March

We do not choose to be hated. We are not trying to be martyrs. So why can we be happy when hated? Consider three reasons. First, when we endure, we gain God’s approval. (1 Pet. 4:13, 14) Second, our faith is refined and becomes stronger. (1 Pet. 1:7) And third, we will receive a priceless reward​—everlasting life. (Rom. 2:6, 7) Soon after Jesus’ resurrection, the apostles experienced the happiness he spoke about. After being flogged and ordered to stop preaching, they rejoiced. Why? “Because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of [Jesus’] name.” (Acts 5:40-42) They loved their Master more than they feared the hatred of their enemies. And they showed their love by proclaiming the good news “without letup.” Many of our brothers today continue to serve faithfully despite difficulties. They know that Jehovah will not forget their work and their love for his name. w21.03 12:18-19

Anointed Christians are not born with the heavenly hope. It has to be implanted in their heart by God. They think about their hope, pray about it, and are eager to receive their reward in heaven. They cannot even imagine what their spiritual body will be like. (Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 John 3:2) Even so, they long to take their place in the heavenly Kingdom. The other sheep cherish a hope that comes naturally to humans, the prospect of living forever on earth. They look forward to the day when they can help turn the entire planet into a paradise. They yearn for the day when they can build their houses, plant their gardens, and raise their children in perfect health. (Isa. 65:21-23) They look forward to exploring the earth​—its mountains, forests, and seas—​and to studying Jehovah’s abundant creation. Above all, they are thrilled to know that their bond with Jehovah will grow ever stronger and closer. w21.01 3:17-18

When the Babylonians were finished with the land, onlookers could only say: “It is a wasteland without man and beast, and it has been handed over to the Chaldeans.” (Jer. 32:43) Some 200 years after Joel’s prophecy, Jehovah used Jeremiah to foretell something else about this attack. He said that a thorough search would be made for those Israelites who engaged in wicked practices​—a search that would lead to their capture. “‘Here I am sending for many fishermen,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and they will fish for them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and every hill and out of the clefts of the crags. . . . I will repay the full amount due for their error and their sin.’” Neither the oceans nor the forests would be able to conceal the unrepentant Israelites from the Babylonian invaders.​—Jer. 16:16, 18. w20.04 14:12-13

At a critical time in his life, Lot was slow to obey Jehovah’s instructions. We may judge Lot as being apathetic, even disobedient. However, Jehovah did not give up on him. “Because of Jehovah’s compassion for him,” the angels took the family by the hand and led them outside the city. (Gen. 19:15, 16) Jehovah might have felt compassion for Lot for a number of reasons. Lot may have been reluctant to leave his home because he feared the people outside the city. There were other dangers too. Lot likely knew of the two kings who had fallen into pits of bitumen, or asphalt, in a nearby valley. (Gen. 14:8-12) As a husband and father, Lot must have worried about his family. In addition, Lot was wealthy, so he may have owned a fine house in Sodom. (Gen. 13:5, 6) Of course, none of those factors excused Lot for failing to obey Jehovah immediately. However, Jehovah looked beyond Lot’s mistake and viewed him as a “righteous man.”​—2 Pet. 2:7, 8. w20.04 16:13-14

Young men, it may take time for those who have known you as a child to start viewing you as a young adult. You can be sure, however, that Jehovah sees beyond your outward appearance. He knows who you are and what you are capable of doing. (1 Sam. 16:7) Strengthen your relationship with God. David did that by looking closely at Jehovah’s creative works. David considered what such works reveal about the Creator. (Ps. 8:3, 4; 139:14; Rom. 1:20) Another thing you can do is to look to Jehovah for strength. For example, do some of your schoolmates make fun of you because you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? If so, pray for Jehovah to help you deal with this challenge. And apply the practical advice you find in his Word and in our Bible-based publications and videos. Each time you see Jehovah help you deal with a challenge, your confidence in him will grow. Furthermore, as others see that you rely on Jehovah, you will gain their trust. w21.03 9:7

