Bible Speaks

Fathers Set the Good Example! - You will be Happy to Train them when they are young!- Before they decide on their own! - You may preserve their Life! (Proverbs 22:6) 6 Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it." Does Proverbs 22:6 guarantee that if Christian children are properly trained, they will not depart from the way of Jehovah? This verse reads: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.” Just as the bending of a twig influences its growth into a tree, children who are properly trained are more inclined to continue to serve Jehovah when they grow up. As every parent knows, such training takes considerable time and effort. To make Christian disciples of their children, parents must carefully instruct, admonish, encourage, and discipline them as well as set a good example. They must do this consistently and lovingly for many years. Does this mean, though, that if a child does turn away from serving Jehovah, parental training is at fault? In some cases, parents may have been deficient in their efforts to bring their children up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah. (Ephesians 6:4) On the other hand, the proverb is not a guarantee that good training will produce children who are faithful to God. Parents cannot mold their children into whatever they wish. Children, like adults, have free will and must ultimately choose their own course in life. (Deuteronomy 30:15, 16, 19) Despite the most earnest efforts of parents, some children become unfaithful, as did Solomon, who wrote the verse we are considering. Even Jehovah had sons who proved unfaithful. Thus, this scripture does not mean that in every case a child “will not turn aside from it” but that generally speaking this would be the result. What an encouragement this is to parents! Parents should take heart from knowing that their earnest efforts to train their children in the way of Jehovah will produce good results. Since their role is important and their influence is great, parents are encouraged to take their role seriously.— (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) 6 And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; 7 and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up. . ." Even when children turn aside from serving Jehovah, parents who have been conscientious in training their children can entertain the hope that their children will come to their senses. Bible truth is powerful, and parental training is not quickly forgotten. (Psalm 19:7) . . .The law of Jehovah is perfect, bringing back the soul. The reminder of Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise."

"Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. In splendid holiness, from the womb of the dawn, You have your company of young men just like dewdrops." (Psalms 110:3) Jehovah also exerts power through his authority as Universal Sovereign. Can you imagine having millions upon millions of intelligent, able subjects eager to do your bidding? Jehovah wields such ruling power. He has human servants, in Scripture often likened to an army, just like dewdrops. Are you part of that army?

Nice story! It's ok to be a little cracked!! ⚱?⚱ An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.” The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.” “For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.” Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the road. Picture; Penny Parker

"Solomon began to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah."— (1 Ki. 11:6) “It came about in the time of Solomon’s growing old that his wives themselves had inclined his heart to follow other gods; and his heart did not prove to be complete with Jehovah his God like the heart of David his father.” (1 Ki. 11:4) http://wol.jw.org/en

Divorce! Nowadays, divorce has become easy and widespread, and the divorce rate in many countries is climbing. However, we should keep clearly in mind that Jehovah God has a completely different view of marriage and divorce than the one generally accepted in the world around us. What, then, is Jehovah’s view? Jehovah God expects those who are married to remain faithful to their marriage vow. When he united the first man and woman in marriage, Jehovah stated that “a man . . . must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.” Jesus Christ later repeated that statement and added: “Therefore, what God has yoked together let no man put apart.” Jesus further stated: “Whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery.” (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:3-6, 9) Hence, Jehovah and Jesus view marriage as a lifelong bond that ends only when one partner dies. (1 Cor. 7:39) Since marriage is a sacred arrangement, divorce is not to be taken lightly. In fact, God’s Word states that Jehovah hates a divorce that has no Scriptural basis. Read (Malachi 2:13-16) “And there is another thing that you do, which results in covering the altar of Jehovah with tears and with weeping and sighing, so that he no longer pays attention to your gift offering or looks favorably on anything from your hand. 14 And you say, ‘For what reason?’ It is because Jehovah has acted as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously, although she is your partner and your wife by covenant. 15 But there was one who did not do it, for he had what remained of the spirit. And what was that one seeking? The offspring of God. So guard yourselves respecting your spirit, and do not deal treacherously with the wife of your youth. 16 For I hate divorce,” says Jehovah the God of Israel, “and the one who covers his garment with violence,”* says Jehovah of armies. “And guard yourselves respecting your spirit, and you must not deal treacherously." jw.org

