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Áine

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Everything posted by Áine

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. A cease fire https://news.sky.com/story/iran-trump-us-strikes-israel-tehran-netanyahu-nuclear-fordow-latest-13382979?postid=9780305#liveblog-body
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. Sunday, June 22 Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Jehovah.—Jer. 17:7. It is a joy to get baptized and become part of Jehovah’s family. Those who are in that privileged position would agree with the psalmist David, who said: “Happy is the one whom you [Jehovah] choose and bring near to reside in your courtyards.” (Ps. 65:4) Jehovah does not bring just anyone into his courtyards. He chooses those who prove that they want to have a close relationship with him. (Jas. 4:8) When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah and get baptized, you can be sure that thereafter he will “pour out on you a blessing until there is nothing lacking.” (Mal. 3:10; Jer. 17:8) Baptism is just the beginning. You will want to do your best to live up to your dedication vow, even in the face of temptations or tests of faith. (Eccl. 5:4, 5) As a disciple of Jesus, you will follow Jesus’ example and commands as closely as possible.—Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Pet. 2:21. w24.03 8 ¶1-3
  16. Saturday, June 21 The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much.—Luke 16:10. A young man who is reliable diligently cares for all his responsibilities. Consider the perfect example of Jesus. He was never careless or irresponsible. Instead, he fulfilled the assignments that Jehovah gave him, even when it was difficult to do so. He loved people—especially his disciples—and he willingly gave his life for them. (John 13:1) In imitation of Jesus, work hard to fulfill any assignment that you are given. If you are not certain how to do it, be humble and ask for help from mature brothers. Never settle for doing the bare minimum. (Rom. 12:11) Instead, complete your assignment, doing it “for Jehovah, and not for men.” (Col. 3:23) Of course, you are not perfect, so be modest and admit any mistakes you make.—Prov. 11:2. w23.12 26 ¶8
  17. This is a very interesting interview https://news.sky.com/story/russia-would-react-negatively-if-irans-leader-is-killed-says-the-kremlin-13385983
  18. Friday, June 20 Hope does not lead to disappointment.—Rom. 5:5. Jehovah promised his friend Abraham that all nations of the earth would be blessed by means of his offspring. (Gen. 15:5; 22:18) Because Abraham had deep faith in God, he was convinced that God’s promise would come true. Even so, when Abraham was 100 years of age and his wife was 90, that faithful couple still did not have a son. (Gen. 21:1-7) Yet, the Bible says: “Based on hope, [Abraham] had faith that he would become the father of many nations according to what had been said.” (Rom. 4:18) You know that Abraham’s hope was realized. He did become father to the son he had long hoped for, Isaac. What was the basis for Abraham’s confidence? Because of his close personal relationship with Jehovah, Abraham was “fully convinced that what [God] had promised” would come true. (Rom. 4:21) Jehovah approved of Abraham and declared him righteous because of his faith.—Jas. 2:23. w23.12 8 ¶1-2
  19. Thursday, June 19 Pray constantly.—1 Thess. 5:17. Jehovah expects us to act in harmony with our prayers. For example, a brother may ask Jehovah to help him get time off from his secular work so that he can attend a regional convention. How might Jehovah answer that prayer? He might give the brother the courage he needs to approach his employer. But the brother will still need to follow through by making the request. He may need to ask repeatedly. He may even offer to trade shifts with another employee or take the time off without pay. Jehovah expects us to pray repeatedly about our concerns. Jesus implied that some of our requests would not be granted right away. (Luke 11:9) So do not give up! Pray earnestly and repeatedly. (Luke 18:1-7) When we do so, we show Jehovah that our request is not just a passing whim. We also demonstrate our faith in his ability to help us. w23.11 22 ¶10-11
