References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook
© 2024 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
MARCH 3-9
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 3
Demonstrate Trust in Jehovah
ijwbv article 14 ¶4-5
Proverbs 3:5, 6—“Lean Not on Your Own Understanding”
“Trust in Jehovah with all your heart.” We show that we trust God when we do things his way. We must trust God completely, with our whole heart. In the Bible, the heart usually refers to the inner self, which includes a person’s emotions, motivations, thinking, and attitude. Therefore, to trust God with all our heart involves more than our feelings. It is a choice we make because we are fully convinced that our Creator knows what is best for us.—Romans 12:1.
“Do not rely on your own understanding.” We need to trust God because we cannot depend on our own imperfect reasoning. If we rely solely on ourselves or let feelings alone determine our course, we might make choices that initially appear good but ultimately bring bad results. (Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 17:9) God’s wisdom is far superior to ours. (Isaiah 55:8, 9) When we are guided by his thinking, our lives will be successful.—Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 2:6-9; 16:20.
MARCH 10-16
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 4
“Safeguard Your Heart”
w19.01 15 ¶4
How Can You Safeguard Your Heart?
4 At Proverbs 4:23, the term “heart” is used to refer to “the inner person” or “secret self.” (Read Psalm 51:6 and footnote.) In other words, “heart” refers to our private thoughts, feelings, motives, and desires. It is who we really are on the inside, not just who we appear to be on the outside.
w19.01 17 ¶10-11
How Can You Safeguard Your Heart?
10 If we are to succeed in safeguarding our heart, we must be able to identify dangers and react quickly to protect ourselves. The word translated “safeguard” at Proverbs 4:23 reminds us of the work done by a watchman. In King Solomon’s day, watchmen stood guard on the walls of a city and sounded an alarm if they saw danger approaching. That mental picture helps us understand what we must do to stop Satan from corrupting our thinking.
11 In ancient times, watchmen worked closely with city gatekeepers. (2 Sam. 18:24-26) Together, they helped protect the city by making sure that the gates were closed whenever an enemy came near. (Neh. 7:1-3) Our Bible-trained conscience can act as our watchman and warn us when Satan tries to invade our heart—in other words, when he tries to influence our thoughts, feelings, motives, or desires. Whenever our conscience sounds the alarm, we need to listen and shut the gate, so to speak.
w19.01 18 ¶14
How Can You Safeguard Your Heart?
14 To safeguard our heart, we must not only close it to wrong influences but also open it to positive influences. Think again about the illustration of a walled city. A gatekeeper closed the gates of the city to stop an enemy invasion, but at other times he opened the gates to allow food and other supplies to be brought in. If the gates were never open, the inhabitants of the city would starve. Similarly, we need to open our heart regularly to the influence of God’s thinking.
MARCH 17-23
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 5
Stay Far Away From Sexual Immorality
w00 7/15 29 ¶1
You Can Remain Chaste in an Immoral World
In this proverb, the wayward person is portrayed as “a strange woman”—a prostitute. The words with which she seduces her victim are as sweet as comb honey and smoother than olive oil. Do not most immoral sexual advances begin this way? For example, consider the experience of an attractive 27-year-old secretary named Amy. She relates: “This man at work gives me a lot of attention and praises me at every opportunity. It feels nice to be noticed. But I can clearly see that his interest in me is strictly sexual. I am not going to be taken in by his advances.” The flattering words of a seducer or a seductress are usually attractive unless we recognize their true nature. For this we need to exercise our thinking ability.
MARCH 24-30
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 6
What Can We Learn From the Ant?
it-1 115 ¶1-2
Ant
‘Instinctive Wisdom.’ The ‘wisdom’ of the ants is not the product of intelligent reasoning but results from the instincts with which they are endowed by their Creator. The Bible makes reference to the ant as ‘preparing its food in the summer and gathering its supplies in the harvest.’ (Pr 6:8) One of the most common varieties of ants found in Palestine, the harvester, or agricultural, ant (Messor semirufus), stores up a large supply of grain in the spring and summer and makes use of it in seasons, including winter, when the obtaining of food becomes difficult. This ant is often found in the vicinity of threshing floors, where seeds and grain are plentiful. If rain causes dampness to reach the stored seeds, the harvester ant will thereafter carry the grains out into the sun for drying. It is even known to bite off the germ part of the seed so that it will not germinate while stored. Colonies of harvester ants are made conspicuous by well-worn paths as well as by seed husks that are left outside the entrance.