Miracles—Fact or Fiction? - DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? THE gentleman’s attention was immediately caught by the bumper sticker on a passing car, “Miracles Happen—Just Ask the Angels.” Although he was a religious man himself, he was unsure what this meant. Did the sign mean that the driver believed in miracles? Or was it, rather, a jocular way of indicating lack of belief in both miracles and angels? You may be interested in what German author Manfred Barthel noted: “Miracle is a word that immediately polarizes readers into two warring camps.” Those who believe in miracles are convinced that they occur and perhaps occur often.* For example, it is reported that in Greece during the last few years, believers have claimed that miracles take place about once a month. This led a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church to caution: “The believer tends to humanize God, Mary, and the saints. Believers should not carry things too far.” How About Non-Christian Religions? Belief in miracles is found in almost all religions. The Encyclopedia of Religion explains that the founders of Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam held diverse views about miracles, but it notes: “The subsequent history of these religions demonstrates unmistakably that miracles and miracle stories have been an integral part of man’s religious life.” This reference work says that “the Buddha himself was sometimes led to work miracles.” Later, when “Buddhism was transplanted to China, its missionaries often resorted to the display of miraculous powers.” After referring to several such supposed miracles, that encyclopedia concludes: “One may not be prepared to accept all of these miracle stories told by pious biographers, but they were undoubtedly created with the good intention of glorifying the Buddha, who was able to endow his ardent followers with such miraculous powers.” The same authority says of Islam: “The majority of the Islamic community has never ceased to expect miracles. Muhammad is presented in the traditions (hadīths) as having worked miracles in public on many occasions. . . . Even after their death, saints are believed to work miracles at their own graves on behalf of the faithful, and their intercession is piously invoked.” What of the Miracles in Christianity? Many of those who have accepted Christianity are divided in their opinions. Some accept as fact the Bible reports about the miracles performed by Jesus Christ or by servants of God in pre-Christian times. Yet, many agree with Protestant Reformer Martin Luther. The Encyclopedia of Religion says of him: “Both Luther and Calvin wrote that the age of miracles was over and that their occurrence should not be expected.” The Catholic Church held to its belief in miracles “without trying to defend it intellectually,” says this reference work. However, “the academic Protestant community came to believe that the practice of Christianity was largely a matter of morality and that neither God nor the spiritual world contacted or influenced practical human life to any great extent.” Other professed Christians, including some clergymen, doubt that the miracles mentioned in the Bible are factual. Take, for example, the burning-bush episode reported in the Bible at Exodus 3:1-5. The book What the Bible Really Says explains that a number of German theologians do not take this as the literal account of a miracle. Instead, they interpret it as “a symbol of Moses’ inner struggle with the pricks and burning pangs of conscience.” The book adds: “The flames could also be seen as flowers that burst into bloom in the sunlight of the divine presence.” You may find such an explanation less than satisfying. So, what should you believe? Is it realistic to believe that miracles have ever taken place? And what about modern-day miracles? Since we cannot ask the angels, whom can we ask? The Biblical Position No one can deny that the Bible reports that God in bygone days at times stepped in to perform humanly impossible acts. Of him, we read: “You proceeded to bring forth your people Israel out of the land of Egypt, with signs and with miracles and with a strong hand and with a stretched-out arm and with great fearsomeness.” (Jeremiah 32:21) Imagine, the most powerful nation of the day brought to its knees by means of ten divinely sent plagues, including the death of its firstborn. Miracles indeed!—Exodus, chapters 7 to 14 Centuries later, the four Gospel writers described some 35 miracles performed by Jesus. In fact, their words suggest that he performed even more supernatural feats than those they report. Are these reports fact or fiction?*—Matthew 9:35; Luke 9:11 If the Bible is what it claims to be—God’s Word of truth—then you have clear reason to believe in the miracles about which it speaks. The Bible is explicit in reporting that miracles occurred in bygone days—miraculous healings, resurrections, and the like—yet it is just as explicit in explaining that such miracles no longer take place. (See the box “Why Certain Miracles No Longer Occur,” on page 4.) So does this mean that even those who accept the Bible as fact consider belief in modern-day miracles to be unfounded? READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE AT: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2005120?q=miracles&p=par REMEMBER YOU ARE A MIRACLE!

