February
Wednesday, February 1
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.—Jas. 4:8.
Are you a dedicated, baptized Witness of Jehovah? If so, you have a precious possession—a personal relationship with God. However, that relationship is under attack by pressures not only from Satan’s world but also from our own imperfect flesh. This trying situation faces all Christians. Therefore, our relationship with Jehovah must be as strong as possible. How real to you is your personal relationship with Jehovah? Would you like to strengthen it? James 4:8, our text for today, tells you how you can do that. Note that this is a two-way process. As we take steps to draw close to God, he takes reciprocating action toward us. This interaction, frequently repeated, progressively strengthens our relationship with Jehovah. As a result, that relationship becomes very real to us. We develop the kind of confidence Jesus had when he said: “The One who sent me is real, and . . . I know him.”—John 7:28, 29. w15 4/15 3:1, 2
Thursday, February 2
Endure under tribulation. Persevere in prayer.—Rom. 12:12.
Suppose a beloved relative is disfellowshipped. From your study of the Bible, you know how disfellowshipped ones are to be treated. (1 Cor. 5:11; 2 John 10) Yet, upholding the disfellowshipping decision may at times seem very difficult, even impossible. Can you trust that your heavenly Father will give you the fortitude you need to be resolute in abiding by the Bible’s direction about disfellowshipping? Do you see here an opportunity for you to make your relationship with Jehovah stronger by forming a closer bond with him? Does this suggest that we should not have strong love for our relatives? Of course not! But our strongest love should be for Jehovah. (Matt. 22:37, 38) This is actually in the best interests of our relatives, whether they are presently serving Jehovah or not. And if you are particularly troubled over the course of a disfellowshipped relative, pour out your heart to Jehovah in prayer.—Phil. 4:6, 7. w15 4/15 4:14, 16
Friday, February 3
We ourselves take pride in you among the congregations of God because of your endurance and faith.—2 Thess. 1:4.
Feeling good about the works of others and even having a degree of pride in ourselves can be healthy. We are not expected to be ashamed of our family, culture, or the region where we grew up. (Acts 21:39) On the other hand, there is a kind of pride that can eat away at relationships and damage our friendship with Jehovah. Such pride can cause us to resent and reject needed counsel rather than humbly accept it. (Ps. 141:5) This type of pride is defined as “inordinate self-esteem” or “a haughty attitude shown by people who believe, often unjustifiably, that they are better than others.” Jehovah hates arrogant pride. (Ezek. 33:28; Amos 6:8) But Satan must delight to see humans display boastful pride, for it echoes his own arrogance. How Satan must have reveled in the boasting of such men as Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Absalom—all of whom fell victim to improper pride!—Gen. 10:8, 9; Ex. 5:1, 2; 2 Sam. 15:4-6. w15 5/15 2:5, 6
Saturday, February 4
You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.—Ps. 145:16.
Reflecting his Father, ‘Christ, the power of God,’ frequently opened his hand and satisfied the desires of his followers. (1 Cor. 1:24) His doing so was not merely an expression of power. He was guided by his heartfelt concern for others. Consider Matthew 14:14-21. Jesus’ disciples came to him to discuss the food situation. Not only may they themselves have been hungry but they were concerned about the plight of the famished and weary crowd that had followed Jesus on foot from the cities. (Matt. 14:13) What would he do? With five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed about 5,000 men, as well as women and children! The crowds “ate and were satisfied.” This suggests that there was an abundant supply of food. Jesus kindly provided, not a mere taste of bread, but a meal that would sustain the crowds for their long journey back home. (Luke 9:10-17) And 12 baskets were filled with the leftovers! w15 6/15 1:8, 9
Sunday, February 5
The sons of men promote depravity.—Ps. 12:8.
