Comments You Will Not Hear at the 8-5-07 WT Study (June 15, 2007, pages 26-30)(OBEDIENCE) Review comments will be in red and in parenthesesWT material from today's WT will be in black
Quotes from other sources will be in quotes boxes
w = Watchtower
g = Awake
jv = Proclaimers book
Bible translations www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible
WT publications www.reexamine.org
WT child abuse www.silentlambs.org
Blood issue www.ajwrb.org
United Nations http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm
JEHOVAH VALUES YOUR OBEDIENCE "Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice."-PROVERBS 27:11.
OPENING COMMENTS
How many times does a form of the word "obey" appear in this article? ...................................67
Obeying God = obeying WTS/FDS/GB
Obeying God = meeting attendance and preaching in the prescribed WTS way (and implied reporting)
*** w02 10/1 p. 17 par. 22 Jehovah Blesses and Protects Those Who Are Obedient ***Another reason for confidence is that “the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) Today, Jehovah does not inspire prophets as in the past; instead, he has commissioned a faithful slave class to provide timely spiritual food to his household. (Matthew 24:45-47) How important, therefore, that we have an obedient attitude toward that “slave”!
START OF ARTICLE
Q1) What spirit permeates today's society?
1) A spirit of independence and disobedience permeates the world today. The apostle Paul explains why in his letter to Ephesian Christians: "You at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:1, 2) Yes, Satan the Devil, "the ruler of the authority of the air," has, you might say, infected the whole world with the spirit of disobedience. He was doing so in the first century, and he has been doing so even more intensely since being cast out of heaven about the time of World War I.-Revelation 12:9.
A spirit of independence and disobedience permeates the world today.
The world independent of the WTS thus independent of God since only jws are "true" Christians.
*** w97 1/15 p. 22 pars. 21-22 What Does God Require of Us? ***We must serve Jehovah with his spirit-directed organization. How, though, can God’s organized people be identified? According to the standards set out in the Scriptures, they have real love among themselves, they have deep respect for theBible, they honor God’s name, they preach about his Kingdom, and they are no part of this wicked world. (Matthew 6:9; 24:14; John 3:34, 35; 17:16, 17) There is only one religious organization on this earth that has all these marks of true Christianity—Jehovah’s Witnesses!
*** w75 2/1 p. 84 par. 18 Hope Based on the Unfolding Purpose of God ***How fitting, then, that in 1931 God put it into the minds and hearts of his people here on earth to embrace the name he had long ago given his servants, namely, Jehovah’s witnesses, or, more fully, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. (Isa. 43:10-12) This has been a blessing in at least two respects. First of all, it has served to make known world wide the unique name of the one true God. And secondly, it has set apart the real followers of Jesus Christ, the true servants of Jehovah God, from all others who profess to be Christians but are such in name only.
*** w59 3/1 p. 148 par. 13 When Jehovah Rises Up to His Unusual Work ***Only by divorcing ourselves from Christendom and her imitation Christianity and by becoming true followers of the reigning King Jesus Christ can we hope to be spared from execution with Christendom by Jehovah’s strange deed and unusual work in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty.”
Considering the evils before 1914 on the earth, what proof does the WTS present to show that 1914 to now is any different?
Q2, 3) What reasons do we have for obeying Jehovah?
2) As Christians, however, we know that Jehovah God deserves our heartfelt obedience because he is our Creator, the Sustainer of our life, the loving Sovereign, and our Deliverer. (Psalm 148:5, 6; Acts 4:24; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 4:11) The Israelites of Moses' day knew that Jehovah was their Life-Giver and their Rescuer. Therefore, Moses told them: "You people must take care to do just as Jehovah your God has commanded you." (Deuteronomy 5:32) Yes, Jehovah deserved their obedience. Yet, they quickly became disobedient to their Sovereign.
Christians...Israelites of Moses' day
Another OT example
Jehovah God deserves...Life-Giver and their Rescuer
WHERE'S JESUS?
3) How important is our obedience to the Creator of the universe? God once had the prophet Samuel tell King Saul: "To obey is better than a sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22, 23) Why is this so?
Have you seen elders and pioneers dealt with lightly judicially because of the "hours" they put in "service"?
