May
Saturday, May 1
Instruct us about what we should do with the child.—Judg. 13:8.
What can parents do to help their children learn to love Jehovah? Pray for Jehovah’s help, as Manoah did. Also, teach by example. What you say is important; however, what you do will likely have a bigger impact on your child. We can be sure that Joseph and Mary set an excellent example for their children, including Jesus. Joseph worked hard to support his family. In addition, Joseph encouraged his household to appreciate spiritual things. (Deut. 4:9, 10) He took his family with him to Jerusalem “from year to year” to celebrate the Passover. (Luke 2:41, 42) Some fathers in his day may have viewed such a family trip as inconvenient, time-consuming, and expensive. Yet, Joseph obviously appreciated spiritual things and taught his children to do the same. Also, Mary knew the Scriptures well. By her words and actions, she no doubt taught her children to love God’s Word. w19.12 24-25 ¶9-12
Sunday, May 2
I am fleshly, sold under sin.—Rom. 7:14.
We see proof of Jehovah’s love for us in the way he responded to the problems that first arose within his earthly family. When Adam disobeyed his heavenly Father, he lost his place in Jehovah’s happy family, both for himself and for his descendants. (Rom. 5:12) Jehovah, however, stepped in to help. Jehovah punished Adam, but he did not leave Adam’s unborn offspring without hope. He immediately promised that obedient humans would be brought back into his family. (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 8:20, 21) Jehovah arranged for this on the basis of the ransom sacrifice of his beloved Son, Jesus. By giving his Son in our behalf, Jehovah proved how dearly he loves us. (John 3:16) He is the ideal Father. He hears our prayers and provides what we need, both materially and spiritually. He trains and supports us. He also has wonderful blessings in store for us. It warms our heart to know that our Father loves and cares for us! w20.02 6 ¶16-17; 7 ¶20
Monday, May 3
When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me.—Ps. 94:19.
Have you ever been plagued by anxiety? Perhaps it was because of what others have said or done or because of what you have said or done. For example, you may have made a mistake, and you worry that Jehovah will never forgive you. To make matters worse, you may believe that because you are overwhelmed by anxiety, you must lack faith—you must be a bad person. Consider, though, a few Scriptural examples. Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother, was a woman of great faith. Yet, she was overcome by anxiety when a member of her household treated her badly. (1 Sam. 1:7) The apostle Paul had strong faith, but he was overwhelmed with “anxiety for all the congregations.” (2 Cor. 11:28) King David had such strong faith that Jehovah developed a special fondness for him. (Acts 13:22) Even so, David made mistakes that caused him to suffer bouts of crushing anxiety. (Ps. 38:4) Jehovah comforted and soothed each one of them. w20.02 20 ¶1-2
Tuesday, May 4
If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself.—Matt. 16:24.
When you make a dedication, you approach Jehovah in earnest prayer and tell him that you will use your life to serve him forever. When you dedicate yourself to God, you “disown” yourself. You now belong to Jehovah, which is a great privilege. (Rom. 14:8) You are telling him that from now on, you will be focused on serving him and not on pleasing yourself. Your dedication is a vow—a solemn promise made to God. Jehovah does not force us to make such a vow. But when we do, he expects us to fulfill it. (Ps. 116:12, 14) Your dedication is personal and private; it is between you and Jehovah. Baptism is public; it takes place in front of others, usually at an assembly or a convention. When you get baptized, you show others that you have already dedicated yourself to Jehovah. So your baptism lets others know that you love Jehovah your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and that you are determined to serve him forever.—Mark 12:30. w20.03 9 ¶4-5
Wednesday, May 5
Let no one lead you astray.—2 Thess. 2:3.
Satan blurs people’s view of Jehovah. After the death of Jesus’ apostles, some who claimed to be Christians began to spread false teachings. (Acts 20:29, 30) These apostates started to blur the identity of the only true God. For example, they stopped using the divine name in their copies of the Bible and preferred such expressions as “Lord.” By removing God’s personal name and replacing it with “Lord,” they made it difficult for a Bible reader to see how Jehovah is different from the other “lords” mentioned in the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 8:5) They used the same term, “Lord,” for Jehovah and for Jesus, making it difficult to understand that Jehovah and his Son are different individuals with distinct positions. (John 17:3) This confusion contributed to the development of the doctrine of the Trinity—a doctrine not taught in God’s Word. As a result, many see God as mysterious and believe that we cannot know him. What a lie!—Acts 17:27. w19.06 5 ¶11
Thursday, May 6
Fully accomplish your ministry.—2 Tim. 4:5.
