Chapter 17
Faendem Ples for Stap Safe Midlwan Long Pipol Bilong God
1, 2. Hao nao living bilong olketa man hem olsem pipol wea stap long ples wea cyclone hem spoelem?
TINGIM sapos wanfela bigfela cyclone hem barava spoelem ples wea yu stap. Hem pisisim every bit haos bilong yu, and yu lusim every samting wea yu garem. Kaikai hem short. Luk olsem no any hope hem stap nao. Then, sek nomoa olketa relief supply kam. They provide-im staka kaikai and kaleko. They buildim wanfela niufela haos for yu. Tru nao, bae yu ting hae tumas long man wea givim olketa samting hia.
2 Sem samting hem happen distaem. Olsem datfela cyclone, taem Adam and Eve they no obey, diswan hem spoelem olketa man long bigfela way. Paradaes hom bilong olketa man hem lus. Start kam long datfela taem, olketa gavman bilong man they fail for helpem pipol from war, raf fashion, and fashion wea no followim justice. Religion hem mekem planti pipol hangre for gudfela spiritual kaikai. But, long spiritual way, Jehovah God hem givim kaikai, kaleko, and haos. Hao nao hem duim datwan?
“FAITHFUL AND WISE SLAVE”
3. Hao nao Jehovah provide-im samting for olketa man, and olketa wanem example nao showim aot diswan?
3 Planti taem, wanfela sekson nao garem work for givim aot olketa relief supply, and Jehovah hem duim sem samting tu for givim aot olketa spiritual samting for pipol bilong hem. For example, olketa Israelite they “kongregeson bilong Jehovah” for samting olsem 1,500 year. Midlwan long them hem olketa pipol wea God use-im for teachim Law bilong hem. (1 Chronicles 28:8; 2 Chronicles 17:7-9) Long first century C.E., Jehovah startim Kristian organization. They startim olketa kongregeson, and they work under long governing body wea olketa aposol and older man they insaed. (Acts 15:22-31) Olsem distaem tu, Jehovah deal withim pipol bilong hem thru long wanfela sekson wea organize. Hao nao yumi savvy long datwan?
4. Hu nao show aot they “faithful and wise slave” distaem, and hao nao God givim aot olketa spiritual samting bilong hem?
4 Jesus say long taem bilong presence bilong hem long Kingdom rul, “faithful and wise slave” bae provide-im “kaikai long proper taem” for olketa follower bilong Hem. (Matthew 24:45-47) Taem Jesus kamap King long heven long 1914, hu nao datfela “slave”? Hem barava no olketa bigman bilong Kristendom. Klosap everywan long them go ahed for feedim olketa sheepsheep bilong them withim any kaen toktok wea supportim gavman bilong olketa seleva long World War I. But wanfela grup bilong olketa trufela Kristian wea holy spirit bilong God nao anointim and wea part bilong datfela sekson wea Jesus kolem “little flock,” they nao givim aot proper spiritual kaikai long barava taem. (Luke 12:32) Olketa anointed Kristian hia they preach abaotem Kingdom bilong God and no abaotem olketa gavman bilong man. From datwan, insaed olketa year wea go finis, planti million “otherfela sheepsheep” wea garem stretfela feeling for duim samting they joinim anointed “slave” for followim trufela religion. (John 10:16) God use-im datfela ‘faithful slave’ and Governing Body bilong hem distaem, for leadim pipol bilong hem wea organize for readyim spiritual kaikai, kaleko, and haos for everywan wea wantim olketa samting hia.
“KAIKAI LONG PROPER TAEM”
5. Hao nao spiritual saed long world distaem, but wanem nao Jehovah duim abaotem diswan?
5 Jesus hem say olsem: “Man hem no savvy laef long bred nomoa, but long every toktok wea kamaot from mouth bilong Jehovah.” (Matthew 4:4) But, sorry tumas, staka pipol they no want for listen long olketa toktok bilong God. Olsem profet bilong Jehovah, Amos, hem talem, “wanfela bigfela hangre, no for bred, and way for thirsty, no for wata, but for herem olketa toktok bilong Jehovah” hem stap. (Amos 8:11) Nomata pipol wea strong long religion bilong them, they barava hangre long spiritual way. But, will bilong Jehovah hem for “every different kaen man for kasem laef and stretfela savvy bilong truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3, 4) Dastawe, hem provide-im staka spiritual kaikai. But wea nao yumi savvy kasem diswan?