Why did God allow the Israelites to continually disobey but then in 70 CE allowed them to be destroyed as a nation? Was it because the
Messiah had already appeared and there was no longer a need to preserve them as a nation?
[Picture on page 26] How would a caring physician feel about a patient who ignored his recommendations?
How Obedience "Is Better Than a Sacrifice"
Q4) In what sense can we give something to Jehovah?
4) As the Creator, Jehovah already owns everything we have in a material way. That being the case, is there anything that we can give him? Yes, we can give him something very precious. What is that? We can draw the answer from the following admonition: "Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me." (Proverbs 27:11) We can give God our obedience. Though we have different circumstances and backgrounds, by being obedient, each of us can respond to the vicious claim of Satan the Devil that humans will not remain loyal to God in the face of trials. What a privilege that is!
Jehovah already owns everything we have in a material way.
But evidently not our obedience...
Since Job proved an imperfect man could be obedient and Jesus a perfect man, does God require millions of affidavits to prove he deserves obedience? Were jws to vindicate God's name or sovereignty? This doctine changed in the 1970's to sovereignty....
Considering the numerous flipflop doctrines, does the WTS really know what God requires?
Superior Authorities--God and Jesus or secular authorities http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/superior.htm
Scream when raped--df'd or not http://www.freeminds.org/psych/rape.htm
Sodom and Gomorrah resurrected or not http://www.cftf.com/comments/blinking.html
Q5) How does disobedience affect the Creator? Illustrate.
5) God is interested in the decisions we make. If we disobey, it affects him. How? He is pained to see anyone take such an unwise course. (Psalm 78:40, 41) Suppose a diabetic failed to stick to the healthy diet that had been prescribed for his good and kept eating what was bad for him. How would his caring physician feel? We can be sure that Jehovah feels pained when humans disobey him, for he knows the consequences of ignoring his prescription for life.
But are we morally and legally required to obey the doctor as is required by the WTS in regard to God?
Does a doctor reach out and execute his disobedient patients?
The WTS teaches that God is going to destroy eternally all 6.5 billion people on earth today who are not jws, including their minor children.
*** w91 1/15 p. 29 The Pure Language Unites a Great Crowd of Worshipers ***“Become United by the Pure Language” was the title of Friday’s public talk. The speaker showed that although three thousand different languages now act as barriers to unity, the pure language is a mighty unifying force. It has safeguarded Jehovah’s Witnesses against Babylonian errors, has taught them respect for the sanctity of life and blood, and has helped them to live by Bible principles that benefit them spiritually and physically. All need to be concerned about learning and speaking the pure language, for only those doing so will survive Armageddon. There is no time to lose in heeding the counsel at Zephaniah 2:1-3.
*** w89 9/1 p. 19 par. 7 Remaining Organized for Survival Into the Millennium ***Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the “great crowd,” as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil. (Revelation 7:9-17; 2 Corinthians 4:4) They will make up the “flesh” that Jesus Christ said would be saved through the worst tribulation of all human history. As it was in the days of Noah, said Jesus, so it would be in the day when He would be revealed. Inside the ark that took many years of organized effort to complete, only eight human souls survived the global Deluge. They survived as a united family group. (Matthew 24:22, 37-39; Luke 17:26-30) Noah’s wife corresponds to the bride of Christ, and his sons and daughters-in-law to Jesus’ present-day “other sheep,” who have grown into an increasing great crowd, the final proportions of which we do not now know. (John 10:16) For survival into the Millennium under the Greater Noah, Jesus Christ, they have to remain organized with the anointed remnant, “the chosen ones” on account of whom the days of the “great tribulation” will be cut short.—Matthew 24:21, 22.
Q6) What will help us to be obedient to God?
6) What will help us individually to be obedient? It is appropriate for each of us to ask God for "an obedient heart," as did King Solomon. He asked for such a heart so that he could "discern between good and bad" in order to judge his fellow Israelites. (1 Kings 3:9) We need "an obedient heart" if we are to discern between good and bad in a world permeated with the spirit of disobedience. God has provided us with his Word, Bible study aids, Christian meetings, and caring congregation elders so that we can cultivate "an obedient heart." Are we making good use of such loving provisions?