Close friends enjoy sharing thoughts and feelings with each other. Is that true of our friendship with Jehovah? Yes! Jehovah speaks to us through his Word, and in it he reveals to us his thoughts and feelings. We communicate with him in prayer, and we can share with him our deepest thoughts and innermost feelings. As a loving Friend, Jehovah not only listens to our prayers but also answers them. Sometimes the answer comes quickly. At other times we may have to keep praying about a matter. Still, we can be confident that the answer will come at the right time and in the best way. Of course, God’s answer may be different from what we expect. For example, rather than remove a trial, he might give us the wisdom and strength “to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13) How can we show our appreciation for this priceless gift of prayer? One way is by heeding the divine counsel to “pray constantly.”​—1 Thess. 5:17. w20.05 22:7-8

The contestants in a long-distance race keep an eye on the road immediately in front of them so that they do not stumble. If they do fall down, they get back up and keep on running. They focus primarily, not on what made them stumble, but on the finish line and the prize they hope to win. In our race, we may stumble many times, making mistakes in what we say or do. Or our fellow runners may make mistakes that hurt us. That is to be expected. We are all imperfect, and we are all running on the same cramped road to life. So we are bound to “bump” against one another at times and arouse a “cause for complaint.” (Col. 3:13) But rather than focus on what made us stumble, let us focus on the prize ahead and keep on running. If we become bitter and resentful and refuse to get back up, we will not cross the finish line and receive the prize. In addition, we are likely to become an obstacle for others who are trying to run on the cramped road to life. w20.04 18:1, 8-9

The prophet Daniel describes a series of human governments that have had an impact on God’s people. They are described as the various parts of a giant metal image. The last human government in that series is depicted as the feet of the image that are made of iron mixed with clay. The feet represent the Anglo-American World Power. That prophecy indicates that it will still be functioning when God’s Kingdom strikes and destroys human governments. The apostle John also describes a series of world powers that have had an effect on Jehovah’s people. John depicts these governments as being like a seven-headed wild beast. The seventh head of that beast represents the Anglo-American World Power. This is significant because the beast is not shown as growing any other heads. The seventh head of this beast is still dominant when Christ and his heavenly forces destroy it along with the rest of the beast.​—Rev. 13:1, 2; 17:13, 14. w20.05 20:11-12

That simple statement reminds us of a fundamental truth: God, the Source of life, is also the Source of love. Jehovah loves us! His love makes us feel secure, happy, and satisfied. For Christians, showing love is not optional. It is a commandment. (Matt. 22:37-40) When we come to know Jehovah well, we may find it easy to obey the first commandment. After all, Jehovah is perfect; he is thoughtful and gentle in the way he treats us. But we may have difficulty obeying the second commandment. Why? Because our brothers and sisters​—who are among our closest neighbors—​are imperfect. At times, they may say and do things that we feel are uncaring and unkind. Jehovah knew that we would face this challenge, so he inspired some of the writers of the Bible to include specific counsel on why and how we should show love to one another. One of those writers was the apostle John.​—1 John 3:11, 12. w21.01 2:1-2

Whether we have recently begun to serve Jehovah or have done so for many years, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Am I resisting Satan’s attempts to divide my heart?’ For instance, if you see an image on TV or the Internet that could arouse sensual desires, how do you respond? It might be easy to rationalize that the picture or movie is not exactly pornographic. But might it represent an effort by Satan to divide your heart? That image can be like a little metal wedge that a man uses to split a big log. At first he drives the thin, sharp edge of the wedge into the log. Then as he drives the wedge deeper, the log splits apart. Could suggestive imagery in the media be like the thin part of that wedge? What may start off as small and seemingly harmless can quickly lead a person to commit sins that divide his heart and break his integrity. So refuse to give anything improper entry into your heart! Keep it unified to fear Jehovah’s name! w20.06 24:14-15

