Let Jehovah Lead You to True Freedom

“[Peer] into the perfect law that belongs to freedom.”​—JAMES 1:25.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN?

What law is preparing people to have true freedom? Who benefit from that law?

What must we do to be really free?

What freedom will all those who continue to obey Jehovah have?

1, 2. (a) What is happening to people’s freedom? Why? (b) What freedom do Jehovah’s servants hope to have?

WE ARE living in a time when people are more and more greedy, violent, and disrespectful of laws. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Because of that, governments make more laws, strengthen their police forces, and use cameras to watch what people are doing. In some countries, people have alarm systems in their homes, extra locks, and even electric fences to protect themselves. Many people feel so unsafe that they do not go out at night or let their children play outside by themselves. It is clear that people have less and less freedom, and this situation will probably not get better.

² Back in the garden of Eden, Satan said that humans could be truly free only if they were independent from Jehovah. What has happened since then proves that what he said was a terrible lie! The more that people do what they want and not what God tells them to do, the more all humans suffer. Jehovah’s servants also suffer because of this situation. But we have the hope that humans will one day be free from sin and corruption and will have what the Bible calls “the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21) In fact, Jehovah is now preparing his servants for that freedom. How is he doing this?

3. What law has Jehovah given his servants? What questions will we consider?

³ To prepare his servants for that future freedom, Jehovah gave us what James called “the perfect law that belongs to freedom.” (Read James 1:25.) Other Bibles call it “the law that makes us free” (The New English Bible) and “the perfect law of freedom” (The New American Bible). When people think of law, they usually think of being controlled, not of having freedom. Then, what is “the perfect law that belongs to freedom”? And how does that law make us free?

THE LAW THAT SETS US FREE

4. What is “the perfect law that belongs to freedom”? Who benefit from it?

⁴ “The perfect law that belongs to freedom” cannot be the Mosaic Law. Jehovah gave the Mosaic Law to the Israelites to show them that they were sinners, and Christ fulfilled that Law. (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 3:19) Then, what law was James talking about? He was talking about “the law of the Christ,” also called “the law of faith” and “the law of a free people.” (Galatians 6:2; Romans 3:27; James 2:12) So “the perfect law” includes everything that Jehovah requires of us. Both anointed Christians and the “other sheep” benefit from it.​—John 10:16.

5. Why is the law of freedom not too difficult to follow?

⁵ “The perfect law” is different from the laws of many countries. It is made up of simple commandments and basic principles that are not too difficult to understand or to follow. (1 John 5:3) Jesus said: “My yoke is kindly and my load is light.” (Matthew 11:29, 30) Also, “the perfect law” has no need for a long list of rules. It is based on love and is written on the minds and hearts of people, not on tablets of stone.​—Read Hebrews 8:6, 10.

HOW “THE PERFECT LAW” SETS US FREE

6, 7. What can we say about Jehovah’s requirements? What does the law of freedom allow us to do?

⁶ The limits that Jehovah has set for humans are for their benefit and protection. For example, think of the laws of nature that control energy and matter. People do not complain that they feel oppressed by those laws. They are thankful for them because they realize that those laws are for their benefit. In the same way, Jehovah’s requirements, which we learn from “the perfect law” of the Christ, are for our benefit.

⁷ The law of freedom is a protection for us, and it also allows us to satisfy all our right desires without harming ourselves or disrespecting the rights and the freedoms of others. So we are free to do what we desire only when we have the right desires. This means that we should desire to do what Jehovah likes and what he requires of us. We have to learn to love what Jehovah loves and to hate what he hates. The law of freedom helps us to do that.​—Amos 5:15.

8, 9. How do we benefit from obeying the law of freedom? Give an example.

⁸ Because we are imperfect, it is very hard for us to control wrong desires. But when we loyally obey the law of freedom, we can have some freedom even now. For example, a man named Jay was addicted to tobacco. When he started studying the Bible, he learned that his habit displeased God. He had to make a decision. Would he continue to be controlled by his desire to smoke or would he obey Jehovah? He made the wise decision to serve God, even though it was very hard for him to stop smoking. How did he feel after he stopped this habit? He said that he felt very happy and “wonderfully free.”

⁹ The freedoms that the world offers allow people to satisfy their desires. But as Jay learned, the result is that people actually become slaves to sin. Those who obey God’s law of freedom choose to be controlled by God’s spirit, and the result is that they are set free and can have “life and peace.” (Romans 8:5, 6) Where did Jay get the strength to stop his habit? Not from within himself but from God. He regularly studied the Bible, prayed for holy spirit, and accepted the loving help from the brothers and sisters in the congregation. These same things can help all of us to have true freedom. Let us see how.

PEER INTO GOD’S WORD

10. What does it mean to peer into God’s law?

¹⁰ At James 1:25, we read that “he who peers into the perfect law that belongs to freedom and who persists in it” will be “happy in his doing it.” The Greek word translated “peers” means to bend down to have a closer look at something. This takes effort. So if we want the law of freedom to influence our mind and heart, we must make an effort to study the Bible carefully and regularly and to meditate deeply on what we read.​—1 Timothy 4:15.

11, 12. (a) What did Jesus say that shows that we need to make the truth our way of life? (b) According to the illustration on page 5, what danger must we avoid, especially if we are young?

¹¹ At the same time, we must persist, or endure, in applying God’s Word. We must make the truth our way of life. Jesus said something similar to some who believed in him: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31, 32) One Bible dictionary explains that to “know” here includes understanding how important what we know is in our life. So we can say that we fully know the truth when we make it our way of life. Then “the word of God” will be “at work” in us. It will help us to continue to make changes in our personality so that we better imitate our heavenly Father.​—1 Thessalonians 2:13.

