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Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
Isn’t it ironic…. Don’t you think 🎶 😂 -
Friday, July 11 I will . . . show you consideration.—Gen. 19:21. Jehovah’s humility and compassion move him to be reasonable. For example, Jehovah’s humility was evident when he was about to destroy the wicked people of Sodom. Through his angels, Jehovah instructed righteous Lot to flee to the mountainous region. Lot was afraid to go there. So he pleaded that he and his family be allowed to take refuge in Zoar, a small town that was slated for destruction. Jehovah could have insisted that Lot follow His instructions to the letter. Instead, he granted Lot’s request, even though it meant sparing Zoar. (Gen. 19:18-22) Centuries later, Jehovah showed compassion toward the inhabitants of Nineveh. He sent the prophet Jonah to announce the imminent destruction of the city and its wicked inhabitants. But when the Ninevites repented, Jehovah felt sorry for them and spared the city.—Jonah 3:1,10; 4:10, 11. w23.07 21 ¶5
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Thursday, July 10 Let your petitions be made known to God.—Phil. 4:6. We can build up our endurance by frequently and earnestly sharing our concerns with Jehovah. (1 Thess. 5:17) Perhaps you are not facing a severe trial right now. Even so, do you seek Jehovah’s guidance whenever you feel upset, confused, or overwhelmed? If you regularly turn to our God for help with your day-to-day challenges now, you will not hesitate to do so when you face bigger challenges in the future. You will then be confident that he knows precisely when and how to act in your behalf. (Ps. 27:1, 3) We are more likely to endure the future great tribulation if we endure trials today. (Rom. 5:3) Why can we say that? Many brothers have found that each test of faith that they endured helped them withstand the next challenge. Endurance refined them, strengthening their faith that Jehovah is ready and willing to help. Faith, in turn, helped them endure the next trial.—Jas. 1:2-4. w23.07 3 ¶7-8
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Wednesday, July 9 Sovereign Lord Jehovah, remember me, please, and strengthen me.—Judg. 16:28. What comes to your mind when you hear the name Samson? You likely think of a man of outstanding strength. That is true. But Samson made a bad decision that led to painful results. Still, Jehovah focused on Samson’s overall record of faithfulness, which He included in the Bible for our benefit. Jehovah used Samson to accomplish amazing things to help His chosen people, Israel. Centuries after Samson’s death, Jehovah inspired the apostle Paul to include Samson’s name in a list of outstanding men of faith. (Heb. 11:32-34) Samson’s example can encourage us. He relied on Jehovah, even during challenging circumstances. We can draw encouragement as well as learn other practical lessons from his example. w23.09 2 ¶1-2
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Tuesday, July 8 Jehovah’s day is coming.—1 Thess. 5:2. The apostle Paul compared those who will not survive Jehovah’s day to people who are asleep. They are unaware of their surroundings or the passing of time. Hence, they cannot discern important developments or respond to them. Most people today are asleep in a spiritual sense. (Rom. 11:8) They are indifferent to evidence that we are living in “the last days” and that the great tribulation will come soon. (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) However, we recognize that the inspired counsel to stay awake becomes more urgent with each passing day. (1 Thess. 5:6) Therefore, we must keep calm and steady. Why? So that we do not get caught up in today’s political or social issues. The pressure to take sides in these matters will increase as Jehovah’s day draws closer. Still, we need not be anxious about how we will respond. God’s spirit can help us to have a calm and steady state of mind and to make wise decisions.—Luke 12:11, 12. w23.06 10 ¶6-7
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Monday, July 7 Serve Jehovah with rejoicing. Come into his presence with joyful shouting.—Ps. 100:2. Jehovah wants us to serve him happily and willingly. (2 Cor. 9:7) So should we keep working toward a spiritual goal if we do not feel like it? Consider the apostle Paul’s example. He said: “I strictly discipline my body and lead it as a slave.” (1 Cor. 9:25-27, ftn.) Paul forced himself to do what was right even when he may have felt inclined to do otherwise. Did Jehovah approve of Paul’s service? Definitely! And Jehovah rewarded him for his efforts. (2 Tim. 4:7, 8) Similarly, Jehovah is pleased to see us working toward our goal even when we do not feel motivated to do so. He is pleased because although we may not always be doing it out of love for that activity, he knows that we are doing it out of love for him. Just as Jehovah blessed Paul, He will bless us for our efforts. (Ps. 126:5) And as we experience Jehovah’s blessing, we may even start to feel motivated. w23.05 29 ¶9-10