King Solomon--another OT example
But he did not remain "obedient." As an apostate king, will Solomon be resurrected? Will "apostate" jws today who die before Armageddon be
resurrected? The answer to this correlation might surprise you.
The Bible is not enough--God has provided Bible study aids and Christian meetings and elders to explain what the Bible means. jws cannot
understand the Bible without these.
*** w06 10/15 p. 6 Taking in Knowledge of God—How? *** The examples of Joseph and Daniel show that the wisdom and knowledge of God areavailable only to ones serving Jehovah God
*** w94 10/1 p. 8 The Bible—A Book Meant to Be Understood ***Even as Bible prophecy pointed forward to the Messiah, it also directs us to the close-knit body of anointed Christian Witnesses that now serve as the faithful and discreet slave. It helps us to understand the Word of God. All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the “greatly diversified wisdom of God” can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.
Q7) Why does Jehovah stress obedience more than sacrifices?
7) In this connection, recall that in the past, Jehovah revealed to his ancient people that obedience was even more important than animal sacrifices. (Proverbs 21:3, 27; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 12:7) Why was that so, since it was Jehovah who had commanded his people to offer such sacrifices? Well, what is the motive of the one offering the sacrifice? Is he doing it to please God? Or is he merely following some ritual? If a worshipper is truly desirous of pleasing God, he will take care to be obedient to all of God's commands. God has no need of animal sacrifices, but our obedience is one thing of value that we can give him.
Obedience was even more important than animal sacrifices...what is the motive...following some ritual?
By giving the appearance of preaching and teaching but turning in empty hours, are many jws following some ritual?
Does God really need our individual obedience? What if we were to be disobedient? Would God's sovereignty prove invalid?
A Warning Example
Q8) Why did God reject Saul as king?
8) The Bible record of King Saul underlines the vital importance of obedience. Saul started off as a humble and modest ruler, `little in his own eyes.' In time, though, pride and false reasoning began to govern his decisions. (1 Samuel 10:21, 22; 15:17) On one occasion, Saul was to face the Philistines in battle. Samuel told the king to wait for him to come to offer sacrifices to Jehovah and to provide further direction. However, Samuel did not come as soon as he was expected, and the people began to disperse. Seeing that, Saul "went offering up the burnt sacrifice." This was displeasing to Jehovah. When Samuel finally arrived, the king excused his own disobedience, saying that because Samuel was late, he 'compelled himself' to offer up the burnt sacrifice to soften Jehovah's face. To King Saul, offering that sacrifice was more important than obeying the direction he had received to wait for Samuel to make that sacrifice. Samuel told him: "You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God that he commanded you." Disobedience to Jehovah cost Saul his kingship.-1 Samuel 10:8; 13:5-13.
Another OT example--Saul
Did not pride and false reasoning govern David's decisions to have a man murdered to steal his wife, to call a census and then choose a punishment that lead to the deaths of 70,000 innocent people but left David alive?
All of God's commands--includes everything the WTS/FDS/GB says?????
Q9) How did Saul manifest a pattern of disobeying God?
9) Did the king learn a lesson from this experience? No! Later, Jehovah commanded Saul to annihilate the nation of Amalek, which had earlier attacked Israel without provocation. Saul was not even to spare their domestic animals. He obeyed to the point of "striking down Amalek from Havilah as far as Shur." When Samuel came to meet him, the king was elated over the victory and said: "Blessed are you of Jehovah. I have carried out the word of Jehovah." Yet, contrary to the clear instructions they had received, Saul and his people kept alive King Agag and "the best of the flock and the herd and the fat ones and ... the rams and ... all that was good." King Saul justified his disobedient course by saying: "The people had compassion upon the best of the flock and of the herd, for the purpose of sacrificing to Jehovah your God."-1 Samuel 15: 1-15.
Didn't the law code say that adulterers and murderers were to be put to death, yet David was allowed to live?
Didn't the WTS blame the rank and file for the 1975 debacle?
*** w76 7/15 p. 440 par. 11 A Solid Basis for Confidence ***It may be that some who have been serving God have planned their lives according to a mistaken view of just what was to happen on a certain date or in a certain year. They may have, for this reason, put off or neglected things that they otherwise would have cared for. But they have missed the point of the Bible’s warnings concerning the end of this system of things, thinking that Bible chronology reveals the specific date.
