Stephen Lett at our assembly today

by StarTrekAngel 107 Replies latest jw experiences

brandnew

STARTREK !!!!!!!! WHERE YOU IS MY HOMIE?????
Anders Andersen

@BrandNew,
Spilling perfectly good beer is an instant DFing offense in my world....
LostGeneration

StarTek must have been drug to one of those oh so wonderful JW dinners that happen after assembly. Ya know, the ones where 16 people insist at sitting all together at a super long table in a restaurant. Where it takes forever to get the order taken, the food delivered, and finally to split up the check.
Getting out of the cult to avoid those dinners is enough on its own!
Hopefully he reports back soon!
brandnew

@anders........😢 yes, it was a party foul. I took my hat off, and had a moment of silence for that wasted beer.
😂😂
Mad Puppy
Pete Zahut

StarTek must have been drug to one of those oh so wonderful JW dinners that happen after assembly. Ya know, the ones where 16 people insist at sitting all together at a super long table in a restaurant. Where it takes forever to get the order taken, the food delivered, and finally to split up the check
You might be a JW if you've never eaten in a restaurant without being seated at a table for 24.
brandnew

Good 1.. PETE Z 😈
steve2

Lett is the opposite of magnetizing. He is permanently set to the condescending mode.
StarTrekAngel

just got back home. Can't pots freely with family around but here it goes.
Keep in mind that we were encouraged to invite out studies and interested people for talk # 2 so imagine yourself hearing those words when you are not yet indoctrinated.
Talk# 1

En que ha resultado su conducta Steven Lett
How has their conduct turned out?

We humans are imitative creatures. From infancy we learned to walk, talk and feed ourselves not by reading a book or by verbal instruction. But primarily we learned to do those things by our parents or perhaps older brother or sisters. Andd then without even thinking about it througout life we continue to imitate others. Well in view of this strong imitative tendency Jehova gives us counsel about whom and what we imitate. I'm sure you want to imitate what is good. With that in mind, let's discuss the three best examples in the universe that we can imitate. Now you know that best example in the universe: Jehovah. Efesios 6:1. Everything we can learn about Jehovah is worthy of imitation. Now certainly one thing we want to imitate is his view poinnt, his way of thinking, how he sees things. We want to do our best to hate what Jehovah hates and loves what he loves. Psalms 97:10 o you lovers of Jehovah hate what is bad. This world can h ave us loving what is bad and hating what is good. This world can shape our viewpoint if we're not careful. For example it can have us thinking that homosexuality is okay and there is nothing wrong with it. I can have us thinking that if you don't get along with your mate you have the right to divorce that person. It can have us thinking that if someone dos you wrong you have the right to get even. Those are just a few examples of how this world can have us thinking against Jehovah. But we want to work hard to make Jehovah's thinking our thinking. We alos want to imitate Jehovah's conduct. What is his dominant quality? Love. We want to work hard to that quality dominates us. If we have love for our mate we will have our wihtout contaminatin. If we have love for our fellow man we will work hard to preach to them. Beause it is alos like the sword of armageddon hass cast it shadow over the people of this world. They're in a dangouers situation they need help. Someonen helped us if he have love we will help them too. Those are just a few examples of how we want to imitate Jehovah.

SEcond best example to imitate: Jesus. Like with Jehovah everything we can learn about Jesus is worthy of imitation. He left us a model to follow. We want to fllow his steps closely. Our past convention was entitled Imitate Jesus. If yout hink about it if you imitate Jesus you imitate Jehovah because he was a perfect reflection of Jehovah when he was here. I don't know if you have been to a circus or fair and if you have gone to a disroted mirror it would make you look taller and thinner than you are or shorter and fatter than you are? I prefer the one that makes me looks taller and thinner. That's a distroted mirror. But Jesus is the perfect reflection of Jehovah. Col. 1:15 he's the image of the invisible God. We want to imitate everything we can learn about Jesus.

