References for “Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook”

References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook

MARCH 3-9

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 3

Demonstrate Trust in Jehovah

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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.

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Proverbs 3:5, 6—“Lean Not on Your Own Understanding”

“In all your ways take notice of him.” We should get God’s viewpoint in every significant aspect of our life and in every important decision we make. We do this by praying to him for guidance and by following what he says in his Word, the Bible.—Psalm 25:4; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

“He will make your paths straight.” God makes our path straight by helping us to live by his righteous standards. (Proverbs 11:5) We thus avoid needless pitfalls and enjoy a much happier life.—Psalm 19:7, 8; Isaiah 48:17, 18.

MARCH 17-23

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 5

Stay Far Away From Sexual Immorality

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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.

Spiritual Gems

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You Can Remain Chaste in an Immoral World

Solomon thus emphasizes the high price of succumbing to immorality. Adultery and loss of dignity, or self-respect, go hand in hand. Is it not truly humiliating to serve merely as a means of satisfying our own immoral passion or that of someone else? Does it not show a lack of self-respect to indulge in sexual intimacy with someone who is not our marriage mate?

MARCH 24-30

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 6

What Can We Learn From the Ant?

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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

Spiritual Gems

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‘Wisdom Is Calling Out’—Can You Hear It?

▪ The Bible is “the most widely distributed book in history,” says The World Book Encyclopedia. “It has been translated more times, and into more languages, than any other book.” In whole or in part, the Bible is now available in nearly 2,600 languages, making it accessible to over 90 percent of the human family.

▪ Wisdom also “keeps crying out loudly” in a more literal sense. At Matthew 24:14, we read: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end [of the present world] will come.”

APRIL 14-20

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 9

Be a Wise Person, Not a Ridiculer

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‘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.

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‘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?

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‘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.

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Walk in ‘the Path of Uprightness’

Solomon points to the importance of righteousness. He says: “The valuable things of a rich man are his strong town. The ruin of the lowly ones is their poverty. The activity of the righteous one results in life; the produce of the wicked one results in sin.”—Proverbs 10:15, 16.

Riches can serve as a protection against some uncertainties in life, just as a fortified town provides a degree of security to those who reside in it. And poverty can be ruinous when there are unexpected developments. (Ecclesiastes 7:12) However, the wise king could also be hinting at a danger involving both wealth and poverty. A rich man may be inclined to put his complete trust in his wealth, imagining that his valuable things are “like a protective wall.” (Proverbs 18:11) And a poor person may mistakenly take the view that his poverty makes his future hopeless. Thus, both fail to make a good name with God.

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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.

Spiritual Gems

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The Joys of Walking in Integrity

¹⁸ “The blessing of Jehovah”—that is what has given spiritual prosperity to his people. And we are assured that “he adds no pain with it.” (Proverbs 10:22) Why, then, do tests and trials befall many of God’s loyal ones, causing them much pain and suffering? Difficulties and distress come our way for three main reasons. (1) Our own sinful inclination. (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; James 1:14, 15) (2) Satan and his demons. (Ephesians 6:11, 12) (3) The wicked world. (John 15:19) While Jehovah permits bad things to happen to us, he is not the originator of them. In fact, “every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the celestial lights.” (James 1:17) Jehovah’s blessings are without pain.

APRIL 28–MAY 4

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 11

Don’t Say It!

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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.

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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?