September

When we use the gift of speech well, we identify ourselves as worshippers of Jehovah. We help those around us to see clearly the difference “between one serving God and one not serving him.” (Mal. 3:18) Consider how this proved to be true for a sister named Kimberly. She was assigned to work with a classmate on a high-school project. After working together, the classmate noticed that Kimberly was different from other students. She did not criticize people behind their back, she spoke in a positive way, and she did not use profanity. Kimberly’s classmate was intrigued and eventually agreed to a Bible study. How pleased Jehovah is when we speak in a way that attracts people to the truth! We all want to speak in a way that brings honor to Jehovah. w22.04 5-6 ¶5-7

Jesus freed Mary Magdalene from the influence of seven demons! Her gratitude moved her to become his follower and to support him in the ministry. (Luke 8:1-3) Although Mary deeply appreciated what Jesus did for her personally, she may not have grasped that his greatest gift was yet to come. He would give his life “so that everyone exercising faith in him” could enjoy everlasting life. (John 3:16) Still, Mary showed her appreciation for Jesus by being loyal. While Jesus was suffering on the torture stake, Mary stood nearby, providing emotional support to him and to others. (John 19:25) After Jesus died, Mary and two other women brought spices to the tomb for his burial. (Mark 16:1, 2) Mary had the joy of meeting the resurrected Jesus and of speaking with him​—a privilege that most disciples did not have.​—John 20:11-18. w23.01 27 ¶4

We cannot rely merely on what we have done in the past in Jehovah’s service. Though we may have more limitations than before, we need to keep busy in “the work of the Lord,” remaining awake and alert right to the end. (1 Cor. 15:58; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:33) We must be zealous and wholehearted in our worship. Jesus’ message to those in Laodicea highlighted yet a different problem. They were “lukewarm” in their worship. Because of their apathy, Jesus told them that they were in a “miserable and pitiful” state. They needed to display fiery zeal for Jehovah and his worship. (Rev. 3:16, 17, 19) What is the lesson for us? If we have lost a measure of our zeal, we must stir up our appreciation for the spiritual riches we have. (Rev. 3:18) Never would we want to allow the pursuit of a comfortable lifestyle to distract us, causing us to relegate spiritual activities to second place. w22.05 3-4 ¶7-8

For thousands of years, Jehovah has been writing a special book. This book consists of a list of names, beginning with the name of the first faithful witness, Abel. (Luke 11:50, 51) Down through the centuries, Jehovah has added names to the book, and today it contains millions of names. In the Bible, that book is called “a book of remembrance,” “the book of life,” and “the scroll of life.” (Mal. 3:16; Rev. 3:5; 17:8) This special book contains the names of all those who worship Jehovah with fear, or awe, and who treasure his name. They are in line to receive everlasting life. Today we can have our name written in that book if we develop a close, personal relationship with Jehovah based on the ransom sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, 36) All of us want our name to be found in that book​—whether we hope to live in heaven or on the earth. w22.09 14 ¶1-2

The book of Revelation describes “a great fiery-colored dragon.” (Rev. 12:3) This dragon fights against Jesus and his angels. (Rev. 12:7-9) It attacks God’s people, and it gives power to the political beasts. (Rev. 12:17; 13:4) Who is this dragon? It is “the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan.” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2) He is the one behind all the other enemies of Jehovah. What happens to the dragon? Revelation 20:1-3 explains that an angel will hurl Satan into an abyss, which represents a prisonlike confinement. During that confinement, Satan will “not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years [have] ended.” Finally, Satan and his demons will be destroyed once and for all, represented by their being hurled into “the lake of fire and sulfur.” Just imagine a world without Satan and his demons. What a wonderful time that will be! w22.05 14 ¶19-20

Jesus was a hard worker. In his early years on earth, he worked as a carpenter. (Mark 6:3) No doubt his parents appreciated his help as they tried hard to provide for the needs of their large family. And as a carpenter, the perfect man Jesus must have been in high demand! Jesus very likely enjoyed his work. Yet, even while he was applying himself to his secular work, Jesus set aside time for spiritual activities. (John 7:15) Later, as a full-time minister, he advised his listeners: “Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that remains for everlasting life.” (John 6:27) And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matt. 6:20) Godly wisdom helps us to have a balanced view of our secular work. As Christians, we are taught to do “hard work . . . , good work.” w22.05 22 ¶9-10

