Bible Speaks

 9 "He is bringing an end to wars throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the military wagons with fire."

10 “Give in and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 "Jehovah of armies is with us; The God of Jacob is a secure refuge for us."
(Psalm 46:9-11)

BE PROTECTED WITH JEHOVAH’S PEOPLE

“I will certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.”—Ezekiel 38:18-23.

When Gog begins the attack, Jehovah will tell his servants: “Go, my people, enter your inner rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a brief moment until the wrath has passed by.” (Isaiah 26:20) 

During that time, Jehovah will give us instructions about what we need to do to be protected. The “inner rooms” may be connected with our local congregations.

If we want to be protected during the great tribulation, we must accept that God has a people on earth today and that he has organized them into congregations. We must take sides with Jehovah’s people and stay close to our local congregation. 

Just like the psalmist, may we say with all our heart: “Salvation belongs to Jehovah. Your blessing is upon your people.”—Psalm 3:8.

8 “And it must occur on the day of Jehovah’s sacrifice that I will give attention to the princes, and to the sons of the king, and to all those wearing foreign attire."

 9 "And I will give attention to everyone that is climbing upon the platform in that day, those who are filling the house of their masters with violence and deception."
( Zep.1:8,9)

What Is Wrong With Christmas Customs?
Christmas has long been described as a traditional Christian festival to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many of the customs used in this celebration, however, make us wonder how they came to be associated with Jesus’ birth in the first place.

For one thing, there is the myth of Santa Claus. The modern-day jolly, white-bearded, rosy-cheeked, red-suited Santa is known to have been a successful Christmas advertisement created for a North American beverage company in 1931. During the 1950’s, some Brazilians tried to replace Santa Claus with a native legendary figure—Grandpa Indian. The result? 

Santa Claus not only defeated Grandpa Indian but even “defeated the child Jesus and became the official representative of the feast of December 25,” says Professor Carlos E. Fantinati. But are myths such as Santa Claus the only problem with Christmas? For the answer, let us go back to early Christianity.

“During the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus,” states the Encyclopedia Britannica. Why? 

Christians viewed birthday celebrations as a pagan custom, something to be avoided altogether. In fact, no mention of the date of Jesus’ birth can be found in the Bible.

In the fourth century C.E., despite the stand taken by the early Christians against the custom of celebrating birthdays, the Catholic Church instituted Christmas. The church wanted to strengthen its position by removing one of the main obstacles in its way—the popularity of the pagan Roman religions and their winter solstice festivals. Each year, from December 17 through January 1, “most Romans feasted, gamed, reveled, paraded, and joined in other festivities as they paid homage to their deities,” says Christmas in America, by Penne L. Restad. And on December 25, the Romans celebrated the birth of the Invincible Sun. Instituting Christmas on that day, the church cajoled many Romans into celebrating the birth of Jesus instead of the birth of the sun. Romans “were still able to enjoy the trappings of these midwinter festivals,” says Santa Claus, a Biography, by Gerry Bowler. In reality, they “continued to mark the new days with old ways.”

Clearly, then, the main problem with Christmas celebrations lies in their unsavory origins. In his book The Battle for Christmas, Stephen Nissenbaum refers to Christmas as “nothing but a pagan festival covered with a Christian veneer.” Christmas, therefore, dishonors God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Is this just a trivial matter? The Bible asks: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) 

Like the trunk of a tree that has grown crooked, Christmas is so twisted that it “cannot be made straight.”—Ecclesiastes 1:15.

"We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one."
(1 John 5:19)

"I can't go on."

9 "But he said to me: 
“My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you, for my power is being made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, then, I will boast about my weaknesses, in order that the power of the Christ may remain over me like a tent."

(2 Cor. 12:9)

Trust in Jehovah With All Your Heart
“Those knowing your name will trust in you.”—PSALM 9:10.

Why should we trust in Jehovah? Jehovah’s works of creation, including the universe, with its billions of galaxies. 

The immense physical forces that Jehovah controls demonstrate that he is, indeed, the Almighty. 

As we contemplate the marvels of creation, we have to agree with Job, who said of Jehovah: “Who can resist him? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’” (Job 9:12) 

In truth, if Jehovah is on our side, we need fear no one in the whole universe.—Romans 8:31. 

The ransom is another reason to trust in Jehovah. (Matthew 20:28) 

How wonderful it is that God sent his own Son to die as a ransom for us! And the ransom is truly powerful. It covers the sins of all mankind who repent and turn to Jehovah with an honest heart. (John 3:16; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 4:16, 19) 

A part of the process of paying the ransom was the resurrection of Jesus. That miracle, attested to by hundreds of eyewitnesses, is a further reason to trust in Jehovah. It is a guarantee that our hopes will not end in disappointment.—Acts 17:31; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

 7 "Now let the fear of Jehovah be upon you. Be careful about what you do, for with Jehovah our God there is no injustice, no partiality, no bribe-taking.”
(2 Chron.19:7)

22 "It is because of Jehovah’s loyal love that we have not come to our finish, For his mercies never end."

23 "They are new each morning; your faithfulness is abundant."
      (Lamentations .3:22,23)

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.

17 "Therefore, if someone knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him."
(James 4:17)

Queen ?? Esther:

Thank you, it caught my eye also.