Third best example to imitate: who would you say is the third best example? Jehovah's perfect, faithful, holy angels. Even though this angels are mentioned about 400 times in the bible but what he know is limited. But everything we learn about them is worthy of imitation. Brieflly discuss 4 qualities of these angels that are worthy of imitation. (1) Endurance - one example of endurance. Remember what happened in Daniel 10? An angel was sent to earth to strengthen Daniel. 13:10 a powerful demon prince tried to stop that good angel. That good angel had to struggle with the demon for 21 days. Finally Michael was able to get past the demon and that angel could strenghten Daneil. Think about that angel wrestling for 21 days without giving up. He could have given up at one or two weeks or after 20 days. He could have gone back to Jehovah and said I fought against that demon but that demons was strong. But he struggled

until he got reinforcements. We likewise we have a struggle against demons. Efesios 6:12. Like the faithful angel we want to not give up, keep struggling, Jehovah will know we've done our part and we will triumph. (2) Humility - Michael and Gabriel. On many occassions the angels could have given their names. Noah asked the angel what is your name. The good angel never gave his name. Becausee of their humility they do not want the honor. They waant it to go where it belongs to Jehovah. That is a good example to us. Maybe we are the ones that study with someone and they want to honor us. But like the angels we want to direct that glory to Jehovah to whom it belongs. Any time someone wants to praise us we want to give that glory to Jehovah because we could not have done it without him. (3) Helpfulness - When jesus was in the garden of Getsemane before his torture and execution an angel came to strengthen him. That help was appreciated. The angel that was sent to Daniel once he got through that powerful demon he was able to go to Daniel. An angel closed the mouth of the lions when Daniel was put in the lions pit. An angel freed Peter from prison before he was executed. What excellente xample of the angels. The angels oversee the preaching work. Those are just a few example of the help of the angels. The perfect timing of their helpfulness. What if the angels sent to close the mouths of the lions had gotten their late. With perfect timing he helped Daniel. We want to be helpful in our congregation, family, territory. Like the angel we want to have good timing with our helpfulness. (4) Integrity - Rev. 12:4 Satan induces goods angels to become demons. And as you know he tempted them to materialize human bodies and have relations with the women. He only succeeded in pulling away. A minority but a considerable number. Many of demons but nothing in comparison to the amount of angels. We want to imitate the faithful angels. Satan wants us to look lustfully as someone of the opposite sex. He will tempt us to look at pornography. Four qualities of the angels worthy of imitation.

Dangers of following men. It's true selectively we can look at other humans and imitate their good qualities. For example if you look at a brother and he's very approachable you might say I want to imitate that brother's quality. A sister that is generous with time and resources I want to imitate that sister. We cannot follow that brother or sister, our leader is Jesus we follow him.
We do not follow an imperfect human as our leader. If we get too dependent on a person and try to copy them and follow them as a leader? Three dangers (1) doing that is a form of creature worship. Experience: A young ministerial servant heard a recording of a talk and he was so impressed with that talk. He was so impressed with that talk that he asked the elders if he could say that talk at the congregation. He memorized the talk and he gave the talk just like the brother imperssonated. So rather than developing the outline and developing the scriptures he gave the glory to the brother. He gave more importance to the human and the bible. It would really be a form of creature worship. (2) It could threaten the unity of the congregation. Earlier brother Con spoke about how good it is to imitate Paul. But we imitate his qualities not the man. 1 Cor. 3:4,5 - Paul had no desire for humans to follow him. He knew if people followed him it would place the congregations integrity in danger. Paull knew it would produce division, factions in the congregation if they followed men. (3) You could easily end up stumbled and fall out of the truth. Someone following another human you think he's great but then that person commits a grave sin. We could be stumbled out of the truth. Or even worse the one we are following becomes an apostate and tries to convince us to become an apostate. That is the danger of following a human. We cannot be too dependent on any human. We have to develop our own personal relationship with Jehovah. We have to cultivate our own spirituality. Heb. 5:14 talks about how we want to become mature. We want to train our perceptive powers to discern right and wrong for ourselves. Even though we don't follow the elders as men we are told to follow three things that Heb. 13:7 - remember those taking the lead, contemplate their conduct, imitate their faith. Remember, contemplate, imitate. We want to remember those

