congregational meetings and personal study of the Word of God. For us to be energized to run the race to the finish and receive the prize of life eternal requires constancy in attending meetings to get that knowledge. Family study and private study develop the desire to be at such gatherings. Every deviation from meeting attendance leaves us without some knowledge that we could have had. Each such loss will leave us just that much weaker to face the enemy. We have to be deep-rooted in the faith to carry on. Each family should have definite times for preparation for meetings and then be a participating unit in discussions when the congregation gets together. Being with our brothers at meetings has the advantage of keeping us in right associations that help us on the way to life. (1 Cor. 15:33) How miserable has been the failure of those who would try to disprove this divine warning! Then hold on to right associations. There is no need to go backward.

23. Explain some of the blessings and benefits of association with the congregation.

²³ Wonderful blessings result now to those who cultivate associations with the New World society, wherein all encourage one another. If one is weak or wobbly, others obey the Scripture command to “straighten up the hands that hang down and the enfeebled knees . . . carefully watching that no one may be deprived of the undeserved kindness of God.” (Heb. 12:12, 15) That is real neighbor love. Take your part in giving this encouragement. “Keep comforting one another and building one another up, just as you are in fact doing.”—1 Thess. 5:11.

24. (a) What will disciplined steadfastness bring? (b) How will the reward of life be used?

²⁴ The course of disciplined steadfastness will bring Jehovah’s lasting approval and blessing. Persevere. Why should we allow our confidence to weaken with the passing of time or because of some expected difficulties? “So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out.” (Gal. 6:9) The enduring keepers of integrity will have good use for what they get as their reward. Jehovah explains this to them when he says concerning the new world: “‘For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making are standing before me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘so the offspring of you people and the name of you people will keep standing. And it will certainly occur that from new moon to new moon and from sabbath to sabbath all flesh will come in to bow down before me.’” (Isa. 66:22, 23) By maintaining integrity in the Christian course we will be able everlastingly to worship our God and Father, Jehovah. You desire this, do you not? Do not give out in right works. Accept discipline, be steadfast on the way to life, to Jehovah’s praise.

Spiritual Power of One Watchtower

◆ In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a sixty-three-year-old lady received a handful of old newspapers and magazines from a relative. Among these publications was a copy of The Watchtower, which she read. Greatly appreciating its contents, she soon tried to get other copies; but she was not able to find any of Jehovah’s witnesses. So she learned by heart the contents of the one copy she had and told everybody about the wonderful things she had learned. Only after six years did a Kingdom minister knock on her door at an hour when this elderly lady answered. She was zealous for the truth, having been sustained for six years by just one copy of The Watchtower.