Children Bring Praise to Jehovah! Lessons From the Bible Teach Us How to Raise Responsible Children Today! - (Psalm 34:11) . . .Come, listen to me; The fear of Jehovah is what I shall teach YOU." (Zechariah 8:5) . . .And the public squares of the city themselves will be filled with boys and girls playing in her public squares.’” Young children in Israel knew the joy of relaxation and amusements, sometimes playing in the marketplace, imitating things they had observed while watching grown-ups.—Mt 11:16, 17; Zec 8:5 The parents were the ones responsible for the education and training of their children, they themselves being the instructors and guides, both by word and by example. The educational program was as follows: (1) Fear of Jehovah was taught. (Ps 34:11; Pr 9:10) (2) The child was admonished to honor his father and mother. (Ex 20:12; Le 19:3; De 27:16) (3)Discipline or instruction in the Law, its commandments and teachings, and education in the activities and revealed truths of Jehovah were diligently inculcated in the impressionable minds of the young offspring. (De 4:5, 9; 6:7-21; Ps 78:5) (4) Respect for older persons was stressed. (Le 19:32) (5) The importance of obedience was indelibly stamped on the youngster’s mind. (Pr 4:1; 19:20; 23:22-25) (6) Stress was put on practical training for adult living, such as teaching girls to do things around the home, or teaching boys the trade of the father or some other trade. (7) Education in reading and writing was given. http://wol.jw.org/en

7 "Praise Jehovah from the earth, You great sea creatures and all deep waters, 8 You lightning and hail, snow and thick clouds, You storm wind, carrying out his word, 9 You mountains and all you hills, You fruit trees and all you cedars, 10 You wild animals and all you domestic animals, You creeping things and winged birds." (Psalms 148:7-10) NWT jw.org

Queen Esther: Can you imagine sunsets ? in the New World ? with no pollution? We have so many Blessings coming! Thank you ?????

Wise in Heart”—Yet Humble! Jehovah’s humility is manifest in yet another beautiful quality—reasonableness. This quality is sadly lacking among imperfect humans. Not only is Jehovah willing to listen to his intelligent creatures but he is also willing to yield when there is no conflict with righteous principles. As used in the Bible, the word “reasonable” literally means “yielding.” This quality too is a hallmark of divine wisdom. In what sense is the all-wise Jehovah reasonable? For one thing, he is adaptable. Remember, his very name teaches us that Jehovah causes himself to become whatever is needed in order to fulfill his purposes. (Exodus 3:14) Does that not indicate a spirit of adaptability and reasonableness? Humans can only try to imitate such perfect adaptability. All too often, though, humans and their organizations are more rigid than adaptable, more unreasonable than yielding. To illustrate: A supertanker or a freight train might be awesome in terms of size and power. But can either one respond to sudden changes in circumstance? If an obstacle falls across the tracks in front of a freight train, turning is out of the question. Sudden stops are not much easier. A heavy freight train may take over a mile to stop after the brakes are applied! Similarly, a supertanker may coast onward for five miles [8 km] after the engines are shut off. Even if the engines are thrown into reverse, the tanker may still plow on for two miles [3 km]! It is similar with human organizations that are prone to rigidity and unreasonableness. Because of pride, men often refuse to adapt to changing needs and circumstances. Such rigidity has bankrupted corporations and even toppled governments. (Proverbs 16:18) "Pride is before a crash, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.'

"If you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy."—(1 Pet. 3:14) Courage has been defined as “spiritual, emotional, and moral fortitude to speak and act without fear in the face of obstacles and dangers.” http://wol.jw.org/en

SPIRITUAL RUIN OVER CONFIDENCE! ? 12"So let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall." (1 Cor.10:12) NWT

BEAUTY IS NOT IN THE FACE; BEAUTY IS IN THE LIGHT OF THE HEART ? 3"Do not let your adornment be external—the braiding of hair and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothing— 4 but let it be the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of the quiet and mild spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God." (1 Peter 3:3,4).