One way to accomplish our ministry more fully is by improving our skills in the preaching work. (Prov. 1:5; 1 Tim. 4:13, 15) How privileged we are that Jehovah allows us to be his “fellow workers”! (1 Cor. 3:9) When you “make sure of the more important things” and focus on the Christian ministry, you will “serve Jehovah with rejoicing.” (Phil. 1:10; Ps. 100:2) As one of God’s ministers, you can be confident that he will give you the power you need to accomplish your ministry no matter what challenges or limitations you may face. (2 Cor. 4:1, 7; 6:4) Whether your circumstances allow you to have a small or a great share in witnessing, you can “have cause for rejoicing” when you are whole-souled in your ministry. (Gal. 6:4) When you fully accomplish your ministry, you show your love for Jehovah and for your fellow man. “By doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.”—1 Tim. 4:16. w19.04 6 ¶15; 7 ¶17
Friday, May 7
Satan . . . is misleading the entire inhabited earth.—Rev. 12:9.
A major way in which Satan and the demons try to mislead people is through spiritism. Those who practice spiritism claim to know or control things that humans cannot normally know or control. For example, some claim to be able to know the future by using divination or astrology. Others may act as though they were speaking to those who have died. Some practice witchcraft or magic, and they may try to cast a spell on another person. A survey conducted in 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean found that about a third of the people surveyed believe in magic, witchcraft, or sorcery, and nearly as many believe that it is possible to communicate with spirits. Another survey was conducted in 18 countries in Africa. There, on average, more than half of the people surveyed say that they believe in witchcraft. Of course, wherever we live, we must be on guard against spiritism. w19.04 20-21 ¶3-4
Saturday, May 8
Watch that among you there is no one who is sexually immoral.—Heb. 12:16.
Jehovah God hates all forms of wickedness. (Ps. 5:4-6) How he must hate child sexual abuse—an especially repugnant wicked deed! In imitation of Jehovah, we as his Witnesses abhor child abuse and do not tolerate it in the Christian congregation. (Rom. 12:9) Any act of child abuse is absolutely opposed to “the law of the Christ”! (Gal. 6:2) All that Jesus taught both by word and by example is built on love and promotes justice. Governed by this law, true Christians treat children in a way that makes them feel safe and genuinely loved. But child abuse is a selfish, unjust act that makes a child feel unsafe and unloved. Sadly, true Christians have been affected by it. Why? “Wicked men and impostors” abound, and some may try to enter the congregation. (2 Tim. 3:13) In addition, some professing to be a part of the congregation have succumbed to perverted fleshly desires and have sexually abused children. w19.05 8 ¶1-3
Sunday, May 9
A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.—Jas. 5:16.
A person who is very low in spirit may feel unworthy to approach Jehovah in prayer. If we want to comfort such a person, we may offer a prayer with that one, using his or her name. We may express to Jehovah how dear the downhearted one is to us and to the congregation. We may ask Jehovah to soothe and comfort that precious sheep of his. Prayers of that kind can be profoundly comforting. Think before you speak. Thoughtless words can hurt. Kind words can heal. (Prov. 12:18) So pray to Jehovah for help to find kind, comforting, soothing words. Keep in mind that no words are more powerful than Jehovah’s own expressions contained in the Bible. (Heb. 4:12) When we comfort others, we remind them of Jehovah’s love. And we must never forget that Jehovah is also a God of justice. No wicked act of abuse is really hidden. Jehovah sees all, and he will not let unrepentant wrongdoers go unpunished.—Num. 14:18. w19.05 18 ¶18; 19 ¶19, 21
Monday, May 10
Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition.—Col. 2:8.
Satan wants to turn us against Jehovah. To achieve his goal, he tries to influence our thinking, in effect, to bring our mind into captivity and make it obedient to him. He tries to persuade or to deceive us into following him by appealing to our desires. (Col. 2:4) Are we really in serious danger of being misled by Satan? Yes, we are! Remember, Paul did not write the warning recorded at Colossians 2:8 to unbelievers. He wrote it to Christians who had been anointed with holy spirit. (Col. 1:2, 5) Those Christians were in danger back then, and we are in even greater danger today. (1 Cor. 10:12) Why? Satan has been confined to the vicinity of the earth, and he is focused on misleading God’s loyal servants. (Rev. 12:9, 12, 17) In addition, we are living during a time when wicked men and impostors are advancing “from bad to worse.”—2 Tim. 3:1, 13. w19.06 2 ¶1-2
Tuesday, May 11
It is enough! Now, O Jehovah, take my life away.—1 Ki. 19:4.
