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just curious, anybody from california or the central valley area ???.
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I am here in the heart of the central valley...(though some may say groin) beautiful land of congress men and dissappearing interns, Gallo wine, Foster farms dairy and graffitti night...yes it's Modesto California!
Edited by - NikL on 3 December 2002 17:1:20
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i heard through the grapevine that the lawyer for the watchtower that represented them before the supreme court on the right to preach in that little town in ohio is supposed to be on larry king live tonight on cnn.. just thought i would give a heads up in case it is true.. nick
I heard through the grapevine that the lawyer for the Watchtower that represented them before the supreme court on the right to preach in that little town in Ohio is supposed to be on Larry King live tonight on CNN.
Just thought I would give a heads up in case it is true.
Nick
has anyone else seen the july 8th awake!?.
it's cover features a picture of a police man and a young boy and asks the question "police, why do we need them"?.
does anyone else see the irony of this in light of the dateline publicity?
Has anyone else seen the July 8th Awake!?
It's cover features a picture of a police man and a young boy and asks the question "Police, Why do we need them"?
Does anyone else see the irony of this In light of the Dateline publicity? LOL
apparantly it has been circulating that barabara anderson was wearing a cross in her interview :) (not true).
any others been going around?
The story I heard just yesterday is that Erica was disfellowshipped for sexual imorality. Supposedly someone knew someone who knew her yadda yadda...classic urban legend stuff.
this may have been posted already.
if so i am sorry.. i received this e mail tonight.
it seems to be making the rounds among jws.
She was obviously a headstrong woman looking into things that were not her business to see. One can see how her rebelious attitude led her to leave Gods wonderful organsiation ;-)
this may have been posted already.
if so i am sorry.. i received this e mail tonight.
it seems to be making the rounds among jws.
This may have been posted already. If so I am sorry.
I received this e mail tonight. It seems to be making the rounds among JWs.
I have no idea who Hans Bluehs is but the letter reads as follows...
If you go to WWW.jw-media.org you will see that brothers statement
exactly as it was said on the program. He was indeed representing the
society in this regard.
Hans Bluehs wrote:
I agree with your view-carpe diem.The program was informative for us
a servants of Jehovah. The young lady (Garza) may be a victim as
indicated by the court of the land, however her statements about the
elders views do not have the ring of truth. No elder I have ever served
with or have ever known would state that going to the police to report a
criminal offense would be df'd. There is no such offense for df'ing no
matter how far between the lines you read. It would be improper for any
of us to question a judicial committee decision as to whether they acted
too leniently or extended mercy to a degree beyond which seems
appropriate. However we can rest assured that Jehovah will correct
matters without fail and in a timely fashion. It would seem that the
response from the legal committee member may have been taken out of
context, or that the brother involved spoke out of line with the
official position of the society. The other point that lacked a ring of
truth was that a sister would be involved at Bethel with researching
judicial files to ascertain a statistical pattern. Sisters are not
involved in judicial matters at any level in Jah's organization. Yes we
may face some questions due to this program, however we can stand
upright and in full confidence that our God Jehovah has not allowed a
cover-up. It is possible that brothers or elders have not acted
properly, however this does not detract from the purpose we serve our
God. That is to honor and praise him. Hans
just finished watching dateline.
i was very much impressed.. it didn't make the watchtower look good at all.
i bet.
What got me was the closing words of Stone Phillips about how Bill and the others now face "expulsion" from the church
gen 2:17 - god says: eat from the tree of knowledge of good and bad and you will absolutely die!.
gen 3:5 - satan says: god knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like god knowing good and bad.. .
so what happen?.
Hi Dutchie,
This has been something I have given thought to for years so I will add more fuel to the fire.
If you will note by reading the scriptures, it wasn't the eating from the tree of the knowlege of good and bad that caused Adam and Eve to die. It was the NOT eating of the tree of life which was in the garden while they were out "toiling" for their food.
One of the most interesting points of this whole story is that God is made to look scared of what man was capable of becoming...
Gen 3:22 And he said: Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil: now therefore lest perhaps he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.