¹² Ask yourself, ‘Do I really know the truth? Have I made it my way of life? Or do I still want some of the freedoms of the world?’ A sister who was raised by Christian parents tells us about her experience. When she was young, she believed in Jehovah but never really got to know him. She wrote: “I never learned to hate what he hates. I never believed that what I did mattered to him. And I never learned to go to him when I was in trouble. I leaned on my own understanding, which I now know was ridiculous because I knew nothing.” Happily, the sister later realized that her thinking was very wrong, and she made some important changes. She even began to serve as a regular pioneer.

HOLY SPIRIT CAN HELP SET YOU FREE

13. How does God’s holy spirit help to make us free?

¹³ At 2 Corinthians 3:17, we read: “Where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.” How does holy spirit help set us free? It helps us to have such qualities as “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22, 23) People cannot be truly free without these qualities, especially love. The situation in the world today clearly shows this. After the apostle Paul listed the spirit’s fruitage, he wrote: “Against such things there is no law.” What did he mean? The fruitage of God’s spirit is not limited by any law. There will never be a law that would prevent these qualities from growing. (Galatians 5:18) Jehovah wants us to keep showing these qualities more and more and to show them forever.

14. In what ways does the world’s spirit make people slaves?

¹⁴ Those who are controlled by the world’s spirit and who satisfy all their selfish desires may think that they are free. (Read 2 Peter 2:18, 19.) But they do not know that they are actually slaves. Governments must make a lot of laws to keep these people’s desires and behavior under control. And Paul says that laws are made, “not for a righteous man, but for persons lawless and unruly.” (1 Timothy 1:9, 10) They also are slaves of their sinful flesh because they do “the things willed by the flesh,” and the flesh is a cruel master. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Like insects that crawl into a bowl of honey to satisfy their appetite and then get trapped, these people follow their wrong desires and become slaves of sin.​—James 1:14, 15.

SET FREE WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

15, 16. What benefits have we had since we became part of the Christian congregation? What freedom do we have in the congregation?

¹⁵ Associating with the Christian congregation is not like joining a social club. You came into the congregation because Jehovah wanted you here. (John 6:44) Why did he choose you? Did he see a righteous person who feared God? “Not at all!” you may say. What, then, did God see? He saw that you would be willing to obey his law and accept his kind direction. Ever since you became part of the congregation, Jehovah has taken care of you by teaching you from his Word. He has set you free from the lies and superstitions of false religion and has taught you how to imitate Christ’s personality. (Read Ephesians 4:22-24.) As a result, you now have the honor of being part of the only people in the world who are truly free.​—James 2:12.

¹⁶ Think about this: When you are with those who love Jehovah with all their heart, do you feel afraid? While you are talking to your brothers and sisters at the Kingdom Hall, are you worried that someone may steal your belongings? Not at all! You feel safe and free. Would you feel that way among any other group of people at any other place? Of course not! But the freedom that you now have among Jehovah’s people is just a taste of the freedom that you will have in the future.

“THE GLORIOUS FREEDOM OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD”

17. How will “the revealing of the sons of God” help humans become free?

¹⁷ Paul wrote about the freedom that Jehovah will give his people on earth. He said: “The eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.” Then he added: “The creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21) “The creation” means humans who have the hope of living on earth forever and who will benefit from “the revealing” of the anointed “sons of God.” That revealing will begin when the anointed in heaven help Christ destroy all wicked people and bring “a great crowd” into the new system of things.​—Revelation 7:9, 14.

18. How will freedom increase for obedient humans? What freedom will humans finally have?

¹⁸ Humans will then have a very special freedom. They will be free from the influence of Satan and the demons. (Revelation 20:1-3) What a relief that will be! From that time on, the 144,000 kings and priests will use the ransom sacrifice to benefit humans until mankind becomes completely free from sin and imperfection. (Revelation 5:9, 10) After their faith has been tested, obedient humans will finally have the perfect freedom that Jehovah originally wanted for them, that is, “the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Think! It will no longer be difficult for you to do what God says is right. Your body, heart, and mind will be perfect, and you will be able to imitate God’s qualities perfectly.

19. What must we continue to do if we want to have “the glorious freedom of the children of God”?

¹⁹ Do you want to have “the glorious freedom of the children of God”? If you do, let your mind and heart continue to be influenced by “the perfect law that belongs to freedom.” Study the Bible carefully and regularly. Make the truth your way of life. Pray for holy spirit. Benefit fully from the Christian congregation and the spiritual food that Jehovah gives us. Do not let Satan deceive you, as he deceived Eve, and make you think that God’s requirements are too strict. Even though the Devil can be very clever, it is possible not to be defeated by him, “for we are not ignorant of his designs.” This is what we will discuss in the next article.​—2 Corinthians 2:11.

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

The flesh: The imperfect human condition (Ephesians 2:3)

[Blurb on page 4]

The law of freedom includes everything that Jehovah requires of us

[Blurb on page 6]

We fully know the truth when we make it our way of life

[Blurb on page 7]

To be really free, we must work hard to have the right desires

[Blurb on page 8]

Humans will soon be free from the influence of Satan and the demons

[Pictures on page 5]

Do I still want some of the “freedoms” of the world?

[Pictures on page 5]

Have I made the truth my way of life?

Serve the God of Freedom

“This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.”​—1 JOHN 5:3.

CAN YOU ANSWER?

What does Satan want us to think about God’s requirements?

Why must we choose our friends very carefully?

What will help us to continue to be loyal to the God of freedom?

