September

Bringing up a child in “the discipline and admonition of Jehovah” is one of the greatest privileges a Christian parent can have. (Ps. 127:3) Unlike children in the ancient nation of Israel, the children of Christian parents are not born as part of a people dedicated to Jehovah. Moreover, love for God and for truth is not inherited. From the day of their child’s birth, parents should have the intent to make a disciple, assisting their child to become a dedicated, baptized servant of Jehovah. What could be more important? After all, it is each individual’s dedication, baptism, and faithful service to God that will bring him in line for being marked for salvation during the coming great tribulation. (Matt. 24:13) May you parents experience the joy and satisfaction that result from seeing your children become dedicated, baptized servants of Jehovah. w18.03 2:16, 17

All who are authorized to give Scriptural discipline​—in the family or in the congregation—​are wise when they imitate Christ’s example. Indeed, their doing so reflects their desire to be molded by God and his Son. It would be difficult to enumerate all the blessings that result from accepting divine discipline and from imitating Jehovah and Jesus when disciplining others. At the very least, families and congregations become havens of peace. Individuals also feel truly loved, valued, and secure​—a foretaste of the blessings to come. (Ps. 72:7) Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that Jehovah’s discipline teaches us how to live together forever in peace and harmony as a family under his fatherly care. (Isa. 11:9) When we view divine discipline in that light, we will be more likely to appreciate it for what it truly is: beautiful evidence of God’s unmatched love for us. w18.03 4:15, 17, 19

Those submitting to John’s baptism did so as evidence of their repentance over sins against the Mosaic Law. (Matt. 3:1-6) It is noteworthy, however, that the most important baptism that John performed had nothing to do with repentance. John had the unique privilege of baptizing Jesus, the perfect human Son of God. (Matt. 3:13-17) Jesus was without sin, so he did not need to repent. (1 Pet. 2:22) His baptism symbolized the presenting of himself to do God’s will. (Heb. 10:7) During the course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, his disciples also performed baptisms. (John 3:22; 4:1, 2) Like those performed by John, these baptisms symbolized the individuals’ repentance over sins against the Mosaic Law. However, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, baptism would take on a much different meaning for his followers. w18.03 1:6, 7

What does it mean to be a “spiritual man”? A spiritual person is inclined toward God, the opposite of the physical person. Spiritually-minded individuals strive to “become imitators of God.” (Eph. 5:1) This means that they make an effort to have Jehovah’s thinking on matters and to look at things from his point of view. God is very real to them. In contrast with fleshly-minded individuals, they try to bring all their ways into harmony with Jehovah’s standards. (Ps. 119:33; 143:10) Rather than focus on fleshly works, the spiritually-minded person endeavors to show “the fruitage of the spirit.” (Gal. 5:22, 23) To clarify the expression “spiritually-minded” further, think of this comparison: An individual who is skillful in commercial affairs is said to be business-minded. Similarly, someone who keenly values spiritual or religious interests is called spiritually-minded. w18.02 3:3, 6

Daniel lived as a captive in Babylon, a city filled with idolatry and spiritism. Moreover, the Babylonians looked down on the Jews, mocking both them and their God, Jehovah. (Ps. 137:1, 3) How this must have hurt faithful Jews like Daniel! Food and drink soon became an issue because Daniel did not want to “defile himself with the king’s delicacies.” (Dan. 1:5-8, 14-17) A more subtle challenge for Daniel could have involved his exceptional abilities, which led to his receiving special privileges. (Dan. 1:19, 20) But instead of becoming arrogant and opinionated, he remained humble and modest, always giving due credit to Jehovah. (Dan. 2:30) In fact, it was while Daniel was still a young man that Jehovah counted him worthy of being mentioned as an example of righteousness, along with Noah and Job. (Ezek. 14:14) Was God’s confidence in Daniel misplaced? Not at all! Daniel stayed faithful and obedient to the very end of his life. w18.02 1:11, 12

Jesus displayed a perfectly balanced view of pleasures. He attended “a marriage feast” and “a big reception feast.” (John 2:1-10) At the wedding, he miraculously changed water into wine, adding to the supply, which had run short. Yet, Jesus did not immerse himself in a life of pleasure. He put Jehovah first and expended himself tirelessly in behalf of others. So that many might live, he willingly endured a painful death on a stake. Addressing those who would follow in his footsteps, Jesus said: “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake. Rejoice and be overjoyed, since your reward is great in the heavens.” (Matt. 5:11, 12) If we truly love God, we will be careful to avoid not only the things we know will displease him but also the things we merely suspect may displease him.​—Matt. 22:37, 38. w18.01 4:16-18