[Picture on page 28] Why did King Saul incur Jehovah's displeasure?
Q10) What lesson did Saul fail to learn?
10) At that, Samuel told Saul: "Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, to pay attention than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22) Since Jehovah had determined that those animals were to be destroyed, they were not acceptable for offering as sacrifices.
Did the WTS think that the hours and converts would make up for their adulterous association with the UN for ten years as a non-governmental organization?
http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm
Be Obedient in All Things
Q11, 12) (a) How does Jehovah view our efforts to please him in our worship? (b) How might a person deceive himself into thinking that he is doing God's will while in reality he is being disobedient?
11) How pleased Jehovah is to see his loyal servants remain steadfast despite persecution, proclaim the Kingdom despite an apathetic public, and attend Christian meetings even though feeling the pressure to earn a living! Our obedience in such important aspects of our spiritual life makes his heart rejoice! Our efforts in worshipping Jehovah are precious to him when offered out of love. Humans may ignore our hard work, but God takes note of our heartfelt offerings and remembers them.-Matthew 6:4.
Jehovah...his loyal servants--Where's Jesus and his followers the Christians?
persecution...apathetic public...pressure to learn a living
preaching and meetings--important aspects of our spiritual life
What happened to prayer and Bible study, unadulterated by the opinions of others?
Humans may ignore our hard work--like the WTS and their representatives the elders who keep saying DO MORE, DO MORE, you aren't working hard enough.
*** km 5/06 p. 2 Service Meeting Schedule ***Briefly interview an exemplary publisher who strives to keep his life simple and limits personal pursuits in order to do more to advance Kingdom interests and serve others.
*** km 5/05 p. 8 par. 2 Cultivate Interest With a Magazine Route ***Since it is urgent for people to seek Jehovah now, what more can we do to help them?
*** km 7/05 p. 3 par. 1 Help Your Children Progress in the Ministry ***Christian parents shoulder the serious responsibility of training their children in the ministry from a young age. This may be achieved in a number of ways. Some children are able to recite an appropriate Bible text even before they are able to read. This can have a powerful effect on listeners. As little ones get older, they can do even more in the ministry.
*** w06 5/15 p. 19 Highlights From Book One of Psalms ***If creation, which can neither speak nor reason, gives glory to Jehovah, how much more should we who can think, talk, and worship do so?—Revelation 4:11.
12) To be fully pleasing to our God, however, we must be obedient in all facets of our life. We must never deceive ourselves into thinking that we can take certain liberties with God's requirements as long as we are rendering worship to him in other aspects of life. For example, a person might deceive himself into thinking that if he goes through some of the motions of formal worship, he can get away with committing immorality or engaging in other serious wrongdoing. What a mistake that would be!-Galatians 6:7, 8.
take certain liberties with God's requirements
Can you think of ways that jws do in your congregation? Watching violent sports such as football even having season tickets and inviting the CO to go to a home game; having one room decorated in your team's colors and symbols; buying a large screen tv saying it is to invite people over to view the WT videos.............going to PG-13 movies with even more violence and bad language because only R-rated movies are bad, right?
be obedient in all facets of our life--as interpreted by the WTS as to hair style, clothing, music, movies, car style, etc.
what are the motions of formal worship in the WT world: meetings but never commenting, 1 hour/month field service, never making return visits or conducting bible studies, signing up to auxiliary pioneer but never getting close to 50 hours just to have your name announced, but never talking to older jws or donating money for the congregation expenses, never sending a card to those who have lost a friend or family, listening to the gossip of the sisters and/or elders and worse yet repeating it...........
Disfellowshipping people for joining the YMCA when the WTS associated closely with the UN for ten years as a non-governmental organization (NGO)? Using hemoglobin-based blood products because the WTS allows it although they are made out of stored blood in contradiction of the OT law to pour out the blood?
Didn't David "get away with committing immorality or engaging in other serious wrongdoing" like murder? He even stayed king and had his later to be apostate son become king while others were raped and died for his sins?
