April

Ask yourself: ‘How do I respond to counsel? Do I quickly acknowledge my mistakes, or do I try to justify myself? Am I quick to blame others?’ As you read about faithful men and women in the Bible, consider how they dealt with such matters. In each case, ask yourself: ‘How can I be more like this loyal servant of Jehovah?’ We can also benefit by observing fellow believers, both young and old. For instance, can you think of someone in your congregation who is faithfully enduring a trial​—perhaps peer pressure, family opposition, or poor health? Do you see in this person commendable traits that you would like to cultivate to a greater degree? By considering his or her good example, you may learn practical ways to endure your own trials. How grateful we are to have such living examples of faith to imitate​—truly a cause for rejoicing!​—Heb. 13:7. w22.04 16:13-14

When we are facing a difficult situation in our personal life, we appreciate it when a caring elder takes the time to listen to us and provide us comfort. When we need help with a Bible study, we are pleased when an experienced pioneer agrees to sit in on the study and offers suggestions. All these brothers and sisters are happy to help us. We can share that joy if we make ourselves available to serve our brothers. If you want to expand your service in these or similar ways, what will help you to reach your goals? Beware of setting a goal that is too general. For example, you may think, ‘I would like to do more in the congregation.’ But it may be difficult to know how to achieve such a goal, and you may find it impossible to know when you have achieved it. So choose a clear, specific goal. You might even write down the goal and how you plan to reach it. w22.04 18:12-13

Jehovah is now drawing together “a great crowd” of people and training them as subjects of his Kingdom. (Rev. 7:9, 10) Despite living today in a world divided by fear and war, those making up this group strive to overcome all national, tribal, and personal hatreds. They are already symbolically beating their swords into plowshares. (Mic. 4:3) Instead of participating in wars that cause so much death, they are helping people to find “the real life” by teaching them about the true God and his purposes. (1 Tim. 6:19) Family members may turn against them or they may suffer financially because they support God’s Kingdom, but Jehovah makes sure that they have the things they need. (Matt. 6:25, 30-33; Luke 18:29, 30) Those facts assure us that God’s Kingdom is a reality and that it will continue to fulfill Jehovah’s purpose. w22.12 49:13

By the end of the 1,000 years, all those living on earth will have been restored to perfect life. No longer will anyone living be affected by the sin that was originally inherited from Adam. (Rom. 5:12) The curse of Adamic sin will have been completely removed. In that way, those on earth will “come to life” as perfect humans at the end of the 1,000 years. (Rev. 20:5) We know that Jesus resisted Satan’s efforts to make him compromise his integrity. He remained faithful under test. But will all perfect humans be willing to do so when Satan is given an opportunity to test them? Each one will be able to answer this question for himself when Satan is released from the abyss at the end of the 1,000 years. (Rev. 20:7) Those who prove faithful during this final test will receive everlasting life and finally enjoy true freedom. (Rom. 8:21) Those who rebel will be destroyed forever.​—Rev. 20:8-10. w22.05 21:18-19

That prophecy was fulfilled when Satan incited the Jews and the Romans to put the Son of God to death. (Luke 23:13, 20-24) Just as a literal heel wound can temporarily cripple someone, Jesus’ death temporarily put him out of action and he lay lifeless in the grave for parts of three days. (Matt. 16:21) If the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 was to be fulfilled, Jesus could not remain in the grave. Why not? Because according to the prophecy, the offspring would crush the serpent’s head. This meant that Jesus would need to recover from his heel wound. And indeed he did! On the third day after his death, Jesus was resurrected as an immortal spirit creature. In God’s due time, Jesus will crush Satan out of existence. (Heb. 2:14) Those who will rule with Christ will share in ridding the earth of all of God’s enemies​—the offspring of the serpent.​—Rev. 17:14; 20:4, 10. w22.07 30:11-12

Parents, help your children develop wholesome friendships. God’s Word makes it clear that our friendships have an influence on us​—either for good or for bad. Do you know your children’s friends? What can you do to help your children make friends with those who love Jehovah? (1 Cor. 15:33) You can help them make wise choices by inviting some who are doing well spiritually to join you in your family activities. (Ps. 119:63) A father named Tony explains: “Over the years, my wife and I have invited to our home brothers and sisters of different ages and backgrounds. They share a meal with us and join in our family worship. This is a great way to get to know those who love and serve Jehovah with joy. . . . Their experiences, zeal, and self-sacrificing spirit have had a tremendous impact on our children and have helped them draw close to Jehovah.” w22.05 23:14-15

