derek1956

Thank you always timely
 
 

Thank you always timely
 
 

Thank you always timely
 
 

Here is the meeting material for the meetings of May 8-14 and May 15-21, 2023. TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 8-14, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 15-21, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 15-21, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -May 15-21, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -May 15-21, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -May 8-14, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -May 8-14, 2023.doc Watchtower May 15-21, 2023.pdf Watchtower May 15-21, 2023.doc Watchtower May 8-14, 2023.pdf Watchtower May 8-14, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 8-14, 2023.pdf

Thank you tou are a gem

That is an interesting website to check out. I had stumbled upon it once before. Truly, the little sheep are scattered all over the place, as described in Ezekiel 34. Thankfully Jehovah will gather all of us together at the appointed time!
 
Some of the comments on that website are very insightful. Others are rather antiquated false teachings. I noticed on the "We Believe" section a "Chart of Ages" and also the following: "We are now living in the ‘time of the end...Jesus returned and has been invisibly present on earth since the early days of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society," (even though the Bible actually says Jesus has been invisibly present "all the days until the conclusion of the system of things," which means he has been invisibly present since he went back to heaven.)
 
They have some specific ideas about the literal Jewish nation that are not in harmony with what the scriptures teach. (Generally they seem to adhere to some things that were in the older publications.)
 
I did like this statement that they do believe: "It is wrong to SHUN or DISFELLOWSHIP brethren with honest different points of view," which makes sense when those "honest different points of view" are on matters of conscience. The entire modern "disfellowshipping process" has been overcomplicated.
 
Thank you for sharing the link, @Matthew9969! It will take a miracle for Jesus to get all these sheep back together from all the places they've been scattered, and it will take a miracle to remove all the weedy teachings that the Devil has sown. Thankfully, Jesus is a miracle worker!
 
"Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest season, I will tell the reapers: First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up; then gather the wheat into my storehouse."
 
"The Son of man will send his angels, and they will collect out from his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and people who practice lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be. At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Let the one who has ears listen."
 
(It's almost time for the harvest to begin.)

Found this interesting read....Who are the True Faith Jehovah’s Witnesses? Why did they break away from Bethel? « Beyond the Watchtower (beyondwatchtower.com)

Thank you tou are a gem

Why didn't Jehovah just forgive Adam and Eve?
 
Adam and Eve weren't little kids. They were adults. They had perfect adult minds. The Bible doesn't say how long they had lived when they sinned. It could have been decades. We don't know. What we do know is that they never apologized. They never asked to have the situation fixed. They didn't care. They didn't want Jehovah. They didn't care that the kids would die. They didn't care. They just didn't want to respect any boundaries - they wanted to do their own thing even if it was rude and hurt other people. Jehovah couldn't just let them keep living forever, because then they'd keep hurting other people forever, and the world would be even more violent than it is today. Jehovah was kind enough to let them live several hundred years, for our sakes, so that we could be born and have a chance anyway, even though Adam and Eve didn't want us. Jehovah wanted us.
 
Three days isn't that long to be separated from someone. How can it be said that it was such a huge sacrifice?
 
Jesus was the firstborn of creation. He had been with Jehovah for countless eons of time. The group of angels in heaven is called figuratively God's "wife". Jesus came to earth for 33 1/2 years. Imagine your mate, kid, and best friend being gone for 33 1/2 years, and that's more like the sacrifice Jehovah made. It wasn't just the 3 days that Jesus was dead. Additionally, imagine watching your kid have to be born into a world where the ruler of the world was intent on attempting to murder that child/adult at any given opportunity. Imagine putting that child's care into the hands of imperfect people who had only been alive a couple of decades. Imagine not being there in person to talk to that child/adult as they are growing up in the world that you created with them and for them.
 
"All other things have been created through him and for him."
 
Why did Jesus have to come anyway?
 
You've got a tree. The root is rotting. The tree is still alive, but it's just a matter of time until it falls over. It's like Jesus came to be the replacement for the roots. All humans descend from God. We were meant to all be alive, the family is meant to be connected to God through Adam. That is how the headship of Adam is supposed to work. He should have been here still as the oldest, wisest, most experienced father for all of us. When Adam was removed from the equation (because of his own choice), someone had to fill that spot. We're not meant to live and die, one generation after another, without our original human family head. We're meant to all be alive, the complete family tree, at the same time.
 
"Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in union with me."
 
"So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living person.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit."
 
