Melinda Mills

In addition to the ones mentioned by Bro Rook, here are some others.
 These were (expressly) appointed by the monarchs in their times. (They did not run for office.)
MORDECAI AND QUEEN ESTHER
Loyal as Servant to the King. In the account, Mordecai, although a Jewish exile, was a servant of the king. He heard that Queen Vashti had been deposed by King Ahasuerus of Persia and that all the beautiful young virgins throughout the empire were being brought together so that from among them a replacement might be found for the queenly office. Mordecai’s cousin Esther, a girl “pretty in form and beautiful in appearance,” was introduced into the candidacy for queenship, but her Jewish background was not revealed. (Es 2:7, 8) She was selected as queen. Mordecai continued in his duties, “sitting in the king’s gate,” when information was brought to him that two of the court officials, Bigthan and Teresh, were plotting to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. He warned the king through Esther, and his act of loyalty was recorded in “the book of the affairs of the days.”—Es 2:21-23.
(Do some research and learn how Jehovah used Mordecai and Esther to preserve the Jews at a time when they were threatened with genocide.)
NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah was cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes (Longimanus) and, later, governor of the Jews, rebuilder of Jerusalem’s wall, and writer of the Bible book bearing his name.—Ne 1:1, 2, 11; 2:1; 5:14, 16. (Insight Book)
*** it-2 p. 1109 Tirshatha ***
(Tir·shaʹtha).
The Persian title for the governor of a jurisdictional district. In the five times it is used, it is preceded by the Hebrew definite article ha, making it in English “the Tirshatha.”
The officials mentioned in the Bible by the title “Tirshatha” ruled over Judah, one of the Persian provinces. Zerubbabel was evidently the Tirshatha mentioned in Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, 70. Later when Nehemiah became governor he was the Tirshatha and is referred to as such at Nehemiah 8:9 and 10:1.
 DANIEL AND THREE HEBREW COMPANIONS/OFFICIALS
(Daniel 1:3-7) 3 Then the king ordered Ashʹpe·naz his chief court official to bring some of the Israelites, including those of royal and noble descent. 4 They were to be youths without any defect, of good appearance, endowed with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the writing and the language of the Chal·deʹans. 5 Furthermore, the king assigned to them a daily ration from the king’s delicacies and from the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Now among them were some from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Han·a·niʹah, Mishʹa·el, and Az·a·riʹah. 7 And the principal court official assigned names to them; he gave to Daniel the name Bel·te·shazʹzar, to Han·a·niʹah the name Shaʹdrach, to Mishʹa·el the name Meʹshach, and to Az·a·riʹah the name A·bedʹne·go.
 
(Daniel 2:48) The king then elevated Daniel and gave him many fine gifts, and he made him the ruler over all the province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel  - third  highest official in the Kingdom
 (Daniel 5:29) Then Bel·shazʹzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a gold necklace around his neck; and they heralded concerning him that he was to become the third ruler in the kingdom.
*** it-1 p. 576 Daniel ***
Daniel continued in court service until the fall of Babylon. At Daniel chapter 1, verse 19, it is stated that his three companions also “continued to stand before the king” (of Babylon). Whether they lived to hold this position until Babylon’s fall is not stated, but Daniel did; and after this he was in the Persian court until at least the third year of Cyrus.—Da 10:1.
 

In addition to the ones mentioned by Bro Rook, here are some others.
 These were (expressly) appointed by the monarchs in their times. (They did not run for office.)
MORDECAI AND QUEEN ESTHER
Loyal as Servant to the King. In the account, Mordecai, although a Jewish exile, was a servant of the king. He heard that Queen Vashti had been deposed by King Ahasuerus of Persia and that all the beautiful young virgins throughout the empire were being brought together so that from among them a replacement might be found for the queenly office. Mordecai’s cousin Esther, a girl “pretty in form and beautiful in appearance,” was introduced into the candidacy for queenship, but her Jewish background was not revealed. (Es 2:7, 8) She was selected as queen. Mordecai continued in his duties, “sitting in the king’s gate,” when information was brought to him that two of the court officials, Bigthan and Teresh, were plotting to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. He warned the king through Esther, and his act of loyalty was recorded in “the book of the affairs of the days.”—Es 2:21-23.
(Do some research and learn how Jehovah used Mordecai and Esther to preserve the Jews at a time when they were threatened with genocide.)
NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah was cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes (Longimanus) and, later, governor of the Jews, rebuilder of Jerusalem’s wall, and writer of the Bible book bearing his name.—Ne 1:1, 2, 11; 2:1; 5:14, 16. (Insight Book)
*** it-2 p. 1109 Tirshatha ***
(Tir·shaʹtha).
The Persian title for the governor of a jurisdictional district. In the five times it is used, it is preceded by the Hebrew definite article ha, making it in English “the Tirshatha.”
The officials mentioned in the Bible by the title “Tirshatha” ruled over Judah, one of the Persian provinces. Zerubbabel was evidently the Tirshatha mentioned in Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, 70. Later when Nehemiah became governor he was the Tirshatha and is referred to as such at Nehemiah 8:9 and 10:1.
 DANIEL AND THREE HEBREW COMPANIONS/OFFICIALS
(Daniel 1:3-7) 3 Then the king ordered Ashʹpe·naz his chief court official to bring some of the Israelites, including those of royal and noble descent. 4 They were to be youths without any defect, of good appearance, endowed with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the writing and the language of the Chal·deʹans. 5 Furthermore, the king assigned to them a daily ration from the king’s delicacies and from the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Now among them were some from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Han·a·niʹah, Mishʹa·el, and Az·a·riʹah. 7 And the principal court official assigned names to them; he gave to Daniel the name Bel·te·shazʹzar, to Han·a·niʹah the name Shaʹdrach, to Mishʹa·el the name Meʹshach, and to Az·a·riʹah the name A·bedʹne·go.
 