We give to Jehovah because of our love and appreciation for him. We are overwhelmed when we consider all that Jehovah has done in our behalf. King David acknowledged that everything we receive comes from Jehovah and that whatever we give to Jehovah is from what he has already given us. (1 Chron. 29:11-14) Giving is good for us. It is healthy for us to be generous givers and not just receivers. We may think of a child who gives a gift to his parents from the small allowance they have given him. How the parents appreciate this gift! A son or a daughter who may be pioneering and living at home may rightly give the parents some funds to assist with household expenses. Though the parents may not expect this, they may accept these gifts because it is a way for the child to show appreciation for all that they do for him. Likewise, Jehovah realizes that giving from our valuable things is good for us. w18.01 3:4, 6

More is involved than simply telling your children what is right and what is wrong. You would also do well to help them reason on such questions as: ‘Why does the Bible forbid things that can be appealing to the flesh? What convinces me that Bible standards are always for my own good?’ (Isa. 48:17, 18) A child who expresses interest in getting baptized should be helped to reason on yet another matter​—how he or she feels about the responsibilities that come with being a Christian. What are the benefits? What are the costs? How do the benefits greatly outweigh the costs? (Mark 10:29, 30) Those are issues that one is likely to face after baptism. Therefore, it is crucial to think these matters through before taking that serious step. When children are helped to consider these things deeply, they are more likely to develop a personal conviction. Which one? That Bible standards are always in their best interests. w17.12 3:14, 15

Many of you dear brothers and sisters are coping with serious illness. Others, although well along in years themselves, are caring for elderly relatives. Still others are struggling to provide, not luxury items, but just the basic necessities for their families. And we know that many are dealing with, not one, but several of such problems all at once! If Jehovah takes a personal interest in his inanimate creation, imagine how he feels about you who serve him, not because you have been programmed to do so, but because you love him! (Ps. 19:1, 3, 14) Our dear Father knows you through and through. “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered” by him. (Matt. 10:30) And the psalmist assures us: “Jehovah is aware of what the blameless go through.” (Ps. 37:18) Yes, he takes notice of the trials you face, and he can give you the strength to endure each one of them. w18.01 1:1, 4

Peter’s resurrection of Tabitha was so convincing that “many became believers in the Lord.” They could testify both in general about the Lord and specifically about Jehovah’s ability to raise the dead. (Acts 9:36-42) Others became eyewitnesses to another resurrection. One time, the apostle Paul was at a meeting in an upper room in Troas, in what is now northwest Turkey. Paul spoke till midnight. A young man named Eutychus was listening, seated at a window. But he dozed off and fell from the third story to the ground below. Perhaps the physician Luke was the first to reach Eutychus, and Luke made a medical assessment: Eutychus was not merely injured and unconscious​—he was dead! Paul came downstairs and embraced the corpse, and then he made the dramatic announcement: “He is alive.” What a profound impact that would have had on eyewitnesses! Knowing the facts and grasping that a resurrection had occurred, they “were comforted beyond measure.”​—Acts 20:7-12. w17.12 1:10, 11

Is mankind coming to grips with the problems that have plagued him for so long? Certainly, they have not learned to avoid war. Crimes, such as cybercrime, domestic violence, and terrorism, are increasing at an alarming rate. And death-dealing diseases still run rampant. The present economic and political systems are powered by selfish forces. Clearly, such forces cannot eliminate war, crime, disease, and poverty​—only God’s Kingdom can. Consider what Jehovah will do for mankind. War: God’s Kingdom will eliminate such deep-seated causes of war as selfishness, corruption, patriotism, false religion, and Satan himself. (Ps. 46:9) Crime: God’s Kingdom is already teaching millions to love and trust one another as no other government can. (Isa. 11:9) Disease: Jehovah will bless his people with perfect health. (Isa. 35:5, 6) Poverty: Jehovah will eliminate it and will provide his people with spiritual and physical prosperity.​—Ps. 72:12, 13. w17.11 4:14-16

A key purpose of the cities of refuge was to protect the Israelites from bloodguilt. Jehovah loves life, and he hates murderous “hands that shed innocent blood.” (Prov. 6:16, 17) A just and holy God, he could not ignore even accidental bloodshed. Unlike Jehovah, the scribes and Pharisees showed a careless disregard for life. How so? “You took away the key of knowledge,” Jesus told them. “You yourselves did not go in, and you hinder those going in!” (Luke 11:52) They were supposed to unlock the meaning of God’s Word and help others to walk on the road to eternal life. Instead, they directed people away from “the Chief Agent of life,” Jesus, leading them toward a course that could end in eternal destruction. (Acts 3:15) Proud and selfish, the scribes and Pharisees cared little for the life and welfare of their fellow humans. How cruel and unmerciful! w17.11 3:9, 10