Eunice set a good example for Timothy. He could no doubt see that his mother’s actions were motivated by her strong love for Jehovah and that serving Jehovah made his mother happy. Similarly today, many mothers have reached the heart of family members “without a word.” (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) You can do the same. How? Make your relationship with Jehovah your priority. (Deut. 6:5, 6) Like most mothers, you make many sacrifices. You give up time, money, sleep, and other things to care for your children’s physical needs. But you should never be so busy caring for those needs that you sacrifice your relationship with Jehovah. Regularly set aside time for private prayer, personal study of the Bible, and congregation meetings. By doing so, you will strengthen yourself spiritually and set a good example for your family as well as for others. w22.04 16 ¶1; 19 ¶12-13

What a relief it is to know that we do not have the burden of deciding how individuals should be judged! As the Supreme Judge, Jehovah will care for this important work. (Rom. 14:10-12) We can have complete confidence that he will always judge in harmony with his perfect standards of right and wrong. (Gen. 18:25) He will never do anything unrighteous! We long for the time when Jehovah will completely undo all the bad effects of human imperfection and sin. At that time, all our physical and emotional wounds will be permanently healed. (Ps. 72:12-14; Rev. 21:3, 4) They will never come to mind again. While we wait for that wonderful time to arrive, how thankful we are that Jehovah has empowered us with the ability to imitate him by being forgiving. w22.06 13 ¶18-19

A good judge needs to have a thorough understanding of the law. He should have a deep and strong sense of right and wrong. What else does a good judge need? He needs to be able to consider all the relevant facts in a case before he renders judgment. In this respect, Jehovah is uniquely qualified as Judge. Unlike human judges, Jehovah always has a perfect grasp of all the facts of any case that comes before him. (Gen. 18:20, 21; Ps. 90:8) He is not limited by what humans see or hear. He completely understands how a person’s actions are influenced by his genetic makeup, upbringing, and environment as well as by his emotional and mental condition. Jehovah also reads the heart. He fully perceives the motivations, intentions, and desires of each person. Nothing can be hidden from Jehovah. (Heb. 4:13) Thus, Jehovah’s forgiveness is always based on his complete knowledge of a situation. w22.06 4 ¶8-9

We must pay close attention to the tactics used on Job because Satan uses similar methods on us today. Satan claims that we do not really love Jehovah God and that we will turn against Him if it means saving our life. Satan further claims that God does not love us and that He will not notice our efforts to please Him. Being forewarned, we who hope in Jehovah are not fooled by Satan’s tactics. We should view trials as an opportunity to learn about ourselves. The trials that Job faced helped him to identify certain weaknesses and to correct them. For one thing, he learned that he needed to cultivate humility to a greater degree. (Job 42:3) We too can learn a lot about ourselves when we are under trial. Once we identify our weaknesses, we can work on correcting them. w22.06 23 ¶13-14

Jehovah assures us of his support. For example, just before Jehovah stated: “You are my witnesses,” he said: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not flood over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame singe you.” (Isa. 43:2) As we carry out our ministry, we sometimes encounter floodlike obstacles and face firelike trials. Even so, with Jehovah’s help we keep preaching. (Isa. 41:13) Most people today reject the message. We keep in mind that their rejection does not mean that we have failed as God’s Witnesses. We draw comfort and strength from knowing that Jehovah is pleased when we faithfully continue to declare his message. The apostle Paul stated: “Each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.”​—1 Cor. 3:8; 4:1, 2. w22.11 4 ¶5-6

Today, we are seeing Bible prophecies being fulfilled. People “out of all the languages of the nations” are learning to speak the “pure language” of Bible truth. (Zech. 8:23; Zeph. 3:9) Well over 8,000,000 people in 240 lands are associating with Jehovah’s organization, and each year tens of thousands get baptized! More important than numbers, however, are the spiritual qualities, “the new personality,” that these new disciples have cultivated. (Col. 3:8-10) Many stopped being immoral, violent, prejudiced, and nationalistic. The prophecy recorded at Isaiah 2:4 is being fulfilled; they are ‘not learning war anymore.’ As we work hard to put on the new personality, we help draw people to God’s organization and we prove that we are following our overseer Christ Jesus. (John 13:35) None of this happens by accident. Jesus is giving us the help we need. w22.07 9 ¶7-8

