Daily text, Thursday, December 15. 2016

[Queen Esther]

Sin is crouching at the door . . . Will you get the mastery over it?—Gen. 4:7.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2016/12/15

Jehovah wanted Cain to respond to the warning and to “be restored to favor.” Having divine favor would preserve a good relationship with God. What about us today? Jehovah’s eyes penetrate our heart; we cannot conceal our true inclinations and motivations from him. Our loving Father wants us to follow the pathways of righteousness; yet, he does not force us to change the course we are on. Through his Word, the Bible, he warns us when we are headed in the wrong direction. How? In our daily Bible reading, we often come across a passage that helps us to overcome bad tendencies and unwholesome inclinations. In addition, our Christian publications may shed light on a problem with which we may have been struggling and show us how we can overcome it. And at our congregation meetings, all of us receive counsel that comes at just the right time! w14 4/15 5:4, 5