At first, we may not have told our family about our association with Jehovah’s Witnesses. As our faith grew, though, we saw the need to be open about our beliefs. If your courageous stand has resulted in a problem between you and your non-Witness relatives, endeavor to have empathy for them. While we may be overjoyed about the Bible truths we have learned, our relatives may mistakenly believe that we have been tricked or have become part of a cult. They may think that we no longer love them because we do not celebrate holidays with them. They may even fear for our eternal welfare. We should show empathy by trying to see things from their viewpoint and by listening carefully to discern their real concerns. (Prov. 20:5) The apostle Paul endeavored to understand “people of all sorts” in order to share the good news with them, and a similar approach can help us as well.​—1 Cor. 9:19-23. w17.10 2:11, 12

Perhaps we are apprehensive about singing because we are unsure of how to sing. Yet, we can improve our singing by applying some basic suggestions. You can learn to sing with power and volume by breathing properly. Much as electricity powers a light bulb, breathing energizes your voice when you speak or sing. You should sing as loud as you speak or even louder than that. In fact, within the context of singing praises, the Scriptures sometimes direct Jehovah’s worshippers to “shout joyfully.” (Ps. 33:1-3) Try the following: Choose one of your favorite songs from our songbook. Read the lyrics out loud in a strong, confident voice. Next, using the same volume, say all the words from a single phrase of the song in one breath. Then sing the phrase, using the same vibrant voice. (Isa. 24:14) Your singing voice will become fuller, and that is a good thing. Do not let it scare you or embarrass you! w17.11 1:11-13

As the Jews traveled along, they no doubt spent many hours thinking about their new home. They had heard how beautiful the city of Jerusalem once was. The oldest ones among them had seen the former glory of the temple. (Ezra 3:12) If you had traveled with them, how would you have felt when you first caught sight of Jerusalem, your new home? Would you have been saddened when you saw the ruined buildings overgrown with weeds? Would you have compared the massive double walls of Babylon with Jerusalem’s broken-down walls, with large gaps where gates and watchtowers once stood? Yet, the people took heart. They had already seen Jehovah’s saving hand in their behalf throughout their long trip homeward. The first thing they did upon arriving was set up an altar on the site of the former temple, and they began to offer daily sacrifices to Jehovah.​—Ezra 3:1, 2. w17.10 4:2, 3

Solomon likely learned much about courage from his own father. David displayed tremendous courage when he confronted a battle-hardened giant. Yes, with God’s help and a smooth stone, David defeated Goliath. (1 Sam. 17:45, 49, 50) How appropriate it was later for David to urge Solomon to be courageous and construct the temple! Jehovah would be with him until the work of building the temple was finished. With his father’s words impressed on his mind and heart, Solomon did not allow his youth and inexperience to become an obstacle. He showed great courage, went to work, and with Jehovah’s help completed the magnificent temple in seven and a half years. As Jehovah helped Solomon, he can help us to be courageous and to accomplish our work, both in our family and in the congregation. (Isa. 41:10, 13) When we show courage in our worship of Jehovah, we can be confident of his blessing now and in the future. w17.09 5:3, 4, 20, 21

As Jehovah’s people, we have no doubt that God’s word, his message to humans, “is alive and exerts power.” Many of us are living proof of the Bible’s power to change lives. Some of our brothers and sisters were formerly thieves, drug addicts, or sexually immoral. Others enjoyed a measure of success in this system of things but felt that something was missing in their life. (Eccl. 2:3-11) Time and again, individuals who seemed hopelessly lost found their way to the path of life by means of the Bible’s transforming power. You have likely read and greatly enjoyed a number of these experiences as published in The Watchtower in the series “The Bible Changes Lives.” And you have seen that even after accepting the truth, Christians continue to make spiritual progress with the help of the Scriptures. w17.09 4:1

Does not that incident in Lot’s life demonstrate that Jehovah is fully aware of the difficult situations in which his faithful people sometimes find themselves? (Isa. 63:7-9; Jas. 5:11, ftn.; 2 Pet. 2:9) He has also taught his people the need to display compassion. Consider the law given to Israel regarding the seizing of a man’s garment as security for a loan. (Ex. 22:26, 27) A hard-hearted lender might have been tempted to seize the debtor’s garment, leaving him without a covering in which to sleep. Yet, Jehovah taught his people to avoid such an unfeeling attitude and course. His people were to be compassionate. Does not the principle reflected in that particular law move us to action? Would we want to leave our brothers out in the cold, so to speak, if there is something that we can do to relieve their suffering?​—Col. 3:12; Jas. 2:15, 16; 1 John 3:17. w17.09 2:4, 5