When we pray to Jehovah, we should avoid being overly familiar. Instead, we pray with an attitude of deep respect. Think about the amazing visions that Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John received. They all depict Jehovah as a majestic King. Isaiah “saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne.” (Isa. 6:1-3) Ezekiel saw Jehovah seated on his celestial chariot, surrounded by “a brilliance . . . like that of a rainbow.” (Ezek. 1:26-28) Daniel saw “the Ancient of Days” clothed in white garments, with flames of fire coming from His throne. (Dan. 7:9, 10) And John saw Jehovah seated on a throne surrounded by something like a beautiful emerald-green rainbow. (Rev. 4:2-4) As we reflect on Jehovah’s incomparable glory, we are reminded of the incredible privilege of approaching him in prayer and the importance of doing so with reverence. w22.07 20 ¶3

Young ones, Satan will try to prevent you from making further spiritual progress. One way he may do that is by raising doubts in your mind about some of the Bible’s teachings. For example, sooner or later you will come across the God-dishonoring theory of evolution. You may have given little or no thought to the subject when you were younger, but now that you are older, perhaps you are confronted with it directly in school. What your teachers say in support of evolution may seem logical and convincing. However, they may have never seriously considered the evidence of the existence of a Creator. Remember the principle found at Proverbs 18:17: “The first to state his case seems right, until the other party comes and cross-examines him.” Instead of blindly accepting ideas that you hear at school as fact, carefully consider the truths found in God’s Word, the Bible and in our publications. w22.08 2 ¶2; 4 ¶8

We want to understand the meaning of what we read in God’s Word. Otherwise, our reading may not fully benefit us. For example, consider Jesus’ conversation with “a man versed in the Law.” (Luke 10:25-29) When the man asked what he needed to do to gain everlasting life, Jesus directed him to God’s Word by asking: “What is written in the Law? How do you read?” The man was able to give the right answer by quoting the scriptures about loving God and loving neighbor. (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5) But note what he said next: “Who really is my neighbor?” The man revealed that he did not understand the real meaning of what he had read. As a result, he did not know how to apply those scriptures correctly in his life. We need Jehovah’s help to understand the Scriptures. So ask him for his holy spirit in order to concentrate, and then ask for his help to apply what you have read. w23.02 9 ¶4-5

“How did you come into the truth?” No doubt you have answered that question many times. It is one of the first questions that a fellow believer will ask when we are getting acquainted. We love to hear how our brothers and sisters came to know and love Jehovah, and we enjoy telling them what the truth means to us. (Rom. 1:11) As a result of these conversations, we are reminded of just how precious the truth is. We also become even more determined to “go on walking in the truth”​—that is, to keep living in a way that will bring Jehovah’s blessing and approval. We love the truth for many reasons. Most important, we love Jehovah God, the Source of the truth. Through his Word, the Bible, we have come to know him not only as the all-powerful Maker of heaven and earth but also as our loving heavenly Father, who tenderly cares for us.​—1 Pet. 5:7. w22.08 14 ¶1, 3

The apostle Paul encouraged his brothers and sisters to show love through “fine works.” (Heb. 10:24) He helped his brothers and sisters not only by what he said but also by what he did. For example, when fellow believers in Judea faced a famine, Paul helped distribute relief to them. (Acts 11:27-30) In fact, even though Paul was busy preaching and teaching, he always looked for ways to help those who needed material assistance. By so doing, he built up his fellow believers’ confidence that Jehovah would care for them. Today, when we volunteer our time, effort, and skills to help with disaster relief, we too build up the faith of our brothers and sisters. The same happens when we regularly donate toward the worldwide work. In these and other ways, we help our brothers and sisters to trust that Jehovah will never abandon them. w22.08 24 ¶14

The Bible contains many prophecies that were fulfilled, some of them hundreds of years after they were recorded. History confirms that these prophecies came true. This does not surprise us because we know that the Author of Bible prophecy is Jehovah. Think of the prophecies regarding the fall of the ancient city of Babylon. In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah was inspired to foretell that the then powerful city of Babylon would be captured. He even gave the name of its conqueror, Cyrus, and foretold precisely how the city would be seized. (Isa. 44:27–45:2) Isaiah also prophesied that Babylon would eventually be destroyed and completely deserted. (Isa. 13:19, 20) Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians in 539 B.C.E., and the site of this once great city is now a pile of ruins. w23.01 4 ¶10