1. How does Jehovah use his freedom? What freedom did he give Adam and Eve?

ONLY Jehovah has unlimited freedom. But he always uses his freedom the right way. And he does not control every little thing his servants do. Instead, he has given them the freedom to make their own decisions and to satisfy all their right desires. For example, there was only one thing that God told Adam and Eve they were not allowed to do. He told them not to eat from “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.” (Genesis 2:17) So it was possible for them to do God’s will and still have amazing freedom!

2. Why did Adam and Eve become slaves to sin?

² Why did God allow Adam and Eve to have so much freedom? Because Jehovah gave them a conscience and created them in his image. He expected them to do what was right because of their love for him as their Creator. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 2:15) Sadly, Adam and Eve were not grateful to their Creator for the freedom he had given them. Instead, they chose to decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong. They thought that this would give them more freedom, but in reality, their choice made them and their children slaves to sin and resulted in suffering and death.​—Romans 5:12.

3, 4. What does Satan want us to think about God’s requirements?

³ If Satan could influence two perfect humans and many angels to reject God’s rule, he could do the same to us. Satan’s tricks have not changed. He wants us to think that God’s requirements are too strict. Satan wants us to think that if we serve God, we will have no fun or excitement in life. (1 John 5:3) People in the world think this way, and if we regularly spend time with them, we may start thinking like them. A sister who is now 24 years old said that she was greatly influenced by the wrong kind of friends. She was afraid of having an opinion different from that of other young people. As a result, this sister committed immorality. Perhaps you too have felt how strong the influence of friends can be.

⁴ Sadly, even some in the Christian congregation may become bad influences. A young brother said that some of his friends in the congregation were dating people who did not serve Jehovah. The more time he spent with these friends, the more he became like them. He said: ‘My relationship with Jehovah became weaker. I was not enjoying the meetings, and I almost never went out in service anymore. That is when I realized that I had to stop spending time with them, and I did!’ Do you realize how much your friends influence you? Consider a Bible example that can help us today.​—Romans 15:4.

HE STOLE THEIR HEARTS

5, 6. How did Absalom fool others? Did his plan have success?

⁵ There are many examples in the Bible of those who were a bad influence on others. One of these examples is Absalom, a son of King David. Absalom was a very handsome man. Like Satan, he allowed a wrong desire to grow in his heart. He wanted to become king instead of his father, even though Absalom did not have the right to be king.a (See footnote.) To try to get what he wanted, Absalom made the people believe that he wanted to help them but that the king did not want to help them. Just like the Devil in the garden of Eden, Absalom made people think that he cared for them and at the same time told a terrible lie about his own father.​—2 Samuel 15:1-5.

⁶ Did Absalom’s plan have success? We know that it had some success. The Bible says that “Absalom kept stealing the hearts of the men of Israel.” (2 Samuel 15:6) Absalom fooled many people, but in the end, he was defeated. His pride resulted in his death and the death of thousands who were tricked by him.​—2 Samuel 18:7, 14-17.

7. What lessons can we learn from Absalom’s example? (See picture above.)

⁷ Why was it so easy for Absalom to mislead those Israelites? Maybe because they desired the things he promised them. Or maybe they were influenced by his good looks. Whatever the reason, we can be sure of this: They were not loyal to Jehovah and to the king whom he had chosen. Today, Satan continues to use people like Absalom to try to fool Jehovah’s servants. They may say that Jehovah’s requirements are too strict or that people who do not serve Jehovah have more fun. When you hear these things, will you recognize that they are lies and continue to be loyal to God? Will you recognize that only Jehovah’s “perfect law,” the law of the Christ, can result in true freedom? (James 1:25) If you do, show that you love that law, and use your freedom in a way that pleases Jehovah.​—Read 1 Peter 2:16.

8. What are some examples that show that disobeying Jehovah’s requirements does not make people happy?

⁸ Satan especially wants to deceive young people. A brother who is now over 30 years old said that when he was a teenager, he did not think that Jehovah’s requirements protected him. He felt that he had no freedom. As a result, he committed sexual immorality. But that did not make him happy. Instead, he had strong feelings of guilt and regret for many years. One sister who committed immorality when she was a teenager wrote that afterward she felt sad and worthless. She added: “Even now after 19 years, bad memories come back.” Another sister said that it caused her great pain to think of the effects her actions had on the people she loved. She added, “It is terrible to live without Jehovah’s favor.” Satan does not want you to think about the consequences of sin.

9. (a) What questions should we ask ourselves about Jehovah and his laws and principles? (b) Why is it important to know God well?

⁹ As these examples show, the consequences of disobeying God are terrible. It is so sad that many young ones in the truth, and even older ones, have had to suffer to learn that! (Galatians 6:7, 8) So ask yourself: ‘Do I recognize the tricks that Satan uses to try to deceive me? Do I think of Jehovah as my best Friend, the one who always tells the truth and wants what is best for me? Do I really believe that he would never deny me something that is truly good and that would make me happy?’ (Read Isaiah 48:17, 18.) You can answer yes to these questions only if you know Jehovah well. You need to recognize that the laws and principles in the Bible show that Jehovah loves you, not that he wants to take your freedom away.​—Psalm 25:14.

PRAY FOR A WISE AND OBEDIENT HEART

10. Why should we try to imitate young King Solomon?

¹⁰ When he was still a young man, Solomon humbly prayed to Jehovah and said: “I am but a little boy. I do not know how to go out and how to come in.” Solomon then asked Jehovah to help him become wise and obedient. (1 Kings 3:7-9, 12) Jehovah answered that sincere prayer. If you ask Jehovah for the same thing, he will listen to your prayer too, whether you are young or old. Of course, Jehovah will not instantly make you wise. But he will make you wise if you seriously study his Word, pray for holy spirit, and follow the guidance and instruction you receive in the Christian congregation. (James 1:5) In fact, Jehovah makes even his young servants wiser than all those who do not obey him, including the “wise and intellectual ones” of this world.​—Luke 10:21; read Psalm 119:98-100.