6. Hao nao Jehovah feedim pipol bilong hem long spiritual way long olketa taem bifor?
6 Everytaem long history, Jehovah hem givim spiritual kaikai long pipol bilong hem olsem wanfela grup. (Isaiah 65:13) For example, olketa Israelite priest hipim ap olketa man, woman, and pikinini for teachim Law bilong God long them olsem wanfela grup. (Deuteronomy 31:9, 12) Under long lead bilong governing body, olketa Kristian long first century they organize-im olketa kongregeson and havem olketa meeting for teachim and encouragim everywan. (Romans 16:5; Philemon 1, 2) Olketa Jehovah’s Witness followim disfela example. Mifela invite-im yu for attendim every meeting bilong them.
7. Hao nao way for attendim everytaem olketa Kristian meeting hem join withim savvy and faith?
7 Hem tru, maet yu learnim planti samting taem yu studyim Bible seleva. Maet wanfela Witness helpem yu. (Acts 8:30-35) But maet faith bilong yu hem olsem wanfela plant wea bae kamap drae and dae sapos no anywan luk aftarem gud. So, yu mas kasem gudfela spiritual kaikai. (1 Timothy 4:6) Olketa Kristian meeting they everytaem provide-im wanfela program for feedim yu long spiritual way and for helpem yu grow long faith taem yu kasem moa savvy bilong God.—Colossians 1:9, 10.
8. Why nao hem gud for attendim olketa meeting bilong olketa Jehovah’s Witness?
8 Olketa meeting they givim narafela important samting. Paul hem raet olsem: “Yumi mas tingim each other for muvim each other for show aot love and duim olketa gudfela work, no lusim fashion for hipap tugeta.” (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Greek word wea they transletim “for muvim” savvy meanim tu “for mekem kamap sharp.” Wanfela proverb use-im tok piksa and say: “Iron seleva savvy mekem iron kamap sharp. So wanfela man savvy mekem face bilong narafela man kamap sharp tu.” (Proverbs 27:17) Yumi everywan needim samwan for ‘sharpenim’ yumi everytaem. Olketa hevi from world everyday savvy mekem faith bilong yumi no sharp. Taem yumi attendim olketa Kristian meeting, everywan encouragim each other. (Romans 1:11, 12) Olketa member bilong kongregeson they followim kaonsel bilong aposol Paul for “go ahed for givim comfort long each other and buildim ap each other,” and olketa samting olsem nao savvy mekem faith bilong yumi kamap sharp. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Way for kam olawe long olketa Kristian meeting show aot tu hao yumi love-im God, and diswan givim yumi chance for praisim hem.—Psalm 35:18.
“HAVEM LOVE OLSEM KALEKO LONG YUFELA SELEVA”
9. Hao nao Jehovah givim example for showim aot love?
9 Paul raet olsem: “Havem love olsem kaleko long yufela seleva, from hem nao perfect way for garem wan mind.” (Colossians 3:14) Jehovah hem kaen tumas for provide-im disfela kaleko for yumi. Long wanem way? Olketa Kristian savvy showim aot love bikos hem wanfela fruit bilong holy spirit bilong Jehovah. (Galatians 5:22, 23) Jehovah seleva showim aot barava bigfela love taem hem sendem only Son bilong hem mekem yumi savvy kasem laef olawe. (John 3:16) Disfela nambawan way for showim aot love hem example for yumi long way for showim aot disfela fashion. Aposol John hem raet olsem: “Sapos diswan nao way wea God love-im yumi, then yumi seleva mas love-im each other tu.”—1 John 4:11.
10. Hao nao yumi savvy kasem gudfela samting from “every brata”?
10 Way wea yu attendim olketa meeting long Kingdom Hall bae givim yu gudfela chance for showim aot love. Long there yu bae meetim planti different kaen pipol. Yes, yu bae kwiktaem want for fren withim planti pipol long there. Hem tru, no everywan wea servim Jehovah they semsem. Maet bifor, yu no laek for story withim pipol wea no interest long sem samting olsem yu or wea garem different way bilong them. But, olketa Kristian mas “garem love for every brata.” (1 Peter 2:17) So, mekem olsem goal bilong yu for savvy long olketa long Kingdom Hall—and olketa wea different from yu long age, way bilong them, color skin, or education. Bae yu faendem hao each wan hem garem samfela gudfela fashion.