Jehovah has chosen us to be part of his worldwide family of worshippers. Just think what a privilege that is and what benefits it brings! (Mark 10:29, 30) Around the world, we have brothers and sisters who share our love for Jehovah and who try their best to live by his standards. Our language, culture, and dress may be different from theirs, but we feel close to them, even when meeting them for the first time. We especially love to be with them to praise and worship our loving heavenly Father, and we need to remain united with them. (Ps. 133:1) At times, they help us to carry our burdens. (Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2) They also encourage us to stay active in Jehovah’s service and to keep spiritually strong. (Heb. 10:23-25) Think how we would feel if we did not have the protection of the congregation to help us stand firm against our common enemies​—Satan the Devil and his wicked world. w22.09 2-3 ¶3-4

We may find that our self-control is put to the test when we are using social media. If not careful, we could unintentionally reveal confidential matters to a large audience. And once we broadcast the information electronically, we have no control over how it will be used or how much damage it will cause. Self-control also allows us to remain silent when opposers try to trick us into revealing things that could endanger our brothers and sisters. This might occur when we are being interrogated by the police in a land where our work is banned or restricted. We can apply the principle to “guard [our] mouth with a muzzle” in these and other situations as well. (Ps. 39:1) Whether we are dealing with our family, our friends, our brothers and sisters, or anyone else, we need to be trustworthy. And to be trustworthy, we need self-control. w22.09 13 ¶16

To be truly happy, we must take in spiritual food. And we need it. That is why Jesus said: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4) Therefore, we should not let a day go by without taking in some spiritual food from God’s precious Word, the Bible. In the Bible, Jehovah has lovingly given us vital information on how to live a happy life. We learn what his purpose is for our life. We learn how we can draw close to him and gain his forgiveness for our sins. And we learn about the wonderful hope that he promises for the future. (Jer. 29:11) These truths that we gain from a study of the Bible fill our heart with joy! Whenever you feel discouraged by life’s problems, spend more time reading Jehovah’s Word and meditating on it. w22.10 7 ¶4-6

With good reason, the Bible encourages us not to remain inexperienced. We acquire the right kind of experience by applying Bible principles in our life. Little by little, we learn firsthand how those principles help us to avoid problems and make wise decisions. We do well to check our progress in this regard. If we have been studying the Bible and attending meetings for some time, we might ask ourselves why we have still not taken steps to make a dedication to Jehovah and get baptized. If we are baptized, are we making progress as a preacher and teacher of the good news? Do our decisions show that we are guided by Bible principles? Are we displaying Christian qualities in our dealings with others? If we see room for improvement, let us pay attention to Jehovah’s reminders, which ‘make the inexperienced one wise.’​—Ps. 19:7. w22.10 20 ¶8

Ezekiel saw how powerful God’s spirit is. In vision, he witnessed holy spirit at work on the mighty spirit creatures and on the gigantic wheels of a celestial chariot. (Ezek. 1:21) What was Ezekiel’s reaction? He recorded what happened. “When I saw it, I fell facedown.” Overcome with awe, Ezekiel dropped to the ground. (Ezek. 1:28) Later, whenever Ezekiel reflected on that impressive vision, it must have strengthened his conviction that with the help of God’s spirit, he could accomplish his ministry. Jehovah commanded Ezekiel: “Son of man, stand up on your feet that I may speak with you.” That command gave Ezekiel the inner strength, or the “spirit,” that he needed to get up from the ground. (Ezek. 2:1, 2) Later and throughout his ministry, Ezekiel was guided by God’s “hand”​—that is, God’s holy spirit.​—Ezek. 3:22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1; 40:1. w22.11 4 ¶7-8

The prophet Isaiah here describes Jehovah as an attentive instructor who is walking behind his students, pointing to the way ahead and giving them guidance. Today we hear God’s voice from behind us. How? God’s inspired words were recorded in the Bible long ago, a time far behind us. So when we read the Bible, it is as if we were hearing God’s voice coming from behind us. (Isa. 51:4) How can we benefit to the full from the guidance Jehovah provides? Note that Isaiah makes two statements. First, “this is the way.” Second, “walk in it.” It is not enough to know “the way.” We also need to “walk in it.” By means of Jehovah’s Word, as it is explained by his organization, we learn what Jehovah requires of us. We also learn how to apply what we learn. To endure with joy in our service to Jehovah, we need to take both steps. Only then can we be assured of Jehovah’s blessing. w22.11 11 ¶10-11