Exemplary Characteristics. Thus, a brief investigation of the ant gives force to the exhortation: “Go to the ant, you lazy one; see its ways and become wise.” (Pr 6:6) Not only is their instinctive preparing for the future notable but also their persistence and determination, often carrying or tenaciously dragging objects weighing twice their own weight or more, doing everything possible to fulfill their particular task, and refusing to turn back even though they may fall, slide, or roll down some steep precipice. Remarkably cooperative, they keep their nests very clean and show concern for their fellow workers, at times assisting injured or exhausted ants back to the nest.
APRIL 7-13
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 8
Listen to Wisdom Personified
cf 131 ¶7
“I Love the Father”
7 In verse 22, wisdom says: “Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago.” More than just wisdom must be involved here, for that quality never was “produced.” It never began to exist because Jehovah has always existed and he has always been wise. (Psalm 90:2) God’s Son, however, was “the firstborn of all creation.” He was produced, or created; he was the earliest of all of Jehovah’s achievements. (Colossians 1:15) The Son existed before the earth and the heavens, as described in Proverbs. And as the Word, God’s own Spokesman, he was the perfect expression of Jehovah’s wisdom.—John 1:1.
cf 131-132 ¶8-9
“I Love the Father”
8 How was the Son occupied during the vast expanse of time before he came to earth? Verse 30 tells us that he was beside God as “a master worker.” What does that mean? Colossians 1:16 explains: “By means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth . . . All other things have been created through him and for him.” So Jehovah, the Creator, worked through his Son, the Master Worker, to bring every other creation into existence—from the spirit creatures in the heavenly realm to the immense physical universe, to the earth with its wondrous variety of plant and animal life, to the pinnacle of earthly creation: humankind. In some respects, we might liken this cooperation between Father and Son to that of an architect working with a builder, or contractor, who specializes in bringing the architect’s ingenious designs to reality. When we are awed by any facet of creation, we are actually giving credit to the Great Architect. (Psalm 19:1) However, we may also call to mind the long and happy collaboration between the Creator and his “master worker.”
9 When two imperfect humans work closely together, they sometimes have a difficult time getting along. Not so with Jehovah and his Son! The Son worked for aeons with the Father and is quoted as saying: “I rejoiced before him all the time.” (Proverbs 8:30) Yes, he delighted in his Father’s company, and the feeling was mutual. Naturally, the Son grew ever more like his Father, learning to imitate God’s qualities. No wonder, then, that the bond between Father and Son became so strong! It can rightly be called the oldest and strongest bond of love in the whole universe.
w09 4/15 31 ¶14
Appreciating Jesus—The Greater David and the Greater Solomon
14 Only one human clearly surpassed Solomon in wisdom. That was Jesus Christ, who described himself as “something more than Solomon.” (Matt. 12:42) Jesus spoke “sayings of everlasting life.” (John 6:68) For example, the Sermon on the Mount expands on the principles of some of Solomon’s proverbs. Solomon described a number of things that bring happiness to a worshipper of Jehovah. (Prov. 3:13; 8:32, 33; 14:21; 16:20) Jesus emphasized that true happiness stems from things that are related to the worship of Jehovah and the fulfillment of God’s promises. He said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.” (Matt. 5:3) Those who apply the principles found in Jesus’ teachings are drawn closer to Jehovah, “the source of life.” (Ps. 36:9; Prov. 22:11; Matt. 5:8) Christ embodies “the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:24, 30) As the Messianic King, Jesus Christ has “the spirit of wisdom.”—Isa. 11:2.
APRIL 14-20
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 9
w01 5/15 30 ¶1-2
‘By Wisdom Our Days Will Become Many’
A wise person’s response to reproof is opposite to that of a ridiculer. Solomon states: “Give a reproof to a wise person and he will love you. Give to a wise person and he will become still wiser.” (Proverbs 9:8b, 9a) A wise person knows that “no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:11) Although the counsel may seem painful, why should we retaliate or be defensive if accepting it is going to make us wiser?