Gen 3:23 And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken.
" (isaiah 60:3) who are the 'kings' referred to here?
(isa.
13:19, 20;14:22, 23) [weekly bible reading; see ip_1 p.188 pars.
I got e mailed the written review. Doesn't the org frown on this?
Anyway, I used to love written review night because it meant no boring talks.
Thought you might like to look at what the dubs are beeing tested on this week...
THEOCRATIC MINISTRY SCHOOL REVIEW
January 7 to April 22,, 2002Answer each of the following statements True or False
1.At Ecclesiastes 2:2, the point that Solomon makes is that laughter and rejoicing should be avoided. [Weekly Bible reading; see w87 9/15 p. 24 par. 5.]
*** w87 9/15 24 "Fear the True God and Keep His Commandments" ***÷Ecc. 2:2—Is it wrong to have a good time?
No, it is not. Laughter, or having a good time, may help take the mind off one’s problems temporarily, but the problems do not go away. So trying to find true happiness by merrymaking is "insanity"; it makes no sense. Similarly, "rejoicing" does not solve life’s problems. Merriment and pleasures are thus contrasted with the happiness that results from having Jehovah’s blessing upon one’s work.—2:24.
2. Far from being a book of pessimism, Ecclesiastes is studded with bright gems of divine wisdom and shows that calamitous occupations are those that ignore God. [si p. 114 par. 15]
si 114 Bible Book Number 21-Ecclesiastes WHY BENEFICIAL
15 Far from being a book of pessimism, Ecclesiastes is studded with bright gems of divine wisdom.
3.At Isaiah 1:7, the prophet refers to the desolation of Judah during Ahaz' reign. [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p. 17 par. 16.]
ip-1 p 17 par 16 Isaiah is employing a technique found elsewhere in the Bible-that of describing a future event as if it has already taken place, thus emphasizing the certainty of
a prophecy s fulfillment.-Compare Rev 11:15.
4."Standing before the throne and before the Lamb," as mentioned at Revelation 7:9, indicates a heavenly location. [rs 14. p.167 par. 5]
*** rs 167 Heaven ***The description of them as "standing before the throne and before the Lamb" indicates, not necessarily a location, but an approved condition. (Compare Revelation 6:17; Luke 21:36.) The expression "before the throne" (Greek, e·no'pi·on tou thro'nou; literally, "in sight of the throne") does not require that they be in heaven.
5.Generously `honoring Jehovah' with our resources_our time, talents, strength, and material possessions_results in rich spiritual blessings from Jehovah. (Prov. 3:9,10)
[w001/15 p 25 par. l]
"Honor Jehovah with your valuable things and with the firstfruits of all your produce," instructs the king. (Proverbs 3:9) To honor Jehovah means to show him high regard and to exalt him publicly by sharing in and supporting the public proclamation of his name. The valuable things with which we honor Jehovah are our time, our talents, our strength, and our material possessions. These must be the firstfruits—our very best. Should not the way we use our personal resources reflect our resolve to ‘keep on seeking first the kingdom and God’s righteousness’?—Matthew 6:33. "Then your stores of supply will be filled with plenty," assures Solomon, "and with new wine your own press vats will overflow." (Proverbs 3:10) While spiritual prosperity in itself does not lead to material prosperity, generously using our resources to honor Jehovah brings rich blessings.
6. The modern_day `strange deed and unusual work' foretold at Isaiah 28:21 refers to the destruction of the nations at Armageddon. [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p. 295 par. 16; p. 301 par. 28.]
28 How important it is to have faith and confidence in Jehovah and in his way of doing things! (Compare Psalm 146:3.) To most, the warning message we preach will sound childish. The prospective destruction of an organization, Christendom, that claims to serve God is a strange, an unusual, concept. But Jehovah will accomplish his ‘strange deed.’ Of that, there can be no doubt. Hence, through the last days of this system of things, God’s servants put full trust in his Kingdom and in his appointed King, Jesus Christ. They know that Jehovah’s saving acts—performed along with his ‘unusual work’ —will bring eternal blessings to all obedient mankind.