Q13) In private, how might our obedience to Jehovah be tested?
13) Accordingly, we can ask ourselves, 'Am I obeying Jehovah in my day-to-day activities, even in seemingly private matters?' Jesus stated: "The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much." (Luke 16:10) Are we `walking about in the integrity of our heart' even 'inside our house,' where others do not see us? (Psalm 101:2) Yes, while we are in our house, our integrity might be tested. In many lands where computers are common household items, obscene images are only a few clicks of a mouse away. A few years ago, one could not see such images without venturing into places featuring immoral entertainment. Will we obediently take to heart the words of Jesus: "Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart"? Yes, will we refuse even to look at immoral images? (Matthew 5:28; Job 31:1, 9, 10; Psalm 119:37; Proverbs 6:24, 25; Ephesians 5:3-5) What of TV programs with violent content? Are we in agreement with our God, whose soul `certainly hates anyone loving violence'? (Psalm 11:5) Or what of the excessive use of alcohol in private? The Bible condemns drunkenness, but it also warns Christians not to be given to "a lot of wine." -Titus 2:3; Luke 21:34, 35; 1 Timothy 3:3, footnote.
seemingly private matters--such as sexual activities between people married to each other which the WTS regulates
where others do not see us--unless the elders visit and check out your videos and CDs when you are out of the room to determine your spiritual status.
What about the obscene images in the Bible of a woman being gang-raped all night long until she died whereupon her husband cut her up into little pieces and spread them over the fields. Or that of babies being killed by Israelite soldiers because of the sins of their parents.
Immoral images such as those in the Penneys catalogs of women in bras and underwear..............no need to venture into places featuring immoral entertainment. Have you ever looked at the illustrations in Rutherford's books........naked women all over. I wish I could scan a few here. Perhaps a reader could do so.
TV programs with violent content---like the Super Bowl?
Excessive use of alcohol in private--is that worse than coming to the meetings drunk or driving to the meetings drunk. In one congregation, I could get high on the fumes from 2 of the elders.
Q14) What are some ways in which our obedience to God in money matters becomes apparent?
14) Another area in which we need to be alert is that of handling money matters. For example, would we get involved in a getrich-quick scheme that borders on fraud? Are we tempted to resort to illegal means to avoid paying taxes? Or, rather, do we conscientiously obey the command to "render to all their dues, to him who calls for the tax, the tax"?-Romans 13:7.
What about getting older jws to donate their money to the WTS...money their families could use? Isn't the hope of living forever in a paradise earth a get-rich quick scheme: For only the investment of attending a few meetings and wasting an hour driving around appearing to talk to people about the Bible, you too can never die at all and have the mansion of the corner and never have to work again, all at God's expense.
Doesn't the WTS take advantage of the "legal" loopholes to avoid paying tax on the corporate assets and profits masquerading as a religion?
Obedience That Stems From Love
Q15) Why do you obey Jehovah's commands?
15) Obedience to divine precepts brings blessings. For example, by abstaining from tobacco use, by living moral lives, and by respecting the sanctity of blood, we may avoid falling victim to certain diseases. In addition, by living in harmony with Bible truth in other aspects of life, we may benefit in an economic, social, or domestic way. (Isaiah 48:17) Any such tangible benefits can rightly be viewed as blessings that prove the practicality of God's laws. Still, the main reason we obey Jehovah is that we love him. We do not serve God for selfish reasons. (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) God gave us the freedom to choose to obey whomever we want. We choose to obey Jehovah because we want to please him and because we seek to do what is right.-Romans 6:16, 17; 1 John 5:3.
MAY avoid falling victim to certain diseases--is this the real reason jws are afraid of transfusions, not the "scriptural" reason? If transfusions were totally free of disease or ill effects, could jws have one?
MAY benefit in an economic, social, or domestic way--or maybe not, I remember the experience of the father in Africa that was only eating once every three days so that his family could purchase the WTS publications (pre-1990).
can rightly be viewed as blessings--so if you are poor, are you a "bad" jw and "rich" jws are the ones being blessed by God?
We do not serve God for selfish reasons--what if God told you that you would die before Armageddon...would you still be happy to serve him to the end of your days on earth like Abraham, knowing you would not receive the "promise" in your lifetime?
