November

Profanity has no place on a Christian’s lips. But there are subtle forms of abusive speech that we also need to be on guard against. For example, we need to be careful not to make unfavorable comparisons when talking about people of other cultures, tribes, or nationalities. Further, we never want to hurt others with cutting remarks. Speak in a way that builds others up. Be quick to commend rather than to criticize or complain. The Israelites had much to be thankful for, yet they routinely complained. A complaining spirit can be contagious. You will recall that a negative report from ten spies caused “all the Israelites . . . to murmur against Moses.” (Num. 13:31–14:4) On the other hand, commendation can be a powerful force for good. So look for opportunities to offer sincere commendation. w22.04 8 ¶16-17

Since Bible times, Jehovah has helped countless young ones to become his friends. He can also help your children to grow spiritually if that is their desire. (1 Cor. 3:6, 7) Even if your children seem to stray, Jehovah will keep a loving eye on them. (Ps. 11:4) When they show the slightest sign of being “rightly disposed,” he will be there, reaching out to them. (Acts 13:48; 2 Chron. 16:9) He may help you say the right thing at the right time​—when your children need to hear it the most. (Prov. 15:23) Or he may move a caring brother or sister in the congregation to take a special interest in them. Even after your children become adults, Jehovah may bring back to their mind something that you taught them in the past. (John 14:26) You give Jehovah much to bless when you continue to train your children by word and by example. w22.04 21 ¶18

Since Satan no longer has access to the heavenly realm, he focuses his anger on the remnant of anointed ones, who are the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom and who “have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.” (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:19, 20) In 1918, eight prominent brothers were convicted on false charges, and each was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. It appeared as if the work of these anointed ones had been “killed.” (Rev. 11:3, 7-11) But early in 1919, those anointed brothers were released from prison, and later the charges were dropped. The brothers immediately got back to work​—Kingdom work. But that did not stop Satan’s attacks on God’s people. Since that time, Satan has directed “a river” of persecution against all of God’s people. (Rev. 12:15) Truly, “this is where it calls for endurance and faith” on the part of each one of us.​—Rev. 13:10. w22.05 5-6 ¶14-16

In a vision, the apostle John sees two groups who support Jehovah’s rulership and receive the blessings of everlasting life. The first group numbers 144,000. They are taken from the earth to form a government, or Kingdom, with Jesus in heaven. Along with him, they rule over the earth. (Rev. 5:9, 10; 14:3, 4) In the vision, John sees them standing with Jesus on heavenly Mount Zion. (Rev. 14:1) Down through the centuries, thousands have been selected to be part of the 144,000. (Luke 12:32; Rom. 8:17) John, however, is told that only a remnant, or a small number, would be alive on earth during the last days. (Rev. 12:17) Then sometime during the great tribulation, this remnant will be taken to heaven to join the rest of the 144,000, who have already died faithful. There they will become corulers with Jesus in God’s Kingdom.​—Matt. 24:31; Rev. 5:9, 10. w22.05 16 ¶4-5

Jesus taught his followers to have a proper view of themselves. Jesus assured them: “The hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30) That statement is very comforting to us, especially if we tend to have a negative view of ourselves. It means that our heavenly Father is deeply interested in us​—that we have value in his eyes. We would never want to call into question Jehovah’s judgment by concluding that we are unworthy of being his worshippers and of receiving life in his new world. Some 15 years ago, The Watchtower recommended that we develop this balanced view of ourselves: “Certainly, we would not want to think too highly of ourselves to the point of becoming conceited; nor would we want to go to the other extreme and think nothing of ourselves. Rather, our aim should be to cultivate a reasonable view of ourselves, realizing our strengths and our limitations.” w22.05 24-25 ¶14-16

How are we personally involved in contributing to this unity? By being peacemakers. (Matt. 5:9; Rom. 12:18) Each time we take the initiative to promote peaceful relations with others in the congregation, we add to the beauty of the spiritual paradise. We keep in mind that Jehovah has drawn each of the inhabitants of the spiritual paradise to pure worship. (John 6:44) Imagine how happy Jehovah must be when he sees us working hard to strengthen the peace and unity among those whom he views as precious​—his servants! (Isa. 26:3; Hag. 2:7) How can we benefit to the full from the blessings that we receive as God’s servants? We can think deeply about what we study in God’s Word. Such study and meditation will help us to cultivate Christian qualities that move us to show “brotherly love” and “tender affection for one another” in the congregation.​—Rom. 12:10. w22.11 12-13 ¶16-18