11-13. (a) What important lessons can we learn from Psalm 26:4, Proverbs 13:20, and 1 Corinthians 15:33? (b) How will you use these lessons in your life?

¹¹ Let us now discuss some scriptures that teach us important lessons about our choice of friends. This will help us understand how important it is to study the Bible and to meditate on it so that we can get to know Jehovah well. Psalm 26:4 says: “I have not sat with men of untruth; and with those who hide what they are I do not come in.” At Proverbs 13:20, we read: “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” And 1 Corinthians 15:33 says: “Bad associations spoil useful habits.”

¹² What important lessons can we learn from those scriptures? (1) Jehovah wants us to choose our friends carefully. He wants to protect us from doing something that could harm us and our friendship with him. (2) Our friends influence us to do good things or to do bad things. That is simply a fact of life. The way the verses above are written shows that Jehovah is trying to touch our heart. Notice that these verses are written as simple truths, not as rules, such as “you must not do this” or “you must not do that.” It is as if Jehovah is telling us: ‘These are the facts. What will you do? What is in your heart?’

¹³ Finally, because these three scriptures are written as simple truths, they are as true today as they were when they were written and can apply to people in many situations. Ask yourself such questions as: In what situations could I meet people “who hide what they are”? How can I avoid becoming friends with them? (Proverbs 3:32; 6:12) Who are the “wise persons” Jehovah wants me to be friends with? Who are the “stupid ones” he wants me to avoid? (Psalm 111:10; 112:1; Proverbs 1:7) What are the “useful habits” that I will ruin if I choose the wrong kind of friends? Are there “bad associations” only in the world? (2 Peter 2:1-3) How would you answer these questions?

14. How can you improve your Family Worship evening?

¹⁴ In the same way that you just reasoned on these three scriptures, you can read other scriptures to understand God’s thinking on subjects that are important to you and your family.b (See footnote.) Parents, think about discussing these subjects during your Family Worship evening. When you do this, remember that your goal is to help each person in the family to understand that God’s laws and principles show how much he loves us. (Psalm 119:72) If you study like that as a family, your relationship with Jehovah and with one another will become stronger.

15. How can you know if you are really becoming wise and obedient?

¹⁵ How can you know if you are really becoming wise and obedient? One way is to compare your thinking with the thinking of faithful servants of God in the past, such as King David. He wrote: “To do your will, O my God, I have delighted, and your law is within my inward parts.” (Psalm 40:8) Also, the writer of Psalm 119 said: “How I do love your law! All day long it is my concern.” (Psalm 119:97) You must work hard to have this kind of love. This love grows when you study the Bible seriously, pray, and meditate. It also grows when you notice in your own life that obeying Jehovah’s requirements results in many blessings.​—Psalm 34:8.

FIGHT FOR YOUR CHRISTIAN FREEDOM!

16. If we want to win the fight to keep our freedom, what must we remember?

¹⁶ All through history, nations have been willing to fight cruel wars to have freedom. You should be even more willing to fight to keep the freedom you have as a Christian! Remember, your enemies are not just Satan and the deadly thinking of the world. You also have to fight against your own imperfections and a heart that can deceive you. (Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 2:3) With Jehovah’s help, you can win the fight. Every time you choose to do what is right, there are at least two good results. First, you will make Jehovah’s heart glad. (Proverbs 27:11) Second, every time you realize that obeying “the perfect law that belongs to freedom” is good for you, you will become even more determined to stay on the road to everlasting life. In the future, you will have the greater freedom that Jehovah promises to all who are loyal to him.​—James 1:25; Matthew 7:13, 14.

17. When we make mistakes, why should we not feel depressed? How does Jehovah help us when we make a mistake?

¹⁷ Of course, we all make mistakes sometimes. (Ecclesiastes 7:20) When that happens, do not feel worthless or depressed. If you make a mistake, do what is needed to correct it, even if you have to ask the elders for help. James wrote that their “prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.” (James 5:15) Never forget that God is truly merciful and that he wanted you to be in the congregation because he saw something good in you. (Read Psalm 103:8, 9.) Jehovah will always help you as long as you try to serve him with a complete heart.​—1 Chronicles 28:9.

18. What must we do to have Jehovah’s protection?

¹⁸ On the night before he died, Jesus prayed with his 11 faithful apostles and asked his Father to protect them. He said these unforgettable words: “Watch over them because of the wicked one.” (John 17:15) Just as Jesus cared about his apostles, he cares about all his followers today. So we can be sure that Jehovah will answer Jesus’ prayer by protecting us during these difficult times. Proverbs 2:7, 8 tells us that Jehovah is like a shield for those who are faithful to him, and “he will guard the very way of his loyal ones.” It is not always easy to obey Jehovah’s requirements. But only those who obey Jehovah will have everlasting life and true freedom. (Romans 8:21) Others may think differently, but do not let them fool you!

[Footnotes]

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

“Bad associations”: The wrong kind of friends (1 Corinthians 15:33)

[Blurb on page 10]

Satan wants you to think that if you obey God, you will have no fun in life

[Blurb on page 12]

Jehovah is your best Friend. He wants what is best for you

[Pictures on page 11]

How can we identify modern-day Absaloms and guard ourselves against them?

“Of Whom Shall I Be in Dread?”

“Though against me war should rise, even then I shall be trusting.”​—PSALM 27:3.

HOW DO THE FOLLOWING VERSES HELP YOU TO HAVE COURAGE?

