Bible Speaks

14 "Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the elders of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, applying oil to him in the name of Jehovah." 15 "And the prayer of faith will make the sick one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." (James 5:14) #jw.org

Armageddon is. Coming soon, see it? Keep on the watch! It is NIGHT! At Romans 13:11, 12, “the night” manifestly refers to a period of darkness caused by God’s Adversary, which is due to be ended by Christ Jesus and his reign. (See Eph 6:12, 13; Col 1:13, 14.) At 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 God’s servants who have been enlightened by his truth are contrasted with worldly people who have not. Their way of life manifests that they are “sons of light and sons of day. [They] belong neither to night nor to darkness.” (See Joh 8:12; 12:36, 46; 1Pe 2:9; 2Co 6:14.) A similar usage is found at Micah 3:6, where the prophet says to those rejecting true divine guidance: “Therefore you men will have night, so that there will be no vision; and darkness you will have, so as not to practice divination. And the sun will certainly set upon the prophets, and the day must get dark upon them.”—Compare Joh 3:19-21. #jworg

Will You ReflectGod’s Glory? “We . . . reflect like mirrors the glory of Jehovah.” (2 Cor. 3:18.) Christians do not reflect God’s glory by means of rays that beam from their faces like Moses, their faces fairly beam as they tell others about Jehovah’s glorious personality and purposes. May we ‘walk’ with those who reflect God’s glory. How pleasant it is to do so! As we gather together with our spiritual brothers and sisters at our meetings and at other times, we find encouragement in their love, their faith, their joy, and their wisdom. Such wholesome association strengthens our determination to persevere in our ministry. Jehovah “supplies endurance” to those who are willing to reflect his glory. He answers our prayers and gives us the wisdom to deal with trials. (Romans 15:5; James 1:5) What is more, Jehovah does not allow us to be subjected to any trial that is impossible to bear. If we trust in Jehovah, he will make the way out so that we can continue to reflecthis glory.—1 Corinthians 10:13. #jw.org

19 "We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." 9 "So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth..." (Revelation 12:9) #jw.org

Can You Find Peace in This Troubled World? So where can you find real peace? The source of peace is our Creator, Jehovah God. Why? He is the “God who gives peace.” (Romans 15:33) Under the rule of his Kingdom that is soon to come, there will be an “abundance of peace.” (Psalm 72:7; Matthew 6:9, 10) This is far more than just a feeble peace settlement. Such accords often herald little more than a brief interruption in hostilities. But God’s peace will eliminate all causes of war and strife. In fact, no one will learn war anymore. (Psalm 46:8, 9) Real peace for all at last! Yes, you can find inner peace. It comes from Jehovah God, who gives it to those who draw close to him and who want to follow his guidance. By an examination of his Word, the Bible, you can become familiar with his thoughts. Applying his directions is not necessarily easy. But it is worth all the effort because “the God of peace will be with you.”—Philippians 4:9. #jw.org

Seek Jehovah all you meek ones. 3 "Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, Who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah’s anger." (Zeph.2:3) #jw.org

The Lie That Made God a Mystery! WHAT MANY BELIEVE The Christian religion “in its three classic forms of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism acknowledges one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. According to Christian theology, this acknowledgment is not a recognition of three gods but that these three persons are essentially one.”—The New Encyclopædia Britannica. THE TRUTH FROM THE BIBLE Jesus, the Son of God, never claimed to be equal to or of the same substance as his Father. Rather, he said: “I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) He also told one of his followers: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.”—John 20:17. The holy spirit is not a person. Early Christians “became filled with holy spirit,” and Jehovah said: “I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh.” (Acts 2:1-4, 17) The holy spirit is not part of a Trinity. It is God’s active force. WHY IT MATTERS The Trinity, explain Catholic scholars Karl Rahner and Herbert Vorgrimler, “could not be known without revelation, and even after revelation cannot become wholly intelligible.” Can you really love someone who is impossible to know or understand? The doctrine of the Trinity, therefore, is a barrier to knowing and loving God. Marco, quoted in an earlier article, saw the Trinity as a barrier. “I thought God was hiding his identity from me,” he says, “and that just made him even more distant, mysterious, and unapproachable.” However, “God is not a God of confusion.” (1 Corinthians 14:33, American Standard Version) He has not hidden his identity from us. He wants us to know him. Jesus said: “We worship what we know.”—John 4:22. “When I learned that God is not part of a Trinity,” says Marco, “I was finally able to establish a personal relationship with him.” If we view Jehovah as a distinct Person rather than a mysterious stranger, it is far easier to love him. “He that does not love has not come to know God,” says the Bible, “because God is love.”—1 John 4:8. Read more at: #jw.org https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazine

Who Created the Snow and the Ice Crystals? HOARFROST - ICE CRYSTALS A silvery-white deposit of ice needles formed by direct condensation at freezing temperatures. The ice crystals are long and needle shaped; usually they are perpendicular to the objects on which they occur and are most abundant along their edges. The moisture in the atmosphere freezes without passing through the liquid state, condensing on trees, plants, and other objects, usually in the night. It is often found on windows. Jehovah gives forth the hoarfrost with as much ease as a man scatters ashes with his hand. It covers, or encrusts, such things as trees, grass, and houses with a covering, just as though ashes had been scattered over them by Jehovah’s invisible hand. 38 "Then Jehovah answered Job out of the windstorm: "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow?Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail?" 23 "Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of battle and war?" 29 "From whose womb did the ice emerge, And who gave birth to the frost of heaven?" 30 "When the waters are covered as if with stone, And the surface of the deep waters is frozen solid?" 16 "He sends the snow like wool; He scatters the frost just like ashes." 17 "He hurls down his hailstones like morsels of bread. Who can withstand his cold?" (Psalm 147:16,17) #jw.org

2 "Seraphs were standing above him; 3 "And one called to the other: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of armies. The whole earth is filled with his glory.” ( Isaiah 6:2) Jehovah. The quality of holiness belongs to Jehovah. (Ex 39:30;Zec 14:20) Christ Jesus addressed him as “Holy Father.” (Joh 17:11) Those in the heavens are shown declaring: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of armies,” attributing to him holiness, cleanness in the superlative degree. (Isa 6:3) He is the Most HolyOne, superior to all others in holiness. (Pr 30:3; here the plural form of the Hebrew word translated “Most Holy” is used to denote excellence and majesty.) The Israelites were frequently reminded that Jehovah is the Source of all holiness as they observed the words “Holiness belongs to Jehovah” that were engraved on the shining gold plate on the high priest’s turban. This plate was called “the holy sign of dedication,” showing that the high priest was set apart to a service of special holiness. (Ex 28:36; 29:6) In Moses’ victory song after the deliverance through the Red Sea, Israel sang: “Who among the gods is like you, O Jehovah? Who is like you, proving yourself mighty in holiness?” (Ex 15:11; 1Sa 2:2) As an added guarantee of the carrying out of his word, Jehovah has even sworn by his holiness.—Am 4:2. God’s name is sacred, set apart from all defilement. (1Ch 16:10; Ps 111:9) His name Jehovah is to be held as holy, sanctified above all others. (Mt 6:9) Disrespect for his name merits the punishment of death.—Le 24:10-16, 23; Nu 15:30. Since Jehovah God is the Originator of all righteous principles and laws (Jas 4:12) and is the basis of all holiness, any person or thing that is holybecomes so because of relationship with Jehovah and his worship. One cannot have understanding or wisdom unless he has knowledge of the Most Holy One. (Pr 9:10) Jehovah can be worshiped only in holiness. One claiming to worship him but practicing uncleanness is disgusting in his sight. (Pr 21:27) When Jehovah foretold that he would make the way clear for his people to return to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile, he said: “The Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass over it.” (Isa 35:8) #jw.org

Sooner or later everyone fails at something.... 23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

Happiness isn't getting all you want, it's enjoying all you have...... 8 "So, having food and clothing, we will be content with these things." (1 Timothy 6:8)

Failing is not always failure.... 16 "For the righteous one may fall seven times, and he will get up again..." (Proverbs 24:16). #jw.org

A failure is not a loss. It could be a gain...if you learn, change, and grow from it. 23 ".....you should continue to be made new..." (Ephesians 4:23)