When the elders meet with a wrongdoer, their goal is to reach the same decision on earth that has already been reached in heaven. How does this arrangement benefit the congregation? It ensures that unrepentant wrongdoers who might harm Jehovah’s precious sheep are removed. (1 Cor. 5:6, 7, 11-13; Titus 3:10, 11) It may also help a sinner to repent and benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness. (Luke 5:32) The elders pray in behalf of a repentant one and ask Jehovah to help him recover spiritually. (Jas. 5:15) Suppose that a person is not repentant when the elders meet with him. In that case, he will be disfellowshipped from the congregation. Yet, if the person later comes to his senses and sincerely repents and turns around, Jehovah is willing to pardon him. (Luke 15:17-24) That is true even if his sins were very serious.​—2 Chron. 33:9, 12, 13; 1 Tim. 1:15. w22.06 25:5-6

With Jehovah’s help, Christians earth wide have overcome challenging situations and have been successful in opposing the Devil. (1 Pet. 5:9) You can too. Very soon, Jehovah will direct Jesus and his corulers “to break up the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3:8) After that, God’s people serving him on earth will “fear nothing and have no cause for terror.” (Isa. 54:14; Mic. 4:4) Until then, though, we need to work hard to overcome our fears. We must continue to strengthen our confidence that Jehovah loves and protects his servants. We will be helped to do this by meditating on and talking about how Jehovah has protected his servants in the past. And we can bear in mind how he has helped us personally to face distressing situations. With Jehovah’s help, we can overcome our fears!​—Ps. 34:4. w22.06 26:19-20

The world power represented by the “feet of iron and of clay” has already appeared. It came into existence during World War I when Britain and the United States forged a special partnership, the Anglo-American alliance. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image also foretold things about this world power that would distinguish it from the previous kingdoms. Unlike the previous world powers mentioned in the vision, the Anglo-American alliance is symbolized, not by a solid metal like gold or silver, but by a mixture of iron and clay. The clay represents “the offspring of mankind,” or the common people. (Dan. 2:43, ftn.) As is plainly evident today, their influence in elections, civil rights campaigns, mass protests, and labor unions weakens the ability of this world power to implement its policies. w22.07 28:9-10

Are you hesitant about getting baptized? It might help if you ask yourself, ‘Why wait?’ (Acts 8:36) Note that Jesus compared doing his Father’s will to food. Why? Food is good for us. Jesus knew that everything that Jehovah asks us to do is good for us. Jehovah does not want us to do anything that would result in our harm. Does Jehovah’s will for you include getting baptized? Yes. (Acts 2:38) Then you can be confident that obeying the command to get baptized will benefit you. If you would not hesitate to enjoy the best meal ever, why hesitate to get baptized? Why wait? Many might answer this way, “I am not ready yet.” The fact is that the decision to dedicate yourself to Jehovah and to get baptized is the most important decision you will ever make. So it does take time, careful thought, and diligent effort to get ready. w23.03 10:18-20

At his anointing, Jesus became the primary part of the offspring of the woman. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, God “crowned him with glory and honor” and gave him “all authority . . . in heaven and on the earth,” including the authority “to break up the works of the Devil.” (Heb. 2:7; Matt. 28:18; 1 John 3:8) But there would be a secondary part of the offspring. The apostle Paul identified this part of the offspring when he told both Jewish and Gentile anointed Christians: “If you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s offspring, heirs with reference to a promise.” (Gal. 3:28, 29) When Jehovah anoints a Christian with holy spirit, that person becomes part of the offspring of the woman. So the offspring is made up of Jesus Christ and his 144,000 corulers. (Rev. 14:1) All of these reflect the spirit of their Father, Jehovah God. w22.07 30:8-9

We expect to face trials during these last days. (2 Tim. 3:1) At such times, we may feel distressed and overwhelmed, especially if it seems that we are facing one trial after another or even several trials all at once. Remember, though, that Jehovah is watching over us, and with his help we can face any trial with confidence. Consider how Jehovah helped the faithful man Job. He experienced several distressing trials in a short period of time. In one day, Job learned about violent and shocking events that cost him his livestock, killed his servants and, even worse, took the lives of his beloved children. (Job 1:13-19) Soon after, while still dealing with his immense grief, Job was afflicted with a painful and disfiguring disease. (Job 2:7) Jehovah was watching over Job. Because Jehovah loved Job, He gave him what he needed to endure his trials successfully. w22.08 33:8-10