Psalm 27:1

Psalm 27:4

Psalm 27:11

1. What questions will the 27th Psalm help us to answer?

WHY are we doing more in the preaching work even though conditions in the world are getting worse? Why are we happy to use much of our time and energy in the preaching work even though there are serious economic problems in the world? How can we continue to have courage when many people fear the future? King David’s song in Psalm 27 gives us the answers to these questions.

2. How can fear make a person feel? But what can we be sure of?

² David begins this psalm with the words: “Jehovah is my light and my salvation. Of whom shall I be in fear? Jehovah is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be in dread?” (Psalm 27:1) Dread, or great fear, can make a person feel so weak that he cannot do anything. But a person who trusts in Jehovah has courage and does not feel dread. (1 Peter 3:14) If we make Jehovah our stronghold and trust in him, we can be sure that we “will reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.” (Proverbs 1:33; 3:25) Why is that?

“JEHOVAH IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION”

3. In what way is Jehovah our light? And what must we do?

³ When the Bible says that “Jehovah is my light,” it means that Jehovah teaches us the truth. (Psalm 27:1) A literal light may show us a danger or something that is in our way, but the light does not remove it. We have to avoid the danger. In a similar way, Jehovah shows us the meaning of what we see happening in the world. He warns us about the dangers of this wicked world. In the Bible, he gives us good advice that always helps us. The psalmist said that God’s commandments made him wiser than his enemies and all his teachers. When we apply Bible principles, we too can become very wise.​—Psalm 119:98, 99, 130.

4. (a) Why did David say that Jehovah was his salvation? (b) When will Jehovah save his servants?

⁴ David’s words at Psalm 27:1 show us that he did not forget how Jehovah had saved him in the past. For example, Jehovah saved him from a lion and from a bear. Jehovah also helped him to defeat the giant Goliath. Later, Jehovah saved David each time King Saul tried to kill him with a spear. (1 Samuel 17:37, 49, 50; 18:11, 12; 19:10) For this reason, David said that Jehovah was his salvation. Jehovah will save his servants, just as he saved David. When will he do that? When “the great tribulation” comes.​—Revelation 7:14; 2 Peter 2:9.

REMEMBER EACH TIME JEHOVAH HAS HELPED YOU

5, 6. (a) How do our memories help us to have more courage? (b) Why is it good for us to think about how Jehovah has helped his people in the past?

⁵ At Psalm 27:2, 3, we can read about an important thing we can do to help us have more courage. (Read.) David remembered the times that Jehovah had saved him. (1 Samuel 17:34-37) Those memories gave him courage, so that he could endure the most difficult situations. Do you remember how Jehovah helped you in the past? Do these memories give you courage? For example, have you prayed a lot about a problem that made you unhappy? Did you later experience how Jehovah gave you the wisdom and strength to endure that problem? Can you remember how Jehovah helped you to solve some problems that made it difficult for you to serve him with joy? Or can you remember how he gave you new opportunities in his service? (1 Corinthians 16:9) How do you feel when you think about those times now? Those memories should continue to convince you that Jehovah can help you to solve or to endure even the most difficult problems and situations.​—Romans 5:3-5.

⁶ What would we do if a powerful government wanted to destroy Jehovah’s Witnesses as an organization? Some people in recent times have tried to do that, but they could not. If we remember how Jehovah has helped his people in the past, we will have the courage to endure whatever may happen in the future.​—Daniel 3:28.

OUR LOVE FOR TRUE WORSHIP

7, 8. (a) What did David ask from Jehovah, as we read at Psalm 27:4? (b) What is Jehovah’s great spiritual temple? How do we worship there today?

⁷ Our love for true worship also helps us to have courage. (Read Psalm 27:4.) In David’s time, “the house of Jehovah” was not the temple. It was the tabernacle, which was a tent. David made sure that everything was prepared so that his son Solomon could build a beautiful temple for Jehovah. Hundreds of years later, Jesus explained that there would be a time when people would not have to go to the temple to worship Jehovah. (John 4:21-23) Jehovah made an arrangement that makes it possible for us to worship him in a way that he accepts. He accepts our worship if we have faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. In Hebrews chapters 8 to 10, the apostle Paul said that this arrangement in which we can worship God is a great spiritual temple “not made with hands.” Paul explained that this temple started to exist when Jesus got baptized and offered himself to do Jehovah’s will. This happened in the year 29. (Hebrews 10:10) How do we worship at this temple? By praying to Jehovah “with true hearts in the full assurance of faith,” and by preaching to others about him with courage. We also worship at this temple when we attend meetings and during family worship. (Hebrews 10:22-25) Our love for true worship will help us to continue doing these things in these difficult last days.

⁸ Around the world, Jehovah’s faithful servants are using more of their time in the ministry, learning new languages, and moving to places where there are few people to preach about the Kingdom. They are showing that they are like the psalmist. He asked Jehovah for just one thing. He wanted “to behold the pleasantness of Jehovah and to look with appreciation upon his temple.” Jehovah’s servants today want him to bless them, and they want to worship him no matter what happens.​—Read Psalm 27:6.

TRUST IN GOD’S HELP

9, 10. What does Psalm 27:10 promise?

⁹ David’s words show us how much he trusted in Jehovah’s help. He said: “In case my own father and my own mother did leave me, even Jehovah himself would take me up.” (Psalm 27:10) Because of what we read in 1 Samuel chapter 22, we know that David’s parents did not abandon him. But today many people have been rejected by their family. Many who have been abandoned by their family have received help from the loving Christian congregation and feel its protection.