Jesus died to be fit for Adam's spot. Jesus acted as the family head. He took the lead. In order to take that spot, he had to understand what it's like to suffer and die, otherwise he couldn't fill the role. He had to take the lead in everything in order to be the head. Since all humans since Adam's time have died, the only way Jesus would be fit to be head is if he also knew what it is like to die. Otherwise he couldn't relate to them all the way. Now he can.
 
What does it matter? How is this knowledge practical for today?
 
The attention Jehovah and Jesus gave to the issue shows that it is very important to them what happens to the human family. Sending the oldest and highest angel to take Adam's place shows how close the universal family is. Imagine a family where the youngest child has a need and the oldest kid volunteers to fill that need. The oldest kids are actively concerned for the well being of the little ones. Humans were not just disposable to Jehovah or our older brothers, the angels. Each human is a direct reflection of Jehovah, one of his kids, just like the angels are his kids. Knowing how much He values each of us as individuals, as His children, helps us to realize that He will never leave us and is not far off from each one of us. We have a place in the universal family. Also, it helps us to understand Jesus' words "I will be with you in Paradise". It's literal, not figurative. He'll be here.
 
"“Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.  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."
 
Why is it taking so long to apply the ransom benefits? Why do we have to wait?
 
Kids can't learn calculus in a day. First they have to learn how to count. Much of humankind won't even follow Jehovah's basic directions, like don't stick body parts in places they don't belong. Some people don't even believe God exists. Why would He be educating everyone on the deeper things at this point, with people so prone to rebel against Him? And yet, He does educate us. 
 
There were issues in heaven that we only know a little bit about. The angel who became Satan made many false accusations. We only know about the ones recorded in the Bible. Surely when we are older, we will learn more about what else happened between those bad angels and Our Father. Age appropriate. Jehovah tells us what we need to know. If He isn't telling us everything right now, well, He must have a good reason. He tells us enough. He said if we keep reading the Bible, we will have what we need. If we need answers to our questions that bad, and we keep reading the Bible while asking Jehovah to give us understanding, He will answer that prayer in a way that satisfies our request.
 
Six thousand years or so isn't that long, considering how long it took God to make the universe. Six thousand years or so isn't that long compared to how long we're going to live. It feels long to us right now. When we were five, the summer felt really long. Things change as you get older.
 
Why couldn't God just fix Adam's children without Jesus coming? Isn't Jehovah God?
 
A computer code works within a certain system. The systems God put in place for the universe are balanced, and everything takes work to get a result. It took work for God to make Adam - it wasn't just some quick "poof!" thing. Imagine God like a craftsman, an artist, an engineer, building each of the types of cells necessary, composing the interplay of all the organs and nerves and parts, in a way that reflects how Jehovah operates - an image of Jehovah in human form. Imagine designing the brain with components for memory, joy, learning, motion... Jehovah put so much work into designing us. It took time and effort. Today on a device, a designer can zoom in and work on details on a photograph and then zoom back out. Imagine Jehovah doing something similar when designing the tiny parts in the body. Imagine Jehovah's hands working. We have hands because they reflect Jehovah the Spirit. He is Our Father. Then He leaned over and breathed into Adam's mouth, the very first breath. He was so close to His Human Son.
 
These things took work. They took time. Jehovah placed us in time. Time is a loving provision of Jehovah. We don't understand everything about what time really is, but in His wisdom, Jehovah is letting us see it's okay for time to go by during this trial. If He says it's okay, then it will be okay. Jehovah is bigger than time. He knows what He's doing. He is worthy of our trust. Kids don't always understand everything their parents are doing and why. Jehovah is a good parent, so He does explain things to us. We know enough about Him to stay faithful to Him.

Here is the material for the weeks of April 24-30 and May 1-7, 2023. TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 1-7, 2023.pdf Watchtower April 24-30, 2023.pdf Watchtower May 1-7, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -April 24-30, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -May 1-7, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 24-30, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of May 1-7, 2023.doc Watchtower April 24-30, 2023.doc Watchtower May 1-7, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -April 24-30, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -May 1-7, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 24-30, 2023.pdf

Thank you tou are a gem

Thank you for your hard work

Her is the reference material for April 10-16 and 17-23, 2023. TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 10-16, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 10-16, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 17-23, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of April 17-23, 2023.pdf Watchtower April 10-16, 2023.doc Watchtower April 10-16, 2023.pdf Watchtower April 17-23, 2023.doc Watchtower April 17-23, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -April 10-16, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -April 10-16, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -April 17-23, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -April 17-23, 2023.pdf