With immorality so pervasive, you may wonder, ‘Is it really possible to live a chaste life?’ Yes, with Jehovah’s help. However, in order to live a chaste life, we must reject immoral desires. Just as a baited hook may attract a fish, so immoral thoughts and lewd desires—when not immediately dismissed—may begin to draw out and entice a Christian. They can appeal to our fallen flesh and lead us toward immoral acts. In time, the allure of sin may become so great that the unclean desire becomes fertile. At that point, even a servant of Jehovah may be ready to act on his desire when an opportunity arises. Yes, “desire . . . gives birth to sin.” (Jas. 1:14, 15) It is sobering to reflect on how a momentary desire can develop into a serious sin. But how encouraging it is to know that if we prevent unclean desires from taking root, we need not become involved in immoral conduct and suffer its bitter consequences!—Gal. 5:16. w15 6/15 3:1-3
Monday, February 6
Let your will take place . . . on earth.—Matt. 6:10.
About 6,000 years ago, God’s will was being done perfectly on earth. That is why Jehovah could look upon the fine start he had given to mankind and say: “It was very good.” (Gen. 1:31) Then Satan rebelled, and ever since, comparatively few humans have done God’s will on earth. But today we are privileged to be alive at a time when about eight million Witnesses not only are praying for God’s will to take place on earth but also are striving to live in harmony with that prayer. They do so by their way of life and by having a zealous share in the disciple-making work. Until the enemies of God’s Kingdom are removed from the earth, we will continue to pray for God’s will to be done. Then we will see God’s will taking place in an even more complete way as billions are resurrected on a paradise earth. (John 5:28, 29) What a wonderful time to be alive to welcome back our dead loved ones! w15 6/15 4:15, 17
Tuesday, February 7
I will glorify the place for my feet.—Isa. 60:13.
The expression “spiritual paradise” has become a part of our theocratic vocabulary. It describes our unique, spiritually rich environment, or condition, which allows us to enjoy peace with God and with our brothers. Of course, we should not conclude that the terms “spiritual paradise” and “spiritual temple” are the same. The spiritual temple is God’s arrangement for true worship. The spiritual paradise serves to identify clearly those who have God’s approval and who are today serving him at his spiritual temple. (Mal. 3:18) How exciting it is to know that since 1919, Jehovah has allowed imperfect humans to work with him in cultivating, strengthening, and expanding the spiritual paradise on earth! Do you see yourself playing a part in this marvelous work? Are you moved to continue working with Jehovah in glorifying ‘the place for his feet’? w15 7/15 1:10, 11
Wednesday, February 8
I [will] sanctify myself through you before their eyes, O Gog.—Ezek. 38:16.
Shortly before the remaining ones of the 144,000 are taken to heaven, Gog will attack God’s people. What reaction does this provoke? On earth, God’s people will appear to be defenseless. They will obey the instructions given in the days of King Jehoshaphat: “You will not need to fight this battle. Take your position, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah in your behalf. O Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid or be terrified.” (2 Chron. 20:17) In heaven, however, there is a different reaction. Referring to the time when all the anointed are in heaven, Revelation 17:14 tells us this about the enemies of God’s people: “These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” Together with his 144,000 corulers in heaven, Jesus will come to the rescue of God’s people here on earth. w15 7/15 2:16
Thursday, February 9
There is an appointed time for everything.—Eccl. 3:1.
Our respect for the God who invites us to Christian meetings should be manifested in our decorum, dress, and grooming. Respect also requires that we avoid extremes. Jehovah wants his servants and other guests to feel comfortable at the Kingdom Hall. At the same time, those in attendance would not want to detract from the meetings by being overly casual in their dress, by texting or talking during the meetings, by eating and drinking, and so on. Parents should train their children to understand that the Kingdom Hall is not the place for running or playing. Filled with indignation, Jesus threw out of God’s temple those who were introducing commercial activities. (John 2:13-17) Our Kingdom Halls too are places for pure worship and spiritual education. So any business activities that have nothing to do with spiritual pursuits ought to be taken care of elsewhere.—Compare Nehemiah 13:7, 8. w15 7/15 4:7, 8
Friday, February 10
In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.—2 Tim. 3:1.