Jesus prayed that his Father forgive his executioners. What an outstanding example of mildness and patience under painful and stressful circumstances! (1 Pet. 2:21-23) How can we show mildness and patience? Paul mentioned one way when he wrote to fellow believers: “Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same.” (Col. 3:13) Indeed, it takes mildness and patience on our part to obey this command. But by being forgiving, we promote and preserve the unity in the congregation. Being clothed with mildness and patience is not optional for a Christian. It is an essential requirement for our salvation. (Matt. 5:5; Jas. 1:21) More important, by means of these qualities, we honor Jehovah and help others to heed the Bible’s counsel.​—Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24, 25. w17.08 4:15-17

As we search the Scriptures, time and again we find examples of Jehovah doing the unexpected. King Hezekiah lived at a time when King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah and captured all the fortified cities, with the exception of Jerusalem. (2 Ki. 18:1-3, 13) Then, Sennacherib turned his attention to Jerusalem. What did King Hezekiah do when faced with this imminent threat? He approached Jehovah in prayer and turned to Jehovah’s prophet Isaiah for advice. (2 Ki. 19:5, 15-20) Hezekiah also tried to show his reasonableness by paying the fine that Sennacherib imposed on him. (2 Ki. 18:14, 15) In time, Hezekiah made preparations for a long siege. (2 Chron. 32:2-4) But how was the situation resolved? Jehovah sent an angel to destroy 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers in one night. Truly, not even Hezekiah expected that to happen!​—2 Ki. 19:35. w17.08 2:7, 12

How can you plan to be a full-time Christian minister? More than anything, spiritual qualities will help you to be successful in serving Jehovah fully. So be diligent in your study of God’s Word, meditate deeply on its meaning, and look for ways to express your faith at congregation meetings. During your school years, you can acquire experience and skill as a preacher of the good news. Learn to be interested in people by tactfully asking their opinion and listening to their response. Also, you can offer to do things in the congregation, such as helping to clean and maintain the Kingdom Hall. Jehovah is pleased to use those who have a humble, willing spirit. (Ps. 110:3; Acts 6:1-3) The apostle Paul invited Timothy into missionary service because “he was well-reported-on by the brothers.”​—Acts 16:1-5. w17.07 4: 7 , 14

As long as the question of the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty remains unsettled in the minds of humans or angels, discord among nations, races, tribes, families, and individuals will exist. But after Jehovah’s sovereignty is vindicated, all will submit everlastingly to his righteous rule. Universal peace will be restored. (Eph. 1:9, 10) The rightfulness of God’s sovereignty will be vindicated and rule by Satan and humans will utterly fail and be removed. Rule by God through his Messianic Kingdom will succeed, and integrity-keepers will have proved that humans can take their stand for God’s rulership. (Isa. 45:24) Do you want to be among those who go on record as integrity-keeping supporters of Jehovah’s sovereignty? No doubt you do. To be integrity-keepers, we need to fix our eyes on that big issue and comprehend how important it really is. w17.06 3: 4, 5

The grieving process can vary greatly from person to person. Therefore, make yourself available, not just for the first few days when many friends and relatives are present, but in subsequent months when others have returned to their normal routine. Fellow Christians can be a source of profound comfort for someone for as long as it takes him or her to deal with grief. (1 Thess. 3:7) Remember that bereaved ones may experience pangs of grief triggered by anniversaries, certain music, photographs, activities, or even a specific smell, sound, or season of the year. Many things a bereaved marriage mate does alone for the first time​—such as attending an assembly or the Memorial—​can be particularly painful. Bear in mind, though, that bereaved ones need encouragement not only on special occasions. w17.07 2:17-19

Interestingly, when we show loving personal interest in others, we may actually let go of some of our own negative feelings. Sisters, married or unmarried, know for a fact that they find great joy in sharing the good news as fellow workers with God. Their goal is to honor God by doing his will. Some even view their participation in the ministry as therapy. Certainly, all of us contribute to a close bond in the congregation when we show concern for others, those in our territory and those in the congregation. The apostle Paul was a fine example. He became like “a nursing mother” to those in the Thessalonian congregation; he was also like a spiritual father. (1 Thess. 2:7, 11, 12) Young ones who learn to love the true God and to follow his counsel can become a source of comfort in a family. They can do so by showing respect for their parents and by helping in material ways. They can also make a valuable spiritual contribution. w17.06 1:13, 14, 17