taking the lead. What does that mean? to remember the hard work they are doing on our behalf. It is easy to take the hard work of the elders. They work so hard on our behalf. Paul said he poured himself as a drink offering for the brothers. Similarly the elders expend themselves. Much of their work you don't even see. For example you may see the elder get up to give a talk but you didn't see him prepare that talk. How long does it take to prepare a 4 or 5 min n the meeting. What if you had a part every week? The elders have a part almost every work. Think of the sheperding calls and judicial matters. It takes a lot of work in preparing for that. Some work in building halls, work in assemblies, hospital liasions. It's kind of like an iceberg you only see the 10% but not the 90% underneath the water. How can we show we do know their hard work? We can periodically commend him for his hard work. Do you do that? We appreciate your hard work? Some never give one word of commendation to the elders. Might not that indicate the elders' hard work? The elders are not going to quit because you don't commend them because they do their work for Jehovah. It may shock them when you do that because it will help the elder feel lighter. Cooperate - we want to be obedient and submissive to the elders. That's what Heb. 13:7 - obedient do what they tell us unless it's something against the scriptures and that would be a rare thing. To be submissive means that we do it with the right attitude? 1 Tes. 5:12, 13 - give them more consideration in love...because of their hard work. One other thing we need to do for the elders - pray for them. Do you remember to ask Jehovah please bless our elders help them with their heavy load? Well we discussed a few way of remembering those who are taking the lead. SEcond thing Heb. 13:7 said is to contemplate their conduct. The title of this talk is how has their conduct ? We meditate on the Bible but we have to meditate on the brother's conduct. It takes meditation how Jehovah blesses him and his family because of his conduct. It takes meditation to reason that Jehovah will bless me if I imitate his conduct. Examples: Dress and grooming - we know that God's word says it should be modest not extremes. Are you able to meditate how the various elders are guided by those principles. Their personal dress and grooming is modest not given to extremes. Do you reason they probably can't afford to buy the latest immodest clothing? They probably can't afford the extreme haircuts or hairstyles? Their guided this way because of their love for Jehovah and faith in him. And can you see how Jehovah is blessing the elder and their families becuase they are guided by these principles in dressing and grooming. Entertainment - it should be wholesome, upbuilding. Are you able to meditate his and his family but you do not know movies that are wholesomen? They are guided by bible principles and they are receiving Jehovah's blessing. Recreation and leisure - should be a small part of our life, serving Jehovah should be the big part. The elder occasionally has gathers but they are upbuilding and end at a reasonable time so the family can go preach the next day. The elder needs to sleep more? He's guided by bible principles that's why he has those gatherings. The conduct of the elders that we meditate on and see how the elders and theirs families are getting blessing and we will too if we imitate. Third thing - Imitate - their faith. Examples: expressions of faith we want to imitate. Some elders simplify their life and even go to full time ministry? Are you able to meditate and reason because that elder knows the real value is treasure in heaven not treasure on earth? Treasure on earth can be here today and gone tomorrow. Jesus said the thief, rust, moth can take it away. But treasure in heaven no one can take it away. Do you see those expressions of faith on the part of the elder and think I want to imitate his faith? Have you noticed elders' enduring difficult trials and don't give up serving Jehovah. Maybe they have chronic illnesses but they don't give up they continue going out to preach. The oldest brother in the GB that I work with is 80 yo, a diabetic for 30 years. Every day he has to give himself shots of insulin but you would never know it he keeps going full speed ahead. Faithfully enduring trials but not giving up not slacking the hand. Another example of elders' faith that we can imitate: elders that have been serving for many decades and they have thought the end would

have come by now but despite unfufilled expectations they don't give up. How glad those elders will be when the end does come. Can we imitate that expression of faith? Those are three emples of their faith. Three things mentioned in Heb. 13:7 that we are to imitate from the elders. We are to remember their hard work. Contemplate their conduct. And imitate their faith. In Satan's world it's not easy to cultivate faith. Almost everything in Satan's world is designed to shipwreck our faith. No wonder Jehovah has given us these good examples we can follow to strengthen out faith. Jehovah, Jesus, Angels and we just considered the Elders. The conduct of these elders has turned out will, will turn out well and will continue to turn out well. If we imitate them our conduct will have good resullts. We will be blessed now and for eternity.

Answer: heb. 13:7 remember their hard work, contemplate how their conduct has turned out well for them, and imitate their faith and reliance on Jehovah. Even though we don't follow them as humans there is much we can imitate from our elders. It is work lots of work but it is worth to strengthen our faith. 1 Tim. 4:10 - We are working hard and exerting ourselves, because we have rested our hope on a living God who is the savior of all living people but especially of faithful ones.
StarTrekAngel

Talk #2

Steven Lett
Imitemos a quienes mediante fe y paciencia

Those with whom we associate could be likened with an elevator. What do you mean? They'll take you up or take you down. If we chose ones that love Jehovah and try to serve them they will take us up. The will make us better. They will enhance our good qualities. On the other hand if he choose badly our associates they will take us down. They can take us down to the basement, even the sub-basement. But i know you are determined to choose wisely your associates.