When we accept the fact that Jehovah has forgiven us, we enjoy “seasons of refreshing,” including peace of mind and a clean conscience. Such forgiveness cannot come from men but must come from “Jehovah himself.” (Acts 3:19) When Jehovah forgives us, he restores his relationship with us so completely that it is as though we had never sinned. Once Jehovah forgives us, he will never accuse us or punish us again for that sin. (Isa. 43:25) Jehovah puts our sins “as far off as the sunrise is from the sunset.” (Ps. 103:12) When we reflect on how great Jehovah’s forgiveness is, we are filled with gratitude and awe. (Ps. 130:4) Jehovah’s decision to forgive is not based on whether the sin was great or small. Jehovah uses his knowledge as our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge when deciding whether he will extend forgiveness. w22.06 5 ¶12-14

Jehovah has given a beautiful hope to all those who love him. Soon he will bring an end to sickness, sorrow, and death. (Rev. 21:3, 4) He will help “the meek” who are hoping in him to transform the earth into a paradise. (Ps. 37:9-11) And he will make it possible for each one of us to have a warm, personal relationship with him that will be even more wonderful than what we enjoy now. What a marvelous hope that is! But what basis do we have for believing that God’s promises will come true? Jehovah never breaks a promise. We thus have good reason to “hope in Jehovah.” (Ps. 27:14) We show this by waiting patiently and joyfully for our God to bring his purpose to completion. (Isa. 55:10, 11) May we remain loyal to Jehovah, certain that he will reward “those earnestly seeking him.” w22.06 20 ¶1; 25 ¶18

We can be sure that as family Head, Jehovah will respect the principle he had recorded at 1 Timothy 5:8. When we are convinced that Jehovah loves us and that he loves our family, we have no trouble believing that we will have the things we need. (Matt. 6:31-33) Jehovah wants to provide for us, and what a loving, generous Provider he is! When he created the earth, he did more than just give us the basic things we would need to survive. He lovingly filled the earth with things that would give us immense pleasure. (Gen. 2:9) Even if at times we have just enough to get by, we do well to focus on the fact that we are getting by. Jehovah has not failed to provide for us. (Matt. 6:11) We need to keep in mind that any material sacrifice we make now is nothing in comparison to what our loving God will give us, both now and in the future.​—Isa. 65:21, 22. w22.06 15 ¶7-8

Newly interested people are not the only ones who need solid spiritual food. All of us do. The apostle Paul wrote that applying such spiritual sustenance would help us “to distinguish both right and wrong.” In these difficult times when morals are at an all-time low, it can be a real challenge to adhere to Jehovah’s standards. But Jesus sees to it that we obtain the strength we need through appetizing spiritual food. The source of this food is God’s inspired Word, the Bible. Like Jesus, we have given God’s name the prominence that it deserves. (John 17:6, 26) For example, in 1931 we adopted the Scriptural name Jehovah’s Witnesses, thus attaching ourselves in a very personal way to our heavenly Father. (Isa. 43:10-12) In addition, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures has restored God’s name to its rightful place in his Word. w22.07 11 ¶11-12

Bible truth also includes the good news about God’s Kingdom. Jesus compared the truth about that Kingdom to a hidden treasure. As recorded at Matthew 13:44, Jesus said: “The Kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure, hidden in the field, that a man found and hid; and because of his joy, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.” Notice that the man was not looking for the treasure. But when he found it, he made major sacrifices to obtain it. In fact, he sold everything he had. Why? He knew how valuable that treasure was. We know that nothing this world has to offer can compare to the joy we have in serving Jehovah now, with the prospect of everlasting life in the future under Kingdom rule. The privilege we have of enjoying a close personal relationship with Jehovah is worth any sacrifice we have to make. Our greatest joy is “to please him fully.”​—Col. 1:10. w22.08 15 ¶8-9; 17 ¶12

How did Joseph know that his God would consider adultery as an act of “great badness”? The Mosaic Law, which included the clear command “You must not commit adultery,” would not be written down for another two hundred years. (Ex. 20:14) Still, Joseph knew Jehovah well enough to perceive how He would feel about immoral conduct. For example, Joseph surely knew that Jehovah designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. And he would have heard how Jehovah on two occasions intervened to protect the honor of his great-grandmother Sarah when she was in danger of being violated. (Gen. 2:24; 12:14-20; 20:2-7) As Joseph reasoned on such matters, he discerned what was right and what was wrong in God’s eyes. Because Joseph loved his God, he also loved Jehovah’s standards of righteousness, and he was determined to uphold them. w22.08 26 ¶1-2