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Sunday, July 6 A highway will be there, . . . the Way of Holiness.—Isa. 35:8. Whether we are of the anointed or of the “other sheep,” we need to remain on “the Way of Holiness” as it takes us through the spiritual paradise and leads us to future Kingdom blessings. (John 10:16) Since 1919 C.E., millions of men, women, and children have left Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, and have begun traveling on that figurative road. When the Jews left Babylon, Jehovah saw to it that obstacles in their way were removed. (Isa. 57:14) What about the modern-day “Way of Holiness”? For many centuries leading up to 1919, Jehovah used God-fearing men to help clear the way out of Babylon the Great. (Compare Isaiah 40:3.) They did necessary preparatory work—spiritual roadwork—to make it possible later for righthearted people to leave Babylon the Great and enter the spiritual paradise, where pure worship of Jehovah had been restored. w23.05 15-16 ¶8-9
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Saturday, July 5 Prove yourselves ready.—Matt. 24:44. God’s Word encourages us to keep cultivating endurance, compassion, and love. Luke 21:19says: “By your endurance you will preserve your lives.” Colossians 3:12 states: “Clothe yourselves with . . . compassion.” And 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 10 says: “You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. . . . But we urge you, brothers, to go on doing so in fuller measure.” All these verses were addressed to disciples who had already shown endurance, compassion, and love. Yet, they had to continue developing these qualities. We must do the same. To help you, consider how the early Christians demonstrated these qualities. Then you will see how you can imitate those disciples and, as a result, prove yourself ready for the great tribulation. Then when the great tribulation begins, you will have learned how to endure and you will be determined to continue to endure. w23.07 3 ¶4, 8
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Friday, July 4 Go up to Jerusalem, . . . and rebuild the house of Jehovah.—Ezra 1:3. The word had gone out! The Jews, who had been captives in Babylon for some 70 years, were free to return to their homeland, Israel. (Ezra 1:2-4) Only Jehovah could have accomplished this. Babylon would not normally release its captives. (Isa. 14:4, 17) But Babylon had been overthrown, and the new ruler had told the Jews that they could leave. Every Jew, especially family heads, faced a decision: to leave Babylon or to stay behind. That decision might not have been an easy one to make. Old age prevented many from risking the hardships of the trip. And since most of the Jews had been born in Babylon, it was the only home they had ever known. To them, Israel was the land of their ancestors. Some Jews had apparently become very successful in Babylon, so they may have found it hard to leave their comfortable homes or their businesses and settle in an unfamiliar land. w23.05 14 ¶1-2
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Thursday, July 3 Let us consider one another . . . , encouraging one another.—Heb. 10:24, 25. Why do we attend congregation meetings? Primarily, to praise Jehovah. (Ps. 26:12; 111:1) We also attend meetings so that we can encourage one another during these difficult times. (1 Thess. 5:11) When we raise our hand and give a comment, we contribute toward both of these objectives. But when commenting, we may face challenges. We may feel anxious about commenting, or we may keenly desire to participate but are not called on as often as we would like. How can we deal with these challenges? The apostle Paul said that we should focus on “encouraging one another.” When we realize that others in the audience can be encouraged by even a simple expression of our faith, we will feel better about volunteering to comment. And if we are not called on often, we can be happy that others in the congregation will have the opportunity to comment.—1 Pet. 3:8. w23.04 20 ¶1-3
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Wednesday, July 2 O you who love Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the lives of his loyal ones; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.—Ps. 97:10. We can take practical steps to minimize our exposure to the wrong thinking and ideas popular in Satan’s system. We can fill our mind with wholesome thoughts by reading and studying the Bible. Attending meetings and taking part in the ministry will also safeguard our thinking. Jehovah, in turn, promises that he will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. (1 Cor. 10:12, 13) Each of us needs to pray more than ever to remain faithful to Jehovah during these difficult last days. Jehovah wants us to ‘pour out our hearts before him’ in prayer. (Ps. 62:8) Praise Jehovah and thank him for all that he does. Ask him to help you to be courageous in the ministry. Beg him for help to deal with any problems and to resist any temptation that you may be facing. Do not let anything or anyone stop you from regularly praying to Jehovah. w23.05 7 ¶17-18