Agape,

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Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. 

14 "Turn away from what is bad and do what is good; Seek peace and pursue it."
       (Psalm 34:14)

The question is not what you look at, but what you see. 

41 "Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye?" (Luke 6:41)

22 "Throw your burden on Jehovah, And he will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to fall."
      (Isaiah 55:22)

5 "Just as you do not know how the spirit operates in the bones of the child inside a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of the true God, who does all things."
(Ecclesiastes 11:5)

Always acknowledge the accomplishments of others....

26  "Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another." (Ephesians 5:26)

10 "The name of Jehovah is a strong tower.

Into it the righteous one runs and receives protection."

(Proverbs 18:10)

“By his power he has stirred up the sea, and by his understanding he has broken the stormer to pieces.” (Job 9:8; 26:12)

Indeed, “above the sounds of vast waters, the majestic breaking waves of the sea, Jehovah is majestic in the height.”—Psalm 93:4.  

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Ecc. 11:5) NIV

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Repentance is a change of mind, that leads to a change of heart, that leads to a change of actions. The change involves a turning from 
sin and a turning to God.

8 "Therefore, produce fruit that befits repentance." (Matthew 3:8)

The Bible says: "Do not learn the way of the nations. . .For the customs of the peoples are a delusion. It is just a tree of the forest that is cut down. . .They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails so that it will not fall over." (Jeremiah 10:2-4) The Encyclopædia Britannica states regarding the Christmas tree: “Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity.” It was done in various rites and customs, including “the custom . . . of placing a Yuletree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays.” Too, the early Romans marked the winter solstice with a feast called the Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that soon farms and orchards would be green and fruitful. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. Also, the Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of their sun god, Balder. Today, the Christmas tree is recognized all over the world, and the demand for countless millions of natural and artificial Christmas trees seems endless. Meanwhile, Scandinavian rock carvings provide silent testimony, literally set in stone, that the Christmas tree is not of Christian origin. This is evident in Bohuslän Province on the west coast of Sweden and in a nearby province in Norway. In those areas, more than 75,000 individual rock carvings have been found at some 5,000 different sites. Archaeologists say that many of these rock carvings were made between about 1,800 and 500 B.C.E. The book Rock Carvings in the Borderlands, published in cooperation with the Swedish National Heritage Board, says: “The images of trees in rock carvings illustrate that as early as the Bronze Age the southern Scandinavian region was part of a larger religious and cultural context that covered the whole of Europe and large parts of Asia. Religion and cosmology were adapted to people whose livelihoods were farming and animal husbandry. They largely worshipped the same gods, although the names of the gods varied.”

Bitterness is a result of clinging to negative experiences. 

31 "Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious."
(Ephesians 4:31)

15 "But I am Jehovah your God, Who stirs up the sea and makes its waves boisterous—Jehovah of armies is his name."
      (Isaiah 51:15)

*  Reference Bible Job 26:12        
12 "By his power he has stirred up the sea, And by his understanding he has broken the stormer to pieces."

18 "Jehovah will rule as king forever and ever."
(Exodus 15:18) NWT 

*  Reference Bible Ex 15:18        

18 "Jehovah will rule as king to time indefinite, even forever."

* King James Version Ex 15:18        18 "The LORD shall reign for ever and ever."

*  American Standard                  Version Ex 15:18
* 18 "Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever."

*  Byington Ex 15:18
* 18 "Jehovah shall reign forever and ever.”

A ship is always safe at the shore....but that is not what it's nbuilt for. 

13 "The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole obligation of man."
(Ecc.12:13)

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)

“Death will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) 

What has caused more unwanted tears than the enemy death? Jehovah will release obedient humans from the grip of death. 

How? By eliminating the real cause of death: sin inherited from Adam. (Romans 5:12) 

Jehovah will lift obedient humans to perfection on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice.* Then the last enemy, death, will be “brought to nothing.” (1 Corinthians 15:26) 

Faithful humans will be able to live as God purposed for them to live—forever in perfect health.
“Neither will . . . pain be anymore.” (Revelation 21:4) 

What kind of pain will be no more? All the mental, emotional, and physical pain that has resulted from sin and imperfection and made life miserable for countless millions will be no more.

A life without tears, death, and pain will soon be a reality. ‘But where?’ you may ask. ‘Is God’s promise perhaps about life in heaven?’ No. Consider why not. First, the promise is introduced with the words “the tent of God is with mankind,” and mankind lives on earth. (Revelation 21:3) Second, the promise describes a world where “death will be nomore”—a world where deathonce existed but will cease to exist. Death has never existed in heaven, but it has had a long existence here on earth. Clearly, then, God’s promise of a better life will be fulfilled right here on earth.

God will dry up the rivers of tears that have flowed because of suffering and sorrow
Jehovah wants us to believe his promise of a righteous new world. Right after describing the blessings to come, he guarantees his promise, saying: “Look! I am making all things new.” Then he adds: “These words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5) 

Why not learn more about how you and your loved ones can be among the happy worshippers who will see God’s promise become a glorious reality?
Suggested Bible reading:
1 Peter 1-5; 2 Peter 1-3; 1 John 1-5; 2 John 1-13; 3 John 1-14; Jude 1-25–Revelation 1-22