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/programs/convention/2023-convention-program
2023 Convention Program.pdf
2023 Convention Program.docx

(this is one of my favorite talks☺️)
Weekend Meeting 2022-09-03 (Q720) Meditate on Jehovah's Word and His Works.mp4

Here is the reference material for March 27- April 2 and April 3-9,  There is only the Watchtower for the week of April 3-9 , because there is no congregation meeting the week of the Memorial. TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 27–April 2, 2023.pdf Watchtower April 3-9, 2023.doc Watchtower April 3-9, 2023.pdf Watchtower March 27, 2023–April 2, 2023.doc Watchtower March 27, 2023–April 2, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -March 27–April 2, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -March 27–April 2, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 27–April 2, 2023.doc

Thank you 

Thank you 

Here is the weekly material for the weeks of March 13-19 and March 20-26, 2023. TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 13-19, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 13-19, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 20-26, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 20-26, 2023.pdf Watchtower March 13-19, 2023.doc Watchtower March 13-19, 2023.pdf Watchtower March 20-26, 2023.doc Watchtower March 20-26, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -March 13-19, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -March 13-19, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -March 20-26, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -March 20-26, 2023.pdf

Thank You, Thank You

Thank You, Thank You

Here is the material for the weeks of Feb. 27- March 5 and March 6-12, 2023.  TB
Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 6-12, 2023.pdf Watchtower February 27, 2023–March 5, 2023.doc Watchtower February 27, 2023–March 5, 2023.pdf Watchtower March 6-12, 2023.doc Watchtower March 6-12, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -February 27–March 5, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -February 27–March 5, 2023.pdf Additional Highlights -March 6-12, 2023.doc Additional Highlights -March 6-12, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of February 27–March 5, 2023.doc Meeting Workbook and CBS week of February 27–March 5, 2023.pdf Meeting Workbook and CBS week of March 6-12, 2023.doc

