SATAN IS DECEPTIVE!
Let us not be fooled by Satan's deceptive propaganda. Jehovah appreciates our efforts to please Him and our service is not in vain.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord."
(1 Cor.15:58) NWT
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9 "The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate.
Who can know it?
10 "I, Jehovah, am searching the heart,
Examining the innermost thoughts,
To give to each one according to his ways,
According to the fruitage of his works."
(Jeremiah 17:9,10) NWT
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Lesson for today. (3 John 4) Certainly, raising a child is one of the most taxing yet fulfilling, and frustrating yet rewarding, tasks any human can attempt. As one father said, “you only get one shot at raising your child.” Given the enormous influence parents have on the health and happiness of their children, you may feel a strong need for trustworthy advice on how to be a better parent. Seek the advice of the one Person who knows most about how to raise children—the Creator of human life, Jehovah God. His Word, the Bible, contains both direct advice and practical examples that can help you become a better parent. “I will give advice with my eye upon you,” he promises.—Psalm 32:8. http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102004809?q=raising+children&p=par
ARE YOU READY FOR JEHOVAH'S DAY? -
IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO READ BUT WORTH IT!
This is long but you won't regret reading it.
It will make you stop and really think .
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR JEHOVAH'S DAY?
Imagine for a moment you are at home by yourself one afternoon. Your children are off at school or work and your husband or wife is also away for the day. They are off at work, shopping or running an errand.
It's a beautiful day. But then the sky and everything around you suddenly turns black. You check the lights. The switch is up but it’s still pitch black and it's still the early part of the day.
Something's wrong! You reach for the phone to call your family to make sure they are safe but the phone doesn't work. You grab for your cell phone and it too doesn't work. You check and you have no running water, no electricity.
Your all alone, its pitch black and there is nothing around you but dead silence. No sun, no wind, no sounds of birds chirping, nothing but still cold air. You sit thinking that the lights will come back on in a moment but they don't. So you sit there in the dark. For an hour, then 2, then 4 hours. What is now going through your mind?
You wonder, "is it here...? The end?" Matthew chapter 24 referred to a time where the sun would be darkened and the moon would not give forth light. "Was it figurative, or is it... is it... literal and is it happening to me right now?" Your mind starts to wander and worry,
"Where is my mate, where are my children? Are they alright? Are they safe? What are they doing right now?"
Now let's jump into the lives of two more people in your area. They have experienced the same thing, complete darkness for hours. One man sits in the darkness of his home and he starts to think deeply. With the dead silence he starts to dwell on his life, his wife, his children, and he looks back at his spiritual record.
He bows his head in shame and he starts to tremble in fear. "This is it!" he says to himself. "I knew there would come a time when this would happen. When Jehovah would draw the line! When he would save the faithful and he would destroy the wicked." Where is my wife he wonders? "Where are my children? Are they OK? Are they safe?" I always meant to talk to them about this. To prepare them for this, "the what if's?" What if a disaster were to hit? What if we were to lose contact with one another?
What we should do to make sure we were safe both spiritually and physically? To make sure we had proper nourishment, both physical and spiritual! But I didn't. I never seemed to make the time to sit down with them and discuss these important matters. "Where are my dear brothers and sisters from the Kingdom Hall? Oh, I wonder how they are doing." You see, he hadn't been to a meeting for over 3 weeks.
"I got so caught up in work, and things, and anxieties. My car! My home! I had time to Bowl. I had time to play ball with the guys. I had time for extended vacations. But I didn't make the time to put that plan together for my family on where we should meet, where we would all go if this were to happen. I don't have light. I don't have water, I have little food.
I hope my family can make their way home. I hope someone can find me. I wish I would have made the time to plan better. I wish I would have provided more works to prove to Jehovah that I loved him." He bows his heads and starts to pray for the first time in many days. You see he often got so busy he forgot to do that too.