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Tuesday, July 1 He went through the land doing good and healing.—Acts 10:38. All that Jesus said and did, including the miracles he performed, perfectly reflected his Father’s thinking and feelings. (John 14:9) What can we learn from Jesus’ miracles? Jesus and his Father deeply love us. While on earth, Jesus showed the depth of his love for people by using his miraculous power to ease their suffering. On one occasion, two blind men cried out to him for help. (Matt. 20:30-34) Notice that Jesus was “moved with pity” and then he healed them. As used here, the Greek verb translated “moved with pity” refers to an intense compassion felt deep inside the body. Such deep compassion, which is an expression of love, also moved Jesus to feed the hungry and to cure a leper. (Matt. 15:32; Mark 1:41) We can be sure that Jehovah, the God of “tender compassion,” and his Son deeply love us and are pained by our suffering. (Luke 1:78; 1 Pet. 5:7) How they must long to remove all the woes that afflict humankind! w23.04 3 ¶4-5
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Monday, June 30 He would speak to them from the pillar of cloud.—Ps. 99:7. Jehovah appointed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and as visible evidence He provided a pillar of cloud by day and one of fire by night. (Ex. 13:21) Moses followed the pillar, which led him and the Israelites to the Red Sea. The people panicked when they thought that they were trapped between the sea and the pursuing Egyptian army. But it was no mistake. Jehovah had intentionally led his people there by means of Moses. (Ex. 14:2) God then delivered them in a most astonishing way. (Ex. 14:26-28) For 40 years thereafter, Moses continued to depend on the pillar of cloud to guide God’s people through the wilderness. (Ex. 33:7, 9, 10) From the pillar Jehovah spoke to Moses, who in turn conveyed His instructions to the people. The Israelites had ample evidence that Jehovah was using Moses to guide them. w24.02 21 ¶4-5
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Sunday, June 29 Jehovah is very tender in affection.—Jas. 5:11. Have you ever tried to imagine what Jehovah is like? Although Jehovah is invisible, the Bible describes him in various ways. Jehovah is called “a sun and a shield” and “a consuming fire.” (Ps. 84:11; Heb. 12:29) His presence is described as being similar to a sapphire stone, a glowing metal, and a brilliant rainbow. (Ezek. 1:26-28) Because we cannot see Jehovah, we may find it difficult to believe that he loves us. Some think that Jehovah could never love them because of their past experiences in life. Jehovah understands such feelings and how they affect us. To help us, he reveals his beautiful personality in his Word. The one word that best describes Jehovah is love. (1 John 4:8) Love defines him. It influences everything he does. God’s love is so warm and so powerful that he even extends it to those who do not love him.—Matt. 5:44, 45. w24.01 26 ¶1-3
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Saturday, June 28 Do not be sharers with them.—Eph. 5:7. Satan wants us to associate with people who make it harder for us to stick to Jehovah’s standards. We need to remember that our association is not limited to those we spend time with in person. It includes those we interact with on social media. We must fight against the world’s thinking that immoral conduct is acceptable. We know better. (Eph. 4:19, 20) We do well to ask ourselves: ‘Do I make it a point to avoid all unnecessary association with workmates, classmates, or others who do not respect Jehovah’s righteous standards? Do I courageously uphold Jehovah’s standards even though some may call me intolerant for doing so?’ As indicated at 2 Timothy 2:20-22, we may also need to be careful when choosing our close associates within the Christian congregation. We bear in mind that some may not help us to remain faithful in our service to Jehovah. w24.0322-23 ¶11-12
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Friday, June 27 Put faith in his prophets, and you will be successful.—2 Chron. 20:20. After the days of Moses and Joshua, Jehovah raised up judges to guide his people. Then, during the time of the kings, Jehovah appointed prophets to guide his people. Faithful kings heeded the counsel of the prophets. For example, King David humbly accepted correction from the prophet Nathan. (2 Sam. 12:7, 13;1 Chron. 17:3, 4) King Jehoshaphat relied on the prophet Jahaziel for guidance and encouraged the people of Judah to “put faith in [God’s] prophets.” (2 Chron. 20:14, 15) When in distress, King Hezekiah turned to the prophet Isaiah. (Isa. 37:1-6) Each time the kings followed Jehovah’s guidance, they were blessed and the nation was protected. (2 Chron. 20:29, 30; 32:22) It was obvious that Jehovah was using his prophets to guide his people. w24.02 21 ¶8