WHAT THE BIBLE PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE? 4 "And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) NWT jw.org IMG_2340.MP4

ARMAGEDDON WHAT IS IT? 14 "The great day of Jehovah is near! It is near and it is approaching very quickly! The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a warrior cries out." 15 "That day is a day of fury, A day of distress and anguish, A day of storm and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick gloom," 16 "A day of the horn and of the battle cry, Against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers." 17 "I will cause distress to mankind, And they will walk like blind men, Because it is against Jehovah they have sinned. Their blood will be poured out like dust, And their flesh like the dung." 18 "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; For by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be consumed," Because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.” (Zephaniah 1:14-18) NWT 16 "And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon." (Revelation 16:16) NWT

Jehovah is with you wherever you go! 9 "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) JEHOVAH’S service brings us joy. Yet, we do face hardships common to mankind, and we may “suffer for the sake of righteousness.” (1 Pet. 3:14;5:8, 9; 1 Cor. 10:13) To cope with such trials successfully, we need faith and courage. Courage has been defined as “spiritual, emotional, and moral fortitude to speak and act without fear in the face of obstacles and dangers." To have the courage needed to do God’s will, we must study and apply his Word. Jesus, early Christians courageously rendered worship only to Jehovah. (Matt. 4:8-10) They refused to burn incense in honor of the Roman emperor. “Very few of the Christians recanted,” wrote Daniel P. Mannix, “although an altar with a fire burning on it was generally kept in the arena for their convenience. All a prisoner had to do was scatter a pinch of incense on the flame and he was given a Certificate of Sacrifice and turned free. It was also carefully explained to him that he was not worshiping the emperor; merely acknowledging the divine character of the emperor as head of the Roman state. Still, almost no Christians availed themselves of the chance to escape.”—Those About to Die. Modern Christians held in Nazi concentration camps with possible death facing them were given repeated opportunities to gain their freedom by signing a declaration renouncing Jehovah. But few signed. Risking death during a genocide in Rwanda in recent times, Tutsi and Hutu Witnesses protected one another. Such trials call for courage and faith. It is challenging to pursue a godly course in the face of trials that beset us in this evil and troubled world. However, we are not alone. God is with us. So is his Son, the Head of the congregation. We also have over 8,340,982 fellow Witnesses of Jehovah worldwide. With them, let us keep on exercising faith and declaring the good news. jw.org IMG_7663.MP4

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JEHOVAH MEASURES OUR WORTH BY WHAT IS IN OUR HEART ? "...For the way man sees is not the way God sees, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) NWT IMG_6933.MP4