11. Why nao yu mas no worry long olketa different way bilong pipol bilong Jehovah?
11 Way wea planti insaed long kongregeson they different hem no samting for worry long hem. For example, tingim sapos staka truck they go-go withim yu long wanfela road. No everywan they speed semsem, and everywan they different. Samfela they go for planti mile, but olsem yu, samfela they just start nomoa for go-go. But, nomata they different olsem, everywan they go long datfela road. Hem semsem withim olketa insaed long wanfela kongregeson. No everywan they mekem grow olketa Kristian fashion long sem way. And tu, everywan no semsem long body or feeling. Samfela they worshipim Jehovah for planti year finis; samfela they just start. But, everywan they go long sem road for kasem laef olawe, they “barava garem wan mind withim sem tingting.” (1 Corinthians 1:10) So, luk long olketa gudfela fashion and no olketa weak point bilong olketa insaed long kongregeson. Heart bilong yu bae hapi taem yu duim datwan, from yu bae luksavvy God hem really stap midlwan long pipol hia. And long hia nao yu want for stap.—1 Corinthians 14:25.
12, 13. (a) Sapos samwan insaed long kongregeson hem mekem yu feel no gud, wanem nao yu savvy duim? (b) Why nao hem important for no keepim kros?
12 From every man they no perfect, samfela taem samwan insaed long kongregeson maet talem or duim samting wea mekem yu feel no gud. (Romans 3:23) Disaepol James hem raetem disfela tru samting: “Yumi everywan fall daon staka taem. Sapos anywan hem no fall daon long toktok, hem wanfela perfect man nao.” (James 3:2) Wanem nao yu bae duim sapos samwan hem mekem yu feel no gud? Wanfela proverb long Bible hem say: “Way for meanim samting hem mekem kros bilong man for go daon, and hem luk nice tumas taem hem forgivim sin.” (Proverbs 19:11) For meanim samting hem meanim for luk go deep insaed long wanfela samting, for luksavvy long olketa samting wea mekem wanfela man talem or duim samting. Planti long yumi garem bigfela way for meanim samting taem yumi laek for faendem excuse for olketa mistek bilong yumi seleva. Waswe, hem gud tu for garem diswan for luksavvy and coverim olketa rong bilong otherfela pipol?—Matthew 7:1-5; Colossians 3:13.
13 Yu mas nating forgetim hao yumi mas forgivim otherfela pipol sapos yumi wantim Jehovah for forgivim yumi. (Matthew 6:9, 12, 14, 15) Sapos yumi followim truth, yumi bae deal withim otherfela pipol long loving way. (1 John 1:6, 7; 3:14-16; 4:20, 21) So, sapos yu kasem wanfela problem withim samwan insaed long kongregeson, faet againstim way for keepim kros. Sapos yu havem love olsem kaleko, yu bae trae for stretem datfela problem, and yu bae no hold back for say sorry sapos yu nao startim datfela problem.—Matthew 5:23, 24; 18:15-17.
14. Wanem nao samfela fashion wea yumi mas havem olsem kaleko?
14 Spiritual kaleko bilong yumi mas garem olketa otherfela fashion wea barava join withim love. Paul raet olsem: “Havem olsem kaleko long yufela seleva fashion for feel sorry and care, kaenfela fashion, humble long mind, kwaet fashion, and long-suffering.” Olketa fashion hia, wea insaed long love, they part bilong “niufela fashion” wea kam from God. (Colossians 3:10, 12) Waswe, bae yu work hard for havem disfela kaleko? Sapos yu havem love for olketa brata, yu bae garem wanfela mark bilong olketa disaepol bilong Jesus, from hem say: “From disfela samting everywan bae savvy yufela nao olketa disaepol bilong mi, sapos yufela garem love midlwan long yufela seleva.”—John 13:35.
PLES FOR STAP SAFE
15. Long wanem way nao kongregeson hem olsem wanfela safe ples?
15 Kongregeson hem olsem wanfela haos tu, wanfela ples for haed wea yu savvy feel safe. Insaed long hem yu bae faendem pipol wea garem honest heart wea trae hard for duim samting wea stret long eye bilong God. Planti long olketa they lusim finis olketa badfela samting wea yu tu maet trae hard for winim. (Titus 3:3) They savvy helpem yu, from yumi kasem komand for “go ahed for karem hevi bilong each other.” (Galatians 6:2) But, for followim every bit way wea lead go long laef olawe hem responsibility bilong yuseleva nao. (Galatians 6:5; Philippians 2:12) Nomata olsem, Jehovah hem provide-im Kristian kongregeson olsem nambawan samting for givim help and support. Nomata olketa problem bilong yu they big tumas, yu garem wanfela nambawan samting for helpem yu—wanfela loving kongregeson wea bae supportim yu long taem bilong trabel or problem.—Lukim Luke 10:29-37; Acts 20:35.
