Bible Speaks

"Mr. D. - An Unwelcome Visitor" LONG BUT WORTH IT! ???? Talk by District Overseer given when visiting the host congregation in Queens, NY. Long but good!! ??? He started off by saying that we are going to talk about Mr D. He said that Mr D. visits all of Jehovah’s servants at one time or another; sometimes it’s a short visit and other times it’s a lengthy stay. He asked what we thought the D stood for and he said “no, its not Devil”. It is DISCOURAGEMENT. ??? Discouragement is the most effective tool against Jehovah’s people, even more than immorality and materialism. If we allow Mr. D to hang around, he can cause us to fail to muster up courage in our service to Jehovah.1 Kings 18: 25-46 ??? • Vs. 25, 26 – Elijah sets up the test on Mount Carmel between Jehovah and Ba’al. Tells the 400+ Ba’al priests that they can go first in offering up the sacrifice to their god. • Vs. 27 – after they prayed for 6 hours to Ba’al, Elijah begins mocking them saying that maybe Ba’al got stuck in the bathroom or he’s sleeping and needs woken up. The brother said “you could just hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice”. • Vs. 32-35 – Elijah reconstructs the altar of Jehovah, placing his offering upon it. Then to “add insult to injury”, said the brother, he drenched everything with water. He had 12 large jars of water poured upon the altar. The brother asked “Now, how do you light wet wood?” • Vs. 38 – in a supernatural display of his power, Jehovah answered Elijah’s prayer and sent a fire from heaven that ate up everything, including the stones. The brother then asked a thought provoking question when he said, “How hot does fire have to be to melt stone?!”Elijah must have felt on top of the world. And with one command, all 400+ Ba’al priests were put to death. ??? • Vs 45, 46 – After a 3 ½ year drought, Jehovah again answers Elijah’s prayer and brings rain. Ahab gets in his chariot to outrun the storm and be the first to tell his wife, Jezebel, that all of her priests have just been put to death. But Jehovah’s hand was upon Elijah, and this prophet who was well into his 70s, OUTRAN THE CHARIOT 19 MILES. This was no sprint !! Imagine Ahab on his chariot going as fast as he can looking to one side and seeing this old man running faster than his chariot thru the mud. Elijah must have felt invincible at this point in his life!! ??? 1 Kings 19: 1-4 • Vs. 2 – Jezebel threatens Elijah, stating that at this time tomorrow he would be put to death just as he did to all her priests. • Vs. 3, 4a – Elijah get scared and flees. He just faced 400 + men and outran a chariot in the rain, yet one woman caused him to fear for his life. He traveled 115 miles to get away from her. • Vs. 4b – Elijah sits down under a broom tree, “and who sits next to him? Mr D. After everything he had just experienced, he became so discouraged that he wanted to die.” ??? The brother went on to explain that we ALL are on an emotional rollercoaster. We are up one day and then we get a call, a letter, see something, something happens at work, and then we are the lowest we’ve ever been. What happened with Elijah? He lost perspective. His fear caused him to doubt. When we lose perspective, we become self-centered and take our focus away from Jehovah. So how was the God of Encouragement going to encourage this prophet? ??? 1 Kings 19:5-8 • Vs. 5, 6 – Jehovah sent an angel to encourage him. Not once did the angel bring up Elijah’s failure or ask him why he ran. Rather he gently touched him and encouraged him to eat. All that Elijah had the energy to do was go back to sleep after he ate the food miraculously provided. ??? The brother said “isn’t that how we feel from time to time? We are just so low that we don’t even have the mental energy to even think about getting out of bed, eating or even picking up the Bible to read.” • Vs 7, 8 - The angel awakens Elijah a second time encouraging him to eat and letting him know that Jehovah has another assignment for him. The account mentions that Elijah kept going for 40 days and 40 nights off the power of that meal. “It was no ordinary food.” Jehovah didn’t throw Elijah away just because Mr D. came to visit. On the contrary, He gave him another assignment. When we get discouraged, we also need to eat – we need to eat spiritual food. Reading the Bible feeds the mind, but prayer and meditation feeds the heart. Discouragement cannot live where the word of Jehovah roams – in our hearts. When we read the Bible, we are close to Jehovah and we know that things are going to work out and we are going to be okay. ??? Experience: One day Brother Sydlik was approached by a sister who had a problem and didn’t know what to do. He told her to read the book of John. The DO said “When a member of the Governing Body tells you to read the book of John, what are you going to do?” She went home and read all 21 chapters in one sitting. She came back to him a second time stating that she still had the problem. He replied “Read it again”. She did and came back a third time and Brother Sydlik told her to read it “one more time”. After reading it a third time she came to him thanking him and said that she knows that Jehovah is with her and things are going to work out. Another brother asked Brother Sydlik why did he tell her to read the book of John. He replied “I didn’t know what else to tell her. But I knew that if she read God’s Word with her problem in mind, that Jehovah’s holy spirit would help her.” ??? ??????? Matthew 6:25, 26, 33 • Vs 25, 26 - In his application of these verses the brother brought out that we all get anxious. “But the scripture says to ‘observe intently’. Now what are you doing? You are studying. So when we study