Across town there is another person. What is she doing? She too, sits in the silence, and is looking back on her life and the life of her family. She remembers the faithful and discreet slave speaking about a time when something like this might happen. When Jehovah would draw the line. When it would be too late for a person to go back and change their life's patterns. When the decision would be made whether each person would be saved or they would lose out on eternal life based on their deeds and what came first in their lives. She goes to a closet where she and her family had placed many things in, many months earlier and she pulls out a lantern.
She lights the lantern, sits back, opens up her Bible, and she starts to read and reminisce about what she and her family have done with "their" time over the years.
She reflects on the words of 1 Thess. 5:6 where it was written "Let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses." She is also reminded of the scriptures in Matthew 24 where Jesus warned his followers to "Keep on the Watch." and to "prove yourselves ready?" "Did I do that?" She asks herself. "Did we do it as a family?"
She is able to nod her head yes in the faint light of the room.
When the faithful slave continued to remind them to keep spiritually awake she and her family listened and followed closely to what was recommended. They read the daily text together and discussed it over dinner as a family. They didn't miss a day. They read the weekly Bible assignment as a family at the completion of their regular weekly family study.
She smiles when she thinks of the words written at Hebrews 10:24, 25, where they were commanded to not forsake the gathering together with their spiritual family. Oh how she and her family loved their congregation. "We did just so" she reasons. "We made every meeting we could unless we were sick, we never missed a circuit assembly and NEVER missed even one day of a District Convention. How could we?" she
says out loud.
She then starts to think deeply and does a self-evaluation about the fruitages of the spirit and what role they played in her life. Did she display them to a reasonable degree in the congregation? Within the family arrangement? And in the territory she was assigned to preach in?
She reasons in her mind, "I know I displayed 'love' towards the friends and my family. I was active in the ministry and showed love toward those in the community. I started Bible studies! I brought some in the truth and even pioneered with my husband and children when I could buy out the time even though it was a challenge for us to do it as a family. I found so much joy in serving side by side with the faithful older sisters in the congregation." 'Kindness'..... I cared for those who got sick in the congregation. I even prepared meals for them!"
In regards to the fruitage, peace "I remember that time I had that problem with that sister in the congregation but we were both quick to heed the council in Matthew where we were told to go and attempt to make peace with the other person. I remember having to read that scripture at Matt. 5: 23, 24 many times that day I got the courage to approach her to make peace with her.
But I realized that Jehovah wouldn't accept my worship if it wasn't pure and it wouldn't have been pure if I had held on to that resentment I had against her."
"And in regards to my husband, we both read Ephesians together many times when we couldn't find anything else nice to say to each. We'd pick up the Bible and read this out loud and it always broke the ice for us to make peace with one another." She turns to her Bible and reads the scripture. Read Eph. 4: 25-27, 32.
"We have had troubles just like everyone else but we love each other and we have worked hard for each other for over 25 years now and I have to say our marriage is stronger than ever."
At that moment she hears a noise at the front door. She lifts her lantern and walks towards the door. Tears run down her face as she sees her teenage son and daughter walk safely through the door. Minutes later her husband arrives home safely and joins them.
They circle around each other in the dimly lit room and hold each other tightly as tears of joy run down their faces. You see, as a family they had planned on what they would do and where they would meet when this day came. And here they were, safely united together.
In this closet where she went to earlier to grab the lantern there is also a first aid kit safely packed away in case any one of them got wounded. They had also placed plenty of water and food in that closet that would last them many days.
How happy they were that they listened to the advice provided them by their Elders who followed so closely the direction they were given by the faithful and discreet slave. As a family they remained focused, united and active in the ministry. They were present at all the meetings. They always kept up with their family and personal study.
They communicated openly and honestly with one another and displayed great love towards one another. They had a disaster plan that they worked on together. In this plan they knew exactly where they would meet and they knew exactly where the food was and how much there would be to sustain them.
They headed to that closet that held their food supplies, grabbed a few things, and they ate a quiet meal together as a family in the dimly lit room.
Before this meal they bowed their heads to Jehovah and the father began to provide an emotional prayer of thanks to Jehovah for all the direction that he had provided them throughout the years through the congregation meetings and assemblies they attended. And he prayed about how thankful they were for the spiritual family they had become through the hard work and efforts on the part of each family member.
