Bible Speaks

Got you an invitation to the Memorial, you want one? ? Missouri USA

"I know my sheep and my sheep know me."— (John 10:14) ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE SHEPHERD? Nothing about his sheep escapes the notice of our Exemplar. (1 Pet. 2:21) And the sheep fully know the shepherd and trust his leadership. To exercise his headship in imitation of Christ, a husband must learn to think of himself as a shepherd and of those under his care as sheep. He should strive to have an intimate knowledge of his family. Can a husband really have such knowledge? Yes, if he communicates well with all members of his family, listens to their concerns, takes the lead in family activities, and is conscientious about making good decisions involving such matters as family worship, meeting attendance, field service, recreation, and entertainment. When a Christian husband takes the lead with knowledge not only of God’s Word but also of those entrusted to him, it is more likely that his family members will have confidence in his headship and that he will have the satisfaction of seeing them remain united in true worship. jw.org

May you remember these words - the Good News is still being preached throughout the Earth! - (Matthew 24:14) . . .And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." GOOD NEWS This refers to the good news of the Kingdom of God and of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. It is called in the Bible “the good news of the kingdom” (Mt 4:23), “the good news of God” (Ro 15:16), “the good news about Jesus Christ” (Mr 1:1), “the good news of the undeserved kindness of God” (Ac 20:24), “the good news of peace” (Eph 6:15), and the “everlasting good news” (Re 14:6). Enemies. The good news has been bitterly fought, and the source of the enmity is identified by the apostle: “If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.” (2Co 4:3, 4) The earliest enemies of the good news were the religious leaders of the Jews. Their enmity, however, resulted in good to the Gentiles, or people of the nations, in that it opened up the opportunity for Gentiles to be fellow partakers of “the promise in union with Christ Jesus through the good news.”—Ro 11:25, 28; Eph 3:5,6. Enemies of the good news caused the Christians much suffering and required the apostles to put up a hard fight before rulers in defending and legally establishing the good news so that it might spread with the greatest possible freeness.—Php 1:7, 16In the Revelation given to the apostle John about 96 C.E. John saw an “angel flying in midheaven” who had “everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying in a loud voice: ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived.’” (Re 14:6, 7) These inspired statements indicate that in the “last days” there would be an unparalleled proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom. jw.org This photo 1940 shown preaching God's Kingdom!

405 in prison for preaching the good news in South Korea ?? Pray for them!! Write letters! ????????

"He that conducts himself as a lesser one among all of you is the one that is great." (Luke 9:48) Jesus used a young child to make clear to his apostles that they should be humble and modest. jw.org

Jehovah God is called “a sun and a shield,” not that he is a nature god, but that he is the Source of light, life, and energy. (Ps 84:11) NWT

Also our website answers any questions you may have! Check it out! IMG_9620.MP4

"Like a shepherd he will care for his flock. With his arm he will gather together the lambs, and in his bosom he will carry them". - (Isaiah 40:11) Figurative and Illustrative. Jehovah is a Shepherd who lovingly cares for his sheep, that is, his people. (Ps 23:1-6; 80:1; Jer 31:10; Eze 34:11-16; 1Pe 2:25) His Son Jesus Christ is “the great shepherd” (Heb 13:20) and “the chief shepherd,” under whose direction the overseers in Christian congregations shepherd the flock of God, willingly, unselfishly, and eagerly. (1Pe 5:2-4) Jesus referred to himself as “the fine shepherd,” one who really has compassion for “the sheep” and demonstrated this by surrendering his soul in their behalf. (Joh 10:11; see Mt 9:36.) But as foretold, the striking of “the fine shepherd” caused the flock to scatter.—Zec 13:7; Mt 26:31. jw.orgjwjesusjehovahbibleverse

"I AM WITH YOU" - HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER? >In modern times, how has "the true knowledge" become known? >How have those embracing the truth become "many"? >In what ways has accurate knowledge been made "abundant"? (Daniel 12:4) “And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of [the] end. Many will rove about, and the [true] knowledge will become abundant." (Matthew 28:19-20) "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” (John 16:7) "Nevertheless, I am telling YOU the truth, It is for YOUR benefit I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means come to YOU; but if I do go my way, I will send him to YOU." (John 16:13) However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide YOU into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to YOU the things coming." (Isaiah 60:22) The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.” (Matthew 10:8) Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. YOU received free, give free." (Isaiah 11:9) They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea."

"Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and strong. Do not be struck with terror or fear, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) NWT JEHOVAH’S service brings us joy. But we still have problems like everyone else. And we may suffer for doing what is right. (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 3:14; 5:8, 9) To endure these trials successfully, we need faith and courage. Courage is the strength to speak and act without fear when we are in difficult and dangerous situations. To have courage is to be confident and brave, even willing to suffer for what we believe.—Mark 6:49, 50; 2 Timothy 1:7. * To be courageous: To have the strength to do God’s will in difficult and dangerous situations IMG_9684.MP4

8 "For this is what Jehovah of armies says, who after being glorified has sent me to the nations that were plundering you: ‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye." (Zechariah 2:8) NWT 21 "for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21) NWT jw.org

"Go, eat your food with rejoicing, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for already the true God has found pleasure in your works." Ecc.9:7. NWT

@John Lindsay Barltrop: Links say access denied? IMG_5193.mov

"I exhort you as aliens and temporary residents." — (1 Pet. 2:11) Those anointed by holy spirit and given “a new birth to a living hope” to rule with Christ in the heavens. (1 Pet. 1:3, 4)

20 "Jehovah guards all those who love him, But all the wicked he will annihilate." (Psalms 145:20) NWT Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love “Jehovah is . . . great in loving-kindness.”—PSALM 145:8. Jehovah shows love for his true worshipers in a precious, lasting way. Such love is denoted by a Hebrew word translated “loving-kindness,” or “loyal love.” King David of ancient Israel deeply appreciated God’s loving-kindness. Because of his personal experience and his meditation on God’s dealings with others, David could confidently sing: “Jehovah is . . . great in loving-kindness [or, “loyal love”].”—Psalm 145:8. Does Jehovah take note when his loyal ones praise him? Yes, he pays attention to what they say. In a prophecy relating to true worship in our day, Malachi wrote: “At that time those in fear of Jehovah spoke with one another, each one with his companion, and Jehovah kept paying attention and listening. And a book of remembrance began to be written up before him for those in fear of Jehovah and for those thinking upon his name.” (Malachi 3:16) It pleases Jehovah very much when his loyal ones speak well of him, and he remembers them. Many trials and calamities befall Jehovah God’s loyal ones because of their own imperfection and because they live in a world that is lying in the power of Satan, “the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19; Psalm 34:19) Christians experience persecution. Some suffer from chronic illness or because of bereavement. At times, the mistakes of Jehovah’s loyal ones may cause them to ‘bow down’ in discouragement. Whatever trial befalls them, however, Jehovah is always ready to give comfort and spiritual strength to each one of them. The King Jesus Christ has the same loving interest in his loyal subjects.—Psalm 72:12-14. Tap screen for sound ? IMG_9590.MOV

"With humility consider others superior to you."—Phil. 2:3. Imitate Jesus’ Humility and Tenderness “Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely.”—1 PET. 2:21. WE TEND to imitate those whose personality and ways we admire. Of all the humans who have walked the earth, no one is more worthy of imitation than Jesus Christ. Why is that? Jesus himself once said: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:9) Jesus reflects his Father’s personality so perfectly that observing the Son is like seeing the Father. Therefore, as we imitate Jesus, we draw closer to Jehovah, the greatest Personage in the universe. What a reward for imitating the qualities and ways of his Son! How, though, can we know what Jesus is like? Thankfully, we have an inspired written portrait of Jesus. Jehovah provided that record, as found in the Christian Greek Scriptures, because he wants us to become acquainted with his Son so that we can imitate him. (Read 1 Peter 2:21.) In the Bible, the example Jesus left is compared to “steps,” or footprints. In effect, Jehovah is telling us to walk behind Jesus and match our steps to his. Of course, Jesus left a perfect example for us, and we are far from perfect. But Jehovah does not expect us to follow Jesus’ steps perfectly. Rather, the Father expects us to imitate his Son to the best of our ability as imperfect humans.

@Queen Esther I give that door to the Angels and Holy Spirit! ???

"He fell in love with her."—Gen. 24:67. Consider the loving marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. They learned to convey their thoughts and feelings to each other honestly, yet kindly, by cultivating and displaying insight, love, deep respect, and humility.

"See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" – John 1:29 We learned how humble and meek Jesus was. He was rightly called “the Lamb.” (John 1:29) Jesus’ courage, however, gives rise to a very different description. The Bible says of God’s Son: “Look! The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah.”—Revelation 5:5. NWT

@John Lindsay Barltrop I appreciate all your wonderful pictures of the marvels of Jehovah's creations of the seas. He is truly a miracle worker and made for our enjoyment! One day perhaps we can have more insight in these creatures of the sea. All the glory go to Jehovah the Maker of the Heavens and Earth and all the Seas! Agape, ??????????? @John Lindsay Barltrop: Links say access denied?