7As Matthew 24:38, 39 shows, indulgence in food and drink, along with other human activities, caused the people of Noah's day to be swept away by the Deluge.
[w00 2/15 p 6 par. 6]
Jesus Christ referred to a similar situation that would occur during "the conclusion of the system of things." He said: "As they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be."—Matt 24:3, 38, 39. Notice that Jesus mentioned eating, drinking, and getting married. None of those things are in themselves wrong in Jehovah’s eyes. What was wrong then? The people of Noah’s day "took no note," leading a life centered around their regular routine. In a time of emergency, one cannot live a "normal" life.
8. Jehovah always grants the requests of his humble servants who unselfishly serve him. [w00 3/1 p. 4 par. 3] 3 Jehovah God indeed listens to the prayers of those who humbly seek to serve him. But this does not mean that he always grants their requests because God has a long-range view of matters. He knows better than we do what is in our best interests. More important, he always acts in harmony with his stated purpose as recorded in the Bible.
9. The "nations" referred to at Isaiah 60:3 are individual political nations that have been attracted to God_given light. [Weekly Bible reading; see w00 1/1 p.12 par. 4.] 4/8
4. This gathering work is alluded to in Isaiah's prophecy when it says: "Nations will certainly go to your light, and kings to the brightness of your shining forth." (Isaiah 60:3) Who are the 'kings' referred to here? The remaining ones of the 144,00 who, along with Jesus Christ, are joint heirs of the heavenly Kingdom and have taken the lead in the witness work~Romans 8:17; Revelation 12:17; 14:1) Today, the few thousand remaining ones of the anointed remnant are greatly outnumbered by the "nations, those with an earthly hope who come to Jehovah for instruction and invite others to do the same. -Isaiah 2:3. Rev. 7:9
10. Jehovah "sanctified" Jeremiah before he was born in that He fixed Jeremiah's eternal destiny. (Jer. 1:5) [Weekly Bible reading; see w88 4/1 p.10 par. 2.]
*** w88 4/1 10 Jeremiah-Unpopular Prophet of God's Judgments ***2 >From Jehovah’s conversation with young Jeremiah, it is clear that he was one of the few men for whose birth Jehovah assumed responsibility. And why did he take specific interest in Jeremiah from his conception onward? Because Jehovah had a special commission in mind for him. Thus, he could say: "Before you proceeded to come forth from the womb I sanctified you." (Jeremiah 1:5) Then he commanded the youth: "Do not say, ‘I am but a boy.’ But to all those to whom I shall send you, you should go; and everything that I shall command you, you should speak. Do not be afraid because of their faces, for ‘I am with you to deliver you,’
Answer the following questions:
11.At Ecclesiastes 11:1, what is meant by `sending out bread'? [Weekly Bible reading; see w87 9/15 p. 25 par. ll.]
*** w87 9/15 25 "Fear the True God and Keep His Commandments" ***÷Ecc. 11:1—What is meant by thus ‘sending out bread’?
Bread is the staff of life. To send it out on "waters" is to part with something valuable. Yet, "you will find it again," for in an unexpected way the generous one will be repaid.—Luke 6:38.
12.At Isaiah 6:8, whom does Jehovah include when he says "us"? [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 pp. 93_4 par. 13.]1 pp. 93_4 par. 13.]
But why does Jehovah ask, "Who will go for us?" By switching from the singular personal pronoun "I" to the plural pronoun "us," Jehovah now includes at least one other person with himself. Who? Was this not his only-begotten Son, who later became the man Jesus Christ? Indeed, it was this same Son to whom God said, "Let us make man in our image." (Genesis 1:26; Proverbs 8:30, 31) Yes, alongside Jehovah in the heavenly courts is his only begotten Son.—John 1:14.
13.In fulfillment of Isaiah 9:2, how did "a great light" shine in Galilee? [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p.126 par. 17.]see ip_1 p.126 par. 17.]
