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Saturday, August 15 Go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God.—Col. 1:10. Good work, as mentioned in today’s text, includes the preaching of the good news. So when we read God’s Word and meditate on it, our faith in Jehovah is strengthened and the importance of sharing the Kingdom message becomes clear. To get the most out of God’s Word, we should avoid rushing through our reading, study, and meditation. Take your time. If you come across a scripture that you have trouble understanding, do not skip over it. Instead, use the Watch Tower Publications Indexor the Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses to find an explanation about the verse. If you take your time when studying, you will strengthen your confidence in the truthfulness of God’s Word. (1 Thess. 5:21) The more convinced you are, the more you will enjoy sharing what you have learned with others. w24.04 15 ¶4-5

Friday, August 14 Each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire.—Jas. 1:14. Do you know in which areas you are most easily tempted? It does us no good to fool ourselves by denying our weaknesses or concluding that we are too strong to fall into wrongdoing. (1 John 1:8) After all, Paul indicates that even those “who have spiritual qualifications” might give in to temptation if they do not keep on guard. (Gal. 6:1) We must be honest with ourselves and acknowledge the areas in which we are not strong. (2 Cor. 13:5) Once we have identified those areas in which we are most susceptible to temptation, what should we do? Strengthen our resistance! To illustrate, in Bible times the most vulnerable part of a city wall was its gates. Therefore, the gates were the most heavily guarded. Similarly, we need to give special attention to any areas in which we know that we are especially weak.—1 Cor. 9:27. w24.07 15 ¶5-7

We have no AC our KH is in the countryside and if it’s hot all doors and windows are open

And also Raising Hare… A Memoir both of these are thoroughly recommended

I’ve not long finished Theo of Golden … I really enjoyed it 🥰

Thursday, August 13 God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it.—1 Cor. 10:13. Seeing Jehovah as a living Person will allow us to view our trials properly. How so? We begin to see our trials as part of a bigger issue between Jehovah and Satan. The Devil claims that when we suffer hardship, we will abandon Jehovah. (Job 1:10, 11; Prov. 27:11) But when we deal with our trials successfully, we show our love for Jehovah and prove the Devil a liar. Are you facing government opposition, economic hardship, negative responses to your preaching, or some other trial? If so, remember that your situation gives you an opportunity to make Jehovah’s heart rejoice. Remember, too, that he will never let you be tested beyond your limits. He will give you the strength to endure. w24.06 22 ¶9

Wednesday, August 12 By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness.—Eph. 1:7. As a perfect man, Jesus was the equal of the first man, Adam, before he sinned. (1 Cor. 15:45) So by Jesus’ death, he was able to atone for Adam’s sin, that is, to replace what Adam had lost. (Rom. 5:19) Jesus thus became “the last Adam.” There is no need for another perfect person to come and pay for what Adam lost. Jesus died “once for all time.” (Heb. 7:27; 10:12) What, then, is the difference between the atonement arrangement and the ransom? The atonement arrangement is the action God takes to restore a good relationship between him and mankind. The ransom is the price paid to make atonement possible for sinful mankind. This price is represented by Jesus’ precious blood poured out in our behalf.—Heb. 9:14. w25.02 5 ¶12-13

Tuesday, August 11 Since Christ suffered in the flesh, you too arm yourselves with the same mental disposition.—1 Pet. 4:1. “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind.” (Luke 10:27) Jesus acknowledged this as the most important command in the Mosaic Law. Notice that our love for Jehovah involves our heart, which includes our desires, feelings, and emotions. It also involves our whole-souled devotion and our strength—including our energy. However, loving Jehovah also involves our mind, which includes the way we think about matters. Of course, we can never fully understand all of Jehovah’s thinking. But we can better understand God’s thinking by studying “the mind of Christ” because Jesus perfectly reflects the thinking of his Father.—1 Cor. 2:16. w25.03 8 ¶1