Elijah became afraid when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. So he fled to the area of Beer-sheba. He became so discouraged that “he asked that he might die.” What made him feel that way? Elijah was an imperfect man, “a man with feelings like ours.” (Jas. 5:17) Perhaps he felt overwhelmed by stress and physical exhaustion. It seems that Elijah thought that his efforts to promote pure worship had been futile, that nothing in Israel had improved, and that he was the only one still serving Jehovah. (1 Ki. 18:3, 4, 13; 19:10, 14) Jehovah understood Elijah’s feelings and did not scold him for expressing them. Instead, he helped Elijah regain strength. (1 Ki. 19:5-7) Later, Jehovah kindly adjusted Elijah’s thinking by demonstrating His awesome power. Jehovah then pointed out that he still had 7,000 in Israel who refused to worship Baal. (1 Ki. 19:11-18) In practical ways, Jehovah showed Elijah that He loved him. w19.06 15-16 ¶5-6
Wednesday, May 12
Be in subjection to the older men. . . . Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones.—1 Pet. 5:5.
Avoid being presumptuous. If we heed the direction we receive from trusted, responsible brothers, we will avoid problems. For example, in a land where the work is under ban, the responsible brothers had directed that the publishers not leave printed literature in the ministry. Yet, a pioneer brother in that location felt that he knew better and distributed literature. What was the result? Shortly after he and some others finished a period of informal witnessing, they were questioned by the police. Apparently, officials had followed them and were able to retrieve the literature they had distributed. What do we learn from this experience? We need to follow direction even if we feel that we know better. Jehovah always blesses us when we cooperate with the brothers whom he has appointed to take the lead among us.—Heb. 13:7, 17. w19.07 12 ¶17
Thursday, May 13
All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.—2 Tim. 3:12.
On the night before our Lord Jesus was put to death, he said that all who choose to be his disciples will be hated. (John 17:14) Up until now, faithful Christian Witnesses of Jehovah have been persecuted by those who oppose true worship. As the end of this system of things draws closer, we expect our enemies to oppose us even more. (Matt. 24:9) How can we prepare ourselves now to face persecution? We do not need to imagine all the things that could happen to us. If we did, we could be overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. We could allow imagined threats to defeat us even before any real test comes. (Prov. 12:25; 17:22) Fear is a powerful weapon that our “adversary, the Devil,” tries to use against us. (1 Pet. 5:8, 9) It is vital, then, that we strengthen our bond with Jehovah and do it now. w19.07 2 ¶1-3
Friday, May 14
Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations.—Matt. 28:19.
The apostles must have been full of anticipation as they gathered on a mountainside. Jesus had, after his resurrection, arranged for them to meet him at that location. (Matt. 28:16) That was perhaps the occasion when “he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time.” (1 Cor. 15:6) Why had Jesus called his disciples to this meeting? To give them an exciting mission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations.” (Matt. 28:18-20) The disciples who heard Jesus’ words became part of the first-century Christian congregation. The primary mission of that congregation was to make more disciples of Christ. Today, there are tens of thousands of true Christian congregations throughout the earth, and the primary mission of those congregations remains the same. w19.07 14 ¶1-2
Saturday, May 15
The earth remains forever.—Eccl. 1:4.
A traveling overseer in Norway says that people who are not inclined to talk about God are often willing to talk about world conditions. After greeting people, he says: “What do you think about our prospects for a better future? Does our best hope lie with politicians, scientists, or someone else?” After listening carefully, he reads or quotes a scripture that points to a bright future. Some are intrigued by the Bible’s promise that the earth will last forever and that good people will live on it eternally. (Ps. 37:29) We do well to use a variety of approaches with those we meet. Why? Because what attracts one may repel another. Some do not mind discussing God or the Bible, while others respond better to a more indirect approach. In either case, we should take the opportunity to speak to all sorts of people. (Rom. 1:14-16) Jehovah is the one who makes the truth grow in the hearts of those who are righteously inclined.—1 Cor. 3:6, 7. w19.07 22-23 ¶10-11
Sunday, May 16
If this is how God loved us, then we are also under obligation to love one another.—1 John 4:11.