16. Wanem help nao olketa elder insaed long kongregeson savvy givim?
16 Olketa wea bae supportim yu tu they “olketa present olsem man”—olketa appointed elder long kongregeson, or ovaseer, wea willing and really want for shepherdim olketa sheepsheep. (Ephesians 4:8, 11, 12; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2, 3) Isaiah hem profesi olsem abaotem them: “Each wan mas kamap olsem wanfela ples for haed from wind and wanfela ples for haed from bigfela rain, olsem wata wea ran insaed ples wea hem drae, olsem shadow bilong wanfela bigfela stone long hotfela ples.”—Isaiah 32:2.
17. (a) Wanem kaen help nao Jesus hem barava want for givim? (b) Wanem samting nao God promis for givim long pipol bilong hem?
17 Taem Jesus hem stap long earth, olketa bigman bilong religion they no showim aot loving way for luk aftarem pipol. Living bilong olketa pipol barava muvim hem, and hem really want for helpem them long spiritual way. Jesus feel sorry long them bikos “they olsem olketa sheepsheep wea garekil from they no garem any shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) Diswan hem barava fitim samting wea kasem planti pipol distaem wea garem olketa no gud problem and no garem anywan for tan go long hem for kasem comfort and help long spiritual way! But pipol bilong Jehovah they garem help long spiritual way, from hem promis olsem: “Mi bae raisim ap ovarem them olketa shepherd wea bae shepherdim them; and they bae no fraet moa, and they bae no kasem barava bigfela fraet, and no anywan bae lus.”—Jeremiah 23:4.
18. Why nao yumi mas askim wanfela elder sapos yumi needim help long spiritual way?
18 Fren gud withim olketa elder insaed long kongregeson. They garem planti experience long way for followim savvy bilong God, from they kasem olketa mark for ovaseer wea stap insaed long Bible. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) No hold back for go and askim wanfela long olketa sapos yu needim help long spiritual way for winim wanfela fashion wea againstim samting wea God wantim. Yu bae lukim way wea olketa elder they followim disfela kaonsel bilong Paul: “Tok kaen long olketa soul wea feel sorry, supportim olketa wea weak, show aot long-suffering long everywan.”—1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8; 5:14.
ENJOYIM SAFE LIVING WITHIM PIPOL BILONG JEHOVAH
19. Wanem blessing nao Jehovah givim long olketa wea lukaotem ples for stap safe insaed long organization bilong hem?
19 Nomata yumi garem laef wea no perfect distaem, Jehovah provide-im spiritual kaikai, kaleko, and haos. Hem tru, yumi mas wait for niu world wea God promisim for kasem olketa gudfela samting bilong paradaes earth. But distaem olketa wea part long organization bilong Jehovah they enjoyim safe living long wanfela spiritual paradaes. Ezekiel hem profesi olsem abaotem them: “They bae garem safe living, and no anywan bae mekem them seksek.”—Ezekiel 34:28; Psalm 4:8.
20. Hao nao Jehovah bae change-im back any samting wea yumi maet lusim for saed bilong worship bilong hem?
20 Yumi thankyu tumas long Jehovah for provide-im olketa spiritual samting long loving way thru long Word and organization bilong hem! Kam klosap long pipol bilong God. No hold back for duim diswan from yu fraet long tingting bilong olketa fren and wantok abaotem way wea yu kasem savvy bilong God. Samfela maet no agree bikos yu kampani withim olketa Jehovah’s Witness and attendim olketa meeting long Kingdom Hall. But God bae change-im back long bigfela way any samting wea yu lusim for saed bilong worship bilong hem. (Malachi 3:10) And tu, Jesus say: “No anywan wea lusim haos or brata or sista or mami or dadi or pikinini or gaden for saed bilong mi and for saed bilong gud nius bae no garem wan hundred taem moa long distaem, olketa haos and brata and sista and mami and pikinini and gaden, withim persecution, and long system wea bae kam laef olawe.” (Mark 10:29, 30) Yes, nomata wanem samting yu lusim bihaen or mas stand strong long hem, yu savvy faendem gudfela way for fren and spiritual living wea safe midlwan long pipol bilong God.
TESTIM SAVVY BILONG YU
Hu nao “faithful and wise slave”?
Wanem samting nao Jehovah provide-im for feedim yumi long spiritual way?
Hao nao olketa insaed long Kristian kongregeson savvy helpem yumi?
[Full piksa long page 165]