When Jesus the Messiah appeared, the eyes of many humble people were opened in a wondrous way. (John 1:9, 12) Jesus’ work while on earth and the blessings resulting from his sacrifice are aptly characterized in Isaiah’s prophesy as "a great light."—John 8:12.
14. What modern_day parallel can be drawn concerning Babylon's fall in 539 B.C.E. and her eventual total desolation? (Isa. 13:19, 20;14:22, 23) [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p.188 pars. 30_1]ip_1 p.188 pars. 30_1]
Since 1919 the message has sounded around the earth: "Babylon the Great has fallen!" (Revelation 14:8) When she was unable to hold God’s people in captivity, she experienced a fall. Soon she will be completely destroyed. 31 Hence, Jehovah’s final statement of this prophecy in the book of Isaiah applies not only to ancient Babylon but also to Babylon the Great: "I will rise up against them... And I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant and progeny and posterity... And I will make her a possession of porcupines and reedy pools of water, and I will sweep her with the broom of annihilation." (Isaiah 14:22, 23)
15.How has "the faithful and discreet slave" acted as the "lookout" described at Isaiah 21:6? (Matt. 24:45) [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 pp. 221_2 par. ll.]
11 Jehovah now speaks to the prophet. Isaiah reports: ‘This is what Jehovah has said to me: ‘Go, post a lookout that he may tell just what he sees."’ (Isaiah 21:6) These words introduce another important theme of this chapter—that of the lookout, or watchman. This is of interest to all true Christians today, for Jesus urged his followers to "keep on the watch." "The faithful and discreet slave" has never stopped telling what it sees regarding the nearness of God’s day of judgment and the dangers of this corrupt world. (Matthew 24:42, 45-47) What does Isaiah’s visionary watchman see? "He saw a war chariot with a span of steeds, a war chariot of asses, a war chariot of camels. And he paid strict attention, with much attentiveness." (Isaiah 21:7)
16. What wise advice for a young man seeking a marriage partner is found at Proverbs 31:10?
[w00 2/1 p. 31 par. l] 3/11
Mothers are rightfully concerned with the marriage prospects of their sons who are approaching adulthood. Lemuel’s mother next turns her attention to the qualities of an ideal wife. No doubt, a young man would benefit greatly by considering a woman’s perspective on this important matter.In ÞPr 31 Üverse 10, "a capable wife" is likened to rare and valuable corals, which in Bible times were obtained only with considerable effort. In a similar way, finding a capable wife requires effort. Rather than anxiously rushing into marriage, a young man would do well to take his time to be selective. Then, he would be more likely to value his precious find highly
17. At Isaiah 43:9, what challenge is issued to the gods of the nations? [Weekly Bible reading; see w88 2/1 p.16 par. 3.]
18. In what way are the feet of those who declare the good news of God's Kingdom "comely"? (Isa. 52:7) [Weekly Bible reading; see w97 4/15 p. 27 par. 6.] 3/25
*** w97 4/15 27 Do You Remember? ***
• In what way are ‘the feet of those who declare the good news’ of God’s Kingdom "comely"? (Isaiah 52:7)
It is the feet that ordinarily move a person as he goes out to preach to others. Such feet really represent the person. So to the many who hear and respond favorably to the good news of the Kingdom, such messengers’ feet are indeed a beautiful sight.—1/15, page 13.
19. What is it necessary for us to do in order to prevent our heart from deceiving us? (Jer.17:9)
[w00 3/1 p. 30 par. 4] 4/1Honesty and Godly Fear The prophet Jeremiah wrote that "the heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) This treachery manifests itself in various ways, such as when we make excuses for ourselves when we do wrong. It also appears when we rationalize away serious personality flaws. Honesty, however, will help us to gain the victory over a treacherous heart by assisting us to face the truth about ourselves so that we can improve. The psalmist displayed such honesty when he prayed: "Examine me, O Jehovah, and put me to the test; refine my kidneys and my heart." Clearly, the psalmist had prepared his heart to accept refining and testing by Jehovah, even though it may have meant acknowledging the existence of drosslike traits so that these could be overcome.—Psalm 17:3; 26:2.