Discipline can be emotionally painful. We may feel that it is not justified or that it is too harsh. As a result, we may miss out on something special​—seeing the discipline as an expression of Jehovah’s love for us. (Heb. 12:5, 11) So accept discipline, and make the needed adjustments. More than once, Jesus corrected Peter in front of the other apostles. (Mark 8:33; Luke 22:31-34) What a humbling experience! However, Peter remained loyal to Jesus. He accepted the discipline and learned from his mistakes. Consequently, Jehovah rewarded Peter’s loyalty and assigned him weighty responsibilities in the congregation. (John 21:15-17; Acts 10:24-33; 1 Pet. 1:1) We benefit ourselves and others when we see beyond the embarrassment of the discipline, accept the correction, and make the needed adjustments. When we do so, we become even more useful to Jehovah and to our brothers. w22.11 48:6-7

Abraham knew that Jehovah would never do anything unrighteous or unloving. According to the apostle Paul, Abraham reasoned that Jehovah would be able to resurrect his dear son Isaac. (Heb. 11:17-19) After all, Jehovah had promised that Isaac would father a nation, and at that point, Isaac had no children. Abraham loved Jehovah, so he trusted that his Father would act with righteousness. In faith he obeyed, difficult though it was. (Gen. 22:1-12) How can we imitate Abraham? Like him, we need to keep learning about Jehovah. As we do, we will draw closer to him and love him even more. (Ps. 73:28) Our conscience will be trained to reflect God’s thinking. (Heb. 5:14) As a result, when someone tries to tempt us to do something wrong, we will refuse. We will hate the very idea of doing anything that would bring pain to our Father and would damage our relationship with him. w22.08 36:11-12

On their return visit to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the apostle Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in each congregation.” (Acts 14:21-23) No doubt those appointed men proved to be a source of comfort to the congregations, as the elders are today. Elders, be alert to help those who may need “a good word” of encouragement. Paul reminded fellow worshippers that in Jehovah’s strength, “a great cloud of witnesses” had endured hardships. (Heb. 12:1) Paul understood how the life stories of those in the past who successfully endured all kinds of hardships could infuse his brothers and sisters with courage and help them keep focused on the “city of the living God.” (Heb. 12:22) The same is true today. Who has not been strengthened when reading about how Jehovah helped Gideon, Barak, David, Samuel, and many others?​—Heb. 11:32-35. w22.08 35:5-6

Based on what “deeds” will resurrected ones be judged? Will it be the deeds they practiced before they died? No! Remember, they were acquitted of their previous sins when they died. Here, then, “their deeds” cannot be deeds from their former life. Rather, these must refer to their deeds in response to their training in the new world. Even such faithful men as Noah, Samuel, David, and Daniel will have to learn about Jesus Christ and exercise faith in his sacrifice. How much more so will the unrighteous! What will be the final outcome for those who reject this marvelous opportunity? Revelation 20:15 tells us: “Whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.” Yes, they will be completely destroyed forever. How important it is, then, to make sure that our name is written in the book of life and that it remains there! w22.09 39:17-19

Many of the choices we make regarding our health and medical treatment are rightly determined by our Bible-trained conscience. (1 Tim. 3:9) When making decisions and discussing them with others, we do well to apply the principle recorded at Philippians 4:5: “Let your reasonableness become known to all men.” When we are reasonable, we do not become overly concerned with our physical health. We love and respect our brothers and sisters, even if the decisions they make are different from ours. (Rom. 14:10-12) We show our gratitude to Jehovah, the Source of life, by safeguarding our life and by giving him our best. (Rev. 4:11) For now, we must deal with sicknesses and calamities. But this is not the life our Creator intended for us. Soon he will give us everlasting life without pain and death. (Rev. 21:4) In the meantime, how good it is to be alive and to serve our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah! w23.02 9:17-18

Jehovah has clearly demonstrated his supremacy over “the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) Consider three examples. Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved Jehovah’s people and repeatedly refused to release them. But God set them free and drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea. (Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15) King Belshazzar of Babylon held a feast and “exalted [himself] against the Lord of the heavens” and “praised gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah. (Dan. 5:22, 23) But God humbled that arrogant man. On “that very night,” Belshazzar was killed and his kingdom was given into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. (Dan. 5:30, 31) King Herod Agrippa I of Palestine had the apostle James killed and then imprisoned the apostle Peter, with the intention of doing away with him. But Jehovah prevented Herod from carrying out his plan. “The angel of Jehovah struck him,” and he died.​—Acts 12:1-5, 21-23. w22.10 42:12