Why is it so important that we choose wisely our associates? As we learned we humans are imitators. We're strongly inclined to adopt the ways and attitudes of those with whom we associate. Prov. 13:20 - who would be the stupid ones? If you think about it anyone who is not serving Jehovah would be stupid. This is not talking about people who lack mental intelligence or capacity? It is talking about those that do not serve Jehovah or who do know him do not serve him. They will take us down. If you associate very closely with someone who is very sick, you'll probably catch that same sickness. Or even worse if you spend alot of time around a dead body a corpse you would probably pick up disease well the same way with those who are spiritually sick or spiritually dead you will fare bad. Likewise if you associated with someone wise you will be wise too. We're not talking about someone that is mentally brilliant. It is talking about someone who knows Jehovah or serves Jehovah.

When we first started studying the bible it didn't take long to recognize this was the truth. It took a lot longer to put on the new personality names in Ef. We had to made knew in our dominant mental attitude. That required getting rid of bad association. What would happen if we again associated with those ones. We would affect our thinking and again we would lose that new personality we would again go to the old personality. We want to associated with those that will help us inherit Jehovah's promises. Notice the ones we want to associate and imitate - Heb. 6:11,12 - We want to associate with and become imitators of those that through faith and patience inherit the blessings. They will help us never become sluggish. What does that word mean? It comes from the little creature known as the slug, snail. When you think of a slug it's a slimy and slow. Jehovah is saying don't become like that slug.

What are to qualities that we want to imitate? Faith and Patience. We are going to talk a lot about faith but we will also talk about patience. There is a difference with sluggishness and patience. Both require we abstain from action. To illustrate of the difference think of the blue heron. Have you observed the heron waiting in the water for a fish? It will stand there waiting for minutes. He's not sluggish he is alert. He never forgets his purpose. When he sees the fish he gets it. He's patient but not sluggish. That's the kind of person we want to associate with they are not sluggish but patient. We have to be very careful regarding our associates. If we choose ones on their way to the new world they will help us get there. If we choose ones going with Satan to the lake of fire they probably will take us with them. I know your destination is no the lake of fire it's the new world. Please wisely choose your associates that will help you make that journey. If we choose bad associates they will return us to Satan's world. We'll slowly imitate their way of thinking, acting, clothing, entertainment and as we associate with them they will rightfully conclude their values. They will be more emboldened to act like we do. Bad associates can even cause us to develop a wicked heart. Heb. 3:12, 13 - beware! that means danger, watch out, be careful, brothers, it's directed at people who serve Jehovah. Develop