20. What must those who `walk in Jehovah's way' do? (Jer. 7:23) [Weekly Bible reading; see w99 8/15 p. 29 par. 6.] 4/22*** w99 8/15 29 Do You Remember? ***
• What must those who ‘walk in Jehovah’s way’ do? (Jeremiah 7:23)Walking in Jehovah’s way demands loyalty—a determination to serve him alone. It demands trust—complete faith that Jehovah’s promises are reliable and will come true. Walking in Jehovah’s way demands obedience—following his laws without deviation and keeping his high standards. (Psalm 11:7)—5/15, page 14.Provide the words) or phrase needed to complete each of the following statements:
21 "The heart of the wise is at his right hand" in the sense that the "right hand" often denotes a
_______________________ ; thus, this indicates that his_______ motivates him to pursue a good, favorable course. (Eccl. 10:2; Matt. 25:33) [Weekly Bible reading; see w87 9/15 p. 25 par. 8.]
÷Ecc. 10:2—How is the heart at the right hand? The "right hand" often denotes a position of favor. (Matthew 25:33) So the fact that the heart of the wise person is "at his right hand" indicates that it motivates him to pursue a good, favorable course. But the stupid individual lacks good motive and acts foolishly and improperly. His heart’s being at his "left hand" indicates that he is motivated to follow a wrong path.
22.Among the beneficial lessons that are taught in the Song of Solomon are ____________, _____________________. And ______________ to godly principles. [si p.117 par. 16]
*** si 117 Bible Book Number 22-The Song of Solomon ***16 What lessons are taught in this song of love that the man of God might find beneficial today? Faithfulness, loyalty, and integrity to godly principles are clearly shown.
23.The despoiler of the cities of Judah, described at Isaiah 33:1, is __________, which would itself end up defeated in 632 B.C.E., leaving behind great spoil for the inhabitants of ______, who would `gather it like the cockroaches.' (Isa. 33:4) [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p. 343 par. 4; p. 345 par. 6.] 4." (Isaiah 33:1) Isaiah directly addresses the despoiler, Assyria.
6 "The spoil of you people [the Assyrians] will actually be gathered like the cockroaches when gathering in, like the onrush of locust swarms that is rushing against one." (Isaiah 33:4) Judah is familiar with devastating insect invasions. This time, though, it is Judah’s enemies that will be devastated. Assyria will suffer a humiliating defeat, and its soldiers will be forced to flee, leaving behind a great spoil for the inhabitants of Judah to collect! It is only fitting that Assyria, known for its cruelty, will experience being despoiled. —Isaiah 37:36.
24. A comparison of Isaiah 54:1 with Galatians 4:26, 27 reveals that the "barren woman" pictures _____________________"; and "the woman with a husbandly owner," the _____________________. . [Weekly Bible reading; see w95 8/1 p. ll par. 8.] *** w95 8/1 11 Jehovah-A God Who Teaches *** 8 When Israel rejected and killed His Son, Jesus Christ, God finally rejected her. So no longer was that Jewish nation a figurative wife to him, nor was he the Father and Teacher of her wayward sons. (Matthew 23:37, 38) However, Israel was only a typical, or symbolic, wife. The apostle Paul quoted Isaiah 54:1, which speaks of a "barren woman" who is different and distinct from "the woman with a husbandly owner," the nation of natural Israel. Paul reveals that anointed Christians are children of the "barren woman," whom he calls "Jerusalem above." This antitypical figurative woman consists of God’s heavenly organization of spirit creatures.—Galatians 4:26, 27.