Does Anyone Really Care? Do these pictures disturb you? This IS REALITY! Yet, we all have hope read on why: Did you ever feel alone and helpless, as if no one really understood the problems you were facing? And even if they knew about them, you felt that they did not really care. God is described in the Bible as “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3) God, whose name is Jehovah, knows we need comfort. The Bible uses “comfort” in various forms over a hundred times, assuring us that God not only understands what we face but also desires to comfort us. This knowledge convinces us that even when others do not seem to notice, understand, or careabout our plight, Jehovah God does. The fact that Jehovah cares for people as individuals is clearly seen from the Scriptures. “The eyes of Jehovah are in every place,” says the Bible, “keeping watch upon the bad ones and the good ones.” (Proverbs 15:3) Similarly, at Job 34:21, we read: “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and all his steps he sees.” Jehovah sees what we do—good or bad—and he is aware of our circumstances, so that he can respond in ways he sees fit. This is confirmed in the words of Hanani the seer, or prophet, to King Asa of Judah: “As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.”—2 Chronicles 16:7, 9. Many people today believe that Godtakes no interest in human affairs. But as we have seen, the Bible clearly shows that God very much cares for those who demonstrate true faith in him. Even though life today is often filled with distress, worries, disappointments, and hurt, we need not despair. Jehovah Goddoes care. In fact, he lovingly invites us to turn to him for support. “Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you,” says the psalmist. “Never will he allow the righteous one to totter.”—Psalm 55:22. God’s View of War Today Today people are being oppressed. Many repeatedly cry out to God for relief and wonder if relief will ever come. Does God hear their cries for help? And what about those who resort to warfare to bring an end to their oppression? Does God support their efforts, viewing their warfare as justifiable? First, take comfort in this truth: God sees the suffering in the world today, and he intends to do something about it. (Psalm 72:13, 14) In his Word, the Bible, God promises that those “who suffer tribulation will be given relief.” When? “At the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels . . . as he brings vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8) This revelation of Jesus will take place in the future in what the Bible calls “the war of the great day of God the Almighty,” also known as Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16. In that future war, God will use, not humans, but his Son, Jesus Christ, along with other powerful spirit creatures to wage war against the wicked. The heavenly forces will bring an end to all oppression.—Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 19:11-16. To this day, God’s view of war has not changed. He still views war as a legitimate means of bringing an end to oppression and wickedness. But as has been true throughout history, it is God alone who rightly determines when such warfare is to take place and who is to be involved. As we have seen, God has already determined that the war to end wickedness and to avenge the oppressed is a future war and that it will be fought by his Son, Jesus Christ. This means that the wars being fought in the earth today do not have God’s approval, no matter how noble the cause may appear to be. Today, warring nations often appeal to God for support. But God does not take sides in today’s wars. Instead, in his Word, the Bible, he clearly states: “Return evil for evil to no one,” and, “Do not avenge yourselves.” (Romans 12:17, 19) Moreover, he has made known that mankind should “wait patiently for him” to take action, which he will do at Armageddon. (Psalm 37:7, footnote) When the nations fail to wait for God to act and instead resort to warfare, he views such wars as presumptuous acts of aggression that bring his displeasure. Thus, at Armageddon, God will express his indignation and settle the nations’ disputes once and for all by “bringing an end to wars throughout the earth.” (Psalm 46:9; Isaiah 34:2) Indeed, Armageddon will be the war to end all wars. The end of warfare is one of the many blessings of God’s Kingdom. Jesus spoke of that government in this well-known prayer: “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.” (Matthew 6:10) Not only will God’s Kingdom eliminate all war but it will eliminate the root cause of war, wickedness.* (Psalm 37:9, 10, 14, 15) Little wonder that Jesus’ followers eagerly look forward to the blessings of God’s Kingdom.—2 Peter 3:13. jw.org Welcome a free Bible study. Help all to learn about Jehovah God and how soon his Kingdom will save all mankind. If some die he promises to resurrect them to life again. (Acts 24:15)

NEVER LOSE FAITH! The prophet Daniel also demonstrated the importance of regularity in worship. (Read Daniel 6:4-10, 16.) He did not change his spiritual routine—his habit of praying to God “three times in a day, . . . as he had been regularly doing”—even for one month, although that meant being thrown into the lions’ pit. How clearly his actions indicated to observers that nothing is more important than regular worship of Jehovah!—Matt. 5:16. After Daniel had spent a night in the lions’ pit, the king himself went there and cried out: “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you are serving with constancy been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel immediately replied: “O king, live on even to times indefinite. My own God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not brought me to ruin, forasmuch as before him innocence itself was found in me; and also before you, O king, no hurtful act have I done.” Jehovah blessed Daniel for serving “with constancy.”—Dan. 6:19-22. Daniel was willing to die rather than neglect his spiritual routine. What about us? What sacrifices are we making or are we willing to make in order to declare the good news of God’s Kingdom with constancy? Be loyal like Daniel show faith and devotion with prayers and outcries to Jehovah! Perhaps you also will meet a "lion"? For Satan himself walks about like a "roaring lion" ready to devour us. Be humble keep your faith now! Never give up! Let Jehovah fortify you as he did Daniel.

ThePraeceptor: Where do I find Order 66? Thank you, ???

Thank you for sharing, ARchiv@L ???

Thank you so much! Our Brothers and Sisters love to see the work around the Earth! This work will never be repeated. We are privileged to represent Jehovah God and proclaim His Name! Bible Speaks ???