He said: “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked over the waters and went toward Jesus.—Matt. 14:29. NWT The wind and waves surrounding Peter as he walked on the water might be compared to the trials and temptations we face in our life of dedication to God. Even when these are severe, we can stand firm with Jehovah’s support. Recall that Peter did not sink because of a gust of wind or a big wave. Think back on the sequence of events: “Looking at the windstorm, he became afraid.” (Matt. 14:24-32) Peter lost his focus on Jesus, and then his faith wavered. We could begin to sink if we were to begin “looking at the windstorm,” focusing on its power and doubting that Jehovah will support us. We should take seriously the possibility that our faith could diminish, for the Bible refers to a weakening of faith or loss of faith as “the sin that easily entangles us.” (Heb. 12:1) As Peter’s experience shows, our faith can quickly weaken if we focus on the wrong things. w15 9/15 3:1,6, 7 Tap on picture for sounds ?? IMG_9628.MOV

Very nice pictures

@John Lindsay Barltrop I appreciate all your wonderful pictures of the marvels of Jehovah's creations of the seas. He is truly a miracle worker and made for our enjoyment! One day perhaps we can have more insight in these creatures of the sea. All the glory go to Jehovah the Maker of the Heavens and Earth and all the Seas! Agape, ???????????

“Wisdom is with the modest ones.” 2 "When presumptuousness comes, dishonor will follow, But wisdom is with the modest ones." (Proverbs 11:2) WHEN Jehovah chose Saul to be king, Saul was modest. (1 Samuel 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24) But after he became king, he became presumptuous. On one occasion, thousands of Philistines came to fight the Israelites. The prophet Samuel had told Saul that he would come and offer a sacrifice to Jehovah. However, before Samuel arrived, the Israelites became afraid and many of them abandoned Saul. He became impatient, and instead of waiting for Samuel, he offered the sacrifice himself. Saul had no authority to do this, and Jehovah was not pleased.—1 Samuel 13:5-9. 2 When Samuel arrived, he reproved Saul for disobeying Jehovah. But Saul did not think that he had done anything wrong. He tried to find excuses, and he even blamed others for his mistake. (1 Samuel 13:10-14) From that time on, Saul did many other presumptuous things. So Jehovah rejected him from being king. (1 Samuel 15:22, 23) Saul’s life began well but ended very badly.—1 Samuel 31:1-6. We show respect for Jehovah by being modest, A modest person knows that Jehovah alone deserves all glory, because he is the Creator and the Most High in the universe. (Revelation 4:11) If we are modest, we will be happy with whatever we can do in Jehovah’s service. jw.org IMG_9581.MOV

FAITH IS THE BRIDGE OF WHERE I AM AND THE PLACE THAT GOD IS TAKING ME Faith Definition: “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Heb. 11:1) True faith is not credulity, that is, a readiness to believe something without sound evidence or just because a person wants it to be so. Genuine faith requires basic or fundamental knowledge, acquaintance with evidence, as well as heartfelt appreciation of what that evidence indicates. Thus, although it is impossible to have real faith without accurate knowledge, the Bible says that it is “with the heart” that one exercises faith.—Rom. 10:10. Why do many people not have faith? Faith is a fruit of God’s spirit, and God gladly gives his spirit to those who seek it. (Gal. 5:22; Luke 11:13) So persons without faith are not seeking that spirit, or they are doing so for a wrong purpose or are resisting its operation in their lives. Many things influence this: Lack of accurate Bible knowledge: The Bible is a product of God’s spirit, being inspired by God. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17;2 Sam. 23:2) Failure to study it hinders any development of true faith. Although church members may have Bibles, if they have been taught the ideas of men instead of the Word of God, they will lack real faith in God and his purpose. To solve life’s problems, they will be inclined to rely on their own ideas and those of other humans.—( Matthew 15:3-9.) Lives dominated by fleshly desires and viewpoints: Generally, persons who lack faith that has real substance have devoted themselves to the pursuit of other interests. Some may say that they believe the Bible but they may never have thoroughly studied it or may have failed to meditate appreciatively on what they read, on the reasons for it, and how it applies to everyday life. (Compare 1 Chronicles 28:9.) In some cases, they failed to nourish the faith they had but, instead, allowed a desire for unrighteous things to dominate the inclination of their heart so that they drew away from God and his ways.—Heb. 3:12. How can a person acquire faith? Rom. 10:17: “Faith follows the thing heard.” (Compare Acts 17:11, 12; John 4:39-42; 2 Chronicles 9:5-8. A person must first find out what the Bible says, and he will strengthen his conviction if he examines it carefully so as to be convinced of its reliability.) Rom. 10:10: “With the heart one exercises faith.” (By meditating on godly things to build up appreciation for them, a person impresses them on his figurative heart.) Faith is strengthened when a person acts on God’s promises and then sees the evidence of God’s blessing on what he has done.—See Psalm 106:9-12. LEARN HOW TO HAVE MORE FAITH VISIT JW.ORG AND ASK FOR A BIBLE STUDY TO BUILD YOUR FAITH ? jw.org IMG_9557.MOV Tap screen for birds and waterfall ?