25.When we meet with ridicule and rejection in our public ministry, we need to remember that such opposition is really directed, not against ______________________________, but against________________ , the Source of our message. (2 Cor. 4:1, 7) [w001/15 p. 21 par. 2]2/11
As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we may meet with ridicule and rejection in our public ministry. We need to remember that such opposition is really directed, not against us personally, but against Jehovah, the Source of our message
Select the correct answer in each of the following statements:26. When writing about his vision of Jesus' heavenly glory, Paul refers to himself as one having been "born pre maturely," meaning that (he was newly spirit_begotten; he received an early appointment as apostle to the nations; it was as if he had been granted the honor of being born, or resurrected, to spirit life ahead of time). (1 Cor. 9:1;15:8) [w001/15 p. 29 par. 6] 2/25
Years later, when Paul’s apostleship was disputed, he defended his authority by referring to his experience on the road to Damascus. "Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?," he asked. And after mentioning the resurrected Jesus’ appearances to others, Saul (Paul) stated: "Last of all he appeared also to me as if to one born prematurely." (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8) It was as if Saul, by his vision of Jesus’ heavenly glory, had been granted the honor of being born, or resurrected, to spirit life ahead of time.
27. The title "Eternal Father" refers to the Messianic King's power and authority to give humans (spiritual vitality; immortal life in heaven; the prospect of eternal life on earth). (Isa. 9:6; John 11:25, 26) [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 p.131 par. 26.]
The title "Eternal Father" refers to the Messianic King’s power and authority to give humans the prospect of eternal life on earth. (John 11:25, 26)
28. In the modern fulfillment of Isaiah 66:7, the "male child" that was brought forth represents (Jesus Christ; the Messianic Kingdom; a new spiritual nation in 1919). [Weekly Bible reading; see w95 1/1 pp11 p3]*** w95 1/1 11 The Integrity-Keeping Nation ***The Nation Is Born 3 When was "the righteous nation" born? Its beginning was prophesied in the book of Isaiah. At Isaiah 66:7, 8, we read: "Before she [Zion] began to come into labor pains she gave birth. Before birth pangs could come to her, she even gave deliverance to a male child. . . . Zion has come into labor pains as well as given birth to her sons." Most unusually, Zion, God’s heavenly organization, was to bring forth "a male child" before she suffered labor pains. In 1914 the Messianic Kingdom was brought forth in the heavens. (Revelation 12:5) After that, the first world war engulfed more and more nations, and anointed Christians suffered severe distress and persecution. Finally, in the year 1919, the spiritual nation, the "male child," was brought forth on earth. Thus Zion ‘gave birth to her sons’—the anointed members of the new "righteous nation"—and these were organized for an ever-expanding witness work.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8, 14; 1 Peter 2:9.
29.A careful reading of Matthew 10:28 helps us to see that fiery Gehenna (is a place of conscious torment; represents eternal destruction; denotes estrangement from God). [rs p.173 par. 3] 3-4
*** rs 173-4 Hell ***At Matthew 10:28, Jesus warned his hearers to "be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." What does it mean? Notice that there is no mention here of torment in the fires of Gehenna; rather, he says to ‘fear him that can destroy in Gehenna.’ By referring to the "soul" separately, Jesus here emphasizes that God can destroy all of a person’s life prospects; thus there is no hope of resurrection for him. So, the references to the ‘fiery Gehenna’ have the same meaning as ‘the lake of fire’ of Revelation 21:8, namely, destruction, "second death."
30. In the modern_day fulfillment, "the nation whose people have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah," spoken of at Jeremiah 7:28, refers to (Babylon the Great; Christendom; the seventh world power). [Weekly Bible reading; see w88 4/1 p. 18 par. 10.]*** w88 4/1 18 Christendom Exposed as the Promoter of False Worship ***No Delight in His Word or Name 10 There are other points of similarity between ancient Jerusalem and modern Christendom. Jeremiah stated: "Look! The very word of Jehovah has become to them a reproach, in which word they can take no delight." (Jeremiah 6:10) The clergy prefer to quote philosophers and scientists, rather than the Word of Jehovah. Many are ashamed of the Bible; they even ridicule it by means of their "higher criticism." They claim that it is myths and legends presented as good literature. (Jeremiah 7:28)
Match the following scriptures to the statements listed below:
31. In its own time, the proper place in which each work of God fits into his purpose will be revealed. [Weekly Bible reading; see w87 9/15 p. 24 par. 8.]