the birds we notice that they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses because THEY DON’T HAVE ANY HANDS. They are automatically at a disadvantage. Yet Jehovah takes care of them” The brother went on to ask “When have you ever seen a faithful servant of Jehovah have to beg? Never and you never will because He won’t have it!” • Vs. 33- Jehovah doesn’t throw us away when we get discouraged. He has given us an assignment. Seeking first the kingdom involves the preaching work. ??????? The brother went on to say that “preaching gives us a good frame of mind, a positive frame of mind, and it gives us energy and possibly even clearer thinking. So after we spend time in the ministry, when we arrive home our problem is not as big as it was when we left, or maybe it is even gone. Jehovah knows we need the preaching work to help us stay focused. How many angels would have willingly and happily done the preaching work and would have done a better job at it? ??????? But He didn’t give them the assignment, HE GAVE IT TO US.” Going out in the ministry, conducting Bible studies, listening to others problems and helping them with those problems, reading scriptures to them to encourage them also encourages us in the process. ??????? Luke 23:27-30• Even though Jesus was going through a terrible ordeal, truly the darkest hours of his life, he turned his focus to others. In that dark time, as the brother said, “his mind was looking ahead to 70 C.E. when Jerusalem will be surrounded by Roman armies and the women will be so hungry that they turn to eating their own children.” Jesus could not afford self-pity to set in at this point. • The brother then applied Hebrews 12:2,3 where it says that Jesus felt joy. Why did he feel joy despite everything he was going through? Because he was focused on helping others, not on his situation.Luke 23: 42, 43 • Jesus tells the man next to him that “you will be with me in Paradise”. What was Jesus doing? “He was conducting a Bible study”, answered the DO. With his last breath in his dying body, Jesus was focused on others. • The brother went on to ask, “How was Jesus able to breathe or speak hanging on that stake? He had to push up with his legs to inhale, and when he collapsed back down, he exhaled. Think of how many times Jesus had to do that. Can you imagine all of the splinters he had in his back just to take a breath? Yet, his focus was on giving the man next to him hope.” ??????? 1 Corinthians 10:13 • Jehovah will not let us deal with more than we can handle. He knows when we cannot take it anymore and He steps in. • The brother said “We all have experienced things in our life that we consider miracles – the timing, the manner, whatever it is – it was exactly what we needed at the time. While others may not think so, to us it was a tiny miracle and we know that it was Jehovah stepping in and helping us.” • Sometimes Jehovah makes a way out and sometimes He just gives us the strength to endure it. ??????? Acts 27:22-25, 43, 44 • Vs. 22-25 – Paul had faith that Jehovah would save him and all those on the boat. He said that he believed it would be “exactly as it had been told” to him – but he didn’t know HOW…how was Jehovah going to save all 276 onboard? • Vs. 43 – All those who could swim, were told to jump in and swim to shore. But what about those who could not swim? • Vs. 44 – As the boat broke apart, Jehovah would direct planks of wood to those who could not swim to help them keep their heads above water and get them to shore. ??????? Jehovah will always direct a “plank” to us – someone or something – to help us keep our heads above water. We just have to recognize that it is from Jehovah and grab onto it. In the congregation, we are all planks for one another. ??????? The brother then shared two experiences with us: • In one territory, an older Italian sister was preaching in an affluent area. She went to the door and a young, intellectual man came out and said “We don’t need that around here [pointing to the Bible]. We live in a push button society – I push a button, I see anything I want; I push another button, I hear anything I want; I push another button, I get anything I want.” The older sister replied in her broken English, “And when you die and are 6 feet under, what button are you going to push to get out ? I know who can push that button.” The experience went on that they had a very nice discussion and no doubt the sister felt as encouraged as the young man did. • A missionary in Africa told the District Overseer an experience about a sister in Kenya. This sister would travel approximately 16 miles to go to her meetings. She would stay over night at the Kingdom Hall and the next morning would set off for her house. Along her path, she had to cross a river, facing crocodiles, hippos and snakes; and 4 times had been swept away by the currents nearly drowning. Yet she was hardly ever missing from her meetings. The DO went on to say “Oh, and did I mention that she was 72 years old ?” As you just gasped, so did most of those in attendance at the meeting. If that sister wouldn’t let discouragement stop her from attending her meetings, he himself was going to do the same. That sister valued the meetings and felt it was worth the effort to get there. “Isn’t it true” he said “how we come tired but we leave with energy? We always get more than what we came with”. "We all are going to get a visit from Mr D. from time to time…so we need to get rid of him. How? Not by picking up the remote, not by picking up the mouse,not by picking up the phone – but by picking up God’s word and reading it. And if Mr D. is still hanging around, then we need to pick up our bag and get out in service. "

