Examining the Scriptures Daily - 2017

[Jeffers]

We are under attack from our adversary the devil.  When we are under direct attack and undergoing tests, trials and tribulations, it is important to remember that in our darkest days, we always have Jehovah to call on in his son's name Jesus Christ for strength.  There will be times when our imperfect bodies and minds will fight to hang on with all our might to our integrity, and times when stress, grief, or sadness make the words in our prayer come with difficulty, however simply praying to our Father in the heavens to "deliver us from the wicked one" can be a summoning of help for rescue. Jehovah will not forget his loyal ones, nor will he abandon them.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008600?q=loyal+ones&p=sen

Edited October 13, 2017 by Jeffers

[Dages]

So timely... 

[GrumpysWife]

Sunday, October 15

They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.—John 17:16.

We should not be surprised if the world hates us for our neutral stand; Jesus warned us that it would. Most opposers do not appreciate the importance of the issues involved in Christian neutrality. For us, though, these are matters of utmost importance. Loyalty to Jehovah requires that we be steadfast in the face of threats. (Dan. 3:16-18) Fear of man can affect people of all ages, but young people may find it especially difficult to go against the flow, so to speak. If your children are facing such issues as the flag salute or nationalistic celebrations, do not hesitate to assist them. Use Family Worship sessions to help your children understand the issues involved so that they can meet those challenges courageously. Help them to express their personal convictions clearly and respectfully. (Rom. 1:16) Take the initiative to speak with their teachers about these matters if necessary. w15 7/15 3:15, 16

[GrumpysWife]

Monday, October 16

God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son.—John 3:16.

The undeserved gift of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice was given so that “we might gain life.” (1 John 4:9) Referring to this superlative expression of God’s love, the apostle Paul wrote: “Christ died for ungodly men at the appointed time. For hardly would anyone die for a righteous man; though perhaps for a good man someone may dare to die. But God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:6-8) This greatest expression of God’s love opened to mankind the prospect of having a favored standing with Jehovah. By means of the ransom, Jehovah shows his love for the world of mankind. If we hope to live forever on earth and we continue to serve Jehovah faithfully, we can be assured that he will make life pleasant for us in the new world. How fitting it is that we view the ransom as the greatest evidence of God’s enduring love for us! w15 8/15 1:13, 15

[Spechellekaye]

We could never thank Jehovah enough for the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. 

[GrumpysWife]

Tuesday, October 17

Do not feel sad.—Neh. 8:10.

The privilege of living under Kingdom rule is well worth any effort we make to cooperate with Jehovah’s organization and care for theocratic assignments. Of course, our circumstances may change. For instance, some members of the Bethel family in the United States have been reassigned to the field and are now enjoying abundant blessings in other forms of the full-time ministry. Because of advancing age or other factors, others who were in the traveling work have now received special pioneer assignments. If we cultivate contentment, pray for God’s help, and do all we can in his service, we will experience joy and will receive many blessings even in these critical last days. (Prov. 10:22) What about our future prospects? We may have ideas about where we would like to live in the new world, but we may be asked to move to a different area. Regardless of where we will then serve and what we will do, we can be sure that we will be grateful and contented, brimming with joy. w15 8/15 3:8

[LeslieDean]

It's funny that the examples of Bethelites and retired CO were used in the example of changing circumstances.  We had a very young couple (23, 25) in our congregation that several years ago sold their mobile home and his Lawn care business to go to Bethel.  A short 6 months later they returned, a little sad mixed with greatfulness at having been a part of the experience to serve at Bethel.  After a brief adjustment they were able to start building their 'loft home' in his fathers shop and were able to again see the way our loving creator continues to care for us. They both have been blessed with several active Bible studies and we have been blessed with their return and excitement of having served at Bethel.  They have shared their stories and memories with s andinvite friends from all over to visit.  Our retired CO is now serving as a special pioneer in our hall and shares his 50 plus yeRs of service with us!  

Circumstances change but we can continue to be happy because we serve a Happy God. 

[GrumpysWife]

Wednesday, October 18

[Noah] proved himself faultless among his contemporaries.—Gen. 6:9.

Noah lived in an evil world but had no desire to make its inhabitants his close friends. He did not seek the companionship of ungodly people. He and the seven members of his family occupied themselves with the doing of God-given work, which included building an ark. Meanwhile, Noah was also “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Pet. 2:5) Noah’s preaching, his work on the ark, and his association with his family kept him busy doing good things that pleased God. As a result, Noah and his immediate family survived the Flood. We should be grateful to them because all of us today are the descendants of those who served Jehovah—faithful Noah, Noah’s wife, his sons, and their wives. Similarly, loyal and obedient first-century Christians kept themselves separate from ungodly people and survived the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish system of things in 70 C.E.—Luke 21:20-22. w15 8/15 4:17, 18

[GrumpysWife]

Thursday, October 19

[There is] a time to laugh . . . and a time to dance.—Eccl. 3:4.

