Thursday, July 19 The congregations continued to be made firm in the faith.​—Acts 16:5.

[GrumpysWife]

Thursday, July 19

The congregations continued to be made firm in the faith.—Acts 16:5.

 

Brothers traveling on behalf of the governing body shared “the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem.” (Acts 16:4) As congregations observed those decrees, they “continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number day by day.” What should we do when we receive direction from God’s organization today? Jehovah’s own Book directs all of us to be obedient and submissive. (Deut. 30:16; Heb. 13:7, 17) A critical or rebellious spirit has no place in God’s organization, for such an attitude could disrupt our loving, peaceful, and united congregations. Of course, no loyal Christian would want to display a disrespectful and disloyal spirit like that of Diotrephes. (3 John 9, 10) We might well ask ourselves: ‘Do I contribute to the spirituality of those around me? Am I quick to accept and support the direction given by the brothers taking the lead?’ w16.11 2:10, 11