¹⁰ Jehovah is ready to care for his servants even if others abandon them. So we can be sure that he will care for them when they experience other difficulties. For example, if we are worried about how we will provide what our family needs, we should remember that Jehovah will help us. (Hebrews 13:5, 6) He understands our situation and also knows what we need.

11. What do people think about us as Jehovah’s Witnesses when we show our trust in Jehovah? Give an example.

¹¹ We have the example of Victoria, a Bible student in Liberia. The man she was living with left her and her three children. Even though she had no home and no job, she did not stop studying the Bible, and she later got baptized. Then one day her daughter, who was 13 years old, found a bag full of money. Victoria and her daughter did not even count the money because they did not want to be tempted to keep something that did not belong to them. Instead, they quickly looked for the soldier who had lost the bag. When they found him, he said that if all people were as honest as Jehovah’s Witnesses, the whole world would be a better and more peaceful place. Victoria used her Bible to show the soldier Jehovah’s promise of a new world. The soldier was so impressed by her faith and honesty that he gave Victoria a large amount of the money she had given back to him. People around the world know that Jehovah’s Witnesses are always honest. Because they have complete trust in Jehovah’s ability to care for them, they are honest.

12. Why do we continue to serve Jehovah even though we may lose a job or money? Give an example.

¹² Or imagine how Thomas, an unbaptized publisher in Sierra Leone, must have felt. He started working as a teacher, but he did not get paid for almost a year. Thomas needed to have an interview with the administrator of the school to receive the money the school owed him. This administrator was a priest, and he told Thomas that the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses were not accepted at the school. The priest said that Thomas could no longer be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses if he wanted to keep his job. Thomas left that job even though he did not receive any of the money that was owed him. After that, Thomas found another job, repairing radios and mobile phones. Many examples show that if we trust in Jehovah, we should never fear that we will be without what we need. Because Jehovah created everything and has always protected his people, we know that he will care for us.

13. Why are the brothers and sisters in poor countries very busy in the preaching work?

¹³ Brothers and sisters in many poor countries are very busy in the preaching work. Why? One branch office wrote that many people who accept a Bible study do not have work, so they have more time to study during the day. Brothers and sisters also have more time to preach. People quickly accept that we are living in the last days because they can see the bad conditions around them. In another country, many publishers have more than three Bible studies each. A missionary who has been serving there for over 12 years wrote that many of the brothers and sisters have more time to preach and conduct Bible studies because they have few things to distract them.

14. In what ways can God protect the great crowd?

¹⁴ Jehovah has promised to help, protect, and save his people as a group, and we believe that he will keep his promise. (Psalm 37:28; 91:1-3) There will be a great crowd of people who will survive “the great tribulation.” (Revelation 7:9, 14) So God will protect that great crowd by not allowing anyone to destroy all his people during the last days of this system. Another way Jehovah will protect them is by giving them everything they need to endure trials and to keep their friendship with him. And during Armageddon, Jehovah will protect his servants by saving their lives.

“INSTRUCT ME, O JEHOVAH, IN YOUR WAY”

15, 16. How do we benefit when we apply what God teaches us? Give an example.

¹⁵ If we want to keep our courage, we need to continue to be taught by God. David said: “Instruct me, O Jehovah, in your way, and lead me in the path of uprightness.” (Psalm 27:11) To be taught by God means that we must carefully listen to what the Bible says and to the guidance we receive from Jehovah’s organization. We must also be quick to apply what we learn. For example, many have applied the wise counsel to simplify their life. They have paid their debts and sold things that they did not need. So when the economy went bad, they had fewer money problems to worry about. Now they do not have to work so hard to keep paying for things that they do not really need. And they are able to do more in the ministry. We should all ask ourselves, ‘Am I quick to apply everything I read in the Bible and in the publications of the faithful and discreet slave, even when it is very difficult for me?’​—Matthew 24:45.

¹⁶ When we allow Jehovah to teach us and tell us how to live our life, we will not have any reason for fear. A regular pioneer in the United States tried to get a position at his workplace that would help him and his whole family to continue pioneering. But his supervisor told him that he would never get that position because he did not have a college degree. If this happened to you, would you have been sorry that you chose full-time service and did not go to college or to a university? Two weeks later, that supervisor lost his job and another supervisor asked the brother about his goals. The brother told him that he and his wife were full-time ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that they wanted to continue to do that work. But before the brother could say anything else, the supervisor said: “I knew there was something different about you! When my father was on his deathbed, two of your fellow believers came and read the Bible to him every day. I promised myself that if I ever had an opportunity to help one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I would do it.” The next morning, the brother was given the job that the other supervisor did not want to give him. When we put the Kingdom first in our life, Jehovah will keep his promise to give us everything we need.​—Matthew 6:33.

WE MUST HAVE FAITH AND HOPE

17. What will help us not to fear the future?

¹⁷ David helps us to understand how important it is to have faith and hope. He felt that he would have had no hope if he did not have “faith in seeing the goodness of Jehovah.” (Psalm 27:13) What would our life be like if God did not give us hope and if we did not know the things mentioned in Psalm 27? So in these last days, we need to continue to pray to Jehovah to give us strength and to save us through Armageddon.​—Read Psalm 27:14.

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Tabernacle: A special tent where the Israelites made sacrifices to Jehovah. When they moved from place to place, they carried the tent with them

Spiritual temple: Jehovah’s arrangement that makes it possible for us to worship him in a way that he accepts

[Blurb on page 17]

If you remember how Jehovah has helped you in the past, you will have courage

[Blurb on page 20]

When we apply what Jehovah teaches us, we have no reason for fear

[Picture on page 16]

David had courage when he remembered how Jehovah had saved him

[Picture on page 19]

When we have economic problems, do we see this as an opportunity to do more in the ministry?