No one disputes that billions of people are desperately poor, while others have enough wealth to last for many lifetimes. Jesus understood that the current economic system would not change until God’s Kingdom comes. Along with the political and religious elements, the greedy commercial system, represented by “the merchants” of Revelation 18:3, constitutes part of Satan’s world. Unlike the complete separation that God’s people maintain from politics and false religion, most cannot separate themselves completely from the commercial part of Satan’s world. As Christians, we do well to examine our view of today’s commercial system by asking ourselves such questions as these: ‘How can I use my material possessions to show faithfulness to God? How can I minimize involvement with the commercial world? What experiences show that God’s people fully trust in him in this challenging environment?’ w17.07 1:1-3

Jesus was keenly aware of the pressures associated with the anxieties of this system of things. In his illustration of the sower, Jesus said that some would accept “the word of the Kingdom” and make initial progress but that “the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches” would “choke the word.” (Matt. 13:19-22; Mark 4:19) Indeed, if we are not careful, the everyday concerns of life could entice our heart and cause us to slow down spiritually. We prove the depth of our love for Christ by putting the work he has given us to do in first place. How can we make sure that we continue to do so? From time to time, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Where does my true affection lie? Does most of my joy come from engaging in mundane activities or in spiritual activities?’ w17.05 4: 3, 4

When “foreign residents” live far from other Witnesses who speak their language, they need to associate with a local-language congregation. (Ps. 146:9) But if there is a congregation nearby that uses your mother tongue, the question arises: Which language congregation is best for your family? After careful thought and prayer and consultation with his mate and children, a family head must decide. (1 Cor. 11:3) Parents must evaluate their children’s needs realistically. Of course​—regardless of language—​to gain a firm grasp of the truth, a child needs much more than just a few hours of spiritual education each week at meetings. But consider this: At meetings conducted in the language they understand best, children may absorb instruction simply by being present, perhaps learning more than their parents realize. That may not be the case when children do not fully understand the language.​—1 Cor. 14:11. w17.05 2:10, 11

Each of us does well to ask himself: ‘Do I have the faith and courage to use whatever is at my disposal to carry out the clear command of Jehovah? If I am contemplating a major move to another city or country for perceived economic advantages, do I give prayerful consideration to the effect this would have on my family and on the congregation?’ Jehovah dignifies us by allowing us to share in supporting his sovereignty. Since the Devil first enticed humans to support his rival sovereignty, your siding with Jehovah’s rulership sends Satan a message that is loud and clear. The faith and integrity that motivate your volunteer spirit are pleasing to Jehovah. (Prov. 23:15, 16) He uses your display of support to make a reply to the taunts of Satan. (Prov. 27:11) Thus, by your loyal obedience, you are, in effect, giving Jehovah something that he considers precious, and he finds profound joy in this. w17.04 5:15, 16

The Mosaic Law stated: “If a man makes a vow to Jehovah or swears an oath to impose on himself a vow . . . , he must not violate his word. He should do everything he vowed he would do.” (Num. 30:2) Later, Solomon was inspired to write the words of today’s text. Jesus confirmed the seriousness of making vows when he stated: “It was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not swear without performing, but you must pay your vows to Jehovah.’” (Matt. 5:33) It is clear, then, that it is a very serious matter to make promises to God. The way we treat our vows affects our relationship with Jehovah. David wrote: “Who may ascend to the mountain of Jehovah, and who may stand up in his holy place? Anyone . . . who has not sworn a false oath by My [Jehovah’s] life, nor taken an oath deceitfully.”​—Ps. 24:3, 4; ftn. w17.04 1:3, 4

When a Christian believes that he is the victim of injustice, he should be careful not to engage in harmful gossip. Of course, it is entirely proper to seek assistance from the elders and to inform them if a member of the congregation is guilty of a serious wrong. (Lev. 5:1) However, in many cases that do not involve serious wrongdoing, it may be possible to resolve a difference without involving anyone else, not even the elders. (Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15) May we loyally handle such matters in line with Bible principles. In some cases, we may come to realize that we were not the victim of an injustice after all. How grateful we would be that we did not make a situation worse by slandering a fellow Christian! Remember, whether we are right or wrong, engaging in hurtful speech will never improve a situation. Loyalty to Jehovah and to our brothers will protect us from making such a mistake. w17.04 3:14