Inactive ones need consistent support from us. Like the lost son in Jesus’ illustration, they may be emotionally scarred. (Luke 15:17-24) And they are likely weak spiritually because of what they experienced in Satan’s world. We need to help them rebuild their faith in Jehovah. In the illustration of the lost sheep, Jesus describes how the shepherd puts the sheep on his shoulders and carries it back to the flock. The shepherd has already spent time and energy finding the lost sheep. But he realizes that he will need to carry it back to the fold because it will not have the strength to return on its own. (Luke 15:4, 5) We may need to invest time and energy in helping some inactive ones to overcome their weaknesses. But with Jehovah’s spirit, his Word, and the publications provided through the congregation, we can help them to become spiritually strong again. So if you are asked to study with an inactive person, why not welcome the privilege? w20.06 26:14-15

Each one of us should show love​—the identifying mark of true Christians. But we also need “accurate knowledge and full discernment.” (Phil. 1:9) Otherwise, we could be influenced “by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men,” including apostates. (Eph. 4:14) When many disciples in the first century C.E. stopped following Jesus, the apostle Peter expressed his firm conviction that Jesus had “sayings of everlasting life.” (John 6:67, 68) Even though Peter at that time did not understand all the details of those sayings, he remained loyal because he had discerned the truth about Christ. You too can strengthen your conviction in what the Bible teaches. If you do, your faith will stand the test of time, and you will help to build strong faith in others.​—2 John 1, 2. w20.07 28:2, 18

To help our brothers and sisters to remain in the truth, we must show compassion. (1 John 3:10, 11, 16, 17) We need to love one another not only when things are going well but also when problems arise. For example, do you know someone who has lost a loved one in death and needs to be comforted or helped in practical ways? Or have you heard that fellow believers suffered loss from a natural disaster and need help to rebuild their Kingdom Halls or homes? We show the depth of our love and compassion for our brothers and sisters not only by what we say but, more important, by what we do. We imitate our loving heavenly Father when we show love for one another. (1 John 4:7, 8) An important way that we show love is by forgiving one another. For example, someone might hurt us but then apologize. We show love by forgiving him and putting his error behind us.​—Col. 3:13. w20.07 30:14-15

Will each resurrected person receive individual instruction, similar to the way we conduct Bible studies today? Will these new ones be assigned to congregations and be trained to teach those who are resurrected after them? We will have to wait and see. We do know, however, that by the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign, “the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah.” (Isa. 11:9) What a busy but enjoyable thousand years that will be! During the Thousand Year Rule of Christ, all of Jehovah’s earthly children will have to make changes to please him. So all of them will have true fellow feeling as they help the resurrected ones to combat sinful tendencies and to live by Jehovah’s standards. (1 Pet. 3:8) No doubt those who come back to life will be drawn to Jehovah’s humble people, who will also be “working out [their] own salvation.”​—Phil. 2:12. w20.08 33:6-7

If we follow the apostle Paul’s inspired counsel and examine our own actions, we may begin to see that we have unique gifts and abilities. For example, an elder may not be a gifted teacher when on the platform, but he may be very effective in the disciple-making work. Or he may not be as well-organized as some other elders in his congregation, but he might be well-known as a loving shepherd whom publishers feel free to approach for sound Scriptural advice. Or he might have a fine reputation for being hospitable. (Heb. 13:2, 16) When we clearly see our own strengths and gifts, we will have reason to feel good about what we can contribute to the congregation. And we will be less likely to envy our brothers who have gifts that are different from ours. No matter what place we have in the congregation, all of us should desire to improve in our service and develop our abilities. w20.08 35:16-18

A history-making talk entitled “The Great Multitude” was given in 1935 by J. F. Rutherford at a convention in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. In his talk, Brother Rutherford identified those who would make up the “great multitude” (King James Version), or “great crowd,” mentioned at Revelation 7:9. Until then, this group was thought to be a secondary heavenly class that was less faithful. Brother Rutherford used the Scriptures to explain that the great crowd are not chosen to live in heaven, but they are Christ’s other sheep who will survive “the great tribulation” and live forever on earth. (Rev. 7:14) Jesus promised: “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16) These sheeplike ones are loyal Witnesses of Jehovah who have the prospect of living forever in Paradise on earth.​—Matt. 25:31-33, 46. w21.01 3:1-2