*** w87 9/15 24 "Fear the True God and Keep His Commandments" ***
Ecc.÷ 3:11—How has God made everything "pretty in its time"? The word "pretty" also has the meaning of "good, proper, appropriate." In its own time, the proper place in which each work of God fits into his purpose will be revealed. God has made many things "pretty" for mankind. For example, he gave humans a perfect start in Eden. He foretold the coming of a redeeming Seed when man fell in sin. At the proper time, God sent the Seed. And, ‘prettiest’ of all, Jehovah made the Seed the King of His Kingdom.
32.The preaching of the good news to those spiritually dead provides an opportunity for them to repent. [rs p.163 par. 5] *** rs 163-4 Heaven ***What is the meaning of 1 Peter 4:6? "In fact, for this purpose the good news was declared also to the dead, that they might be judged as to the flesh from the standpoint of men but might live as to the spirit from the standpoint of God." (Were these "dead" the people who had died prior to the death of Christ? As already shown, the dead are not "the spirits in prison." Those spirits were disobedient angels. And preaching would not have benefited physically dead humans because, as Ecclesiastes 9:5 says, they "are conscious of nothing at all," and Psalm 146:4 adds that at death a person’s "thoughts do perish." But Ephesians 2:1-7, 17 does refer to persons who were spiritually dead and who came to life spiritually as a result of accepting the good news.)
33. Although setbacks in life are unavoidable, the godly individual does not give up in striving to do what is fine. [w00 2/1 p. 5 par. 1] An important part of perseverance is coping with the inevitable setbacks. Proverbs 24:16 states: "The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up." Rather than ‘folding up’ when encountering difficulty or failure, the persevering individual ‘gets up,’ ‘keeps on,’ and tries again.
34. God's word, or stated purpose, cannot be annulled or hindered from being fulfilled. [Weekly Bible reading; see ip_1 pp. 401_2 par. 10.] —10 The Israelites well know that grass does not last forever. During the dry season, the sun’s intense heat changes it from green to a parched brown. In some respects, man’s life is like grass—so temporary in nature. (Psalm 103:15, 16; James 1:10, 11) Isaiah contrasts the transitoriness of man’s life with the permanence of God’s "word," or stated purpose. Yes, "the word of our God" endures forever. When God speaks, nothing can annul his words or prevent them from being fulfilled. —Joshua 23:14. Isaiah 40:-8.35.The apostles of Jesus made good use of Isaiah's prophecy, applying it to the ministry. [si p.123 par. 37] *** si 123 Bible Book Number 23-Isaiah ***37 The apostles of Jesus Christ continued to make good use of Isaiah’s prophecy, applying it to the ministry. For example, in showing that preachers are needed in order to build faith, Paul quotes Isaiah in saying: "How comely are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!" (Rom. 10:15; Isa. 52:7; see also Romans 10:11, 16, 20, 21.) Peter too quotes Isaiah in showing the permanence of the good news: "For ‘all flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a blossom of grass; the grass becomes withered, and the flower falls off, but the saying of Jehovah endures forever.’ Well, this is the ‘saying,’ this which has been declared to you as good news."—1 Pet. 1:24, 25; Isa. 40:6-8.
got this one today.... i got this from a sister in our hall, it show's when we have that gut feeling to go back to a door we were just at to follow that feeling!
i hope you enjoy it.
we enjoyed this experience and you will probably enjoy it as well.
Got this one today...
I got this from a sister in our hall, it show's when we have that gut feeling to go back to a door we were just at to follow that feeling! I hope you enjoy it.
We enjoyed this experience and you will probably enjoy it as well.
The Brewster's This is a personal experience that was given at our Public Talk on December 30,2001. It was so exceptional that I asked the speaker if I could have a copy so that I can share it with others.
So you guys are the others....
Patsy had the greatest respect for her mother who raised six children without much help from a alcoholic husband. Her mother wasn't satisfied with her religion so she began looking for the true one. Unfortunately, after looking at many different religions she came across one that wasn't true, but to her it sounded as if it were true. So she became a member and raised her children in this religion.