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Thursday, June 26 Praise the name of Jehovah.—Ps. 113:1. We please our heavenly Father when we praise his name. (Ps. 119:108) Does this mean, though, that the almighty God is like imperfect humans who crave praise because they are needy or insecure? No. When we praise our heavenly Father, we help to refute a lie that involves us personally. Satan claims that no human will loyally defend God’s name. None of us have integrity, according to him. He says that all of us would turn against God if we thought that we would benefit by doing so. (Job 1:9-11; 2:4) But faithful Job proved Satan a liar. What about you? Each of us has the privilege of loyally standing up for our Father’s name and of pleasing him by serving him with integrity. (Prov. 27:11) It is truly an honor to do so. w24.02 8-9 ¶3-5
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Wednesday, June 25 God is the one who . . . energizes you, giving you both the desire and the power to act.—Phil. 2:13. Motivation plays a key role in reaching spiritual goals. A motivated person has a strong incentive or desire to work toward his goal. And the more motivated we are, the more likely we are to reach our goals. So, what can you do to feel more motivated? Pray for more motivation. By means of his spirit, Jehovah can motivate you to reach your goal. Sometimes we set a goal because we know we should, and that is a good thing. But we may not really have the desire to reach it. Meditate on what Jehovah has done for you. (Ps. 143:5) The apostle Paul meditated on Jehovah’s undeserved kindness toward him, and this motivated him to work hard for Jehovah. (1 Cor. 15:9, 10; 1 Tim. 1:12-14) Similarly, the more you meditate on what Jehovah has done for you, the more motivated you will feel to reach your goal.—Ps. 116:12. w23.05 27 ¶3-5
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Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
A cease fire https://news.sky.com/story/iran-trump-us-strikes-israel-tehran-netanyahu-nuclear-fordow-latest-13382979?postid=9780305#liveblog-body -
Tuesday, June 24 When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me.—Ps. 94:19. In the Bible, faithful servants of God speak of times when they were in distress and trembling because of their enemies or other pressures. (Ps. 18:4; 55:1, 5) Similarly, we could be facing opposition at school, at work, from our family, or from the government. We could even be facing death because of a medical problem. During such times, we may feel as helpless as a small child. How does Jehovah help us in moments like these? He comforts and soothes us. So regularly spend time with Jehovah—praying to him and reading his Word. (Ps. 77:1, 12-14) Then when you are under stress, your first thought will likely be to turn to your heavenly Father. Share your fears and concerns with Jehovah. Let him talk to you and console you through the Scriptures.—Ps. 119:28. w24.01 24-25 ¶14-16
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Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
This is reciprocal -
Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
Looks like it’s also Iraq and the UAE are being put on alert… this was bound to happen and I have a feeling that Iran will try to close the straits of Hormuz -
Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
It looks like Iran is bombing Doha in Qatar, they already told US citizens to leave and their air space is closed There are also explosions over Bahrain -
Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon
Áine replied to Dhanyel's topic in Secular News in the Mainstream Media
I’m not sure that they would actually drop a nuclear bomb because I don’t think they have one ready, however Russia does… And even then I think they will explode it high up in the atmosphere which will cause all kinds of problems, or they will target American interests around the world -
Monday, June 23 A man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife.—Gen. 2:24. What if you and your spouse do not enjoy spending time together? What can you do? Consider a campfire. It does not start blazing instantly. It needs to be fed slowly with progressively bigger pieces of wood. Similarly, why not start by spending just a few moments together each day? Make sure to do something that you both enjoy. (Jas. 3:18) By starting small, you may begin to rekindle your love. Respect is vital in a marriage. It is like the oxygen that allows a campfire to burn brightly. Without oxygen, a fire quickly goes out. Similarly, without respect, a couple will find that their love can quickly grow cold. On the other hand, a husband and wife who strive to show respect for each other are working to keep their love alive. Yet, bear in mind that it is, not a matter of whether you think that you show respect, but a matter of whether your spouse feels respected. w23.05 22 ¶9; 24 ¶14-15
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