does not mean instantaneously but gradually. No on can say it won't happen to me. What will help that not happening. We will not develop that heart hardened by sin. It's like clay. What do you need to keep it soft and moldable? You have to knead the water and work it into the clay. We need the water of God's truths here. But we have to work those truths into our heart. And that's by making application and that includes making application of avoiding bad associations. As we face the end we cannot afford to allow unhealthy, negative influence us. Instead we want to associated with those that with faith and patience inherit the promises. When Paul wrote this letter to the hebrews they really needed it. They were facing the destruction of the entire Jewish system. Paul wrote to them and this was a period of relative peace. Only four years later the roman armies came and surrounded Jerusalem. That was the signal that Jesus said for the jews to flee to the mountains. Jesus gave them that warning in 33 CE. But here they were 28 years later and no Romans. Only four years later it was going to happen. What had become the condition of those hebrews? Heb. 5:11, 12 - they had become dull in their hearing, they no longer heard Jesus words warning to flee Jerusalem. They were like spiritual babies needed to be bottle fed. That is no condition you want to be in now that that end is coming. What caused them to be in this condition? Very possibly bad association. The Jewish religious leaders were bragging about their temple and priesthood. Whereas the Christians did not have these visible things. They were being ridiculed. You don't have a temple, priesthood, festivals, sacrifices and your leader has been sacrificed and weren't his followers fishermen and tax collectors and now aren't many of them gentiles. Undoubtedly they were being ridiculed by their bad associations. They were in danger to go back to the world. They need to be strengthened. Paul was moved by holy spirit to write them a letter. In a masterful way Paul showed the superiority of the christian arrangement in comparison of the jewish arrangement. Faith in what is unseen. Paul used the word Faith at least 40 times. In developing this theme he used pre-christian examples of faith. As you know many of those examples are listed in Heb. 11. So then in Heb. 12:1 we have a great cloud of witnesses who can give us a good example of how we want to run the race with endurance. And he told them we have to throw off that sin that easily entangles. That sin is lack of faith. And undoubtedly many of those christians were motivated by Paul's letter. When the romans came four years later they knew it was time to flee. How could they flee? For no reason the Romans retreated. The jews in Jerusalem actually chased them and inflicted casualties on their rear as they fled. The last thing on their mind was to flee Jerusalem. The spiritually alert saw the romans withdraw saw it as an opportunity to flee. It was only a little window to flee because fighting started in the city and those that left were seen as a deserter. But the spiritually alert fled the city. The romans came back again and this time they didn't retreat. They totally devastated a horrible destruction over Jerusalem. But those early Christians survived. It foreshadows what will happen with Satan's world. We want to survive like the early christians that fled. The only way to survive is to remain spiritually alert and stay separate from Satan's world. What can help us to stay spiritually alert? The same thing that helped those Christians the examples in Heb. 11. We can associate with them through the bible and imitate their faith. We also have warning examples of christians that lacked faith. We want to imitate the examples of faith and not imitate the examples that lacked faith. 3 John 11 - who and what we imitate - Imitate the good refuse to imitate the bad.

Three examples Paul used in Heb. 11. Three examples of faith, three contemporaries who lacked faith

1) Cain and Abel. They both lived at the same time. Lived on the same soil. Both had the same parents. One was a good example one was not. Beware of pride cultivate faith. When Eve gave birth to their first son they names him Cain that means something

produced. They had glowing expectations for Cain. In contrast they named his Abel. The name means exhalation vanity. They had no big hopes for Abel. But what was Eve thinking when she named this first boy Cain? Was she thinking about Jehovah's word written in Gen. 3:15? Did she think she was the woman and Cain that offspring? If so she was sadly mistaken. Did she and Adam wrongly lead Cain to believe the was the promised offspring? Did they feed any pride that he already had as an imperfect human? Well with this pride growing in his heart how would he react when Jehovah rejected his sacrifice? His pride was wounded, he filled with jealousy and killed his brother. He even spoke insolently to Jehovah. In contrast to Abel he was a man of faith. Heb. 11:4 refers to Abel as an example we want to imitate. What did Abel base his faith on? He could not look at a human example. Three examples he could base his faith on: earthly creation, but the ground produced abundantly to feed Adam and his family. There was no curse on the mountains, lake, sun, moon, stars and Abel could look at these things and build faith on him who created them. Meditating on this peaceful sensitive little creatures he took care of made him meditate on He who created them. Another thing Abel could trust in God's promises. Adam and Eve told him about God's promises when they were expelled from the Garden. Abel could see God's word had come true. Jehovah told Eve her labor pain would increase Abel could see Jehovah's promise came true when Even bore children. A third thing his faith could be based on: The angels that protected the entrance to the garden. Seeing the angels in their materialized form it was like seeing the power. The burning sword. It must have impressed Abel. He saw their devotion, obedience always on the job. Day after day, year after decade after decade. They were their for some 1600 until the flood destroyed the Garden. Abel saw their loyalty, obedience. There are three things Abel's faith must have been based on. We can learn so much from Abel. We can build our faith looking at the creation. Cain saw the same things but it did not build his faith. The same with aethists they see the creation but they do not give him credit. Also like Abel we could have faith by examining Jehovah's promises. We have so many more promises that Jehovah has fulfilled than what Abel saw. Also learn from Abel to be humble not proud like Cain. As parents we want to cultivate qualities like ABel not Cain. Like Abel even if we are the only one in our family serving Jehovah he still did. So much to learn from Abel but also from Cain. Where is Abel right now. He is safe in Jehovah's memory the safest place to be. And very soon in the new world Jehovah will bring him back.

