“Do Not Let Your Hand Relax”
1 The above words of urgency were sent to Joshua by the Gibeonites when five enemy kings allied themselves in battle against them. Would Joshua and the Israelites now relax their hand because of recent victories and not respond to the Gibeonites’ cry for help? The Bible tells us that Joshua and his valiant mighty men along with all the people of war marched all night to take the five enemy kings by surprise and rout them. Jehovah granted his loyal and tireless servants total victory, and the Gibeonites were saved.—Josh. 10:6-27.
2 No longer do Jehovah’s earthly servants engage in carnal warfare. Our warfare, as Christians, is spiritual. However, in our spiritual warfare we can imitate the zeal and loyalty of Joshua and his valiant mighty men. Jehovah has indeed blessed our labors in the disciple-making work, and great success is being realized. But is this the time to relax our hand because of the success we have enjoyed thus far? Not at all. Now is the time to be like Joshua and his men and not let up in our zealous preaching and disciple making.—Matt. 28:19, 20; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5.
3 Millions of people have shown interest in the Kingdom message by accepting literature such as the Live Forever and Bible Stories books. They need our help. And, since the offer for August and September is either one of these books on a contribution of $2.50, what fine potential there is for many thousands of new home Bible studies to be started.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
4 First of all, we should consider each individual with whom books have been placed as worthy of return visits. Hence, it would be good to organize our house-to-house records in order to make these visits. In making the return visits, we should have as our purpose starting a home Bible study. Even when going from door to door, why not offer to demonstrate to the householder how a home Bible study is conducted? Many who are now our brothers and sisters were first introduced to the Bible study arrangement in this manner.
5 Are you presently conducting a home Bible study with an interested person? If you are, you likely know the joy that comes from teaching someone the truth. Could you arrange your affairs to conduct an additional Bible study? It would be good to examine your personal schedule to determine if you can make room to help even more in this way. Your joy and satisfaction can also be increased by helping another publisher in the congregation start and conduct a home Bible study.
6 If you are not presently conducting a home Bible study, but you genuinely would like to, there are some positive steps you can take. First of all, present the matter in prayer to Jehovah. Also, ask the service overseer for suggestions. Your Congregation Book Study conductor or another experienced publisher may be able to help. Some publishers have had fine success in starting studies by merely offering to read the Live Forever book with interested persons. For more information on how to start Bible studies in the Live Forever book, see page 4 of Our Kingdom Ministry for February 1983.
7 Disciples are made, not born. So, a person does not usually make real spiritual progress until a home Bible study is conducted with him with the aid of one of the Society’s publications. Since we appreciate their spiritual value, we want to give the widest possible distribution to the Live Forever and Bible Stories books. As we do, may we keep in mind the tireless zeal of Joshua as well as the encouraging words of the wise man: “Do not let your hand rest; for you are not knowing where this will have success, either here or there, or whether both of them will alike be good.”—Eccl. 11:6.