This prophecy is not referring to a symbolic resurrection, a spiritual revival of God’s servants that occurs during the last days, as we previously understood. Rather, these words refer to the resurrection of the dead that takes place in the coming new world. Why can we draw that conclusion? The expression “the dust” is also used at Job 17:16 as a parallel of the expression “the Grave.” This fact indicates that Daniel 12:2 is referring to the literal resurrection that will occur after the last days have ended and after the battle of Armageddon. What does Daniel 12:2 mean, though, when it says that some will be resurrected to “everlasting life”? It means that those who are resurrected and come to know, or continue to know, and obey Jehovah and Jesus during the 1,000 years will ultimately receive everlasting life.​—John 17:3. w22.09 21 ¶6-7

That statement does not mean that Jehovah expects us to trust others blindly; rather, he expects us to trust them because they have shown themselves to be trustworthy. Trust, like respect, needs to be earned, and that takes time. How can you develop trust in your brothers? Get to know them well. Speak with them at congregation meetings. Arrange to work with them in the ministry. Be patient with them, giving them the opportunity to demonstrate that they are trustworthy. At first, you may want to be selective in what personal matters you reveal to someone you are just getting to know. As your relationship strengthens, you may feel more comfortable opening up about your feelings. (Luke 16:10) But what can you do if a brother betrays your trust? Do not be quick to give up on him. Instead, give the matter time. And do not allow the actions of a few to discourage you from trusting your brothers. w22.09 4 ¶7-8

An elder named Miqueas felt that he had been harshly treated by some brothers in positions of responsibility. Still, he kept his senses and worked hard to control his feelings. He prayed frequently, asking Jehovah to give him holy spirit and strength to endure. He also looked up information in our publications that could help him. What is the lesson? If you feel mistreated by a brother or a sister, remain calm and try to control any negative feelings that you may have. You may not know what circumstances could have caused the person to speak or act that way. So talk to Jehovah in prayer, and ask him to help you see matters from the other person’s standpoint. Give your fellow worshipper the benefit of the doubt and try to overlook the offense. (Prov. 19:11) Remember, Jehovah is aware of your situation and he will give you the strength you need to endure.​—Eccl. 5:8. w22.11 21 ¶5

Choose friends who love Jehovah. Your choice of friends will greatly affect your growth as a Christian. (Prov. 13:20) Julien, who now serves as an elder, says: “When I was younger, I made good friends while sharing in the ministry. These friends were zealous, and they helped me see how enjoyable the ministry can be. . . . I also realized that I had been missing out on good company and interesting friendships by limiting my friends to those my own age.” What if you realize that someone in the congregation is not good association for you? Paul knew that some individuals in the first-century Christian congregation did not have a spiritual outlook, so he warned Timothy to keep clear of them. (2 Tim. 2:20-22) Our friendship with Jehovah is precious. We should not allow anyone to weaken the bond that we have worked so hard to forge with our heavenly Father. w22.08 5-6 ¶13-15

Unlike those who hate godly counsel, we cultivate love for God’s ways, including his moral standards. We can strengthen that love by comparing the results of obedience with those of disobedience. Observe the kinds of problems people bring on themselves because they foolishly reject Jehovah’s wise counsel. Then consider how much better your life is because you obey God. (Ps. 32:8, 10) Jehovah makes wisdom available to all, but he does not force anyone to accept it. He does, however, describe the results that come to those who do not listen to wisdom. (Prov. 1:29-32) They will “bear the consequences of their way.” In time, their lifestyle will bring them nothing but distress, trouble, and eventual destruction. On the other hand, those who listen to Jehovah’s wise counsel and apply what it says are promised: “The one listening to me will dwell in security and be undisturbed by the dread of calamity.”​—Prov. 1:33. w22.10 21 ¶11-13

To fear Jehovah means that we respect him so much that we avoid doing anything that displeases him. (Prov. 16:6) Thus, we continually strive to conform to God’s standards of right and wrong as explained in the pages of the Bible. (2 Cor. 7:1) We will be happy if we do the things that Jehovah loves and reject the things that he hates. (Ps. 37:27; 97:10; Rom. 12:9) A person may know that Jehovah has the authority to decide what is right and what is wrong, but he must also accept God’s standards for himself. (Rom. 12:2) We show by our conduct that we truly believe that following Jehovah’s standards is the best way to live. (Prov. 12:28) David felt that way, for he said of Jehovah: “You make known to me the path of life. In your presence is abundant joy; there is happiness at your right hand forever.”​—Ps. 16:11. w22.10 8 ¶9-10

