovah] promised to give [the land] to [Abraham] as a possession and after him to his offspring, though as yet he had no child.—Acts 7:5.
It was not until 430 years after Abraham had crossed the Euphrates that his descendants were organized into a nation that would take possession of the land. (Ex. 12:40-42; Gal. 3:17) Abraham was willing to wait, because his patience was based on his faith in Jehovah. (Heb. 11:8-12) Abraham was happy to wait, even though he did not see the complete fulfillment of the promise in his day. But just imagine Abraham’s joy when he is resurrected back to a paradise earth. He will be surprised to see how much of the Bible was used to record his personal story and that of his descendants. Just imagine how thrilled he will be to understand for the first time his vital role in the outworking of Jehovah’s purpose with regard to the promised offspring! No doubt, he will feel that the long wait was worth it. w17.08 1:10, 11
Friday, February 22
Deaden . . . your body members that are on the earth as respects . . . uncleanness.—Col. 3:5.
The original Bible word translated “uncleanness” is a broad term that includes much more than sexual sins. It can refer to the harmful practice of smoking or the telling of obscene jokes. (2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:3, 4) It also applies to unclean activities practiced by an individual in private, such as reading sexually stimulating books or viewing pornography, which may lead to the unclean habit of masturbation. Those who habitually view pornography nurture “uncontrolled sexual passion,” which may result in their becoming addicted to sex. Research indicates that individuals who admitted to having an irresistible urge to watch pornography show the same signs of addiction as do alcoholics and drug addicts. No wonder the practice of viewing pornography has harmful results—such as deep feelings of shame, low productivity in the workplace, unhappy family life, divorce, and suicide. w17.08 3:8, 9