Not every pastime is beneficial, relaxing, or refreshing; nor is it good to engage in recreation too much or too often. How can our conscience help us to enjoy upbuilding recreation and benefit from it? The Scriptures warn against certain behavior identified as “the works of the flesh.” These works include “sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these.” Paul wrote that “those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.” (Gal. 5:19-21) Accordingly, we can ask ourselves: ‘Does my conscience move me to shun sports that are aggressive, competitive, nationalistic, or violent? Does my inner voice warn me when I am tempted to view a film that features pornographic scenes or one that condones immorality, drunkenness, or spiritism?’ w15 9/15 2:11, 12

[Spechellekaye]

Jehovah is a happy God and he wants us to engage in wholesome recreation, but we must always keep it in perspective. We need to exert ourselves to attain salvation. So we need to give priority to the preaching and teaching activity and building on our personal relationship with Jehovah. 

[GrumpysWife]

Friday, October 20

I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.—Jer. 10:23.

From the Bible we learn that humans are not created with the right of self-determination, to be independent of God, and that ignoring this fundamental truth will have sad consequences. This is critically important to our welfare. Only by recognizing God’s authority can we enjoy peace and harmony. How loving of Jehovah that he chooses to reveal this important truth! A loving father is deeply concerned about the future of his children, wanting them to have a real and meaningful purpose in life. Regrettably, most people are in the dark about the future, or they spend their life pursuing goals that bring no lasting benefits. (Ps. 90:10) As God’s children, we feel truly loved because Jehovah has promised us a wonderful future. That gives genuine meaning and purpose to our life. w15 9/15 4:10, 11

[Spechellekaye]

We all imperfect humans lack the necessary wisdom and insight to manage all of our affairs successfully. Thats why we need to use God's Word as our roadmap, our guide. We cannot be successful without it. 

[GrumpysWife]

Saturday, October 21

There will be no dew or rain except by my word!—1 Ki. 17:1.

In Israel’s early history, people had the opportunity to see and hear about how God acted in Israel’s behalf. Jehovah miraculously delivered his people out of Egypt, and then king after king fell before them. (Josh. 9:3, 9, 10) Israel’s opponents refused to acknowledge that God was fighting for Israel, and that led to their defeat. Later, wicked King Ahab had every opportunity to see God’s hand in events. Ahab saw fire come down from heaven when Elijah prayed for his offering to be consumed. Elijah then indicated that Jehovah would bring the drought they were experiencing to an end, telling Ahab: “Go down so that the downpour may not detain you!” (1 Ki. 18:22-45) Ahab saw all of this happen but still refused to acknowledge that it was a mighty display of God’s power. This and other examples teach us an important lesson—we must recognize Jehovah’s hand when it is in action. w15 10/15 1:4, 5

[LeslieDean]

I wonder how many times each day I fail to see Jehovah's hand working in my life? I am going to learn to look for it and be more aware of all things.   Three times this week I have experienced his help in such a strong recognition that I literally burst out in tears!  The gratitude I felt for his aide and support left me in a very emotional state.  I'm still feeling disbelief yet full recognition of his help. I don't want to just recognize the lightening bolt moments but be aware of all things! 

[GrumpysWife]

Sunday, October 22

The righteous one will live by reason of faith.—Gal. 3:11.

 

We must never doubt that if we follow God’s direction, it will turn out for our good. It is vital that we put faith in the One who can really help. Paul reminds us that God is “the one who can, according to his power that is operating in us, do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive.” (Eph. 3:20) Jehovah’s servants do all they can to carry out the will of God, but knowing their limitations, they trust in Jehovah to bless the outcome. Are we not glad that our God is with us? Can we expect our requests for more faith to be answered? The Bible assures us that we can when “we ask according to [God’s] will.” (1 John 5:14) Clearly, Jehovah is pleased with those who put their complete trust in him. Jehovah will answer our request for more faith, and our faith will grow exceedingly, leading to our being “counted worthy of the Kingdom of God.”—2 Thess. 1:3, 5. w15 10/15 2:16-18

[GrumpysWife]

Monday, October 23

Never drift away.—Heb. 2:1.

 

Meditating on spiritual things will help a person grow to Christian maturity. (Heb. 5:14; 6:1) A person who spends little time thinking about Jehovah and Jesus will not maintain strong faith. Such a person is in danger of drifting away or drawing away from the truth. (Heb. 3:12) Jesus warned that if we do not hear, or accept, God’s Word “with a fine and good heart,” we will not “retain” it. Instead, we could easily be “carried away by anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, . . . and bring nothing to maturity.” (Luke 8:14, 15) Therefore, let us continue to ponder over God’s Word. This will motivate us to reflect Jehovah’s glory, qualities, and personality as revealed in the Bible. (2 Cor. 3:18) What more could we ask for? Growing in the knowledge of God and being allowed to reflect his glory are wonderful privileges, a never-ending process as we continue to learn how to imitate our loving heavenly Father.—Eccl. 3:11. w15 10/15 4:13, 14

[Spechellekaye]

Our Faith in Jehovah has to be strong and complete if we want Jehovah to listen to our prayers.  We have to remember it's all about Jehovah and we play an important role in his purpose, if we're obedient. So when we make request in our prayers it should always be in harmony with Jehovahs will.