Thank You once again
 

Over a hundred years ago, anointed men decided to start a religion. (Gen 11:2-4; Zech 5:10-11,4; Exod 20:39)  
Their lustful, carnal desires led them astray, breaking their covenant with the chief cornerstone of God’s Spiritual Temple. (Luke 22:31; 1 Pet 5:8; Luke 4:5-7; 1 Tim 1:19; Isa 59:2; Isa 24:5; 1 Cor 6:15; Col 2:19) 
Their turn against the covenant, gave Satan a foothold to instigate his idea, which is to deceive the “elect” in the last days. (Deut 29:18-29; Heb 12:15,16; Matt 7:20; Rev 8;10-11; 13:11; Matt 24:24,25; 16:13-16 ) These men, enticed by riches, prominence and power, became Satan’s pawn to destroy the anointed before the coming of the Kingdom. (2 Cor 11:3; 1 Tim 4:1,2; Rev 12:4,13,15,17)  If any JW believes this is impossible, then you surely, have been deceived.  (2 Cor 11:13-15; 2 Tim 4:3,4; Jude 1:4,8,16; Col 2:8; Rev 13:10)
But back to the plan of men. Even though at times they may have spoken well about Jesus, their message changed…. 
No one should love him too much now; and let’s magnify the name “Jehovah”, and forget about putting much focus on His Son, and his body of anointed priests. (Phil 3:18-20) Put them in a corner please, and make sure they don’t meet as a group to learn from their Master and Head, Jesus Christ. (John 15:5; 1 Cor 12:25; Heb 10:19-25) They must answer only to “us” who hold power over “Israel”.  They must obey our bodyguards, our “elders” as well.  (Matt 24:48-51; Dan 8:23-25; Rev 9:1-4; 13:5-7)  Be aware now, that any “truth” which would come from their bonding, could be a threat to our doctrine, which we will be revising on a regular basis; but still, we can’t have their opinions based on “scripture” outweigh our doctrine.  (John 15:1-4; 1 John 2:27;1 Cor 1:10; Phil 2:2)
We’ll install our own priesthood, and build our own temple!  Let’s preach a “different Jesus” and see how long we get away with it! (Ps 50:16-21; Hab 2:9-10; 2 Cor 11:4) Oh, and I must emphasize this, don’t teach too much about Jesus as the chief cornerstone, because it will draw attention to God’s true dwelling/Temple built with “living stones”, that we cannot see with our eyes.    (Ps 118:22; Isa 28:16; 1 Pet 2:4-8; Eph 2:20-22; Ps 50:22-23)  
We can’t have that; “Jehovah’s organization” is our primary focus, remember? 
 Yeah, yeah, we know…Jesus began building a new spiritual temple on his body, (John 2:18,21) 
BUT….
WE NEED SOMETHING WE CAN SEE! SOMETHING WE CAN DEVELOP INTO OUR OWN KINGDOM - NOW!  LET’S FLY SOME FLAGS AT OUR GATHERINGS, TO DRAW PEOPLE TO OUR KINGDOM!  
Jesus said his kingdom is no part of the world, but he hasn’t stopped us from stretching our imagination, has he?  (John 18:36; Jer 23:16)  God seems rather quiet, so I’m sure He’s in agreement with our plans, and after all, we will promote everything we accomplish, as coming from Him!  (Ps 50:21; Hab 1:13; 2:2-5,18-20;  2 Pet 3:3-4)
Remember how upset the Pharisees were when Jesus said “destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days”? (John 2:19,20; Luke 24:27)  I think we can relate well to that, because their temple was beautiful.  I remember the disciples even mentioning how beautiful the stones were.  (Luke 21:5,6)  But who can admire a temple built with people and not with masonry, wood and marble?  I mean, does God’s Spirit really dwell in the heart of an individual? That’s preposterous.  (John 14:23; 17:20,21; 1 Pet 2:5;1 Cor 3:9; 2 Cor 6:16; 1 Cor 3:16)  
We need to build and maintain our own temple for God to dwell in. (James 1:14-15) We can call on volunteers that dedicate themselves to the will of men. (Rom 6:16; Gal 1:10) If we’re business smart, we’ll call this organized religion, “the way to salvation”. (wt 1981/11/15, pp. 16-21) 
The more volunteers, the more we can build.  We’ll make sure it is perfectly desirable for the eyes, and well arranged in this world. (1 John 2:16)  We’ll keep it squeaky clean on the outside, but we’ll do our best to hide any unsavory, seedy-type actions and false teachings we’ve committed since, well, from day one!  (Luke 11:39) 
The idea that Jeroboam had was a good one, wasn’t it?  He kept the Jews from traveling to Jerusalem to worship at the temple there, by stationing two golden calves in Bethel and Dan, which were much easier to reach for worship, than the temple in Jerusalem.  He said, ‘here are your gods, Israel’; and he installed his own priests not anointed by God, to offer sacrifices to their idols. (1 Kings 12:26-33; Dan 8:23-25)
We can do that.  Although we’ve drawn in all the anointed over the years, we’ll install our up-and-coming army of elders to be our priests! (Rev 13:1,2,5-7,11,12,16:13-16; 20:7-9) There will be more than enough men worldwide to keep the people in check – to keep them fixated on our organized religion, and away from the promised New Covenant, Jerusalem above, and the Temple of “living stones”. (Gal 4:26) (Matt 24:15,16; Mark 13:14; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 9:3-5,7; Rev 11:1-3; Joel 1:6-9; Rev 13:5-7) 
Of course, to do this, our members will have to dedicate themselves to what we’ve built, an organization greater than any other on this earth!  (Rev 13:4,16,16) Maybe we should “breathe” some life into this organization, creating a divine image…a “spirit-directed organization”!  (Rev 13:15)  And if any of our members decide not to follow up on their dedication; and especially if they promote Jesus Christ only, as the way to salvation…well, that could be a great blow to our numbers if people caught on.  However, we could threaten them with loss of all the friends and family members, if they turn their back on what WE’VE built.  Upon kicking out the noncompliant, we’ll let everyone else know, that these rebels are as good as dead.  (John 16:2,3; Rev 11:1-3,7;13:15)