I did more reading last night! Sad book of Dirges. Yet to me gloomy poems! Anyone else feel that way? Jehovah is a God of justice, very open and candid the books. ??? LAMENTATIONS, BOOK OF In Biblical days lamentations, or dirges, were composed and chanted for deceased friends (2Sa 1:17-27), devastated nations (Am 5:1, 2), and ruined cities (Eze 27:2, 32-36). The book of Lamentations furnishes an inspired example of such mournful composition. It consists of five lyrical poems (in five chapters) lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem at Babylonian hands in 607 B.C.E. The book acknowledges that Jehovah justly brought punishment upon Jerusalem and Judah because of the error of his people. (La 1:5, 18) It also highlights God’s loving-kindness and mercy and shows that Jehovah is good to the one hoping in him.—La 3:22, 25. Name. In the Hebrew this book is named by the opening word ʼEh·khahʹ!, which means “How!” The Septuagint translators called the book Threʹnoi, meaning “Dirges; Laments.” In the Babylonian Talmud (Bava Batra 14b) it is identified by the term Qi·nohthʹ, meaning “Dirges; Elegies,” and it is called Lamentationes (Latin) by Jerome. The English name Lamentations comes from this latter title. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200002675

“Jehovah is my share,”I have said, “that is why I will show a waiting attitude for him.” Lam.3:24. 2 Pictures 1 Moving (it's nice!) 1 Regular IMG_7407.mov

Got the same picture from Facebook. My Friends are so uplifted! Soon Jehovah will rise him up with new legs! Those who "walk" with Jehovah always win! ?❤️? 9 For Jehovah’s people are his portion;+ Jacob is his inheritance.+ 10 He found him in a wilderness land+ And in an empty, howling desert.+ He protectively encircled him, took care of him,+ And safeguarded him as the pupil of his eye.+ 11 Just as an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its fledglings, Spreading out its wings, taking them, Carrying them on its pinions,+ 12 Jehovah alone kept leading him;*+ No foreign god was with him.+ 13 He made him ride upon earth’s high places,+ So that he ate the produce of the field.+ He nourished him with honey from the crag And oil out of a flinty rock, " Deuteronomy 32:9-13.

What were the historical origins of Christendom’s cross? “Various objects, dating from periods long anterior to the Christian era, have been found, marked with crosses of different designs, in almost every part of the old world. India, Syria, Persia and Egypt have all yielded numberless examples . . . The use of the cross as a religious symbol in pre-Christian times and among non-Christian peoples may probably be regarded as almost universal, and in very many cases it was connected with some form of nature worship.”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1946), Vol. 6, p. 753. “The shape of the [two-beamed cross] had its origin in ancient Chaldea, and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name) in that country and in adjacent lands, including Egypt. By the middle of the 3rd cent. A.D. the churches had either departed from, or had travestied, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ.”—An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (London, 1962), W. E. Vine, p. 256. “It is strange, yet unquestionably a fact, that in ages long before the birth of Christ, and since then in lands untouched by the teaching of the Church, the Cross has been used as a sacred symbol. . . . The Greek Bacchus, the Tyrian Tammuz, the Chaldean Bel, and the Norse Odin, were all symbolised to their votaries by a cruciform device.”—The Cross in Ritual, Architecture, and Art (London, 1900), G. S. Tyack, p. 1. “The cross in the form of the ‘Crux Ansata’ . . . was carried in the hands of the Egyptian priests and Pontiff kings as the symbol of their authority as priests of the Sun god and was called ‘the Sign of Life.’”—The Worship of the Dead (London, 1904), Colonel J. Garnier, p. 226. “Various figures of crosses are found everywhere on Egyptian monuments and tombs, and are considered by many authorities as symbolical either of the phallus [a representation of the male sex organ] or of coition. . . . In Egyptian tombs the crux ansata [cross with a circle or handle on top] is found side by side with the phallus.”—A Short History of Sex-Worship (London, 1940), H. Cutner, pp. 16, 17; see also The Non-Christian Cross, p. 183. “These crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian sun-god, [See book], and are first seen on a coin of Julius Cæsar, 100-44 B.C., and then on a coin struck by Cæsar’s heir (Augustus), 20 B.C. On the coins of Constantine the most frequent symbol is [See book]; but the same symbol is used without the surrounding circle, and with the four equal arms vertical and horizontal; and this was the symbol specially venerated as the ‘Solar Wheel’. It should be stated that Constantine was a sun-god worshipper, and would not enter the ‘Church’ till some quarter of a century after the legend of his having seen such a cross in the heavens.”—The Companion Bible, Appendix No. 162; see also The Non-Christian Cross, pp. 133-141.