He thanked Jehovah for the fact that they had all made it home safely from the chilling events that they had all experienced that day. Each family member joined in with an "Amen," ate the meal and they waited patiently as a family to see what would happen next.
Friends, which person are you most like?
The one that always had the best intentions but he allowed things to get in the way of planning for his and his families safety and their secure future? Or are you the one that made sure that all family members were cared for spiritually, emotionally and physically? The one who listened intently and did "just so" when they were directed by the faithful and discreet slave and the local elders? (Silence)
Friends, you don't have to answer that question right now. Look around you. It is still light. We can still see. Complete darkness hasn't hit yet. We still have time left to make adjustments in our lives although time is running out.
Have some of you shortchanged yourself when it comes to personal study? Do you work late to try and provide a more comfortable lifestyle for your spouse and your family and yet you leave no time to sustain yourself spiritually? If you're single have you worked those long overtime hours to have that nicer car, home, or to take those nicer vacations? If so save your soul and make the necessary changes!
Study God’s Word daily. Ponder on the things read, meditate on them. Be ever present at all the meetings! Encourage those around you by your attendance at every meeting and allow yourself to be encouraged by being here, listening to their heartfelt comments.
Is there anyone here tonight that you have a strained relationship with? If so, correct it and make peace....tonight! Or call them tomorrow, but make peace! If you are at odds with your mate or your children, put down the sword, or those harsh words and make peace. Hold on to each other tightly.
As family heads if it's not already part of your daily or weekly
routine, make family worship part of your daily and weekly custom. Train your young ones to honor Jehovah by your example. Train your teenagers that the only safe place to put their future in is in the hands of our heavenly Father Jehovah. Save and protect your spouse and your children. We hand them off to Satan's world each day for 6-8 hours when they go off to school and work. Are we doing enough at home to combat what is thrown at them when they are away from the home? Hopefully we can say "yes". If not, make those adjustments.
Become skilled communicators, teachers, and make sure your home is a safe haven for all family members. A place to worship Jehovah peacefully...as a united family!
And when disaster strikes and it will do you have a plan in place? Where will you and your family come together? Will you have food to eat, water to drink, first aid supplies to assist those that might be hurt in both your family and here in the congregation? If you say "no" or "I'm not sure" to any of these questions correct them now, put them in place as soon as possible while you still have light and you can see. While you still have time and can still plan. The curtains are closing on this system and its getting ever darker.
Jehovah's Day is coming as a thief and it will not delay! Which one of these roles played out tonight will you play? Based on what you are doing todayand what you will do moving forward will determine the outcome.
Are you prepared for Jehovah's Day?
BREASTPIECE - Long but worth it!
The sacred embroidered pouch worn by Israel’s high priest over his heart whenever he entered the Holy. The breastpiece (Heb., cho′shen) was to serve as “a memorial” and was apparently referred to as “the breastpiece of judgment” because of containing the Urim and Thummim by means of which Jehovah’s judgments were revealed.—Ex 28:15, 29, 30
Like the ephod, the breastpiece was made of the finest of materials, gold, blue thread, wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. (Ex 28:15) The same fabrics were used in making the ten tent cloths embroidered with cherubs, the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy, and the screen for the entrance of the tent, the needed materials having been voluntarily contributed by the Israelites and fashioned into final form either directly by Bezalel and Oholiab or under their direction.—Ex 26:1, 31, 36; 31:2-6; 35:21-29.
The fabric for the breastpiece was evidently a cubit in length and a span in width so it would make a square when folded, thus forming a pouch into which the Urim and Thummim may have been placed. The front of the breastpiece was adorned with 12 precious stones fitted into sockets of gold and arranged in four rows of three stones each. On each stone the name of one of the tribes of Israel was engraved. (Ex 28:15-21, 28; 39:8-14; Le 8:8) The jewels in each row may have been arranged as listed from right to left (as in reading Hebrew). It cannot be stated with any certainty which precious stone corresponded to which tribe.—See the precious stones under their individual headings.