2) Acan y Rahab. The lesson will highlight beware of greed, fear Jehovah. Acan believe in Jehovah. When he was exposed he said "in fact I am the on who sinned against the God of Israel." At the moment of his thievery he was an aethist. He pushed Jehovah out of his mind and ignored he existed. If he had been a little bit patient he would have gotten more materially then what he stole. Det. 6 - Jehovah said I'm going to give you cities you didn't build, I'm going to give you houses full of good things you didn't work for, Jericho was for Jehovah. Acan stole from Jehovah. A little patience he would have received more than what he stole. Jehovah says be content right now with spiritual things don't try to get so much physically. The question are we patient or run ahead like Acan? Another lesson we can learn is from Acan's family. They went along with Acan because Jehovah destroyed them. The lesson is if other's in our family are ambitious we do not have to imitate them. Rahab despite her immoral background she became an example of faith. What she learned from Jehovah deeply impressed her. Remember what she told the spies? She said I do know Jehovah will give you the land, we heard like Jehovah dried the waters of the red sea, and what he did to the two kings.... She had faith in Jehovah as proof she risked her life hiding the spies. She was concerned not about material things she was concerned about lives. Swear to me by Jehovah, I showed love to you

you will show love to my household. You must spare the lives of my family. The last thing on her mind were material things. What worried her was to save the lives of her family. That is our concern in the time of the end.

3) Salomon and David. Lived on the same land, father and son, one was a good example, the other started good and become a bad example. Trust Jehovah. Salomon started very well serving Jehovah but then he turned to false worship. 1 Reyes 11:9,10 how did Jehovah feel about what happened to Salomon. Jehovah gave him privileges but despite that he turned to false worship. Jehovah was furious. It was a strong word coming from Jehovah. Salomon began to trust more and more in himself. Jehovah said the king should not acquire many horses for himself. Jehovah knew that he would trust in his military. Salomon did exactly what Jehovah told him not to. He accumulated thousand and thousands of horses and chariots. He thought he was the exception, nothing would happen to him, he would trust Jehovah. He also did not listen to Jehovah about not having many wives because especially foreign wives would not be wise. He even married the daughter of Pharaoh. He had 300 concubines and 700 wives. I am the exception. I will trust Jehovah. No one can mock Jehovah without impunity. These wives gradually inclined his heart against Jehovah. Satan's tactics haven't changed up until today. We are the exception we can disobey and get away with it. We are strong, we can handle it. Bad association, I will not them . Treasures, university. In contrast to Salomon we have David. David is an example of faith we can imitate. How did David feel about horses? Salmos 20:7 - some may trust horses but we trust Jehovah. How different from Salomon. Salmos 26:1-5 - Avoided bad association, the same things will help us to not be like salomon paryer and avoid bad association. Three examples of faith and lack of faith. Cain and ABel - beware of pride cultivate faith ACan and Rahab - beware of greed obey Jehovah. Salomon and David - don't trust in yourself trust in Jehovah. Among the anointed we have examples of faith. Sister Gertrude P - persecuted by the Nazis she was determined to pursue first the kingdom. When she was newly married she was forcibly separated from her husband. Her husband was put in different concentration camp. They were separated for nine years. She did not become a spiritual slug. She continued to serve Jehovah zealously. Looking back in her life storey on what principle shall we base our life - seek first the kingdom. I am convinced our FAther knows the things we need and we will receive them at the proper time if we put the kingdom first. I also can see the things I did not really need. Jehovah does not want spoiled children. Parents with children ask for certain things but you know they do not really need them. Later in life the couple was brought to Brooklyn and served in the GB. After he served for 10 yrs he died. He received his heavenly reward. What did she do? She asked to go back to Germany and be a special pioneer there. She continued until she received her heavenly reward.

Second modern day example: Brother George Lindell. Even if you have a very difficult territory as long as you serve Jehovah you can be very happy. Brother lindell learned the truth in Canada but he wanted to take the truth to his homeland: Iceland. The truth had never been taken to Iceland. He back and was a pioneer for 24 years. He did this almost all the time by himself. Can you imagine pioneering yourself for 24 years. He placed thousands of books but nobody accepted the truth for 18 years. His joy was not dependent on people coming into the truth. As long as he was faithful and zealous he was happy. He also set a goal to work his entire territory as quick as he could. But his territory was the entire country of Iceland. Most of the people live on the Coast but Iceland has 4,000 miles of Coast. After one year of pioneering he wrote it would take a considerable time to preach here because transportation is difficult. iceland is a mountainous county, no trains and little transportation. He traveled by boat. How long did it take him? 10 years but he maintained his joy and zeal for those 24 years. What a

fine example for us. Even though our territory is not productive. We can be happy. Isa 43.12: ustedes son mis testigos.