We choose to obey God because we want to please him or because we don't want to die at Armageddon?
Do jws really have a true choice regarding blood transfusions: have one and be shunned by every jw you know and die forever at Armageddon; associate with df'd people and give the elders ammunition to df you and you will die forever at Armageddon. Sounds like a choice? Choosing to die?
Q16, 17) (a) How did Jesus show obedience to God out of heartfelt love? (b) How can we imitate Jesus?
16) Jesus set the perfect example in obeying Jehovah out of heartfelt love for Him. (John 8:28, 29) While on earth, Jesus "learned obedience from the things he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8, 9) How? Jesus "humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake." (Philippians 2:7, 8) Although Jesus had already been obedient in heaven, his obedience was further tested on earth. We can be sure that Jesus is well-qualified in every way to serve as High Priest for his spiritual brothers as well as for others of believing mankind. -Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 2:1, 2.
Jesus is now immortal proof the WTS says that he will no longer need to be tested....when will your tests from Jehovah end?
But does God test people with evil things?
(James 1:13) When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.
spiritual brothers--only 144,000; can the great crowd or other sheep be Christ's brothers?
17) How about us? We can imitate Jesus in giving priority to obedience to God's will. (1 Peter 2:21) We can personally find satisfaction when our love for God motivates us to do what Jehovah commands, even at times when we are pressured or tempted to do otherwise. (Romans 7:18-20) This includes our being willing to obey directions from those who are taking the lead in true worship, though they are imperfect. (Hebrews 13:17) Our obedience to divine commandments in our private life is precious in Jehovah's eyes.
God's will as interpreted by the WTS.
Love for God motivates us--or fear of dying at Armageddon
what God commands--includes being willing to obey directions from those who are taking the lead...though they are imperfect.
Should we follow them in their imperfection believing that God and Jesus are the superior authorities, that people from Sodom and Gomorrah would be resurrected, that the generation of 1914 would live to see Armaggedon?
Are the commands of men, commands from God?
(Matthew 15:9) 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”
[Picture on page 30] Are you obeying God's commands in the privacy of your home?
Q18, 19) Our heartfelt obedience to God results in what?
18) Today, our obeying Jehovah may involve enduring persecution in order to maintain our integrity. (Acts 5:29) Also, our obeying Jehovah's command to preach and to teach requires that we endure until the end of this system of things. (Matthew 24:13, 14; 28:19, 20) We need endurance to continue gathering together with our brothers, even though we may feel the weight of pressures from the world. Our loving God is fully aware of our efforts to be obedient in such areas. To be fully obedient, however, we have to fight our sinful flesh and turn away from bad while building appreciation for what is good.-Romans 12:9.
may involve enduring persecution--Persecution is not necessarily the experience required of all jws...........................!
preach and to teach--how can jws teach that think only placing literature fulfills this requirement deliberately never making return visits or conducting bible studies.
continue gathering with our brothers--but not the sisters and only jws at that.
to be fully obedient, however--we have to obey the WTS/FDS/GB in everything, even if we don't see any scriptural basis.
19) When we serve Jehovah out of love and with an appreciative heart, "he becomes [toward us] the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him." (Hebrews 11:6) Proper sacrifices are necessary and desirable, but it is complete obedience out of love for Jehovah that pleases him to the fullest extent.-Proverbs 3:1, 2.
jws serve God for the reward promised in Hebrews 11:6................would you have served God without the promise of everlasting life on a paradise earth?
How Would You Answer?
• Why can we say that we have something to give to Jehovah?
• What mistakes did Saul make?
• How can you show that you believe that obedience is better than sacrifice?
• What moves you to obey Jehovah?
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
The last few articles have been only 19 paragraphs and small paragraphs at that. 1/2 hour public talks and 19 paragraph study articles? I canremember when they used to be 24 or 25 paragraphs in the same time frame.We just picked our first ripe tomato....we had a late start planting. I had red potatoes, green beans, and pickled beets from the garden. It is so amazing to plant a seed and a few months later have something to eat from it.
Summer is moving fast. I bet you will think twice before you cross your next bridge. Disasters galore, a jw paradise, the end is near!
Love, Blondie