God’s great love for us will move us to love our brothers. (1 John 4:20, 21) We might think that love for our brothers and sisters will come naturally. After all, we worship Jehovah and strive to imitate his fine qualities. We follow the example of Jesus, whose love was so great that he gave his life in our behalf. Yet, we may at times find it difficult to obey the commandment to love one another. Euodia and Syntyche were zealous sisters who had served “side by side” with the apostle Paul. Yet, they had perhaps allowed personal differences to cause a rift between them. In his letter to the congregation where those sisters served, Paul specifically named Euodia and Syntyche and gave them pointed admonition “to be of the same mind.” (Phil. 4:2, 3) Paul felt compelled to instruct the entire congregation: “Keep doing all things free from murmuring and arguments.”—Phil. 2:14. w19.08 9 ¶6-7
Monday, May 17
Go on carrying the burdens of one another.—Gal. 6:2.
Commendably, many congregations and individuals do what they can to enable those in full-time service to remain in their assignments. They do so by encouraging them to continue their work, by giving them financial or other material support, or by helping them to care for their family members back home. If those in full-time service receive a new assignment to your congregation, do not view the change of assignment as an indication that they somehow failed or were disciplined. Instead, help them to make the transition easier. Give them a warm welcome and commend them for the work they have done, even if poor health limits what they can do at present. Get to know them. Learn from their wealth of knowledge, training, and experience. Initially, those receiving a new assignment may need your help to obtain housing, transportation, work, and other basic necessities. w19.08 23-24 ¶12-13
Tuesday, May 18
I [will] sanctify myself through you before their eyes, O Gog.—Ezek. 38:16.
Gog will trust in his “arm of flesh”—his military might. (2 Chron. 32:8) We will trust in Jehovah our God—a stand that will seem foolish to the nations. After all, the gods of the once powerful Babylon the Great did not save her from “the wild beast” and its “ten horns”! (Rev. 17:16) So Gog will expect an easy victory. “Like clouds covering the land,” he will attack Jehovah’s people. But Gog will soon see that he has marched into a trap. Like Pharaoh at the Red Sea, Gog will learn that he is fighting against Jehovah. (Ex. 14:1-4; Ezek. 38:3, 4, 18, 21-23) Christ and his heavenly armies will defend God’s people and crush Gog’s hordes. (Rev. 19:11, 14, 15) But what about Jehovah’s chief enemy, Satan, whose lying propaganda led the nations to Armageddon? Jesus will hurl him and his demons into an abyss, where they will be locked away for a thousand years.—Rev. 20:1-3. w19.09 11-12 ¶14-15
Wednesday, May 19
Keep in expectation of it! For it will without fail come true.—Hab. 2:3.
We naturally long for the good things that Jehovah has promised. However, when the fulfillment of our expectations appears to be delayed, it may dampen our enthusiasm. We could even lose heart. (Prov. 13:12) This happened at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, many anointed Christians expected to receive their heavenly reward in 1914. When that did not happen, how did faithful ones deal with their delayed expectations? They did not give up the race for life, because their primary focus was on faithfully doing God’s will, not on gaining their reward. They were determined to run the race with endurance. No doubt you long to see Jehovah vindicate his name and sovereignty and fulfill all his promises. Be assured that these things will happen in Jehovah’s due time. Until then, may we keep busy serving our God, never allowing postponed expectations to discourage us or slow us down. w19.08 4-5 ¶9-10
Thursday, May 20
I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart.—Matt. 11:29.
Ask yourself: ‘Do I have a reputation for being mild-tempered and humble? Do I willingly do menial jobs to serve others? Am I kind to others?’ Jesus created a peaceful, inviting environment for his fellow workers, and he enjoyed training them. (Luke 10:1, 19-21) He encouraged his disciples to ask questions, and he wanted to hear their opinions. (Matt. 16:13-16) Much like plants in a greenhouse, the disciples flourished. They absorbed the lessons that Jesus taught and produced fruit in the form of good works. Do you have a position of authority? If so, ask yourself: ‘What kind of environment do I create at work or at home? Do I promote peace? Do I encourage others to ask questions? And am I willing to hear their opinions?’ Never would we want to be like the Pharisees, who resented those who questioned them and persecuted those who expressed an opinion contrary to their own.—Mark 3:1-6; John 9:29-34. w19.09 20 ¶1; 23 ¶9-11
Friday, May 21
Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them.—1 Thess. 5:3.