Roman? Christians didn't believe in crosses? ?

@SHARON LEE MOYER Soon the whole earth ? will know Jehovah! Let's help others before it is too late. Thank you for your support. ?☄️??????

Keep Dreaming of "Miracles" The "Miracle" is Our Creator Jehovah God, we are Loved ✨??✨??✨ Beth Moon: Diamond Nights “Silence" It has a sound, a fullness. It's heavy with sigh of tree, and space between breaths. It's ripe with pause between birdsong and crash of surf. It's golden they say. But no one tells us it's addictive.” Angela Long As night falls over the Makgadigadi Pans, large trees stand starkly against the horizon, leafless branches reach for the light. As the sun sinks lower, the sky drains of all color until just red remains. On the opposite side of the sky, Earth’s shadow is rising, bringing a curtain of indigo and the promise of a clear night. Science and art merge as a myriad of stars burn fiercely overhead, dissolving into infinitude, and our thoughts follow.

1,600-Year-Old Paintings of Christ Discovered in Roman Catacombs By Owen Jarus, Live Science Contributor | June 12, 2017 06:31am ET An image of Christ seated on a throne surrounded by his apostles can be seen in a burial chamber in the catacombs of St. Domitilla in Italy. Credit: Photo courtesy Pontificia Commissione di Archeologia Sacra The ancient catacombs of St. Domitilla sprawl for more than 10 miles (17 kilometers) in a labyrinth of tunnels beneath Rome and contain numerous tombs, many belonging to the city's elite. Now, using a technique called laser cleaning, in which lasers are used to remove centuries of grime, researchers have uncovered elaborate frescoes in two sections of the catacombs: the burial chamber used by a grain purchaser (sometimes referred to in scholarly literature as a baker) and the "introductio," which shows a "a personal presentation of the dead to Christ," said Barbara Mazzei, an archaeologist with the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, the organization that unveiled the newly visible frescoes at the end of May. The chambers were first discovered about 400 years ago by an explorer named Antonio Bosio. "Only the wealthiest families could afford a burial chamber," Mazzei told Live Science in an email. The catacombs date back about 1,600 years and are considered to be among the oldest Christian cemeteries. [See Photos of the Frescoes Inside the Catacombs of St. Domitilla] Proud grain purchaser Once the lasers had delicately chipped away soot and other particles that had built up over the years, a 1,600-year-old fresco showing a grain purchaser, was revealed in greater detail. Previously, researchers knew of the individual and sometimes referred to him as a "baker," but the laser cleaning of the painting allowed details of the purchaser, as well as frescoes in the tomb showing Rome's grain trade, to be seen in greater detail. The grain purchaser (who was buried in this particular chamber) is "dressed in a richly decorated tunic and located behind a large modius," which is a container used to measure and distribute grain, Mazzei said. The walls near the image of the grain purchaser show details of the activities of the Annona, an office that handled the purchase and distribution of Rome's grain supply. The grain purchaser was probably someone of "high rank and relevance at the top of the Annona office," Mazzei said. The grain purchaser appears to be "very proud of his work and of the social level he gained," Mazzei said. A bucolic scene with a shepherd and another with Christ on a throne between two groups of apostles were also revealed in the catacombs. "The other scenes are drawn from the Old and New Testament," Mazzei said. [In Photos: A Journey Through Early Christian Rome] Near the grain purchaser's fresco, in another section of the Roman catacombs, the cleaning revealed details of a fresco showing Christ seated on a throne, with his right arm raised before two deceased individuals and their patron saints, who are presumably "the Princes of the apostles Peter and Paul, to be admitted in the Kingdom of Heaven," Mazzei said. "The subject is quite rare in the repertoire of the catacomb paintings." Mazzei said there are many more frescoes that need to be cleaned in the area near the grain purchaser's tomb and in other parts of the sprawling ancient catacombs beneath Rome. Original article on Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/59424-paintings-of-christ-in-roman-catacombs.html