The breastpiece was securely mounted on the ephod in the following manner: Two wreathed chains of pure gold were attached to two gold rings at opposite corners of the upper part of the breastpiece. These chains, in turn, were fastened to the two gold settings on top of the shoulder pieces of the ephod. Two other gold rings were affixed at opposite extremities of the bottom edge of the breastpiece upon the side facing inward toward the ephod. These rings were tied by means of a blue string to the two gold rings at the base of the shoulder pieces of the ephod just above its girdle.—Ex 28:22-28; 39:15-21
"Let each one of you individually so love his wife as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband." (Eph. 5:33)
"Get out of her my people." (Revelation 18:4)
THE TRIUMPHANT KING RULES
Christ Jesus is the rider on the white horse. In the year 1914, Jesus was enthroned as King of God’s heavenly Kingdom, and “the Lord’s day” began. (Revelation 1:10)
In a vision reported in the book of Revelation, Jesus is seen as a King riding forth victoriously on a white horse. Other horsemen follow him, each representing a different plague on mankind. One of them rides a fiery-colored horse, and to him it was granted “to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another; and a great sword was given him.” (Revelation 6:1-4)
This horse and its rider picture warfare, and the great sword represents the unprecedented destructiveness of modern warfare with its powerful weapons. Those weapons today include nuclear devices, each one capable of destroying tens of thousands of people; rockets able to deliver those devices to targets thousands of miles away; as well as sophisticated chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction. (Rev. 17:1–22:21) “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion, is a disgusting segment of Satan’s wicked world. The 11th vision portrays her as a “great harlot”—an immoral woman—“sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast.” She is to be completely destroyed by “the ten horns” of the very beast that is carrying her. (Rev. 17:1, 3, 5, 16)
Likening the harlot to a “great city,” the subsequent vision announces her fall and issues an urgent call to God’s people to “get out of her.”
The demise of the great city is mourned by many. There is rejoicing in heaven, however, because of “the marriage of the Lamb.” (Rev. 18:4, 9, 10, 15-19; 19:7)
In the 13th vision, the rider of “a white horse” goes to war with the nations. He brings Satan’s wicked world to its end.—Rev. 19:11-16.
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"For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart."
(Hebrews 4:12) NWT
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37 He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’" ( Matthew 22:37) NWT
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"Every man must be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath.”
(James 1:19)
Generally, children love their parents, and parents love their children. This is especially true among God’s people.
Some families agree to spend less time watching television or using the computer.
Others decide to eat at least one meal together each day.
Family worship is a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to get to know one another better as they study the Bible together.
The Bible says: “A person’s thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.” (Proverbs 20:5, Today’s English Version)
When anyone is replying to a matter before he hears it, that is foolishness on his part and a humiliation.” (Proverbs 18:13)
If you stay calm and listen, you may be able to understand the reason for your child’s “wild talk.” (Job 6:1-3)
You can help your child only if you understand the whole situation. As loving parents, listen to your children and try to understand them so that you can say something that really helps them. 4 No greater joy do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth." (3 John 4)
We will make mistakes. So be quick to say “I’m sorry.” Forgive freely. “Be harmoniously joined together in love.” (Colossians 2:2)
Love has power. It helps us to be patient and kind. Love helps us to stay calm and to forgive. “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
If you keep showing love, communication in your family will get better and better. This will make you happy and will honor Jehovah. http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402013365?q=james+1%3A19&p=par#h=28
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21 He changes times and seasons,
Removes kings and sets up kings,
Gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those with discernment."
(Daniel 2:21) NWT
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New World TranslationA4 The Divine Name in the Hebrew Scriptures
The first rendering of God’s personal name in an English Bible appeared in 1530 in William Tyndale’s translation of the Pentateuch. He used the form “Iehouah.”
New World Translation A4 The Divine Name in the Hebrew Scriptures
Read more at:
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200275987
10 Now I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." (1 Cor.1:10) NWT jw.org
Jesus did not claim to be God, but God's Son.
36 "Do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?"
28 "You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am."
(John 14:28) NWT
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Carol Ann Torres reacted to Bible Speaks in Satan is Deceptive! ?