Monday, August 10 You husbands, . . . assign them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one.—1 Pet. 3:7. A recent report from the World Health Organization indicates that many husbands physically, verbally, or emotionally abuse their wife. A husband who does this might treat his wife respectfully in front of others but then mistreat her at home. What can cause some husbands to be abusive? They may have been raised by a violent father, so they think that abusive behavior is normal. Others are influenced by the culture around them, which may promote the wrong idea that “a real man” must use force to show his wife who is the boss. Other men were not taught to control their emotions, including their anger. Some men have developed a warped view of women and sex because of regularly viewing pornography. Additionally, reports indicate that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified these problems. Of course, none of these factors justify a husband’s abusive behavior. w25.01 8 ¶2-3

Sunday, August 9 Everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him [will] have everlasting life.—John 6:40. Many people watch what they eat and try to exercise regularly in order to stay healthy. Still, they do not expect to live forever. Hoping for that could seem unrealistic and undesirable because of the distress that comes with old age. Nevertheless, Jesus spoke in a positive way about “everlasting life,” as indicated at John 3:16 and 5:24. One day, Jesus miraculously fed bread and fish to a crowd of thousands. That was amazing, but what he said the next day was even more astounding. The crowd had followed him to Capernaum, near the shore of Galilee, where he told them that people could be resurrected and enjoy everlasting life. (John 6:39, 40) Jesus’ words indicate that many who have died can be resurrected and that both you and your loved ones can enjoy everlasting life. w24.12 8 ¶1-2

Saturday, August 8 They have become a source of great comfort to me.—Col. 4:11. When we are suffering, our brothers and sisters are truly a living expression of Jehovah’s love for us. Fellow believers can comfort us by listening empathetically, or they may support us with their presence. They may share a reassuring Bible verse or say a prayer with us. (Rom. 15:4) At times, a brother or a sister may remind us of Jehovah’s thinking and thus help us maintain our balance. Fellow Christians can also give us practical support, such as by providing a meal when we are in distress. To receive support from others, we may need to ask for it. (Prov. 17:17) They may not know how we feel or what we need. (Prov. 14:10) So be willing to share your feelings with mature friends. Let them know what would help you. You might choose to confide in one or two elders with whom you feel at ease. Some sisters have found it comforting to speak with another mature sister. w24.10 10 ¶15-16

Friday, August 7 Great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem.—Acts 8:1. Hebrew Christians living in Jerusalem and Judea went through hard times in the years following Jesus’ death. Soon after the Christian congregation was formed, intense persecution arose against it. Then some 20 years later, Christ’s followers faced serious economic hardships, possibly caused by a famine that had previously afflicted the land. (Acts 11:27-30) However, about 61 C.E., Christians were experiencing a time of relative peace compared with what was to come. During that period, they received an inspired letter from the apostle Paul—a letter that would prove to be very timely. The letter to the Hebrews was timely because the peace that the Christians were experiencing would not last. Paul provided practical counsel that would help those Christians to endure the tribulation that they would soon face. w24.09 8 ¶1-2

Thursday, August 6 This commandment that I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it beyond your reach.—Deut. 30:11. When Jehovah organized the Israelites into a nation, he made a covenant, a formal agreement, with them. If they kept his laws, he would protect and bless them. But if they rebelled against him—for example, by choosing to worship other gods—he would withdraw his blessing, and they would suffer. Yet, even then, they could still regain God’s favor. They could “return to Jehovah [their] God and listen to his voice.” (Deut. 30:1-3, 17-20) In other words, they could repent. If they did so, Jehovah would draw close to them and bless them once more. Jehovah’s chosen people repeatedly rebelled against him. As a result, they suffered. But Jehovah did not give up on his wayward people. He sent prophets again and again to urge his people to repent and return to him.—2 Ki. 17:13, 14. w24.08 9 ¶4-5

Wednesday, August 5 Stand firm . . . with the belt of truth fastened around your waist.—Eph. 6:14. Jehovah’s people love the truth found in God’s Word. We have built our faith on it. (Rom. 10:17) We have come to believe that Jehovah set up the Christian congregation as “a pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15) Satan would like nothing better than to cause us to lose confidence in the Bible or in the direction we receive from God’s organization. (Eph. 4:14) Soon the Devil will use powerful propaganda to mislead entire nations into taking sides against Jehovah. (Rev. 16:13, 14) We can also expect Satan to intensify his efforts to mislead Jehovah’s people. (Rev. 12:9) Consequently, it is important that we train ourselves to see the difference between truth and falsehood and to be obedient to the truth. (Rom. 6:17; 1 Pet. 1:22) Our survival during the great tribulation will depend on it! w24.07 8 ¶1-3