World leaders sometimes use similar expressions when they talk about stabilizing relationships between nations. However, the announcement of “peace and security” that the Bible describes will be different. Why? When this happens, people may think that world leaders have succeeded in making the world a safer, more secure place. But in reality, “sudden destruction” will follow as the “great tribulation” unfolds. (Matt. 24:21) We do not know what will lead up to the declaration or how it will be made. And we do not know whether it will involve just one proclamation or a series of announcements. Whatever happens, we do know this: We should not be fooled into thinking that world leaders can actually achieve world peace. Rather, it is the signal that “Jehovah’s day” is about to begin!—1 Thess. 5:2. w19.10 8-9 ¶3-4
Saturday, May 22
During that time your people will escape.—Dan. 12:1.
The war of Armageddon will be the grand finale to the conclusion of this system of things. However, we have nothing to fear. Why? Because this will be God’s fight. (Prov. 1:33; Ezek. 38:18-20; Zech. 14:3) At Jehovah’s signal, Jesus Christ will lead the charge. He will have alongside him the resurrected anointed ones and myriads of angels. Together, they will war against Satan, his demons, and their earthly forces. (Rev. 6:2; 17:14) Jehovah has guaranteed: “No weapon formed against you will have any success.” (Isa. 54:17) “A great crowd” of Jehovah’s faithful worshippers will “come out of the great tribulation” alive! Then they will continue to render him sacred service. (Rev. 7:9, 13-17) How the Bible fills us with confidence about the future! We know that “Jehovah protects the faithful.” (Ps. 31:23) All who love and praise Jehovah will delight to see him vindicate his holy name.—Ezek. 38:23. w19.10 18-19 ¶17-18
Sunday, May 23
A true friend shows love at all times.—Prov. 17:17.
As we move deeper into “the last days,” we may face severe adversities. (2 Tim. 3:1) For example, after an election campaign, a country in western Africa was torn apart by social unrest and mob violence. For over six months, our brothers and sisters could not move about freely because they were in a combat zone. What helped them to cope with such hardships? Some found refuge in the homes of brothers living in a safer area. One brother reported: “In such a situation, I appreciated having friends around me. We were able to encourage one another.” When “the great tribulation” strikes, we will appreciate having good friends who love us. (Rev. 7:14) So it is urgent that we build strong bonds of friendship now. (1 Pet. 4:7, 8) Why? Because our enemies will try to divide us by means of lies and misinformation. They will try to turn us against one another. But their efforts will be wasted. They will be unable to break our bonds of love. w19.11 2 ¶1-2; 7 ¶19
Monday, May 24
You will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows.—Eph. 6:16.
Satan, “the father of the lie,” uses those under his control to spread lies about Jehovah and about our brothers and sisters. (John 8:44) For instance, apostates publish lies and distort facts about Jehovah’s organization on websites and through television and other media. Those lies are among Satan’s “burning arrows.” How should we respond if someone confronts us with such lies? We reject them! Why? Because we have faith in Jehovah and we trust our brothers. In fact, we avoid all contact with apostates. We do not allow anyone or anything, including curiosity, to draw us into arguing with them nor to weaken our faith. Have you resisted the urge to listen to and argue with apostates about the lies they spread? That is commendable. But we must remain on guard because Satan has other weapons that he tries to use against us. w19.11 15 ¶8; 16 ¶11
Tuesday, May 25
Jehovah examines the motives.—Prov. 16:2.
When making decisions, analyze your motives. Jehovah wants us to be honest in all things. So when we make decisions, we too want to be honest with ourselves and with others about our motives. If we were not completely honest, we would likely have difficulty sticking to the decision. For example, a young brother may decide to become a regular pioneer. After some time, however, he struggles to fulfill the hour requirement and he finds little joy in his ministry. He may have thought that his main motive for pioneering was his desire to please Jehovah. Could it be, though, that he was primarily motivated by a desire to please his parents or some person he admired? Consider the situation of a Bible student who decides to give up smoking. At first, he struggles, doing well for a week or two, but then he gives in to the urge to smoke. Finally, though, he is successful! His love for Jehovah and his desire to please Him have helped him to conquer the habit.—Col. 1:10; 3:23. w19.11 27 ¶9; 29 ¶10
Wednesday, May 26
Carry on as citizens in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ.—Phil. 1:27, ftn.
The apostle Paul was confident that he would finish the race and reach his goal. As an anointed Christian, he looked forward to gaining “the prize of the upward call of God.” However, to reach that goal, he realized that he had to keep “pressing on.” (Phil. 3:14) Paul shared with the Philippians an interesting comparison to help them keep focused on their goal. Paul reminded the Philippians of their heavenly citizenship. (Phil. 3:20) Why did such citizenship matter? In those days, Roman citizenship was highly prized. However, anointed Christians had a much better citizenship, one that would bring far greater advantages. Roman citizenship paled in comparison! Anointed Christians today set a fine example as they press on toward their goal of everlasting life in heaven. w19.08 6 ¶14-15
Thursday, May 27
If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.—John 8:36.