The Bible indicates that wickedness will greatly increase “in the last days.” (2 Tim. 3:13; Matt. 24:21; Rev. 12:12) So we can expect that world conditions, bad as they are now, will continue to decline. But how bad do you expect conditions to become before “the great tribulation”? (Rev. 7:14) For example, do you expect that there will be a war in every country, no food on anyone’s table, and illness in every household? Under those conditions, even skeptics would likely feel compelled to admit that Bible prophecy was undergoing fulfillment. However, Jesus said that most people would take “no note” of his presence, carrying on with life’s normal activities until it is too late. (Matt. 24:37-39) Thus, the Scriptures indicate that world conditions during the last days would not become so extreme that people would be forced to believe that the end is near.—Luke 17:20; 2 Pet. 3:3, 4. w15 8/15 2:6, 7
Saturday, February 11
Your loyal love is better than life.—Ps. 63:3.
Does spending our time preparing for God’s new world mean forfeiting a better or more fulfilling way of life today? By no means! Serving Jehovah is the most satisfying way of life there is. It is not a matter of servitude under duress just so that we can pass through the great tribulation. It is the way we are designed to live, the way that yields the greatest joy. Having Jehovah’s guidance and experiencing his loyal love are far better than life apart from intimacy with him. (Ps. 63:1, 2) Of course, we need not wait for the new world in order to enjoy spiritual blessings that result from wholehearted service to Jehovah—they are available to us right now! Indeed, some of us have been reaping such blessings for decades, and we know from experience that no other life course could produce greater satisfaction.—Ps. 1:1-3; Isa. 58:13, 14. w15 8/15 3:16
Sunday, February 12
You have been saved through faith.—Eph. 2:8.
Faith enables us to do things that from a human standpoint may seem impossible. (Matt. 21:21, 22) For instance, many of us have changed our attitudes and practices so drastically that we are almost unrecognizable to those who knew us before. Jehovah supported our efforts because we took these steps based on our faith in him. (Col. 3:5-10) Once our faith moved us to dedicate ourselves to Jehovah, we became his friends, something we could never have done in our own power. Our faith continues to empower us. In faith we are able to resist the attacks of our superhuman adversary, the Devil. (Eph. 6:16) In addition, trust in Jehovah helps us to minimize our anxiety during challenging times. Jehovah says that when our faith moves us to put Kingdom interests first, he will provide for our material needs. (Matt. 6:30-34) More than that, because of our faith, we will receive a gift no human could ever obtain by his own efforts—everlasting life.—John 3:16. w15 9/15 3:4, 5
Monday, February 13
We love, because [God] first loved us.—1 John 4:19.
In what way has God “first loved us”? The apostle Paul said: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8) Love is Jehovah’s dominant attribute, so we can understand why Jesus told one inquirer that the first commandment from God is: “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.” (Mark 12:30) From Jesus’ words, we learn that love for God involves, first of all, our heart. Being halfhearted is displeasing to Jehovah. However, we note that love for God also involves our whole soul, mind, and strength. This means that genuine love for God is much more than just an emotional feeling of the heart. In addition to being heartfelt, our love for God must involve all our spiritual and physical faculties. According to the prophet Micah, that is what Jehovah wants from us.—Mic. 6:8. w15 9/15 5:1-3
Tuesday, February 14
My ears have heard about you, but now I do see you with my eyes.—Job 42:5.
What are some reasons why we may not clearly see God’s hand in our affairs? Life’s challenges can overwhelm us. When this happens, we may forget to keep focused on how Jehovah has already helped us. When Queen Jezebel threatened the prophet Elijah’s life, even Elijah momentarily forgot how God had acted in his behalf. Regarding Elijah, the Bible says: “He asked that he might die.” (1 Ki. 19:1-4) What was the solution to Elijah’s problem? He needed to look to Jehovah for encouragement. (1 Ki. 19:14-18) Job also got so distracted by his own concerns that he neglected to see things from God’s viewpoint. (Job 42:3-6) Like Job, we may need to put forth greater effort to see God. How can we do that? In the light of the Scriptures, we need to meditate on what is happening around us. As we become aware of how Jehovah supports us, he will become more real to us. w15 10/15 1:15, 16
Wednesday, February 15
Man, who appointed me judge or arbitrator between you two?—Luke 12:14.