“One Jehovah” Gathers His Family

‘I entreat you to observe the oneness of the spirit.’​—EPHESIANS 4:1, 3.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?

What is the purpose of God’s administration?

How do we “observe the oneness of the spirit”?

What will help us to “become kind to one another”?

1, 2. What is Jehovah’s purpose for the earth and humans?

FAMILY. What do you think of when you hear that word? Do you think of love and happiness? Do you think of working together with your family to reach a certain goal? Or do you think of a safe place to grow up, learn, and talk about your thoughts? You probably think of these things if you have a caring family. Jehovah created the family. (Ephesians 3:14, 15) And God’s purpose was that all who lived in heaven and on earth would be one family and that they would feel safe, trust one another, and be united.

² After Adam and Eve sinned, humans were no longer part of God’s family. But that did not change God’s purpose. He will still make sure that the earth will be a paradise filled with the children of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 1:28; Isaiah 45:18) He has prepared everything needed to make sure his purpose is fulfilled. Much of the Bible book of Ephesians is about unity. In that book we can also read about what Jehovah has prepared. We will now discuss some verses from that book and learn how we can cooperate with Jehovah’s purpose to unite everyone who lives in heaven and on earth as one family.

THE ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT IT DOES

3. What is God’s administration that is mentioned at Ephesians 1:10? When did the first part of the preparations start?

³ Moses told the Israelites: “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Everything Jehovah does supports his purpose. At his chosen time, God began to prepare all those in heaven and on earth to be united as one family. He called these preparations “an administration.” (Read Ephesians 1:8-10.) There are two parts to this administration. First, God prepares the anointed ones to live in heaven, where they will continue to work under the authority of Jesus Christ. This started at Pentecost of the year 33, when Jehovah started to gather those who would rule with Christ in heaven by anointing them. (Acts 2:1-4) Because of Christ’s ransom sacrifice, God declares, or views, the anointed as righteous and worthy of life. The anointed know that they have been adopted as “God’s children.”​—Romans 3:23, 24; 5:1; 8:15-17.

4, 5. What is the second part of the preparations of the administration?

⁴ Second, God prepares those who will live in Paradise on earth. They accept the authority of the Messianic Kingdom, which includes Christ and the anointed in heaven. The “great crowd” will be the first ones to live in Paradise. (Revelation 7:9, 13-17; 21:1-5) Then, during the thousand years of Christ’s reign, billions of people will be resurrected to live on earth with the great crowd. (Revelation 20:12, 13) Imagine how many opportunities we will have to show that we are united! Together, the great crowd and those who are resurrected will be “the things on the earth.” At the end of the thousand years, they will be tested. All the faithful ones will be adopted as “children of God” on earth.​—Romans 8:21; Revelation 20:7, 8.

⁵ Today, Jehovah is preparing the anointed to live in heaven and the other sheep to live in Paradise on earth. But how does each one of us cooperate with God’s administration?

“OBSERVE THE ONENESS OF THE SPIRIT”

6. What scriptures show that Christians must meet together?

⁶ The Bible says that Christians must meet together. (1 Corinthians 14:23; Hebrews 10:24, 25) But to be united, we must do much more than just meet together in the same place, as do people who go to a market or to a sports stadium. We become united when we apply what Jehovah teaches us and allow God’s holy spirit to help us to be better people.

7. How do we apply the counsel “to observe the oneness of the spirit”?

⁷ Because we have faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice, Jehovah views us as righteous people, either as his sons if we are of the anointed or as his friends if we are of the other sheep. But while we are living in this system, there will always be times when we have a problem with other people. (Romans 5:9; James 2:23) That is why the Bible tells us to be patient with one another. But what must we do to be united with our brothers and sisters? We need to learn “complete lowliness of mind and mildness,” that is, we should be humble and gentle. Paul said that we must work hard for peace and unity when he told us “to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” (Read Ephesians 4:1-3.) One way that we apply this counsel is to allow God’s spirit to change the way we act and to help us to show the fruitage of the spirit, or the qualities that result from having God’s spirit. Also, we do not practice the works of the flesh, or things that God hates. The fruitage of the spirit helps us to solve problems with others. It unites us. But the works of the flesh separate us.

8. How do the works of the flesh separate people?

⁸ How do “the works of the flesh” separate people? (Read Galatians 5:19-21.) Fornication separates a person from Jehovah and the congregation. Adultery causes families great pain and can separate children from their parents and innocent mates from their husband or wife. Uncleanness makes it difficult to have unity with God and with those who love him. If you want to glue two things together, they must both be clean in order for them to stick to each other. Brazen conduct shows that a person disobeys God’s laws and has absolutely no respect for them. The other works of the flesh also separate people from one another and from God. These are actions that Jehovah hates.

9. What questions can we ask ourselves to know whether we are working hard to keep peace and unity?

⁹ So each of us needs to ask himself: ‘How hard am I working to keep peace and unity with my brothers and sisters? What do I do when I have a problem with another person? Do I tell many of my friends about it to try to get them to agree with me? Do I expect the elders to solve the problem for me so that I do not have to talk to the person myself to make peace with him? And if I know that another person has something against me, do I avoid him so that we do not have to discuss the problem?’ If we did any of these things, would we be showing that we are cooperating with Jehovah’s purpose to unite everyone as one family ruled by Christ?

10, 11. (a) How important is it to have peace with our brothers? (b) What can we do to keep peace and to have Jehovah’s blessing?