Sooo, what if something greater than Solomon is here, didn’t God put His Spirit in that early temple that Solomon built? (2 Chron 7:16-22; Luke 11:31) 
I know, He really meant that He would build His temple on the body of His beloved Son…(2 Sam 7:4-7, 10-16)
BUT WE NEED SOMETHING WE AND OUR FOLLOWERS CAN GRAVITATE TO!  Something we can put our hands on, and CONTROL. An organization will afford us power and dominance over others!  (Isa 45:9-13; Luke 22:24-27)
How about calling it “Jehovah’s mountainlike organization”? (Isa 40:25)  I mean, that should clearly indicate to outsiders that God’s Spirit dwells only in our organization.  (But that really is a form of a modern version of idolatry.  Don’t pass that around, though. Wt. 1990/11/1 p. 26)
It will be an inspiring idea, and it will sell like hotcakes!  Every building we establish will be called God’s dwelling, His house.  We’ll even name a few, “Bethel”, after the Bethel that was eventually destroyed because of idolatry. (Amos 5:5,6) 
Forget totally about what Jesus said he would do, because THIS IDEA, will be a money-maker.  We’ll incorporate it, advertise it, and draw in millions, along with their money! As its leaders, we’ll live high off the hog!  We’ll even preach scriptures and make up a “good news” to offer to others – with some truth and a lot of lies.  With that bait, the influx will be great! (Ps 141:9; Jer 5:26)  After we’re well established and have printed hundreds of books and millions of magazines, we can begin selling off our buildings that we had once dedicated to “Jehovah”. (Eccl 12:12-14) No worries, we’ll build more; and think of the money we’ll make with each real estate transaction! This will give us the ability to invest in hedge funds! (2 Cor 2:17)  Wow, the opportunities are endless.   And then, let’s put the printing presses aside, and build a movie studio.  Awesome!
~~~~~~~~
None of Israel’s temples survived.  Idols were wiped out periodically by the few faithful kings of Israel. Only the early ark of the covenant was not destroyed, which was made by the template that Moses saw in heaven – the spiritual temple we have today in Jesus Christ and built on the anointed “living stones”.  (Heb 8:1-6)  Its representation is now in heaven.  
“After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened.”  Rev 15:5  
Its representation is within the hearts of the heavenly sealed anointed dwelling of God; another mobile tabernacle, “ark of the covenant”, where God’s laws are written on the hearts of these priests.   (1 Pet 2:5,9; 1 Cor 3:16; Heb 8:10; Mal 2:7; Heb 12:22) And they will be very mobile in the Kingdom, moving between heaven and earth with Jesus Christ, to serve the needs of all of God’s children.  (Gen 28:10-17; John 1:50-51; Rev 21:1-4; 22:1-5)
Why haven’t men learned their lesson, that anything they build was never God’s original plan. (2 Sam 7:6-7)  He tolerated it before Jesus arrived. He will not tolerate it any longer.  The entire Bible is about the coming of Christ, and Greek scriptures only speak of ONE temple, one House of God – which is built on Christ.  (Eph 2:20-22)  Only one Temple is God’s dwelling in Spirit.  Why would He choose another to dwell in, when He has built His precious Temple of Truth, on His beloved Son?  Especially, why would He choose an organization built in Satan’s domain, that keeps a hidden data base of child abuse, of all things!  What a horrendous degradation of the Holy, Pure Almighty God, for anyone to believe God has put His name on FILTH! (Isa 28:14-22)
A mountain that rivals Holy Zion/God’s Temple, is predicted to fall.  It is the mountain that has captured every anointed over the past approximately 150 years, through Satan’s ploy to destroy them.  The longer it takes for the last of the anointed to be sealed, the longer he has to deceive and lead God’s holy people into destruction. (Rev 13:4,8;2 Thess 2:3,4,9-12; Rev 13:1,2,18; 17:8)  It was prophesied that the “elect” would be deceived by false prophets in the last days. (Matt 24:24,25)  They have been deceived, into believing an organization takes precedence over the holy Temple, that they are to have a part of. (1 Pet 2:5,9)  They have forgotten not only their position as a royal priesthood who must offer “sacrifices of praise”, who must produce “good fruit” that remains.  (Matt 12:33-37; John 15:1-6; Heb 13:125) But they have turned to men as their masters who offer “food” sacrificed to an idol – “Jehovah’s organization” which takes full priority over God’s spiritual Temple. (Rev 2:20; 9:20) (Zech 4:6-10)
Since JWs reject the only acceptable form of worship, (John 4:24) they reject Christ as well.  He cannot be molded to your expectations of how to worship God.  
John 5:39 – “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me.”
I would hope that all JWs, show humility and read the scriptures; put aside what men have built, and turn fully to the Father and the Son for understanding.  (Zech 2:7 Rev 18:4-8)
2 Cor 5:7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight.
To your leaders:
"Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you." James 5:1-6
YHVH's Genuine Mountain


 

Thank You once again