Many things happened during Jesus’ ministry that could have distracted him, but he never succumbed to them. Early in his ministry, after he had taught the crowds and performed miracles in Capernaum, people begged him not to leave their city. But how did Jesus react to this flattering request? He said: “I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent.” (Luke 4:42-44) True to his word, Jesus walked the length and breadth of Palestine, preaching and teaching. Though perfect, he had normal human needs and sometimes felt very tired because of expending himself in God’s service. (Luke 8:23; John 4:6) On a later occasion while Jesus was teaching his followers how to cope with opposition, a man interrupted, saying: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But Jesus refused to be drawn into this dispute.—Luke 12:13-15. w15 10/15 3:10, 11
Thursday, February 16
God is love.—1 John 4:8.
Love is God’s dominant quality, his most important one. Jehovah does not just possess love—he is the personification of it. How wonderful it is to know that the Creator of the universe and of all living things is a God of love! Everything he does is guided by that quality. The warm, benevolent affection that God has for his creatures assures us that all his purposes for the human family will be fulfilled in the best possible way and will result in the greatest benefit to all who come under his rulership. For example, out of love Jehovah “has set a day on which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed,” Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:31) We can be confident that this will come to pass. For rightly disposed and obedient humans, favorable judgment will result in a truly blessed future that will go on and on throughout all eternity. w15 11/15 3:1, 2
Friday, February 17
Let your words always be gracious, seasoned with salt.—Col. 4:6.
In our preaching work, we meet with varied responses—some favorable, some hostile. Regardless of how people react, however, God’s Word shows the standard that his servants must maintain. When we make a defense before everyone who demands of us a reason for our hope, we do so “with a mild temper and deep respect” because we are motivated by neighbor love. (1 Pet. 3:15) We show love of neighbor even if our message is rejected by an angry householder who berates us. We imitate Jesus: “When he was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One [Jehovah] who judges righteously.” (1 Pet. 2:23) Whether we are with fellow believers or others, we show humility and apply the counsel: “Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult. Instead, repay with a blessing.”—1 Pet. 3:8, 9. w15 11/15 4:17, 18
Saturday, February 18
Advise [them] . . . to love their children.—Titus 2:4.
Jesus did not hesitate to tell his disciples that he loved them. (John 15:9) He also showed his love by closely and regularly associating with his disciples. (Mark 6:31, 32; John 2:2; 21:12, 13) Similarly, tell your children that you love them, and regularly show them how much they mean to you. (Prov. 4:3) Samuel, who lives in Australia, says: “When I was very young, Dad used to read My Book of Bible Stories to me every evening. He would answer my questions, hug me, and kiss me good-night. What a surprise when I later discovered that Dad was not raised in a family where hugs and kisses were common! Yet, he made a real effort to express his love for me. As a result, I developed a strong bond with him, and I felt contented and secure.” Help your children to feel that way by often telling them “I love you.” Show your affection for your children. Talk with them, eat with them, play with them. w15 11/15 1:3, 4
Sunday, February 19
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.
When early in the last century a small group of diligent Bible students was appointed as “the faithful and discreet slave,” much of their communication with the “domestics” was in English. That “slave” has put forth great effort to make spiritual food available in more and more languages; the number has now risen to over 700. There was also a need for a Bible that would accurately convey in modern speech the intent of the original writings. The New World Bible Translation Committee was formed, and over a ten-year period from 1950 to 1960, the committee’s translation was released in six volumes. When releasing the first volume on August 2, 1950, Brother N. H. Knorr expressed the hope that this translation would spread its spiritual help to millions of people. w15 12/15 1:15, 17
Monday, February 20
The congregator sought to find delightful words and to record accurate words of truth.—Eccl. 12:10.