“DARKNESS itself will cover the earth, and thick gloom the national groups; but upon you Jehovah will shine forth, and upon you his own glory will be seen.” (Isaiah 60:2) These words well describe the situation on earth since 1919. Christendom has rejected the sign of the royal presence of Jesus Christ, “the light of the world.” (John 8:12; Matthew 24:3) Because of the “great anger” of Satan, chief of “the world rulers of this darkness,” the 20th century was the cruelest, most destructive time of man’s history. (Revelation 12:12; Ephesians 6:12) Most people live in spiritual darkness. Still, light does shine today. Jehovah ‘shines forth’ upon his servants, the anointed remnant, who are the earthly representatives of his heavenly “woman.” (Isaiah 60:1) Especially since their release from Babylonish captivity in 1919, these have reflected God’s glory and have ‘let their light shine before men.’ (Matthew 5:16) From 1919 through 1931, Kingdom light shone brighter Jehovah fulfilled his promise: “I shall without fail collect the remaining ones of Israel together. In unity I shall set them, like a flock in the pen, like a drove in the midst of its pasture; they will be noisy with men.” (Micah 2:12) In 1931, Jehovah’s glory upon his people became even more evident when they accepted the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses know that many in this world will oppose them. (John 17:14) Still, they are strengthened by Isaiah’s prophecy: “To you the sons of those afflicting you must go, bowing down; and all those treating you disrespectfully must bend down at the very soles of your feet, and they will have to call you the city of Jehovah, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 60:14) To their chagrin, opposers will soon have to recognize that they have, in effect, been fighting against God himself. Who can win such a battle? Jehovah sheds light on his people, blessing them, guiding them, and strengthening them. During the 20th century, they saw the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words: “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.” (Isaiah 60:22) #jw.org #JehovahsWitnesses

FEAR OF NUCLEAR WAR NOW COULD MEAN DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH AND ALL LIFE? Will these nations on the horizon fulfill their efforts to destroy all life? Does God care? What now? Human efforts at unity—no matter how sincere—have proved futile. This comes as no surprise to Bible students, for God’s Word says: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) The Bible also candidly states: “There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” (Proverbs 16:25) Human governments can go only so far in achieving unity. Still, we are not left without hope. The Source of True Unity The Bible contains God’s promise that the world will be unified but not by man’s efforts. The Creator, who purposed that mankind would live in peace worldwide, will accomplish what man cannot. To some, all of that might seem far-fetched. Yet, God’s purpose from the very beginning has been for mankind to live in peace and harmony. Many scriptures in the Bible give evidence that bringing the human race into a unified condition is still God’s purpose. Consider just a few examples: • “Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”—PSALM 46:8, 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.”—ISAIAH 11:9. • “He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it.”—ISAIAH 25:8. • “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.”—2 PETER 3:13. • “[God] 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. These promises are reliable. Why? Because as the Creator, Jehovah God has the power and the ability to bring unity to mankind. (Luke 18:27) He also has the desire to do so. In fact, the Bible calls it God’s “good pleasure . . . to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.”—Ephesians 1:8-10. God’s promise of “a new earth” in which “righteousness is to dwell” is not mere wishful thinking. (2 Peter 3:13) Regarding what he promised, Jehovah God states: “It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.”—Isaiah 55:11. #jworg #jehovahgod

Intent reveals desire, action reveals commitment 3 "Commit to Jehovah whatever you do, And your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3) #jw.org

The best apology is changed behavior.... 8 "Therefore, produce fruit that befits repentance." (Matthew 3:8)

8 "Taste and see that Jehovah is good." (Psalm 34:8) #jw.org

9 "The one walking in integrity will walk in security." (Proverbs 10:9) #jw.org

If you get tired, learn to rest...not quit. "For your part, brothers, do not give up in doing good." (2Thess.3:13)

Don't feel bad if people remember you only when they need you...feel privileged that you are like a candle that comes to their mind when there is darkness. 2 "Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Christ." (Galatians 6:2) #jw.org

Many are living in cages with doors open wide open.... 7 " The One securing justice for those defrauded, The One giving bread to the hungry. Jehovah is releasing the prisoners." (Psalm 146:7)