As we read about how Jehovah cared for those who were loyal to him in the past, our hope will grow ever stronger. Everything in God’s Word was “written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) Meditate on how Jehovah has kept his promises. Consider what God did for Abraham and Sarah. They reached the age when they could not have children. Yet, God promised them that they would have a child. (Gen. 18:10) How did Abraham react? The Bible says: “He had faith that he would become the father of many nations.” (Rom. 4:18) Even though from a human perspective the situation appeared hopeless, Abraham was confident that Jehovah would fulfill His promise. That faithful man was not disappointed. (Rom. 4:19-21) Such accounts teach us that we can always rely on Jehovah to fulfill his promises. w22.10 44:13-14

Those words were fulfilled when the Jews were released from captivity. Jehovah proved to be a Grand Instructor for them, and under his guidance, his people succeeded in restoring pure worship. We are blessed to have Jehovah as our Grand Instructor today. Isaiah describes us as students who are being taught by Jehovah, saying: “You will see your Grand Instructor with your own eyes.” In this illustration, the Instructor is depicted as standing in front of his students. We are privileged to benefit from his instruction today. How does Jehovah instruct us? By means of his organization. How thankful we are for the clear guidance we receive from that source! The instruction given at our meetings as well as through the publications, broadcasts, and many other means helps us during challenging times to endure with joy. w22.11 46:8-9

With regard to the timing of the end of the Jewish system of things and “the conclusion of the system of things” in which we now live, Jesus said: “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father.” Then he warned all his disciples to “keep awake” and to “keep on the watch.” (Mark 13:32-37) Jewish Christians in the first century had to remain watchful; their life depended on it. Jesus told his followers: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near.” At that moment, they were to heed Jesus’ warning and “begin fleeing to the mountains.” (Luke 21:20, 21) Those who paid attention to this warning survived when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Today we are living in the time of the end of this wicked system of things. So we too must keep our senses and keep on the watch. w23.02 8:1-3

Jehovah teaches his servants to be honest and righteous. They thus find a measure of dignity and inner peace. (Prov. 13:5, 6) Has he done that for you as you have studied the Bible? You have learned that Jehovah’s ways are best for all humankind and for you personally. (Ps. 77:13) So you want to take your stand for God’s righteousness. (Matt. 6:33) You want to defend truth and help to disprove the slander about our God, Jehovah. How can you do that? You can choose a life course that says, in effect: “I reject Satan’s lies, and I uphold the truth. I want Jehovah as my Sovereign, and I want to do what he says is right.” How do you take such a stand? Approach Jehovah in prayer and dedicate yourself to him and then make that dedication public by getting baptized. Love for what is true and right is a powerful motive for choosing to get baptized. w23.03 10:4-5

There is a kind of peace that this world knows nothing about. It is “the peace of God,” the calmness that comes from having a precious relationship with our heavenly Father. When we have the peace of God, we feel secure. (Phil. 4:6, 7) We enjoy close friendships with others who love him. And we enjoy a warm, personal relationship with “the God of peace.” (1 Thess. 5:23) When we know, trust, and obey our Father, the peace of God can calm our anxious heart when we are facing a troubling situation. Is it really possible to find the peace of God when we are faced with a crisis, such as a disease outbreak, a disaster, civil unrest, or persecution? Any one of these crises can fill us with fear. Happily, brothers and sisters have followed Jesus’ advice as mentioned in today’s text. With Jehovah’s help, they have been able to find peace while coping with severe trials. w22.12 51:1-2

We cannot control everything that happens in our life. Therefore, it is important that we do not measure our value by the privileges of service that we enjoy or compare our privileges with those that others enjoy. (Gal. 6:4) It is important that we look for ways in which we can be useful. Make yourself available for privileges of service by keeping your life simple and avoiding unnecessary debt. Set intermediate goals that will help you reach your long-term goals. For example, if your long-term goal is to become a regular pioneer, could you serve as a continuous auxiliary pioneer at present? If your goal is to serve as a ministerial servant, could you spend more time in field service? The experience you gain now may open the door to further privileges of service in the future. Be determined to do your best in any assignment you are given. w22.04 18:16-17