At age 41 the mother went to a doctor for a checkup. The doctor found cancer in her left breast that was, he said, the size of a pinhead and thus operable. If she had the surgery the doctor said she could probably expect to live another 30 or 40 years. Patsy's mother went to her minister to ask if it would be all right to have the surgery. He put a guilt trip on her, saying, "I can't tell you that you cannot have the operation, but it would show lack of faith for you to have it. You are being tested like Job and if you have faith then God will heal you and the whole church will be built up and all your family will come in the church."
So the mother never receive any medical treatment again. She lived another two years as the cancer took over her whole side and even grew out of her body. During that time the minister of her church would come over with other members of the church and pray for Patsy's mother to be healed.
The mother would be sure that she was fixing to be healed and for the moment she would feel better as she anticipated the cure. The minister continued to tell her that she would be healed so she never gave up hope.
Finally, she died an excruciatingly painful death without any pain medication.
At the graveside funeral, the daughter Patsy approached this minister and looked him in the eye and said "Why ? Why did my mother have to die a death like this ? She did everything you told her to do. So why" The minister looked back at her in the eye and said "Obviously your mother did not have enough faith." A that Patsy told him, "I will never serve a God as cruel as that !"
Now Patsy began a life designed to "get even with God." She began to do all the things that she had learned were wrong. She became a lead singer in a heavy metal rock band. Eventually she married and had children but didn't treat her family well. She was always telling them that they were dragging her down and keeping here from signing a singing contract to go to New York and become a famous singer.
Finally, her husband had enough of this and decided to give Patsy her freedom He was going to give her a divorce. Then Patsy began to realize that she truly loved her husband and didn't want to live without him. So she decided to commit suicide. Going over to the refrigerator she got the gun down off the top of it and walked over to the kitchen table to write her suicide note and kill herself before the children came home from school.
At the table she started thinking, "Religion got me into this mess, maybe religion can get me out of it. I know what I'll do. Since I know a lot of Bible verses from my mother's religion, I'll use the Bible to blast all these people! So she went and got her King James Bible and let it fall open and the first verse she read was Romans 12:17, "Recompense to no man evil for evil." She didn't like that verse so she closed the Bible up and let it fall open again this time to a scripture that said something like, "Return to me and I shall return to you." She didn't like that one either so she closed the Bible again and opened it to Isaiah 55:1-3 where Jehovah invites thirsty ones to come to him.
Now Patsy decided to come to God in prayer. However, when she prayed she wanted to be sure that no other god would hear her prayer so she said:
"I'm praying to the God of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob. If you still have a people left on earth that are really serving you, could you have them call on me in the next 30 minutes."
Before 30 minutes went by, two of Jehovah's Witnesses knocked at her door. The two sisters were presenting THE WATCHTOWER on the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Patsy took the magazines and as she looked at the article, it seemed to make more sense than anything she had ever read before. So she went to God in prayer again. "God, I have really been duped by religion before and don't want to be again. If these really are your people could you please make them come back again within 3 0 minutes.
As the two witnesses were driving away, they got to the top of the hill and one said to the other: "That woman really needs the REASONING BOOK !
And they turned the car around and drove back to place the REASONING BOOK with her. This time, after the witnesses had left, Patsy went to God again in prayer. "God, I know I'm really pushing it this time, but I need to be sure since I've had such a bad experience with religion before. Would you make them come back one more time within the next 30 minutes."
The two witnesses had gone home, but one of them decided that she wanted Patsy to know what the topic of the Sunday talk would be about so she called up another witness that lived nearby Patsy and asked her if she would run over and tell Patsy the topic. She did and Patsy greeted her at the door with opened arms saying, "You're one of Jehovah's Witnesses aren't you ?"
That Thursday night Patsy came to her first meeting and never missed another. She went to the next assembly and cried because she couldn't get baptized. But, in March she went to a circuit assembly and was baptized.
Then she signed up to auxiliary pioneer and later became a regular pioneer in 1990...
This is the life experience that Patsy told us at a lunch at the Pioneer Service School in August of l991 Now you see why I wanted it to share with others. Feel free to share it with still others. It's very encouraging.
Myrna