Why Is Armageddon Necessary? - THE ONLY ANSWER TO A WORLD OF PEACE FOREVER! ~ ???? Do you find it hard to imagine that Jehovah, a “God of love,” would assign his Son, the “Prince of Peace,” to fight a war? (2 Corinthians 13:11; Isaiah 9:6) ???? Understanding their motives will doubtless make matters clear. The book of Psalms describes Jesus as a mounted warrior. Why does he fight? Christ rides, the psalmist explains, “in the cause of truth and humility and righteousness.” He wages war because he loves righteousness and hates wickedness.—Psalm 45:4, 7 ???? Likewise, the Bible describes Jehovah’s reaction to the injustice that he sees in the world today. “The LORD has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice,” writes the prophet Isaiah. “He will wear justice like a coat of armor and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer.”—Isaiah 59:15, 17, Today’s English Version. ???? As long as wicked people hold power, righteous people will not enjoy peace and security. (Proverbs 29:2; Ecclesiastes 8:9) Realistically, we cannot divorce corruption and wickedness from the people who practice them. Thus, lasting peace and justice come at a price—the removal of the wicked ones. “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one,” Solomon wrote.—Proverbs 21:18. ???? Since God is the Judge, we can be sure that in every case the judgments against the wicked will be righteous. “Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?” asked Abraham. The answer, Abraham learned, is that Jehovah is always right! (Genesis 18:25) ???? Furthermore, the Bible assures us that Jehovah finds no delight in destroying the wicked; he does so only as a last resort. ???? (Ezekiel 18:32) “‘For I do not take any delight in the death of someone dying,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘So cause a turning back and keep living, O YOU people.’” ???? (2 Peter 3:9) Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." ???? (Psalm 37:10) And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be." ???? (Proverbs 2:21-22) For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. 22 As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."

~ How Deep is Your Love ~ Can it Handle Storms Clouds? ~ ????? ~ Let the Wicked be Wicked ~ Only the Righteous will Behold His Face ~ ????? (Psalm 11:1-7) . . .In Jehovah I have taken refuge. How dare YOU men say to my soul: “Flee as a bird to YOUR mountain!” 2 For, look! the wicked ones themselves bend the bow, They do make ready their arrow upon the bowstring, To shoot in the gloom at the ones upright in heart. 3 When the foundations themselves are torn down, What must anyone righteous do? 4 Jehovah is in his holy temple. Jehovah—in the heavens is his throne. His own eyes behold, his own beaming eyes examine the sons of men. 5 Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, And anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates. 6 He will rain down upon the wicked ones traps, fire and sulphur And a scorching wind, as the portion of their cup. 7 For Jehovah is righteous; he does love righteous acts. The upright are the ones that will behold his face." wol.jw.org

Hold YOUR Hand Tight and Don't Let Go! ??????? (Psalm 18:35) . . ."You will give me your shield of salvation, And your own right hand will sustain me."Jehovah Is Our Helper “My help is from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth.”—PSALM 121:2. ??????? WHO among us never needs a helping hand? The truth is that we all need help at times—to cope with a weighty problem, to endure a painful loss, to bear up under a difficult trial. When needing help, people often turn to a caring friend. Sharing a burden with such a friend may make it easier to bear. But there is only so much that a fellow human can do to help. Besides, others may not always be in a position to respond when help is needed. ??????? There is, however, a Helper who has unlimited power and resources. Furthermore, he assures us that he will never forsake us. He is the One identified by the psalmist who with full confidence declared: “My help is from Jehovah.” (Psalm 121:2) ??????? Why was this psalmist convinced that Jehovah would help him? To answer that question, let us examine Psalm 121. Doing so will enable us to see why we too can confidently look to Jehovah as our Helper.An Unfailing Source of Help ??????? The psalmist began by pointing to Jehovah’s creatorship as a basis for confidence: “I shall raise my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come? My help is from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1, 2)