Soon after most of Jesus’ apostles died, imitation Christians worked their way into the congregation. (Matt. 13:24-27, 37-39) They spoke “twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:30) One of the “twisted things” that imitation Christians eventually began teaching was that Jesus did not offer his body “once for all time to bear the sins of many,” as the Bible says, but that his sacrifice must be repeated over and over again. (Heb. 9:27, 28) Today many sincere people believe this false teaching. They gather together in churches regularly​—sometimes daily—​to observe what has come to be called “the Sacrifice of the Mass.” Other religious organizations observe the death of Jesus less often, but most of their members have only a vague notion about what Jesus’ sacrifice has accomplished. w23.01 21 ¶5

During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, the dead will be raised and obedient mankind will be brought to perfection. Those whom Jehovah judges to be righteous “will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.” (Ps. 37:10, 11, 29) Happily, “the last enemy, death,” will be “brought to nothing.” (1 Cor. 15:26) Our hope of living forever is solidly based on God’s Word. That hope can help us to remain loyal during these difficult last days. But to please Jehovah, we must be motivated by more than just a desire to stay alive. Our primary reason for remaining loyal to Jehovah and Jesus is that we love them deeply. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) That love motivates us to imitate them and to share with others the hope we have. (Rom. 10:13-15) As we learn to be unselfish and generous, we become the type of people whom Jehovah wants as his friends forever. w22.12 6-7 ¶15-16

Persecution can rob us of many things that normally bring peace. We may become anxious, fearing what will happen next. These feelings are normal. Still, we must be careful. Jesus indicated that persecution could cause his followers to stumble. (John 16:1, 2) While Jesus did tell us to expect persecution, he also assured us that we can remain faithful. (John 15:20; 16:33) When our work is banned or greatly restricted, we may receive instructions from the branch office and the elders. These are meant to protect us, to make sure that we keep receiving spiritual food, and to help us continue preaching to the extent possible. Do your best to obey the direction you receive. (Jas. 3:17) Also, never reveal information about our brothers and sisters to those who are not entitled to it.​—Eccl. 3:7. w22.12 20-21 ¶14-16

Today, Jesus continues to direct his disciples as they preach about God’s Kingdom in all the earth. He has done his part. Through Jehovah’s organization, Jesus trains us how to preach and he provides us with the tools we need to spread the good news. (Matt. 28:18-20) We do our part by being industrious in our preaching and teaching work and by keeping watchful as we wait on Jehovah to bring an end to this system of things. By applying the counsel found at Hebrews 6:11, 12, we will hold fast to our hope “down to the end.” Jehovah has a fixed day and hour when he will bring an end to Satan’s system. When that day comes, Jehovah will without fail fulfill the prophecies that he had recorded in his Word. Meanwhile, it may at times seem that the end of this system has been delayed. However, Jehovah’s day “will not be late!” (Hab. 2:3) So may we be determined to “keep on the lookout for Jehovah,” showing “a waiting attitude for the God of [our] salvation.”​—Mic. 7:7. w23.02 19 ¶15-16

A mountain climber’s goal is to reach the summit. However, there are numerous points along the route where he can stop and take in the view. In a similar way, regularly take time to stop and think about how Jehovah is making you successful even while you are enduring a hardship. At the end of each day, ask yourself: ‘In what way did I see Jehovah’s blessing today? Although the trial is still running its course, how is Jehovah helping me to endure?’ See if you can identify at least one blessing from Jehovah that has made you successful. True, you might be praying for your trial to end. (Phil. 4:6) But we should also be aware of the blessings we have right now. After all, Jehovah promises to strengthen us and to help us to endure. So never lose appreciation for the fact that Jehovah is supporting you. Then you will see how Jehovah is helping you to succeed, even during times of trial.​—Gen. 41:51, 52. w23.01 19 ¶17-18

Ask yourself: ‘Does my way of life show that I understand how close we are to the end of this system of things? Do my decisions regarding education and employment show that serving Jehovah is the most important thing in my life? Do I have faith that Jehovah will provide for me and my family?’ Think how pleased Jehovah is when he sees us bringing our life into harmony with his will. (Matt. 6:25-27, 33; Phil. 4:12, 13) We need to examine our thinking regularly and follow through by making any necessary adjustments. Paul told the Corinthians: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith; keep proving what you yourselves are.” (2 Cor. 13:5) So we need to keep making our mind over by reading God’s Word, learning to think as he thinks, and then doing whatever is necessary to bring ourselves in line with Jehovah’s will.​—1 Cor. 2:14-16. w23.01 9 ¶5-6