[Spechellekaye]

We are indeed living in "the last days, so we should be on guard constantly against anything that could distract us. We need to pay attention to God’s Word and maintain a keen sense of urgency. So we need to prepare our hearts, be diligent Bible students, and attend and be attentive at all of our Christian meetings, assemblies, and conventions.

[GrumpysWife]

Tuesday, October 24

Wisdom is good for you. If you find it, you will have a future.—Prov. 24:14.

 

As parents, you want your teenage children to remain spiritually healthy. And God wants you to bring your children up “in the discipline and admonition of Jehovah.” (Eph. 6:4) So use your God-given responsibility to establish and maintain a spiritual routine. To illustrate: You insist that your children be educated because their education is important and you hope to instill in them a love for learning. Loving parents likewise insist that their children benefit from the “admonition of Jehovah” at congregation meetings and through other spiritual programs. Because divine education is vital, you try to instill in your children love for spiritual things and appreciation for wisdom. As Jesus helped his disciples, you seek to help your teenage children to succeed in the ministry by developing in them a love of teaching God’s Word and by helping them stick to a good field service routine. w15 11/15 2:6

[GrumpysWife]

Wednesday, October 25

The head of every man is the Christ; in turn, the head of a woman is the man; in turn, the head of the Christ is God.—1 Cor. 11:3.

 

Because of the headship principle that exists throughout God’s arrangement of things, love is especially important. But headship is not to be exercised in a domineering way. Although a husband is the head of his wife, the Bible instructs him to ‘assign her honor.’ (1 Pet. 3:7) One way husbands can honor their wives is by taking into consideration their needs and giving them first choice in some matters. Indeed, God’s Word states: “Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and gave himself up for it.” (Eph. 5:25) Yes, Jesus even gave his life for his followers. When a husband imitates the loving way in which Jesus exercises headship, it is much easier for a wife to love and respect him and be in subjection to him.—Titus 2:3-5. w15 11/15 4:6, 7

Edited October 24, 2017 by GrumpysWife

[GrumpysWife]

Thursday, October 26

The Greek-speaking Jews began complaining against the Hebrew-speaking Jews.—Acts 6:1.

 

As Christianity spread, much communication among Christians was in Greek. In fact, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which contain inspired records of what Jesus taught and did, were widely distributed in Greek. Thus, the language of many disciples was Greek rather than Hebrew. The letters of the apostle Paul and the other inspired books were also distributed in Greek. It is noteworthy that when writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures, they usually did so from the Septuagint. These quotations, which at times vary somewhat from the exact Hebrew wording, are now part of the inspired Scriptures. Thus, the work of imperfect human translators became part of the inspired Word of God, a God who does not favor one culture or language over another.—Acts 10:34. w15 12/15 1:8, 9

[GrumpysWife]

Friday, October 27

O Jehovah, open my lips, so that my mouth may declare your praise.—Ps. 51:15.

 

Speech is part of our daily life, but we do not need to talk all the time. In fact, the Bible says that there is “a time to be silent.” (Eccl. 3:7) Maintaining silence when others are speaking can be a mark of respect. (Job 6:24) Controlling our tongue to keep quiet about a confidential matter gives evidence of discretion and discernment. (Prov. 20:19) Restraining our tongue when we are provoked is the course of wisdom. (Ps. 4:4) On the other hand, the Bible also says that there is “a time to speak.” (Eccl. 3:7) If a friend gave you a beautiful present, you would probably not store it out of sight. Rather, you would show your appreciation by putting it to good use. We show our gratitude for Jehovah’s gift of speech by using it wisely. That might include expressing our feelings, communicating our needs, sharing words of encouragement, and giving God praise. w15 12/15 3:4, 5

[ReadYourBible]

[Tia]

To be tied upon my throat!  Great reminders!!!

[GrumpysWife]

Saturday, October 28

Do not drink water any longer, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness.—1 Tim. 5:23.

 

We do not live at a time when a fellow Christian can use “gifts of healing” to cure us. (1 Cor. 12:9) But some well-intentioned brothers give unsolicited health recommendations. Granted, someone might simply offer general, practical suggestions. Paul did so when Timothy was experiencing stomach problems, perhaps because the local water was polluted. That, however, is quite different from trying to persuade a fellow Witness to use some herb, remedy, or diet that may not be effective or in some cases may even be harmful. At times, some have tried to persuade others with an explanation: ‘My relative had a similar disease, and he took . . . Then he got well.’ No matter how sincere the suggestion, we do well to keep in mind that there may be risks even with widely used medications and treatments.—Prov. 27:12. w15 12/15 4:13