Jehovah Hates the Course of Treachery! ????? ‘Do not deal treacherously with one another.’—MALACHI 2:10. ????? DO YOU want everlasting life? If you believe in that hope as promised in the Bible, you will probably say, ‘Of course.’ But if you wish God to favor you with endless life in his new world, you will need to meet his requirements. (Ecclesiastes 12:13; John 17:3) ????? Is it unreasonable to expect imperfect humans to do that? No, for Jehovah makes this encouraging statement: “In loving-kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice; and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) So even mistake-prone humans can meet God’s requirements. ????? Reason for Caution However, we have reason for caution. We could miss the lessons that are implicit in Malachi 2:1-9. Are we personally alert, so that no unrighteousness is found on our lips? ????? For example, can our family members really trust what we say? Can our spiritual brothers and sisters in the congregation do the same? It would be easy to develop the habit of couching one’s words in terms that are technically accurate but misleading. Or one might exaggerate or hide details in a business matter. Would Jehovah not see that? And if we followed such practices, would he accept sacrifices of praise from our lips? ????? If we are not careful, we could be tempted to weave personal preferences or opinions in with our teaching. That would especially be a risk for a person tending to be confident in his own conclusions even when these contradict what Jehovah’s organization is teaching. But Malachi chapter 2 shows that we should expect congregation teachers to hold to knowledge from God and not to personal ideas, which could stumble the sheep. Jesus said: “Whoever stumbles one of these little ones who put faith in me, it is more beneficial for him to have hung around his neck a millstone such as is turned by an ass and to be sunk in the wide, open sea.”—Matthew 18:6 ????? Mistreating One’s Mate Malachi then considers a second treachery: mistreating one’s mate, especially by unjust divorcing. Verse 14 of Mal chapter 2 states: “Jehovah himself has borne witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you yourself have dealt treacherously, although she is your partner and the wife of your covenant.” By dealing treacherously with their wives, Jewish husbands caused Jehovah’s altar to become ‘covered with tears.’ (Malachi 2:13) ????? Those men were obtaining divorces on illegitimate grounds, wrongly leaving the wives of their youth, likely to marry younger or pagan women. And the corrupt priests allowed that! Yet, Malachi 2:16 declares: “‘He has hated a divorcing,’ Jehovah the God of Israel has said.” Later, Jesus showed that immorality is the only ground for a divorce that would free the innocent mate to remarry.—Matthew 19:9 ????? Reflect on Malachi’s words, and see how they appeal to hearts and to feelings of basic kindness. He refers to “your partner and the wife of your covenant.” Each man involved had married a fellow worshiper, an Israelite woman, choosing her as a dear companion, a life partner. While that marriage probably took place when he and she were young, the passing of time and the onset of older age did not invalidate the covenant they had entered into, that is, the marriage contract. ????? The counsel regarding those issues applies with equal force today. It is a shame that some disregard God’s direction on marrying only in the Lord. And it is also regrettable that some do not continue working at keeping their marriage strong. Instead, they make excuses and pursue a course that God hates by getting an unscriptural divorce so as to marry someone else. In doing such things, they “have made Jehovah weary.” Back in Malachi’s time, those who ignored divine counsel even had the audacity to feel that Jehovah was unjustified in his views. They, in effect, said: “Where is the God of justice?” What perverse thinking! Let us not fall into that trap.—Malachi 2:17 ????? On the positive side, Malachi shows that some husbands were not dealing treacherously with their wives. They ‘had what was remaining of God’s holy spirit.’ (Mal 2 Verse 15) Happily, God’s organization today abounds with such men who ‘assign honor to their wives.’ (1 Peter 3:7) ????? They do not abuse their wives physically or verbally, do not insist on degrading sexual practices, and do not dishonor their wives by flirting with other women or by viewing pornography. Jehovah’s organization is also blessed by having an abundance of faithful Christian wives who are loyal to God and his laws. All such men and women know what God hates, and they think and act accordingly. Continue to be like them, ‘obeying God as ruler’ and being blessed by his holy spirit.—Acts 5:29 ????? Soon, Jehovah will bring this entire world into judgment. Every individual will have to answer to him for his or her beliefs and actions. “Each of us will render an account for himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) ????? https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2002324#h=1:0-27:211

ARE YOU GRATEFUL? WE REJOICE IN HIS WORKS! HE SATISFIES WITH GOOD THINGS!! ??? Psalm 104:24-28) . . .How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions. You open your hand—they get satisfied with good things." ???????

"Because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight . . . , and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Heb. 12:1 ??‍♀️???‍♀️?? Many of the faithful ones whom Paul mentioned in chapter 11 of Hebrews had circumstances similar to ours. For example, Noah was living when the pre-Flood world was ending. We are living near the end of the present system of things. ??‍♀️???‍♀️?? Abraham and Sarah were called upon to leave behind their homeland to pursue true worship and await the fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise. We are urged to disown ourselves and gain Jehovah’s approval and the blessings he holds out for us. ??‍♀️???‍♀️?? Moses journeyed through a fearsome wilderness, heading for the Promised Land. We are on a course through this dying system of things, heading toward the promised new world. What these men went through, their successes and failures, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, is truly worthy of our consideration.—Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11. w11 9/15 3:12

An Evil Driving Force! Woe for the Earth and the Sea! ???? (Revelation 12:12) . . .Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”The Bible also reveals the existence of a powerful, evil spirit creature, “the one called Devil and Satan,” whose purpose is to lure people away from true values and pull them down into moral corruption. It says that during the last days, he has come down to the earth, “having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:9, 12 ???? The Devil is described in the Bible as “the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2) This implies that the Devil exercises a powerful influence on many humans, usually without their noticing it, just as we sometimes may not notice an invisible pollutant in the air. ???? For example, Satan’s influence is seen in many modern means of communication: videos, movies, television, the Internet, advertising, books, magazines, and newspapers. Much material, especially that focused on unsuspecting youths, is filled with extreme and repugnant trends, such as racism, occultism, immorality, and sadistic violence. ???? Many sincere people have been struck by the similarities between the description the Bible gives of the last days and the actual circumstances in the world of our day. True, there have been some events in history before the 20th century that in lesser ways seemed to fit the Bible’s description. But it is only during the 20th century, and now the 21st century, that all the elements of the sign can be observed. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102000243?q=an+evil+driving+force&p=par jw.org