We need self-discipline if we are to endure and complete our preaching work. (Matt. 28:19, 20) We do not inherit self-discipline. On the contrary, our natural inclination often is to follow the course of least resistance. It takes self-control to be self-disciplined. Therefore, we need help to train ourselves to do the things that may be difficult for us to do. Jehovah gives us that help through his holy spirit. (Gal. 5:22, 23) The apostle Paul was self-disciplined. But he admitted that he had to “pummel” his body in order to do what was right. (1 Cor. 9:25-27) He urged others to discipline themselves and to do all things “decently and by arrangement.” (1 Cor. 14:40) We must exercise self-discipline to maintain a good spiritual routine that includes a regular share in the preaching work.​—Acts 2:46. w20.09 36:15-17

In many lands today, we can preach without disturbance. Do you live in a country that grants freedom of worship? If so, ask yourself, ‘How am I using this freedom?’ During these exciting last days, Jehovah’s organization has spearheaded the greatest preaching and teaching campaign the world has ever known. Many possibilities are open to Jehovah’s people. How can you take advantage of a time of peace? (2 Tim. 4:2) Why not examine your circumstances and see if you or a member of your family could have an increased share in the preaching work, perhaps even serving as a pioneer? Now is not the time to amass riches and material possessions​—things that will not survive with us through the great tribulation. (Prov. 11:4; Matt. 6:31-33; 1 John 2:15-17) Many publishers have learned a new language so that they can use it in preaching and teaching. God’s organization supports them by producing Bible-based material in over 1,000 languages! w20.09 38:9-11

A good soldier is loyal. He will fight hard to protect someone he loves or something he values. Paul encouraged Timothy to develop godly devotion​—that is, a loyal attachment to God. (1 Tim. 4:7) The deeper our love and devotion for God, the greater our desire to hold on to the truth. (1 Tim. 4:8-10; 6:6) A good soldier must also discipline himself if he is to remain fit for duty. Timothy remained spiritually fit because he followed Paul’s inspired advice to flee from wrong desires, to pursue godly qualities, and to associate with fellow believers. (2 Tim. 2:22) That required self-discipline. We need self-discipline to win the war against our fleshly desires. (Rom. 7:21-25) In addition, we need self-discipline to keep working at stripping off the old personality and putting on the new. (Eph. 4:22, 24) And when we are tired at the end of a long day, we may need to push ourselves to attend a meeting.​—Heb. 10:24, 25. w20.09 40:9-11

We need to be patient when helping a student progress to dedication and baptism. But at some point, we need to find out if he has the desire to serve Jehovah God. Do you see signs that the student is trying to obey Jesus’ commandments? Or does he only want to learn facts from the Bible? Regularly analyze the progress that the student is making. For example, does he express his feelings for Jehovah? Does he pray to Jehovah? (Ps. 116:1, 2) Does he enjoy reading the Bible? (Ps. 119:97) Is he attending the meetings regularly? (Ps. 22:22) Has he made any needed changes in his lifestyle? Has he started sharing what he is learning with his family and friends? (Ps. 9:1) Most important, does he want to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? (Ps. 40:8) If the student is not making progress in any of these areas, tactfully try to find out why and then discuss the matter with him kindly but frankly. w20.10 42:14-15

Jesus’ heavenly Father always makes good choices, and his earthly parents also made wise decisions. However, as Jesus grew up, he had to make his own choices. (Gal. 6:5) Like all of us, he had the gift of free will. He could have chosen to seek his own interests first. Instead, he chose to maintain a good relationship with Jehovah. As Jesus learned about his role in Jehovah’s purpose, he chose to accept his assignment. (John 6:38) He knew that he would be hated by many, and that thought must have been sobering for him to contemplate. Yet, he chose to submit himself to Jehovah. When Jesus got baptized in 29 C.E., his main focus in life was that of doing what Jehovah required of him. (Heb. 10:5-7) Even when he was dying on the torture stake, Jesus never wavered in doing his Father’s will.​—John 19:30. w20.10 44:12, 15