(Daniel 2:48) The king then elevated Daniel and gave him many fine gifts, and he made him the ruler over all the province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel  - third  highest official in the Kingdom
 (Daniel 5:29) Then Bel·shazʹzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a gold necklace around his neck; and they heralded concerning him that he was to become the third ruler in the kingdom.
*** it-1 p. 576 Daniel ***
Daniel continued in court service until the fall of Babylon. At Daniel chapter 1, verse 19, it is stated that his three companions also “continued to stand before the king” (of Babylon). Whether they lived to hold this position until Babylon’s fall is not stated, but Daniel did; and after this he was in the Persian court until at least the third year of Cyrus.—Da 10:1.
 

There are MANY examples of Faithful Servants of God doing so in the past ... Joseph in Egypt was probably the most prominent example.
And there is no record of any soldier in Jesus time quitting after he learned the Truth, Cornelius being the prime example .... and,
There were many prominent Jews in the Sanhedrin who became Christians, and kept their appointed positions.
But, politics back then sometimes worked a bit differently ... assassination was considered a legitimate way to achieve political power.

Time and circumstance befall us all!! Until we are living in the New System under Christ Jesus , we do not know what will happen from one minute to the next....

Another reason Jesus did not reveal everything at the same time.

It depends very much on circumstances, so there is no one correct answer. If you have been drifting slowly by not going out in field service first, and then slowly missing meetings until you stop all together, and then avoid any contact with the congregation elders and other witnesses it could be anything from one to 5 years....

It also shows that little shepherding is done.  The shepherd is supposed to use his crook to rescue those who fall into a precipice.  Seems that they are even afraid of these people.
 

Well the Bible was not rewritten in our time. What Bro Rook is saying is that the truth was always there but we were not able to understand it. Jesus said and knew that we would not then have been able to bear it. As time progressed we would understand it.  And the time is now , so we are understanding better.
 

... and just like the Sun ... the light DOES NOT grow brighter.  
Our Sun is a variable star, yes, but over a very long period of time ... but every morning it gets brighter BECAUSE obstructions are rotated out of the way.
... same with Theology.
The light was ALWAYS THERE!
It was HUMANS obscuring it.

At my age, I wonder about surviving until the end of next week.
 
 

I will not forget my first Bible student in the late 1970's - my grandmother who had always attended 'nice' baptist churches. She was much troubled that I was in a religion that didn't believe in the Trinity. I reviewed the doctrine and she said that she had never believed that - all she had meant was that there was a Father and a Son and a holy spirit. She had never imagined that they were the same.

Jehovah has NEVER changed ... although he has changed his mind many times when entreated to do so, and he DOES "learn as he goes along".
He was genuinely surprised when children were offered to the fires of the god Moloch as human sacrifices, and before that there was of course ... the dinosaurs ... which did not end well, for them.
And the name "Jehovah" is in ENGLISH, a standard convention since about AD 1600 when the letter "J" was invented, and the name is different in different languages, the same as Jesus' name is different in different languages.
I under understand in Spanish my name James is pronounced HIGH-ME, or Santiago ....
Who knew?
 

IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE IN JEWISH SOCIETY TO HAVE NAME CHANGES WHEN A PERSON'S  LIFE HAD DRAMATIC CHANGES.
and plenty of examples of that in the Bible, too.
Sometimes they were interchangeable, sometimes not.
In our cultural background , Superman is REALLY Superman, but his birth name was Kal-El, and he also goes by Clark Kent.
Bruce Wayne is...uh ... Bruce Wayne and he goes by the name Batman, but is also called The Dark Knight.
If you had two cows named, and  described in great detail ... as Michael the Archangel, and Jesus both were ... BY WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO ...and it was the same description ... AND the farm could only have one cow ... the most reasonable explanation would be it was the same cow.
Problems arise when you try to milk a squirrel to make butter.
 

"in Emmanuel name, amen" :)))))))))

I assume Timothy Antonio made the title himself?
Maybe @JW Insider knows of him? 

Of course not!
I am re-tired.

But you know it’s no excuse to say “the devil made me!" (made me do something bad). So even though the whole world is under the influence of the devil, people can still chose to do the right thing .  But to analyze the statement you made; people want peace, but the problem is they want it on their terms. This is where the devil's influence comes into play. Do you think that such traits as pride, nationalism, racism, lack of self control etc. contribute to actual peace? Those are the devil's traits and the world is saturated with them. There will be no peace as long as people refuse to clothe themselves with “a Christ like personality”.
We can take the concept of “free will” into the realms of philosophy, and it gets very complicated. I believe common sense triumphs over philosophy any day, in that it’s actually useful and practical! I am just talking about the good old classic free will, where I decide to do something regardless of whether I was deceived or guilted (or whatever) into it. In my opinion, one has accepted the true concept of free will when one also accepts the consequences of it, and quits blaming deception, guilt, cognitive dissonance, imperfection or “whatever” for making a particular decision.  Although you meant Peter (as @Melinda Mills pointed out) the apostle Paul did lament the effects of imperfection in Romans 7:15-21. However, he was not just washing his hands off the whole problem and blaming imperfection for his decisions if they were wrong, what he was doing was acknowledging that it was a frequent battle to do the right thing, and he pointed out that one can win that battle with God's help.
Peter denied Jesus 3 times. No one made him do it. He was not under Satan's influence. It was his own weakness, and fear of man, his imperfection, just like what Paul mentions, that caused him to fail for a few moments. It was still his choice at that moment though and I don't recall him putting the blame on anyone or anything else for that choice.
 
 

I am sure you meant apostle Peter.
"Only Jehovah can make people do what he wants, but he has only done so on extremely rare occasions under specific circumstances."  - Anna
Example:  Jehovah made Balaam bless Israel when he wanted to curse Israel. 

GOTTA READ THIS!!!! I liked this shared it! Think about it?
Reposted from last year....?????
Burned Biscuits - A lesson we all should learn.
When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people.
I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget gifts and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!
"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket--keep it in your own."
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.

At first short look, lady in blue have two different posture of body, and of course length of skirt of other two lady :))
"Worldly" woman wears trouser , but spiritual sisters wearing skirts :)))  

This most significant, concerning point for me from this article is the emphasis on copyright. Yes, the org has the right to claim legal ownership over its literature, but all JW literature is supposed to be Bible-based. The Bible was given freely to mankind and no one can say "I own it, so don't use it in a way I don't like." For nonJWs, the org's stance makes sense from a secular standpoint--guarding your properties. But as an active JW, I understand that the org teaches the only sources of spiritual food are in approved literature and websites. People won't look to other sources. So, basically, the organization has claimed legal ownership of all Bible discussion and Bible interpretation. That's very concerning to me. Copyright is a man-made law, and when the org emphasizes it it makes the JW org feel like a company rather than a religion.

Yeah!
... and I think ANYONE with the SLIGHTEST bit of common sense should be taken out into the Kingdom Hall parking lot and MAIMED!
YEAH!
Stupid apostates!
GRRRRRRR.

Perhaps with the new internet coming we will will share the Good News, but will it all become, Propaganda? Perhaps the end is closer than we think? Never give up sharing the Good News even though, some countrues think it’s false and “terrorism?” God’s Word is Alive it will never die. Perhsps education is on its way out also? More to happen! Keep on the Watch! Keep focused and pray for direction! 

That specific item is not worth the effort .... the Book of James, to me .. is crystal clear, straight forward, and unambiguous.
It was then, and it is now.
In fact, my favorite scripture is no longer Ecc 12:12, but is James 1:27.

Exactly.
http://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2011/01/darwins-eye.html
Actually, the fact that the Watchtower went the extra mile with this fellow undermines almost everything @Ann O'Maly says about them. She devotes a huge portion of her life painting them as villains. She throws it all away in a single post demonstrating that they are noble.