Pursuing Kindness in a Hostile World ????? “The desirable thing in earthling man is his loving-kindness.”—PROVERBS 19:22 ????? Our lives are affected adversely when others treat us in an unkind manner. The unkindness could be expressed by spiteful neighbors, unfriendly strangers, even friends and family members who may, at times, act thoughtlessly. The pressure of having contact with people who are rude and who shout and curse at one another often causes much dismay. Such lack of kindness by others could make us feel hostile ourselves, and we may consider returning unkindness for unkindness. That may even lead to spiritual or physical health problems.—Romans 12:17 ????? Stressful world conditions may also make it difficult for us to show kindness. For example, mankind in general feels stress because of threats and acts of terrorism, as well as the possible use of biological or nuclear weapons by various national groups. In addition, millions of people are impoverished, existing with minimal food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. Pursuing kindness becomes a challenge when the situation seems hopeless.—Ecclesiastes 7:7 ????? Kindness Within the FamilyTo have Jehovah’s blessing and direction, the fruitage of the spirit is vital and needs to be fully cultivated. (Ephesians 4:32) Let us focus on the particular need for family members to express kindness to one another. In day-to-day dealings, a husband and wife should manifest a kind and caring spirit between themselves and with their children. (Ephesians 5:28-33; 6:1, 2) ????? Such kindness needs to be evident in the way members of the family speak to one another, children honoring and respecting their parents and parents treating their children appropriately. Be quick to commend, slow to condemn. ????? Kindness is positive and makes us want to do good to others. Thus, we seek to be useful, considerate, and helpful in an agreeable manner with other family members. It takes both individual and collective effort to show the type of kindness that speaks well of a family. As a result, not only will they have God’s blessing but, in the congregation and in the community, they will honor the God of kindness, Jehovah.—1 Peter 2:12 https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2004284?q=kindness+in+a+hostile+world&p=par

Coping With a Spouse’s Betrayal - Abuse Verbal and Misconduct! ??? Eccl 3:1-7 "For everything there is an appointed time, a time to embrace and a time to keep away from embracing; a time to rip apart and a time to sew together; a time to keep quiet and a time to speak." ??? See Yourself as Jehovah Sees You At first, you may find it hard to believe that someone you love could hurt you so badly. You might even start to blame yourself for his or her sinful conduct. ??? Granted, no marriage partner at present is perfect. Both mates will make mistakes. An inspired psalmist realistically wrote: “If errors were what you watch, O Jah, O Jehovah, who could stand?” (Ps. 130:3) In imitation of Jehovah, both partners should be inclined to overlook each other’s imperfections.—1 Pet. 4:8 ??? However, “each of us will render an account for himself to God.” (Rom. 14:12) If a marriage mate establishes a record of abusive speech or actions, it is the guilty party who must answer to Jehovah. Jehovah condemns violence and abusive speech, so there is never any legitimate reason for treating a mate with such a gross lack of love and respect. (Ps. 11:5; Eph. 5:33; Col. 3:6-8) ??? In fact, if a Christian repeatedly and unrepentantly gives in to fits of anger and will not change, he or she must be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation. (Gal. 5:19-21; 2 John 9, 10) A marriage mate need not feel guilty for reporting such unchristian conduct to the elders. Indeed, Jehovah has compassion for the victims of such mistreatment. ??? If the innocent mate has been endeavoring to live by Bible principles, there is no need to feel guilty about the sinful betrayal. Remember that Jehovah knows how you feel. He describes himself as the husbandly owner of the nation of Israel, and his Word contains many touching passages that convey the grief he suffered because of the spiritually adulterous actions of that nation. (Isa. 54:5, 6; Jer. 3:1, 6-10) Be assured that Jehovah is keenly aware of the tears you shed if you are in some way betrayed by your marriage partner. (Mal. 2:13, 14) He knows your need for comfort and encouragement. ??? The actions of your unfaithful mate may cause you to suffer for quite some time. The marriage may end, yet you may suffer emotional and financial hardship afterward. However, rather than allowing dark thoughts to cloud your thinking, remember that Jehovah knows best how to deal with those who deliberately disregard his standards, even as the faithless Israelites in the wilderness discovered.—Heb. 10:30, 31; 13:4 https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402012282?q=betrayal&p=par

"Jehovah is healing the brokenhearted ones, and is binding up their painful spots." Ps. 147:3 ❤️?❤️?❤️?❤️ We need comfort in many areas of life. One of the greatest causes of grief is the loss of a loved one in death, especially a beloved marriage mate or a child. ❤️?❤️?❤️?❤️ Comfort may also be needed because a person is a victim of discrimination or prejudice. Poor health, advanced age, poverty, marital problems, or distressing world conditions can give rise to a personal need for comfort. ❤️?❤️?❤️?❤️ In times of distress, we may need comfort that soothes our heart, our mind, our emotions, and both our physical and spiritual health. ❤️?❤️?❤️?❤️ For example, consider the heart. God’s Word acknowledges that our heart can be “broken and crushed.” (Ps. 51:17) Even in severe situations, God can bring relief to a stricken heart if we pray to him in full faith and observe his commandments.—1 John 3:19-22; 5:14, 15.