I remember it happening clearly, we drove past the site about a week later, it was very sad to see

Tuesday, August 4 They honor me with their lips, but their heart is far removed from me.—Isa. 29:13. Someone who wants to be approved by Jehovah must be “speaking the truth in his heart.” (Ps. 15:2) This means more than not lying. Jehovah wants us to be honest through and through. (Heb. 13:18) That is important, “for Jehovah detests a devious person, but his close friendship is with the upright.” (Prov. 3:32) Those who ‘speak the truth in their heart’ do not pretend to be obedient in public while breaking God’s laws in secret. They avoid acting deviously. A devious person may begin to doubt the wisdom of some of Jehovah’s regulations. (Jas. 1:5-8) He may disobey Jehovah on matters that seem to him to be of little importance. Then if there appear to be no consequences for his disobedience, he may be emboldened to violate God’s laws further, and his worship would become hypocritical. (Eccl. 8:11) We, however, want to be honest in all things. w24.06 10 ¶7-8

Monday, August 3 There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.—Acts 24:15. Ever since Adam and Eve joined Satan and rebelled against Jehovah God, billions of humans have died. What lies ahead for all those people? A limited number, 144,000 in all, of Christ’s faithful followers will receive a resurrection to immortal life in heaven. (Rev. 14:1) And a vast number of faithful men and women who loved Jehovah will be part of the “resurrection of . . . the righteous,” and they will live forever on earth if they remain righteous during Christ’s Millennial Reign and during the final test. (Dan. 12:13; Heb. 12:1) Also during the Millennium, “the unrighteous”—including those who never served Jehovah or who even “practiced vile things”—will be given an opportunity to change their ways and become faithful. (John 5:29; Luke 23:42, 43) However, some humans were so wicked that he has decided that there will be no resurrection for them at all.—Luke 12:4, 5. w24.05 2 ¶3; 5 ¶15; 6 ¶17

Sunday, August 2 Christ is the end of the Law.—Rom. 10:4. We learn a valuable lesson from what the apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians. Some had not continued to grow spiritually; they had actually “gone back to needing milk, not solid [spiritual] food.” (Heb. 5:12) They had failed to keep up with the truth, which was being progressively revealed through the congregation. (Prov. 4:18) For example, many Jewish believers were still promoting the Mosaic Law even though some 30 years earlier the Law had been done away with on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. (Titus 1:10) Anyone who has read Paul’s inspired letter to the Hebrews can confirm that this book contains solid spiritual food. It was just what those Christians needed to strengthen their faith in the superiority of the Christian arrangement for worship and to give them the courage to keep preaching.—Heb. 10:19-23. w24.04 6 ¶15

Saturday, August 1 There will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now.—Matt. 24:21. We pray that as many as possible will respond to the warning message and join us in pure worship now. But what about those who do not heed the warning at this time? It may be Jehovah’s will to save people who have a change of heart when they see the destruction of Babylon the Great. If so, then it is all the more urgent that we keep sounding the warning. What we tell them now may give them something to remember then. (Compare Ezekiel 33:33.) Perhaps they will reflect back on the warning they heard from us and be moved to join us in pure worship before it is too late. Like the jailer in Philippi who had a change of heart only after “a great earthquake occurred,” perhaps some who do not respond now will have a change of heart after the world-shaking destruction of Babylon the Great.—Acts 16:25-34. w24.05 17 ¶9-10

Friday, July 31 Stand firm in the faith.—1 Cor. 16:13. You may have the urge to compare what you do with what others can do. Resist that urge! Why? Because Jehovah does not make such comparisons. (Gal. 6:4) For example, Mary gave Jesus a gift of costly perfumed oil. (John 12:3-5) In contrast, the needy widow contributed to the temple two small coins of very little monetary value. (Luke 21:1-4) Yet, Jesus saw both gifts as expressions of faith. His Father, Jehovah, truly values anything you do that is motivated by your devotion to him and love for him, however small it may seem to you. We all have doubts at times. However, God’s reliable Word of truth, the Bible, can help us to fight them off. Let confidence replace your concern. Jehovah certainly notices you as an individual. He appreciates your sacrifices and is committed to rewarding you. Jehovah views all his loyal servants as worthy of his love and attention. w24.10 25 ¶3; 29 ¶17-18