Jehovah can help us to cope with the challenges in our life and to find joy in our sacred service. When we approach our God about a matter that concerns us, Jehovah’s immediate response may be to give us the strength to cope with the situation. And if our trial does not end as soon as we had hoped, we may need to ask Jehovah repeatedly for the strength to endure it. He invites us to do so. That is implied by these words of Isaiah: “Do not give [Jehovah] any rest.” (Isa. 62:7) What does that mean? Our prayers to Jehovah should be so persistent that it is as if we were not allowing Jehovah to rest. Isaiah’s words remind us of Jesus’ illustrations about prayer found at Luke 11:8-10, 13. There Jesus encourages us to “keep on asking” for holy spirit. We can also beg Jehovah to provide the guidance we need in order to make proper decisions. w22.11 46:1, 6-7

You and your family can prepare now for persecution. Do not try to imagine all the bad things that could happen. Instead, strengthen your friendship with Jehovah and help your children to do the same. If at times you feel anxious, pour out your heart to God. (Ps. 62:7, 8) As a family, discuss all the reasons why you can trust in him. As in the case of a disaster, your personal preparation and your trust in Jehovah will instill in your children courage and peace. The peace of God makes us feel secure. (Phil. 4:6, 7) By means of it, Jehovah calms our heart despite the diseases, disasters, and persecution that can affect us today. He uses hardworking elders to shepherd us. And he gives all of us the privilege of helping one another. The peace that we enjoy now will equip us to face greater trials to come, even the “great tribulation.”​—Matt. 24:21. w22.12 52:17-18

We should strive to let go of guilt that we may feel because of serious sins committed in the past. Of course, we would never consider the ransom sacrifice to be an excuse to “practice sin willfully.” (Heb. 10:26-31) But we can rest assured that if we truly have repented of a serious sin, have sought the help Jehovah provides, and have changed our conduct, he has forgiven us in a large way. (Isa. 55:7; Acts 3:19) The ransom sacrifice is powerful enough to cover all our sins and will make life in Paradise possible. Life there will never be boring. We will always have interesting people to meet and meaningful work to do. Best of all, each day we will be able to come to know our heavenly Father better and enjoy what he has provided. We will never run out of things to learn about him, and there will be so much to learn about his creation. w22.12 50:17, 19

“The woman” could not have been Eve. The prophecy states that the offspring of the woman would “crush” the serpent’s head. The serpent is the spirit creature Satan, and no imperfect human offspring of Eve’s would have the ability to crush him. Something more was needed. The identity of the woman mentioned at Genesis 3:15 is revealed in the last book of the Bible. (Rev. 12:1, 2, 5, 10) This is no ordinary woman! She has the moon at her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She gives birth to a most unusual child​—the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is heavenly, so the woman must also be heavenly. She represents the heavenly part of Jehovah’s organization made up of his faithful spirit creatures. (Gal. 4:26) God’s Word also helps us to identify the primary offspring of the woman. This offspring was to be a natural descendant of Abraham.​—Gen. 22:15-18. w22.07 30:6-8

Jehovah’s gift, the Bible, is filled with his wisdom. The Bible’s counsel has a positive effect on people. The Bible changes lives. When the first books of the Bible were composed, Moses told God’s people, the Israelites: “This is no empty word for you, but it means your life.” (Deut. 32:47) Those who obeyed the Scriptures could enjoy a successful and happy life. (Ps. 1:2, 3) Time has not drained God’s Word of its power to improve people’s lives. The wise principles found in the Bible are everlasting; they have proved to be beneficial to people living in every time period. As we read that sacred book and meditate on what we learn, the Author uses his powerful holy spirit to help us see how we can apply the Bible’s counsel in our life. (Ps. 119:27; Mal. 3:16; Heb. 4:12) Yes, the Bible’s living Author is eager to help you. What an incentive to read the Bible regularly! w23.02 6:5-6

Revelation chapter 13 tells us that the seventh head, the Anglo-American World Power, acts as a wild beast with “two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon.” This beast “performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.” (Rev. 13:11-15) Revelation chapters 16 and 19 describe this wild beast as “the false prophet.” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20) Daniel mentions something similar, namely, that the Anglo-American World Power would “bring terrible destruction.” (Dan. 8:19, 23, 24, ftn.) That is exactly what happened during World War II. The two atomic bombs that played a decisive role in ending that war in the Pacific were the results of a joint effort by British and American scientists. The Anglo-American World Power, in effect, made “fire come down out of heaven to the earth.” w22.05 20:9