Do you know of brothers or sisters in your congregation who are suffering distress because they are ill or are facing other challenging circumstances? Or maybe they have lost a loved one in death. If we become aware of an individual in need, we can ask Jehovah to help us to say or do something kind and loving. Our words and actions may be just the encouragement that our brother or sister needs. (1 Pet. 4:10) We know that we can take courage because Jehovah is with us. He gives us help by means of Jesus and the angels. Also, if it is in harmony with his purpose, Jehovah can help us by means of people in authority. And as many of us have personally experienced, Jehovah uses his holy spirit to stir the hearts of his servants to come to the aid of their Christian brothers and sisters. Therefore, like the apostle Paul, we have good reason to say with confidence: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”​—Heb. 13:6. w20.11 46:19-20

The apostles had direct evidence that Jehovah was with them. He had given them the power to perform miracles. (Acts 5:12-16; 6:8) That is not the case with us today. Even so, through his Word, Jehovah lovingly assures us that when we suffer for the sake of righteousness, he is pleased with us and his spirit is with us. (1 Pet. 3:14; 4:14) So rather than dwell on how we might react to severe persecution in the future, we need to focus on what we can do now to build our confidence in Jehovah’s ability to sustain and deliver us. We must trust Jesus’ promise: “I will give you words and wisdom that all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute.” We have the guarantee: “By your endurance you will preserve your lives.” (Luke 21:12-19) And never forget that Jehovah keeps in his memory the smallest details about his servants who die faithful to him. With that knowledge, he will resurrect them. w21.01 1:12

The apostle Paul was not the first to express the hope of a resurrection. The patriarch Job did too. He was confident that God would remember him and raise him to life again. (Job 14:7-10, 12-15) “The resurrection of the dead” is part of the “foundation,” or “primary doctrine,” of all Christian teachings. (Heb. 6:1, 2) Paul’s discussion of the resurrection is recorded in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. What he wrote must have built up first-century Christians. And that chapter can build us up and strengthen a hope that we may have long held. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is key to our hope for our dead loved ones. It was part of “the good news” that Paul declared to the Corinthians. (1 Cor. 15:1, 2) In fact, he said that if a Christian lacked belief in that resurrection, his faith would be useless.​—1 Cor. 15:17. w20.12 49:2-4

What helped the apostle Peter to recover? For one thing, Jesus had prayed earlier that Peter’s faith might not give out. Jehovah answered that heartfelt prayer. Later, Jesus personally appeared to Peter, no doubt to encourage him. (Luke 22:32; 24:33, 34; 1 Cor. 15:5) After the apostles had a disappointing night of fishing, Jesus appeared to them. On this occasion, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his love for him. Jesus had forgiven his dear friend and entrusted him with more work. (John 21:15-17) The way that Jesus dealt with Peter highlights Jesus’ mercy, and Jesus perfectly reflects his Father. So when we make mistakes, we should not judge ourselves as being beyond hope. We should bear in mind that Satan wants us to give in to such feelings. Instead, let us try hard to see ourselves​—and those who sin against us—​through the compassionate and loving eyes of our heavenly Father.​—Ps. 103:13, 14. w20.12 51:17-19

We can learn from the experiences of those who failed to keep calm and trust in Jehovah. Studying those bad examples will help us to avoid making the same mistakes they made. For instance, early in his reign, King Asa looked to Jehovah when faced with problems. But later he failed to turn to his God for help, preferring to handle matters on his own. (2 Chron. 16:1-3, 12) On the surface, Asa’s asking the Syrians for help against Israel may have appeared to be very practical. But his success was short-lived. Jehovah told him through a prophet: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on Jehovah your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.” (2 Chron. 16:7) We must be careful not to feel so confident about handling matters on our own that we fail to look to Jehovah for guidance through his Word. Even when we are faced with an urgent situation, we should calmly rely on Jehovah, and he will help us to succeed. w21.01 1:13-15