  20. Wednesday, June 18 Rejoice in the hope.—Rom. 12:12. Every day, we make decisions that require strong faith. For example, we make decisions involving our associations, entertainment, education, marriage, children, and secular work. We do well to ask ourselves: ‘Do my choices show that I am certain that this system is temporary and will soon be replaced by God’s new world? Or are my choices influenced by people who live as if death were the end of everything?’ (Matt. 6:19, 20; Luke 12:16-21) We will make the best decisions if we strengthen our faith that the new world is close at hand. We also face trials that require strong faith. We may face persecution, chronic illness, or other things that can cause us to become discouraged. At first, we might meet our trial with determination. But if it drags on—as trials often do—we will need strong faith in order to endure and to continue serving Jehovah with joy.—1 Pet. 1:6, 7. w23.04 27 ¶4-5
  21. Tuesday, June 17 Love one another.—John 15:17. Again and again in God’s Word, we find the command to “love one another.” (John 15:12;Rom. 13:8; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 4:11) However, love is a quality of the heart, or the inner person, and no human can see into our heart. So, then, how can we make our love for one another visible? By our words and actions. There are various ways in which we can show our brothers and sisters that we love them. Here are some examples: “Speak the truth with one another.” (Zech. 8:16) “Keep peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50) Take the lead “in showing honor to one another.” (Rom. 12:10) “Welcome one another.” (Rom. 15:7) “Continue . . . forgiving one another.” (Col. 3:13) “Go on carrying the burdens of one another.” (Gal. 6:2) “Keep comforting one another.” (1 Thess. 4:18) “Keep . . . building one another up.” (1 Thess. 5:11) “Pray for one another.”—Jas. 5:16. w23.11 9 ¶7-8
  22. Monday, June 16 The holy spirit makes it clear that the way into the holy place had not yet been revealed while the first tent was standing.—Heb. 9:8. The tabernacle and the temples that were built later in Jerusalem had the same basic layout. Inside were two compartments—“the Holy Place” and “the Most Holy”—that were separated by an embroidered curtain. (Heb. 9:2-5; Ex. 26:31-33) Inside the Holy was a golden lampstand, an altar for burning incense, and a table of showbread. Only “the anointed priests” were allowed inside the Holy to perform their sacred duties. (Num. 3:3, 7, 10) The Most Holy contained the golden ark of the covenant that represented Jehovah’s presence. (Ex. 25:21, 22) Only the high priest was allowed to pass beyond the curtain into the Most Holy on the annual Day of Atonement. (Lev. 16:2, 17) He entered with the blood of animals to make atonement for his own sins and for those of the entire nation. Eventually, Jehovah made clear the real significance of these features of the tabernacle.—Heb. 9:6, 7. w23.10 27 ¶12
  23. Sunday, June 15 I called out to Jehovah, and he answered me.—Jonah 2:2. In the belly of the fish, Jonah was confident that Jehovah would listen to his humble and repentant prayer and that Jehovah would help him. Later, Jonah was returned to dry land, and he was ready to accept and fulfill his next assignment. (Jonah 2:10–3:4) During a trial, do you ever feel too anxious to express yourself clearly in prayer? Or do you feel too weak to study? Remember that Jehovah understands your situation perfectly. So even when you offer a simple prayer, you can be sure that he will give you exactly what you need. (Eph. 3:20) If your physical or emotional pain makes it difficult for you to read and study, you might try listening to audio recordings of the Bible or of Bible-based publications. You may also find it helpful to listen to one of our songs or to watch a video on jw.org. By praying to Jehovah and by looking for the answer in the spiritual provisions that he makes available, you invite him to make you strong. w23.10 13 ¶6; 14 ¶9
  24. Saturday, June 14 Jesus said to him: “I say to you, not up to seven times, but up to 77 times.”—Matt. 18:22. In his first letter, the apostle Peter used the expression “intense love.” Such love covers, not just a few sins, but “a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8) Perhaps Peter recalled the lesson about forgiveness that Jesus had taught him years earlier. At the time, Peter likely believed that he was being generous when he suggested that he would forgive his brother “up to seven times.” But Jesus taught him—and us—to forgive “up to 77 times,” meaning without limit. (Matt. 18:21) If you have found it hard to apply this counsel, take heart! All of Jehovah’s imperfect servants have at times struggled to forgive. The important thing now is for you to take any necessary steps to forgive your brother and to make peace with him. w23.09 29 ¶12

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