References for “Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook”

References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook

JANUARY 1-7

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | JOB 32-33

Comfort Those Who Are Dealing With Anxiety

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Elihu

Elihu was impartial, not bestowing a flattering title on anyone. He recognized that he, like Job, was made of clay and that the Almighty was his Creator. Elihu had no intention of terrifying Job but spoke to him as a true friend, addressing Job by name, something that was not done by Eliphaz, Bildad, or Zophar.—Job 32:21, 22; 33:1, 6.

JANUARY 15-21

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | JOB 36-37

Why You Can Trust God’s Promise of Everlasting Life

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Can We Really Find God?

GOD’S ETERNAL EXISTENCE: The Bible teaches that God exists “from everlasting to everlasting.” (Psalm 90:2) In other words, God had no beginning and will have no end. From a human point of view, “the number of his years is beyond comprehension.”—Job 36:26.

How you benefit: God promises you everlasting life if you truly come to know him. (John 17:3) How reliable would such a promise be if God himself did not live forever? Only “the King of eternity” could fulfill such a promise.—1 Timothy 1:17.

JANUARY 29–FEBRUARY 4

Spiritual Gems

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Ridicule

Job was a man righteously maintaining his integrity through great ridicule. But he developed the wrong viewpoint and made a mistake, for which he was corrected. Elihu said of him: “What able-bodied man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?” (Job 34:7) Job became too concerned with his own justification rather than God’s, and he tended to magnify his own righteousness more than God’s. (Job 35:2; 36:24) In receiving the severe ridicule of his three “companions,” Job tended to count it directed toward himself rather than toward God. In this he was like a person who gives himself up to derision and ridicule and delights in it, taking it in as though he were drinking water with enjoyment. God later explained to Job that these ridiculers were actually (in the final analysis) speaking untruth against God. (Job 42:7) Similarly, Jehovah told the prophet Samuel when Israel demanded a king: “It is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected from being king over them.” (1Sa 8:7) And Jesus said to his disciples: “You will be objects of hatred by all the nations [not on your own account, but] on account of my name.” (Mt 24:9) Keeping these things in mind will enable the Christian to endure ridicule in the right spirit and will qualify him to receive a reward for his endurance.—Lu 6:22, 23.

FEBRUARY 26–MARCH 3

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PSALMS 11-15

Picture Yourself in God’s Peaceful New World

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Is a World Free of Violence Possible?

The Bible promises that God will soon cleanse this earth of violence. Today’s violent world is facing God’s “day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.” (2 Peter 3:5-7) No more will violent people make others suffer. How can we be sure that God wants to intervene and eradicate violence?

God “hates anyone who loves violence,” says the Bible. (Psalm 11:5) The Creator loves peace and justice. (Psalm 33:5; 37:28) That is why he will not tolerate violent people forever.