Jesus maintained a balanced and humble view of himself. In his prehuman existence, Jesus built up a marvelous record in Jehovah’s service. By means of Jesus, “all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth.” (Col. 1:16) At his baptism, Jesus evidently recalled things he had accomplished when he was with his Father. (Matt. 3:16; John 17:5) But that knowledge did not cause Jesus to become prideful. On the contrary, he never exalted himself above anyone. He told his disciples that he had come to the earth, “not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matt. 20:28) He also admitted modestly that he could not do a single thing of his own initiative. What humility Jesus displayed! Jesus provided an excellent example for us to follow. w22.05 24 ¶13

When deciding if He will extend forgiveness, Jehovah considers whether the sinner knew that what he was doing was wrong. Jesus made this clear at Luke 12:47, 48. A person who willfully schemes to do something wicked and knows full well that he is doing something that is offensive to Jehovah sins in a serious way. Such a person is in danger of not being forgiven. (Mark 3:29; John 9:41) Is there any hope in that case? Yes! Jehovah also considers whether the sinner is sincerely repentant. To repent means “to change one’s mind, attitude, or purpose.” It includes the idea that a person feels regret and deep sadness about the bad things he has done or about not doing the right things he should have done. A repentant person is grieved not only by the wrongs he has committed but also by the poor spiritual condition that led to those wrongs. w22.06 5-6 ¶15-17

Our enemies spread lies or misinformation about responsible brothers in Jehovah’s organization. (Ps. 31:13) Some brothers have been arrested and charged as criminals. The first-century Christians faced a similar situation when the apostle Paul was wrongfully accused and arrested. Some stopped supporting the apostle Paul when he was imprisoned in Rome. (2 Tim. 1:8, 15; 2:8, 9) Imagine how Paul must have felt. He had endured many hardships and had even risked his life for them. (Acts 20:18-21; 2 Cor. 1:8) May we never become like those who abandoned Paul! So we should not be surprised that Satan targets responsible brothers in his attacks. His intent is that such attacks will break their integrity and intimidate us. (1 Pet. 5:8) Continue to support your brothers and loyally stick to them.​—2 Tim. 1:16-18. w22.11 16-17 ¶8-11

The repentant criminal that hung beside Jesus before he died was likely a Jew. The Jews worshipped one God, but people from the nations believed in many gods. (Ex. 20:2, 3; 1 Cor. 8:5, 6) Had that criminal been a man of the nations, the question asked in today’s text might have been, “Do you not fear the gods at all?” Furthermore, Jesus was sent, not to people of the nations, but to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24) God had revealed to the Israelites that he would raise the dead. The repentant criminal may have known about this, and as his words suggest, he assumed that Jehovah would resurrect Jesus to rule in God’s Kingdom. The man apparently hoped that God would also resurrect him. As a Jew, the repentant criminal would have known about Adam and Eve. So the criminal could well have realized that the Paradise that Jesus mentioned at Luke 23:43 would be a beautiful garden here on earth.​—Gen. 2:15. w22.12 8-9 ¶2-3

We can carry out the preaching work only with the help of God’s spirit. Why? Because Satan wages war against us in order to stop our preaching activities. (Rev. 12:17) From a human standpoint, we seem totally outmatched by Satan. But by means of our witnessing work, we are conquering him! (Rev. 12:9-11) In what way? When we share in the ministry, we show that we are not intimidated by Satan’s threats. Each time we preach, Satan suffers a defeat. So we can conclude that we are empowered by holy spirit and that we have Jehovah’s approval. (Matt. 5:10-12; 1 Pet. 4:14) God’s spirit can make us equal to any challenge we might encounter in our ministry. (2 Cor. 4:7-9) What, then, can we do to make sure that we keep receiving God’s spirit? We need to pray for it persistently, confident that Jehovah will hear our prayers. w22.11 5 ¶10-11

We show love for our brothers and sisters by working hard to keep peace with them. We strive to imitate Jehovah’s example of forgiveness. If Jehovah was willing to let his Son die for our sins, should we not readily forgive our brothers and sisters when they sin against us? We would not want to be like the wicked slave referred to in one of Jesus’ parables. Even after his master had canceled his enormous debt, that slave failed to forgive a fellow slave’s relatively small debt. (Matt. 18:23-35) If you have had a misunderstanding with someone in the congregation, could you take the first step to make peace before attending the Memorial? (Matt. 5:23, 24) Doing so would reflect your deep love for Jehovah and Jesus. w23.01 29 ¶8-9