Thursday, July 30 God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repentance.—Rom. 2:4. Elders who serve on committees have a responsibility before Jehovah to keep the congregation clean. (1 Cor. 5:7) They also want wrongdoers to be moved to repentance if possible. To that end, elders maintain a positive, hopeful outlook. Why? Because they want to imitate Jehovah, who is “very tender in affection and merciful.” (Jas. 5:11) Note how the aged apostle John showed such a spirit. He wrote: “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.” (1 John 2:1) Sadly, there are times when a Christian refuses to repent. If so, he must be removed from the congregation. w24.08 25 ¶19-20

Wednesday, July 29 Wipe away all my errors.—Ps. 51:9. Jehovah uses a word picture to describe how he blots out sins. He declares: “I will blot out your transgressions as with a cloud and your sins as with a thick cloud.” (Isa. 44:22) When Jehovah forgives, it is as if he were using a thick cloud to hide our transgressions so that they disappear from sight altogether. What does this mean for us? When Jehovah forgives our sins, we should not feel that we will bear the stain of such sins for the rest of our life. By means of the blood of Jesus Christ, our debts are completely canceled. Even the record of those debts is no longer discernible. This is what the true forgiveness that comes from Jehovah means for us when we repent of our sins. Jehovah’s mercy also allows us to have a good relationship with him and helps us to avoid being overcome by feelings of guilt. w25.02 10 ¶11-14

Tuesday, July 28 Jehoshaphat . . . searched for Jehovah with all his heart.—2 Chron. 22:9. The kings of Israel who pleased Jehovah worshipped him with a complete heart. Speaking of Josiah, the inspired record says: “There was no king like him prior to him, who returned to Jehovah with all his heart.” (2 Ki. 23:25) What about Solomon, who in his later years did what was bad? “His heart was not complete.” (1 Ki. 11:4) And regarding Abijam, another unfaithful king, the Bible record states: “His heart was not complete with Jehovah.” (1 Ki. 15:3) The Bible often uses the word “heart” to describe the complete inner person, including one’s desires, thoughts, disposition, attitude, capabilities, motivations, and goals. What does it mean, then, to serve Jehovah with a complete heart? A person with a complete heart does not just go through the motions of worshipping God. Rather, he serves out of love and devotion throughout his life. w24.07 21 ¶4-5

Monday, July 27 Their rock is not like our Rock.—Deut. 32:31. We live in a world where unexpected challenges can disrupt—or even completely change—our lives. How thankful we are that we can turn to Jehovah God for help! When we receive his support, that experience reassures us that “Jehovah is alive!” (Ps. 18:46) However, right after making that declaration, David called God “my Rock.” Why would he liken Jehovah to an inanimate object—a rock? The Bible uses the term “rock” as a word picture to help us grasp qualities that Jehovah possesses. It often appears in passages that praise him as a God who is without equal. The first reference to Jehovah as “the Rock” is found at Deuteronomy 32:4. In prayer, Hannah said that “there is no rock like our God.” (1 Sam. 2:2) Habakkuk called Jehovah “my Rock.” (Hab. 1:12) The writer of Psalm 73 called God “the rock of my heart.” (Ps. 73:26) And even Jehovah referred to himself as a rock.—Isa. 44:8. w24.06 26 ¶1, 3

Sunday, July 26 Keep . . . building one another up.—1 Thess. 5:11. How can all of us support single Christians who want to get married? One way is by being careful about what we say. (Eph. 4:29) We could ask ourselves: ‘Do I tease those who want to get married? When I see a single brother and a single sister talking, do I assume that they have a romantic interest in each other?’ (1 Tim. 5:13) Additionally, we should never make single Christians feel that they are somehow incomplete because they are not married. How much better to look for opportunities to commend single Christians! What if we think that a certain brother and a certain sister would make a good couple? The Bible tells us to consider the feelings of others. (Rom. 15:2) Many single ones do not want others to introduce them to a potential mate, and we should respect their wishes. (2 Thess. 3:11) Others may appreciate some help, but we should not intervene without being asked.—Prov. 3:27. w24.05 24-25 ¶14-15