Right now, some of Jehovah’s people are suffering physical hunger because of oppressive economic conditions or as a result of the ravages of civil unrest and war. Others are imprisoned for their faith. However, those of the great crowd are thrilled to know that on escaping the destruction of this wicked system of things, they will always have an abundance of physical and spiritual food. When destruction is unleashed on Satan’s system of things, the great crowd will be spared the “scorching heat” of Jehovah’s anger that he will pour out on the nations. After the great tribulation ends, Jesus will guide these earthly survivors to the “waters of [everlasting] life.” (Rev. 7:17) Just think: The great crowd have a unique prospect. Of all the billions who have ever lived, they may never die! (John 11:26) The other sheep have a marvelous hope for which they are thankful to Jehovah and Jesus! w21.01 3:11-12

On the last night of his life as a man, Jesus was thinking about the challenges that his disciples would face. Moved by his love for his friends, Jesus asked his Father to “watch over them because of the wicked one.” (John 17:14, 15) Jesus knew that after he returned to heaven, Satan the Devil would continue to wage war against any who wanted to serve Jehovah. Clearly, Jehovah’s people would need protection. Today we need Jehovah’s protection as never before. Satan has been cast out of heaven, “having great anger.” (Rev. 12:12) He has managed to convince some who persecute us that they are offering “a sacred service to God.” (John 16:2) Others, who do not believe in God, persecute us because we do not fit into this world’s mold. Whatever the case, we can be confident. Why? The answer is given in today’s text. w21.03 13:1, 3

Everything Jehovah does is motivated by love. He lovingly cares for all our needs. Out of love, Jehovah provided the ransom arrangement for us. As for Jesus, he loves us so much that he gave his life for us. (John 3:16; 15:13) Nothing can break the bond of love that Jehovah and Jesus feel for those who are loyal to them. (John 13:1; Rom. 8:35) Likewise, everything a family head does should be motivated by love. Why is that so important? The apostle John answers: “The one who does not love his brother [or family], whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:11, 20) Specifically, a man who loves his family and who wants to imitate Jehovah and Jesus will provide for his family’s spiritual, emotional, and material needs. (1 Tim. 5:8) He will train and discipline his children. He will also continue to learn to make decisions that honor Jehovah and benefit his family. w21.02 5:12-13

Our loving heavenly Father knows how our past experiences and our negative thinking have affected us. But he also sees the good in our heart​—qualities that we may not see in ourselves. (1 John 3:19, 20) Someone who is struggling to overcome a deep-seated bad habit might have a setback and feel disappointed in himself. Of course, it is normal to feel a measure of guilt when we sin. (2 Cor. 7:10) However, we should not go to extremes and condemn ourselves, thinking: ‘I’m a complete failure. How can Jehovah ever forgive me?’ Such negative thinking is not based on the truth and could cause us to stop serving Jehovah. Instead, “set matters straight” with Jehovah by going to him in prayer and seeking his mercy. (Isa. 1:18) Considering your sincere repentance, he will forgive you. In addition, approach the elders. They will patiently help you to become spiritually well again.​—Jas. 5:14, 15. w20.12 52:5-6

Jesus gave women honor and respect. He did not follow the custom of the Pharisees, who looked down on women and who would not even speak to them in public, let alone discuss the Scriptures with them. Instead, he included women in the deep spiritual discussions that he had with his other disciples. (Luke 10:38, 39, 42) He also allowed women to accompany him on his preaching tours. (Luke 8:1-3) And Jesus gave them the privilege of announcing to the apostles that he had been raised from the dead. (John 20:16-18) The apostle Paul specifically reminded Timothy to honor women. Paul acknowledged that it was Timothy’s mother and grandmother who had first taught Timothy “the holy writings.” (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Paul specifically greeted sisters by name in his letter to the Romans. He not only noticed the work sisters did but also expressed appreciation for them as Christian ministers.​—Rom. 16:1-4, 6, 12; Phil. 4:3. w21.02 7:5-6