@Arauna The "Joys of Jehovah " give us hope and courage to keep going! Soon we will grow YOUNG AGAIN! That is what He's promised! True JOY! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and hope! ?????

How Strong is Your Faith? - Walk by Faith not by Sight! ????? (Hebrews 11:1-3) . . .Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld. 2 For by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them. 3 By faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do not appear.Faith is, therefore, the basis for hope and the evidence for conviction concerning unseen realities. The entire body of truths delivered by Jesus Christ and his inspired disciples constitutes the true Christian “faith.” ????? (John 18:37-38) . . .Therefore Pilate said to him: “Well, then, are you a king?” Jesus answered: “You yourself are saying that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him: “What is truth?”. . . ????? Christian faith is based on the complete Word of God, including the Hebrew Scriptures, to which Jesus and the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures frequently referred in support of their statements. ????? Faith is based on concrete evidence. The visible creative works testify to the existence of an invisible Creator. ????? (Romans 1:20) . . .For his invisible [qualities] are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable." ????? The actual occurrences taking place during the ministry and earthly life of Jesus Christ identify him as the Son of God. ????? (Matthew 27:54) . . .But the army officer and those with him watching over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things happening, grew very much afraid, saying: “Certainly this was God’s Son.” ????? God’s record of providing for his earthly creatures serves as a valid basis for believing that he will surely provide for his servants, and his record as a Giver and Restorer of life lends ample evidence to the credibility of the resurrection hope. ????? (Matthew 6:26) . . .Observe intently the birds of heaven, because they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses; still YOUR heavenly Father feeds them. Are YOU not worth more than they are?" ????? (Matthew 6:30) . . .If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe YOU, YOU with little faith?" ????? (Matthew 6:33) 33 “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU. . ." ????? (Acts 17:31) . . .Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.” ????? Furthermore, the reliability of God’s Word and the accurate fulfillment of its prophecies instill confidence in the realization of all of His promises. ????? (Joshua 23:14) 14 “Now, look! I am going today in the way of all the earth, and YOU well know with all YOUR hearts and with all YOUR souls that not one word out of all the good words that Jehovah YOUR God has spoken to YOU has failed. They have all come true for YOU. Not one word of them has failed." ????? Thus, in these many ways, “faith follows the thing heard.”—Ro 10:17 So faith is not credulity. ????? The person who may ridicule faith usually has faith himself in tried and trusted friends. The scientist has faith in the principles of his branch of science. He bases new experiments on past discoveries and looks for new discoveries on the basis of those things already established as true. ????? Likewise, the farmer prepares his soil and sows the seed, expecting, as in previous years, that the seed will sprout and that the plants will grow as they receive the needed moisture and sunshine. Therefore faith in the stability of the natural laws governing the universe actually constitutes a foundation for man’s plans and activities. ????? Such stability is alluded to by the wise writer of Ecclesiastes: “The sun also has flashed forth, and the sun has set, and it is coming panting to its place where it is going to flash forth. The wind is going to the south, and it is circling around to the north. Round and round it is continually circling, and right back to its circlings the wind is returning. All the winter torrents are going forth to the sea, yet the sea itself is not full. To the place where the winter torrents are going forth, there they are returning so as to go forth.” (Ec 1:5-7) ????? But faith cannot be taken for granted, because lack of faith is ‘the sin that so easily entangles one.’ To maintain a firm faith requires putting up a hard fight for it, resisting men who could plunge one into immorality, combating the works of the flesh, avoiding the snare of materialism, shunning faith-destroying philosophies and traditions of men, and, above all, looking “intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus.” ????? (Jude 3-4) 3 Beloved ones, though I was making every effort to write YOU about the salvation we hold in common, I found it necessary to write YOU to exhort YOU to put up a hard fight for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones. 4 My reason is that certain men have slipped in who have long ago been appointed by the Scriptures to this judgment, ungodly men, turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct and proving false to our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ." For more info go to: jw.org

"Keep proving what you yourselves are."— (2 Cor. 13:5) Let your “Yes mean Yes,” and Jehovah will bless your ministry.

Excessive time spent on entertainment can rob us of time needed for personal study. "Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves."—Eph. 5:15, 16.