“Impart knowledge to someone righteous and he will increase in learning,” continues the wise king. (Proverbs 9:9b) No one is too wise or too old to keep learning. What a delight it is to see even those in their twilight years accept the truth and make a dedication to Jehovah! May we also endeavor to retain the will to learn and keep the mind active.
w01 5/15 30 ¶5
‘By Wisdom Our Days Will Become Many’
Putting forth effort to gain wisdom is our personal responsibility. Emphasizing this fact, Solomon states: “If you have become wise, you have become wise in your own behalf; and if you have ridiculed, you will bear it, just you alone.” (Proverbs 9:12) The wise one is wise to his own benefit, and the ridiculer alone is to blame for his own suffering. Indeed, we reap what we sow. May we, then, “pay attention to wisdom.”—Proverbs 2:2.
APRIL 21-27
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 10
What Makes for a Truly Rich Life?
w01 7/15 25 ¶1-3
‘Blessings Are for the Righteous One’
The righteous one is blessed in yet another way. “The one working with a slack hand will be of little means, but the hand of the diligent one is what will make one rich. The son acting with insight is gathering during the summertime; the son acting shamefully is fast asleep during the harvest.”—Proverbs 10:4, 5.
Particularly meaningful are the king’s words to workers during the harvest. The harvest season is not a time for slumber. It is a time for diligence and long hours. Indeed, it is a time of urgency.
Having in mind the harvest, not of grain, but of people, Jesus told his disciples: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest [Jehovah God] to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38) In the year 2000, over 14 million attended the Memorial of Jesus’ death—more than twice the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Who, then, can deny that ‘the fields are white for harvesting’? (John 4:35) True worshipers ask the Master for more workers while exerting themselves vigorously in the disciple-making work in harmony with their prayers. (Matthew 28:19, 20) And how richly Jehovah has blessed their efforts! During the 2000 service year, over 280,000 new ones were baptized. These also endeavor to become teachers of God’s Word. May we experience joy and satisfaction in this harvest season by having a full share in the disciple-making work.
it-1 340
Blessing
Jehovah Blessing Humans. “The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.” (Pr 10:22) Jehovah blesses those whom he approves by protecting, prospering, guiding, giving success, and supplying their needs, with a beneficial outcome for them.
APRIL 28–MAY 4
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 11
Don’t Say It!
w02 5/15 26 ¶4
Integrity Leads the Upright Ones
The integrity of the upright and the wickedness of evildoers also have an effect on other people. “By his mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin,” says the king of Israel, “but by knowledge are the righteous rescued.” (Proverbs 11:9) Who will deny that slander, harmful gossip, obscene talk, and idle chatter are damaging to others? A righteous one’s speech, on the other hand, is pure, well-thought out, and considerate. By knowledge he is rescued because his integrity furnishes him with the points of reasoning needed to show that his accusers are lying.
w02 5/15 27 ¶2-3
Integrity Leads the Upright Ones
Townspeople who follow an upright course promote peace and well-being and build up others in the community. Thus, a town is exalted—it prospers. Those who speak slanderous, hurtful, and wrong things cause unrest, unhappiness, disunity, and trouble. This is particularly so if these individuals are in a position of influence. Such a town suffers disorder, corruption, and moral and perhaps economic deterioration.
The principle stated at Proverbs 11:11 applies with equal force to Jehovah’s people as they associate with one another in their townlike congregations. A congregation in which spiritual people—upright ones led by their integrity—have influence is an assembly of happy, active, and helpful people, bringing honor to God. Jehovah blesses the congregation, and it prospers spiritually. Here and there, the few who may be disgruntled and dissatisfied, who find fault and speak bitterly about the way things are done, are like a “poisonous root” that can spread and poison others who initially were unaffected. (Hebrews 12:15) Such ones often want more authority and prominence. They stir up rumors that there is injustice, ethnic prejudice, or the like, in the congregation or on the part of the elders. Their mouth, indeed, can cause a division in the congregation. Should we not turn a deaf ear to their talk and strive to be spiritual people who contribute to peace and unity in the congregation?