Third example: Bennett Brickle - God's power can be made perfect in weakness. Paul supplicated Jehovah to remove the thorn on his side. Apparently it was a chronic eye affliction. Jehovah said my underserved kindness is enough. My power will be perfected in your weakness. That was similar with Brother Brickle. In Malaysia he was seriously ill and he went to Australia but he became seriously ill again. The doctors declared him 85 percent disabled. He was medically certified invalid for life. But Brother Brickle refused to allow that medical certification to become a spiritual slug. He zealously witnessed in Australia in a motorbike, he had a fruitful territory and aborigines. I think of him and think of the bumblebee. According to aerodynamics he could not be able to fly. He has a little fat body and little wings. He should not be able to fly. But that little bumblebee knows nothing about aerodynamics and he flies. Nobody could convince Brother Brickle he was an invalid for life and he continued to pioneer. Jehovah's power is made perfect in my witness. Perhaps some of us have a chronic illness but we do not give up. Like Brother Brickle don't become a spiritual slug.

Three modern examples worthy of imitating. Even under difficult circumstances put the kingdom first. Even with a hard territory we can maintain our joy as we learn we are serving Jehovah. Jehovah's power can be made perfect in our weakness.

Salmos 1:1-3 - avoid bad association, read meditate and delight in God's word, you will be a success. Remember this formula 1 + 2 = 3. Verse 1 we don't walk, stand sit with bad people. Pretty comprehensive. We don't walk according to their advice because we do not associate with them. We do not stand in the path of the sinners so we don't go where they go. We don't frequent the places the frequent. That is true physically and electronically. We walk with Jehovah and his people. We sit with God's loyal ones. We read everyday God's word. We keep Jehovah's thinking rather than the world. We will become like a tree.

We have to exert ourselves rigorously to do what we considered. We can't take the course of least resistance. We don't follow the advice, take it easy, keep cool. That's suicide advice. Jehovah and Jesus say exert yourself vigorously. 1 Cor. 9:24-27 - exert yourself vigorously like running a race. paul likens running the race for life like running a race. It can be likened to a marathon. In fact let's quickly talk about the race for life and running a marathon: 1) exercise self control in training. Being a marathon runner requires months of training, exercise, diet. Similarly we have to do bible reading, personal study, preaching, family worship. It takes self control to do that. 2) No one can train or run for us. Trainers can point out your weaknesses and where to improve. And ones on the sideline can cheer you on but no one can train and run for you. 3) Good nutrition is involved. A marathon runner has to have good nutrition and not just the day or the race or the day before. It has to be a way of life. The same with us we have to make good spiritual nutrition choices as a way of life. 4) You have to give it all you have. If a runner comes to the finish line and he has more gas in the tank he didn't run well. He didn't run to win. And the same with us. We have to give it all we have. Paul says run in a way you win. 5) you have to contend according to the rules. There is an interest experience about Rosie Ruiz who in 1980 ran the New York marathon. She came across the finish line first. But some were very suspicious. they found out she covered most of the course on the subway. She was stripped of her crown, humiliated. we have to run according to Jehovah's rules.

We cannot give in to unclean fleshly desires. No matter how much time we are spending in the service if we are not following the rules. We cannot give in to sin. Satan tries to make sin look

appealing. But Jehovah is telling us don't give into it. You can liken sin to rotten meat. But Satan puts sauce over that rotten meat that smells good and looks good. But if you say it looks good, it smells good I'm gonna eat it. You're going to suffer the consequences. we don't have to learn the hard way. There is a saying that experience is the best teacher. That is totally wrong. If we listen to Jehovah we don't have to learn the hard way.

Answer: Heb. 6:12 because we want to be influenced by good examples who can help us become good imitators who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Remember our associates are like an elevator: they will take you up or they will take you down.
berrygerry

Ya know, the ones where 16 people insist at sitting all together at a super long table in a restaurant.
Why did we do that?
Why not tables of 4 or 6? You cannot speak to someone 3 seats down anyways.

Stephen Lett at our assembly today

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