That freedom was certainly greater than what could be gained during Israel’s Jubilee year! (Lev. 25:8-12) For instance, a man set free during the Jubilee might again become a slave, and in any case, he would eventually die. On the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., Jehovah anointed with holy spirit the apostles and other faithful men and women. He adopted them as his sons so that in time they would be resurrected to heaven to reign with Jesus. (Rom. 8:2, 15-17) These were the first to benefit from the liberty that Jesus announced in the synagogue of Nazareth. (Luke 4:16-19, 21) Those men and women were no longer enslaved to false teachings and unscriptural practices of the Jewish religious leaders. God also considered them liberated from the deadly effects of sin. The symbolic Jubilee that began with the anointing of Christ’s followers in 33 C.E. will end at the conclusion of Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign. w19.12 11 ¶11-12
Friday, May 28
Bad associations spoil useful habits.—1 Cor. 15:33.
Parents, help your children to choose good associates. Both mother and father need to know whom their children are associating with and what they are doing. That includes knowing whom their children are communicating with through social media and on their mobile phone. Those associates can impact how the children think and act. Many parents exert themselves to arrange opportunities for their children to associate with those who set a good example in serving God. For instance, N’Déni and Bomine, a couple in Côte d’Ivoire, often invited the circuit overseer to stay in their home. N’Déni relates: “This had a very good effect on our son. He began pioneering and now serves as a substitute circuit overseer.” The earlier parents begin training their children, the better. (Prov. 22:6) Consider Timothy. Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois trained him “from infancy.”—2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15. w19.12 25 ¶14; 26 ¶16-17
Saturday, May 29
There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.—Prov. 18:24.
Be a trustworthy friend. For example, we not only promise to help our brothers and sisters in need but also do practical things to assist them. (Matt. 5:37; Luke 16:10) When those who need help know that they can depend on us, they are genuinely comforted. One sister explains why. She says, “You do not have the added stress of wondering whether the person who offered to help will be there on time to do what he promised.” Those coping with a trial or disappointment often find comfort by confiding in a trusted friend. But to be a trusted friend and confidant, we need to cultivate patience. When Zhanna’s husband left her, she found comfort in sharing her feelings with close friends. “They patiently listened to me,” she says, “although I probably said the same things over and over again.” You too can prove to be a good friend by being a good listener. w20.01 10-11 ¶9-11
Sunday, May 30
He will be filled with holy spirit even from before birth.—Luke 1:15.
Throughout the Bible, there are many examples of men of faith who received holy spirit; yet, they did not have the hope of living in heaven. David was guided by holy spirit. (1 Sam. 16:13) Holy spirit helped him to understand the deep things about Jehovah and also directed him to write parts of the Bible. (Mark 12:36) Even so, the apostle Peter said that David “did not ascend to the heavens.” (Acts 2:34) John the Baptist was “filled with holy spirit.” (Luke 1:13-16) Jesus said that there was no man greater than John, but then he said that John would not be included in the heavenly Kingdom. (Matt. 11:10, 11) Jehovah used his holy spirit to give these men the power to do amazing things, but he did not use that spirit to choose them to live in heaven. Does this mean that they were less faithful? No. It simply means that Jehovah will bring them back to life in Paradise on earth.—John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15. w20.01 25 ¶15
Monday, May 31
We love, because he first loved us.—1 John 4:19.
Jehovah has invited us to join his family of worshippers. Our family is made up of those who have dedicated themselves to God and who exercise faith in the ransom sacrifice of his Son. Ours is a happy family. We enjoy a meaningful life now, and we rejoice in the prospect of life without end—whether in heaven or in Paradise on earth. Moved by love and at great cost to himself, Jehovah opened the way for us to be part of his family. (John 3:16) We were “bought with a price.” (1 Cor. 6:20) By means of the ransom, Jehovah made it possible for us to have a warm relationship with him. We have the honor of addressing the greatest Person in the universe as Father. And Jehovah is the ideal Father. Like one Bible writer, we might ask: “With what will I repay Jehovah for all the good he has done for me?” (Ps. 116:12) The answer is that we can never repay our heavenly Father. Still, we feel moved to love him. w20.02 8 ¶1-3