At Peace Through Knowledge Daily Added To

PEACE is truly a pleasant and desirable state. This is especially true of peace with God and peace with one’s fellow Christians. That peace should be the lot of all Christ’s followers he indicated when he said to his disciples shortly before leaving them: “I leave you peace, I give you my peace. I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink for fear.”—John 14:27.

What will aid Christians to have this peace? Their taking in knowledge regularly, daily, from Jehovah God by means of his Word the Bible, his earthly organization and his holy spirit. As Isaiah foretold: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.”—Isa. 54:13.a

How well Jesus set the pattern for this, from his childhood on! “Jesus went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.” As we peruse the record of his ministry we cannot help being impressed with his familiarity with his Father’s Scriptures. How readily he turned to God’s Word in answering the tempter, Satan the Devil, in refuting the arguments of his opponents and in making his points in his public talks!—Luke 2:52; Matt. 4:3-10; 5:27-42; 22:29-40.

To acquire such a familiarity with the Scriptures took time on the part of Jesus, and it will take time on your part also. In this busy old world there are so many things that make demands on your time. So it means buying out time from other less important things so as to have time for personal study, for family study and for congregational study. Yes, “keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked.”—Eph. 5:15, 16.

To add to your knowledge so as to be at peace you will want to approach Bible study with a keen spiritual appetite, conscious of your spiritual need. But how can you have that frame of mind if you are mentally sluggish because of having eaten a heavy meal or if you have become drowsy because of watching television for several hours? You must be not only willing but in a fit mental condition to do hard work, to search and to dig: “If you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it, in that case you will . . . find the very knowledge of God.”—Prov. 2:4-6.

For best results, be regular. To keep physically well and strong you do not eat just once or twice a week. So to have spiritual health and strength, it takes regular, daily feeding on spiritual food. Take some time each day to read and meditate on the Bible.

As you study the Bible-study aids Jehovah God has providentially provided, new things will be brought to your attention. How shall you view these—with a critical eye? No, but as did those of Beroea: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” And as you are convinced of the truth of what you read, make it a part of yourself, let it make over your personality into the likeness of your Pattern, Jesus Christ.—Acts 17:11; Col. 3:10.

Another thing to watch is to stick to the subject under study, be it preparing for a congregational study, for a public lecture, for some part on a program or to absorb the contents of a new publication. Do not be like the housewife that went to a supermarket to buy meat and vegetables for the family dinner and came home with soap and cereals instead because there happened to be a bargain in these! Apply your mind to the business at hand.

Among other aids to taking in knowledge are review, meditation and discussion. After a period of private study, review briefly what you have studied. At the next opportunity, as when walking alone or when waiting for someone, meditate, call to mind what you last studied. Also, as occasion affords—for example, at social gatherings—be alert to discuss with fellow Christians the things you learned. In fact, all knowledge has a companion, responsibility, that of sharing your knowledge with others. By all such means you will be at peace through knowledge daily added to.

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