Awake 10,2014 --Download Available Now

[rocket]

The October Awake is now available on JW.ORG

 

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/

 

 

I really love the Was it Designed Series.

 

 

[Robroy]

As usual, very good articles.  

What I really appreciated was the interview of the brother under the 'Success' article.  He was doing all the right things spiritually.  It seems he and his wife had always put Kingdom interests first and were regular pioneers (at least for a time) while owning a spacious home with luxury cars, material possessions, etc.  The article states that he was an accountant and in the music industry.  On top of that they owned 4 barber shops.  Since he had people do the work for him he didn't need to work a lot and this no doubt allowed both him and his wife to regular pioneer.  Yet they still felt empty.  It was only after they realized that it was because, although regular pioneering, they weren't really putting Kingdom interests first.  It was only after selling these things, simplifying their lifestyle which allowed them to really put Kingdom interests first in their life that they felt 'successful' and fulfilled.

 

Interesting, isn't it?  I have heard so many times from brothers and sisters that they want to get things in life 'paid for' so that they can then free up their time to put first Kingdom interests.  Sayings such as, 'if only I could have the life of brother and/or sister so-and-so.  They can pioneer now because they have no worries financially." Really, as if their pioneering relied on financial security.  It doesn't and never will.  Many thousands of our brothers and sisters are pioneers in spite of not being 'successful' financially and they do it day in, day out year after year.  Shows Jehovah's spirit in it and the fact that he doesn't need anything from this system to help his servants fulfill his will.

 

Makes me wonder, in this couples case whether others in their congregation looked up to and aspired to be like them.  Perhaps thinking that they had the perfect pioneer situation with what looked like both financial and spiritual success.  Yet they state they felt empty and only felt happy and fulfilled when they stopped relying so heavy on this system of things.  I know of a few brothers who are very successful in business and at the same time are exemplary examples in the congregation.  They never miss meetings, are regular in the field ministry, never miss their parts and yet you hardly see them with big smiles on their faces.  I may be wrong, but it seems that only when they shed themselves of the material things that are burdening them down that you see big, genuine happy smiles come to them.

 

I think this article, the interview in particular could have a lot of impact on our brothers if they allow it to.  Especially those living in so-called first world countries or those around the world who are trapped into the thinking that one can have their cake and eat it too.  That is be both monetarily and spiritually 'successful' and at the same time feel genuinely happy, joyful and content.

 

I also like the quote from the Me Generation book in which the author stated that research has consistently found that peoples lives are not made much more happier through material gain after the 'subsistence level' has been reached.  Although I know what the word  means, I still looked it up in the dictionary.  Primarily, it means, 'the action...of maintaining or supporting oneself at a minimum level' and 'denoting or relating to production at a level sufficient only for one's own use or consumption, without any surplus for trade'.  The thesaurus shows that the words, 'survival' and 'sustenance' can be used.  Of course the word sustenance reminds me of 1 Tim. 6:8 in our older Bible which says with 'sustenance and covering' (food and clothing) we will be satisfied.  Money, which buys sustenance and covering can indeed buy a certain amount of happiness, joy and contentment.  But as research and the Bible bring out, it only brings the happiness that is associated with having our basic daily needs met.  Yet the world still pursues materialism as if only the rich and powerful are the only happy ones that exist on this planet.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Robroy

[ReadYourBible]

As usual, very good articles.  

 

It was only after they realized that it was because, although regular pioneering, they weren't really putting Kingdom interests first. It was only after selling these things, simplifying their lifestyle which allowed them to really put Kingdom interests first in their life that they felt 'successful' and fulfilled.

 

This is one of the things I noticed as well, and the section hit home for me.  Namely, because I recently took a part-time position again in research.  I'm still maintaining my hours in service, I'm still making my meetings (with exception to sickness, unforeseen events), but my joy has diminished somehow.   I am discontent.

 

Really, as if their pioneering relied on financial security.  It doesn't and never will.  Many thousands of our brothers and sisters are pioneers in spite of not being 'successful' financially and they do it day in, day out year after year.  Shows Jehovah's spirit in it and the fact that he doesn't need anything from this system to help his servants fulfill his will.

 

Also a very good point.  Jehovah is the God of all creation, as evidenced by this wonderful world around us.  We don't have to wait for the right timing, we only need a willing spirit and to do as asked.  Which as our recent convention brought out - Keep Seeking First God's Kingdom.  

 

As an aside, one of the things I did notice while unemployed (my husband is a non-believer), is that Jehovah would support my efforts by increasing my husbands workload, providing overtime which covered the cost of my not working.  However, much like the woman in the overseas position, I found myself worrying that he'd be too overworked and so I was hoping to offset the cost of things by taking on part-time employment.

 

I think this article, the interview in particular could have a lot of impact on our brothers if they allow it to.  Especially those living in so-called first world countries or those around the world who are trapped into the thinking that one can have their cake and eat it too.  That is be both monetarily and spiritually 'successful' and at the same time feel genuinely happy, joyful and content.

 

I have discovered that you can be quite poor, and yet be genuinely happy and content.   

 

Primarily, it means, 'the action...of maintaining or supporting oneself at a minimum level' and 'denoting or relating to production at a level sufficient only for one's own use or consumption, without any surplus for trade'.  The thesaurus shows that the words, 'survival' and 'sustenance' can be used.  Of course the word sustenance reminds me of 1 Tim. 6:8 in our older Bible which says with 'sustenance and covering' (food and clothing) we will be satisfied. 

 

It's funny, perhaps you were motivated by holy spirit to write this for our benefit (particularly mine), since this is a scripture that's been banging around in my head for the last month.  We have sustenance and covering.  What more should we/I want?  Scripturally speaking, nothing I think should be the answer and yet, I'm not quite there yet. 

[blue-jay]

Another great issue. I already listened to all of it. When it said "end of magazine" I was disappointed that it was over so fast lol.