Do you find that it is often a challenge to come up with “delightful words”? If so, you may need to enlarge your vocabulary. One way to do this is to take note of how words are used in the Bible and in our Christian publications. Learn the meanings of unfamiliar expressions. More important, learn how to use words in a way that helps others. Regarding the relationship between Jehovah and his firstborn Son, we read: “Jehovah has given me [Jesus] the tongue of those taught, so that I may know how to answer the tired one with the right word.” (Isa. 50:4) Taking time to meditate on what we are going to say can help us to find the right words. (Jas. 1:19) We could ask ourselves, ‘Will these words really convey what I want to say? What effect will my choice of words have on my listener?’ w15 12/15 3:12
Tuesday, February 21
The desolating of [Jerusalem] has drawn near.—Luke 21:20.
Seeing Jerusalem “surrounded by encamped armies,” just as Jesus had prophesied, Christians in Judea, and especially those living in Jerusalem, had to act decisively. Jesus had warned them that they would need to flee as soon as they saw these events start to unfold. (Luke 21:21-24) In the 28 years since Jesus had uttered that prophecy, the faithful Jewish Christians living in Israel had already faced much opposition and persecution successfully. (Heb. 10:32-34) Yet, Paul knew that they were about to be confronted with one of the most challenging tests of their faith. (Matt. 24:20, 21; Heb. 12:4) He wanted them to be prepared for whatever might come their way. They would need exceptional endurance and faith—faith strong enough to preserve their lives. (Heb. 10:36-39) So Paul was prompted by Jehovah’s spirit to write those dear brothers and sisters a letter designed to meet their special needs. That letter is now known as the book of Hebrews. w16.01 1:1, 2
Wednesday, February 22
Beloved ones, if this is how God loved us, then we are also under obligation to love one another.—1 John 4:11.
We cannot properly accept God’s love without recognizing our obligation to love our brothers. (1 John 3:16) How can we demonstrate our love in practical ways? Consider the example of Jesus. During his earthly ministry, he gave special attention to lowly ones. He reached out to those with physical infirmities—the lame, the blind, the deaf, and the speechless. (Matt. 11:4, 5) Jesus took pleasure in teaching spiritually hungry ones, those who were viewed by the Jewish religious leaders as “accursed people.” (John 7:49) He loved these lowly ones and worked hard to minister to them. (Matt. 20:28) Can you consider the brothers and sisters in your own congregation? No doubt you will see some who could benefit from your love. Perhaps there are elderly ones who need help. We must let God’s love move us to reach out and express our love for our brothers. w16.01 2:12-14
Thursday, February 23
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, . . . and they will become one flock, one shepherd.—John 10:16.
Do those of the other sheep need to know the names of all those who are anointed today? The short answer is no. Why not? Because even if someone has received the heavenly calling, that person has received only an invitation, not a final confirmation of the reward. That is why Satan raises up “false prophets . . . to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.” (Matt. 24:24) No one can know whether an anointed Christian will receive his heavenly reward until Jehovah judges that person to be worthy of such a prize. Jehovah makes this determination and gives him the final sealing either sometime before he dies faithful or sometime before the outbreak of “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 2:10; 7:3, 14) It would be pointless, then, for anyone now living on earth to try to ascertain who among God’s servants will eventually be part of the 144,000. w16.01 4:2, 3
Friday, February 24
[My word] will have sure success in what I send it to do.—Isa. 55:11.
Think about how the preaching of the good news fits in with Jehovah’s loving purpose for humankind. He purposed that humans would inhabit the earth without ever dying; though Adam sinned, Jehovah did not change His mind. Instead, he arranged for humans to be delivered from condemnation to sin and death. Working along with that purpose, Jesus came to earth and sacrificed his life for obedient humans. In order to become obedient, however, they had to understand what God required of them. So Jesus also taught people what God’s requirements are, and he commanded his disciples to do the same. By helping others to become reconciled to God, we share directly in his loving arrangement to rescue mankind from sin and death. This also demonstrates our love both for our fellow man and for Jehovah, “whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”—1 Tim. 2:4. w16.01 5:15, 16
Saturday, February 25
[Ahaz] burned up his sons in the fire.—2 Chron. 28:3.