One way that you can learn what your brothers and sisters need is by drawing them out with tactful questions. (Prov. 20:5) Do they have enough food, medicine, and other supplies? Are they at risk of losing their job or even their home? Do they need assistance with applying for government aid? Jehovah invites all of us to encourage and help others. (Gal. 6:10) Even a small expression of our love can have a powerful effect on someone who is ill. A child could send a card or a drawing to encourage a brother. A young adult might be able to run an errand or shop for a sister. What about preparing a meal for someone who is ill? Some Witnesses have sent a thank-you note to the elders, who are often busier than ever during a disease outbreak. How good it is when we do our part to “keep encouraging one another and building one another up”!​—1 Thess. 5:11. w22.12 22 ¶2; 23 ¶5-6

The Sadducees were thoroughly familiar with the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, but they overlooked important truths contained in those inspired books. For example, consider how Jesus responded when the Sadducees challenged him about the resurrection. He asked them: “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account about the thornbush, that God said to him: ‘I am the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob’?” (Mark 12:18, 26) Although the Sadducees had surely read that passage many times, Jesus’ question revealed that they had overlooked an important Scriptural truth​—the teaching of the resurrection. (Luke 20:38) What lesson is there for us? When we read, we want to be alert to all that a verse or a Bible account can teach us. We want to perceive not only basic teachings but also deeper truths and principles that lie hidden beneath the surface. w23.02 11 ¶9-10

All the witnesses referred to in today’s text went through severe trials; yet, they built an outstanding record of faithfulness to Jehovah. (Heb. 11:36-40) Were their endurance and hard work wasted? Most definitely not! Even though during their lifetime they never saw the fulfillment of all of God’s promises, they continued to hope in Jehovah. And because they were certain that they had gained Jehovah’s approval, they were confident that they would see the promises come true. (Heb. 11:4, 5) Their example can strengthen our resolve to continue hoping in Jehovah. Today we live in a world that is going from bad to worse. (2 Tim. 3:13) Satan has not finished putting God’s people to the test. Regardless of the challenges that lie ahead, may we be determined to work hard for Jehovah, confident that “we have rested our hope on a living God.”​—1 Tim. 4:10. w22.06 25 ¶17-18

One reason why we should try to stay healthy is that we can serve Jehovah to the best of our ability. (Mark 12:30) So we avoid choosing to do things that we know will harm our health. (Rom. 12:1) Granted, there is only so much that we can do to stay in good health. But we do what we can because we want to show our heavenly Father that we appreciate the gift of life. Sickness and old age may prevent us from doing many of the things we once did. As a result, we may feel frustrated and sad. But never should we give up and neglect our health. Why not? Because no matter how old or how sick we are, we can still praise Jehovah, as did King David. How touching it is to realize that our God treasures us despite our being imperfect! (Matt. 10:29-31) Even if we were to die, he would long to resurrect us. (Job 14:14, 15) While we are alive, we want to do what we can to protect our health and life. w23.02 20-21 ¶3-5

Will the names of the great crowd of other sheep still be in the book of life after they survive Armageddon? Yes. (Rev. 7:14) Jesus said that these sheeplike ones will depart “into everlasting life.” (Matt. 25:46) But those Armageddon survivors will not immediately receive everlasting life. During the Thousand Year Reign, Jesus “will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life.” Those who respond positively to Christ’s guidance and are finally judged faithful to Jehovah will have their names recorded permanently in the book of life. (Rev. 7:16, 17) However, the goats will be destroyed at Armageddon. Jesus says that they “will depart into everlasting cutting-off.” (Matt. 25:46) Under inspiration, the apostle Paul tells us that “these very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.”​—2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:9. w22.09 16 ¶7-8

Jehovah’s creation can provide families with a means to relax and have fun, thus strengthening family ties. Through his handiwork, Jehovah has given us wonderful settings to enjoy wholesome activities. Many families like being together at a nature reserve, in the countryside, in the mountains, or at the beach. In God’s new world, parents and children will enjoy Jehovah’s creation as never before. Unlike today, we will have no reason to fear animals; nor will they fear us. (Isa. 11:6-9) We will have endless time to enjoy what Jehovah has made. (Ps. 22:26) But parents, do not wait until then to help your children to begin enjoying creation. As you use creation to teach your children about Jehovah, they will likely come to agree with what King David said: “O Jehovah, there are no works like yours.”​—Ps. 86:8. w23.03 25 ¶16-17