Ahaz’s son Hezekiah might easily have grown up to be a bitter, angry man who turned against God. Others who have endured far less have become “enraged against Jehovah” or embittered toward his organization. (Prov. 19:3) And some people are convinced that their unwholesome family background dooms them to lead a bad life, perhaps to repeat their parents’ mistakes. (Ezek. 18:2, 3) Are such notions correct? Hezekiah’s life record gives us a resounding answer: Absolutely not! There is never a valid reason to become embittered against Jehovah, for he is not the source of the evils that befall people in this wicked world. (Job 34:10) True, parents can exert a strong influence on their children for good or for bad. (Prov. 22:6; Col. 3:21) But this does not mean that a person’s family background determines his course in life. On the contrary, Jehovah has given all of us a precious gift—the ability to choose what we will do and who we will be.—Deut. 30:19. w16.02 2:8-10
Sunday, February 26
Ruthless men seek my life.—Ps. 54:3.
Abner supported Saul’s efforts to kill David, even though Abner knew that God had chosen David to rule as king of Israel. (1 Sam. 26:1-5) After Saul’s death, Abner could have shown humility and proved his loyalty to God by supporting David, not Saul’s son Ish-bosheth. Later, when Abner had relations with King Saul’s concubine, he may have been seeking the throne for himself. (2 Sam. 2:8-10; 3:6-11) Similarly, lack of humility prevented David’s son Absalom from being loyal to God. Why, “Absalom acquired for himself a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him”! (2 Sam. 15:1) He also stole the people’s loyalty. Like Abner, Absalom sought to kill David, even though he knew that Jehovah had appointed David as Israel’s king. (2 Sam. 15:13, 14; 17:1-4) The examples of Abner and Absalom make it clear that inordinate ambition can easily cause a person to become disloyal to God. Surely, no faithful servant of Jehovah would pursue such a selfish and wicked course. w16.02 4:9-11
Monday, February 27
Faith by itself, without works, is dead.—Jas. 2:17.
If you have strong conviction, it is reasonable to expect that you will show it by your actions. Young ones must also manifest “holy acts of conduct.” (2 Pet. 3:11) To do so, you must be morally clean. How are you doing in that regard? For example, think about the past six months. How have you demonstrated that your “powers of discernment” have been trained to distinguish right from wrong? (Heb. 5:14) Can you think of specific occasions when you resisted temptation or peer pressure? Does your conduct at school speak well of your faith? Do you stand up for your faith rather than try to blend in with your classmates just to avoid ridicule? (1 Pet. 4:3, 4) Admittedly, no one is perfect. Even longtime servants of Jehovah may at times feel timid about taking a public stand for their faith. However, a person who is dedicated to Jehovah will rightly be proud to bear God’s name, and he shows this by his conduct. w16.03 2:10, 11
Tuesday, February 28
This is the way. Walk in it.—Isa. 30:21.
Down through history, Jehovah has provided specific instructions or directions. For example, in the garden of Eden, Jehovah gave clear instructions that could guide the human family to everlasting life and happiness. (Gen. 2:15-17) Had Adam and Eve obeyed his direction, they would have been spared tragic consequences—a life filled with pain and ending in their death with no hope. But rather than obey, Eve listened to advice that seemed to come from a lowly animal. Adam, in turn, listened to her voice, the voice of a mortal human. Both of them turned their backs on their loving Father’s guidance. Consequently, the human family in general was on a fatal path. Today, Jehovah stands before his people, as it were, pointing them toward everlasting life, away from dangers. More than that, he acts like a loving shepherd to his flock, calling out to the sheep proper direction and warnings so that they can avoid dangerous paths. w16.03 4:2, 3