¹⁰ Jesus said: “If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altar and you there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away; first make your peace with your brother, and then, when you have come back, offer up your gift. Be about settling matters quickly.” (Matthew 5:23-25) James wrote that “the fruit of righteousness has its seed sown under peaceful conditions for those who are making peace.” (James 3:17, 18) This means that we cannot continue doing what is right if we do not have peace with others.

¹¹ For example, in some countries where there have been wars, one third more of the land could be used by farmers if there were no land mines. When a mine explodes, farmers do not use the land, and it becomes difficult for people to find jobs in the villages and to get food in the cities. In a similar way, it becomes difficult for us to continue to improve our Christian qualities if our personality makes it difficult for us to be peaceful with others. That would make us like land mines. If that is the case, we need to change our personality. If we quickly forgive others and do good things for them, we can all have peace and Jehovah’s blessing.

12. How can elders help us to be united?

¹² “Gifts in men” also help us to “attain to the oneness in the faith.” (Ephesians 4:8, 13) This means that elders help the congregation to stay united. They help us to improve our Christian personality when they work along with us in our service to Jehovah and when they come to us and give us counsel from the Bible. (Ephesians 4:22-24) When the elders give you counsel, remember that Jehovah is using them to prepare you to live in the new world. And elders, make sure that you correct others in a way that shows them you want to help them.​—Galatians 6:1.

“BECOME KIND TO ONE ANOTHER”

13. What would we be doing if we did not obey the counsel at Ephesians 4:25-32?

¹³ Ephesians 4:25-29 mentions some things we should not do. We should not lie, become very angry, be lazy, and say bad things. Instead, we should talk about things that are good and encouraging. Anyone who does not obey this counsel separates people. He would be “grieving God’s holy spirit,” and it is His spirit that unites people. (Ephesians 4:30) To have peace and unity, we also need to apply what Paul wrote next: “Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you along with all badness. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.”​—Ephesians 4:31, 32.

14. (a) What do the words “become kind” mean? (b) What will help us to be kind to others?

¹⁴ The words “become kind” mean that we may not always have been kind and that we may need to learn to be more kind. We need to learn to think that the feelings of others are more important than our own. (Philippians 2:4) Sometimes we may want to say something that would make others laugh or make us seem intelligent. But if it is not kind, we should not say it. If we remember to think before we speak, it will help us to be kind to others.

LEARN TO HAVE LOVE AND RESPECT IN THE FAMILY

15. How does Ephesians 5:28 help husbands to understand how they should imitate Christ?

¹⁵ The Bible compares Christ’s relationship with the congregation to the relationship that a husband has with his wife. Christ’s example helps a husband to understand that he should guide and love his wife and care for her. Christ’s example also helps a wife to understand that she should be in subjection to her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33) When Paul wrote: “In this way husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies,” about which “way” was he speaking? (Ephesians 5:28) What he said about Christ and the congregation helps us to answer that question. He said that Christ loved the congregation and gave his life for it and cleansed it “with the bath of water by means of the word.” So a husband has the responsibility to help each member of his family to have a good relationship with Jehovah. By doing this, he cooperates with Jehovah’s purpose to unite everyone as one family ruled by Christ.

16. What will be the result if parents care for the responsibility that Jehovah gave them?

¹⁶ Parents need to remember that Jehovah gave them the responsibility to care for their children. It is very sad that many in the world today have “no natural affection.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 3) Many fathers ignore their responsibility, and this has a bad effect on their children and makes them sad. But Paul told Christian fathers: “Do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” (Ephesians 6:4) It is in the family that children first learn how to show love and how to respect authority. Parents who teach their children these things cooperate with Jehovah’s purpose to unite everyone. Parents should make their children feel loved in the family. So they need to control their anger and should not shout at their children or say hurtful things to them. In this way, they teach their children important lessons about how to show love and how to respect authority. This will prepare the children to live in God’s new world.

17. What do we need to do to fight against the Devil?

¹⁷ We need to realize that the Devil has always wanted to stop others from serving God and that he will do everything he can to do that to us. Many people in the world are doing just what the Devil wants them to do when they get divorced, live together without getting married, and accept marriages between homosexuals. But we do not imitate the conduct that is becoming acceptable in the world today. We imitate Christ. (Ephesians 4:17-21) So to fight against the Devil and his demons, we need to “put on the complete suit of armor from God.”​—Read Ephesians 6:10-13.

“GO ON WALKING IN LOVE”

18. What do we need to have so that we can be united?

¹⁸ We need to have love if we want to be united. Our hearts are full of love for our “one Lord,” Jesus Christ; for our “one God,” Jehovah; and for one another. That is why we are determined to keep our peace and unity. (Ephesians 4:3-6) Jesus prayed about such love: “I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word; in order that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us.” He also said: “I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them.”​—John 17:20, 21, 26.

19. What are you determined to do?

¹⁹ There may be something in our personality that is hard for us to change, but love should make us pray as the psalmist did: “Unify my heart to fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11) We must be determined to fight against the Devil when he tries to separate us from our loving Father and our brothers and sisters. And we should work hard to “become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love” in the family, in our ministry, and in the congregation.​—Ephesians 5:1, 2.

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Anointed ones: Those who have been selected by means of holy spirit to be kings and priests with Jesus Christ in the heavens

God’s friends: The other sheep are God’s friends. They will become part of God’s united family at the end of the thousand years when they become his children

Unity: A group of people who think and act in the same way for the same purpose have unity

God’s children: All who are part of God’s family. The anointed have already been gathered into this family, so they are now children of God. At the end of the thousand years, all people on earth will also be God’s children

[Picture on page 23]

He leaves his gift at the altar and goes to make peace with his brother

[Picture on page 26]

Parents, teach your children how to show respect

They Offered Themselves Willingly​—In Ecuador

Bruno, a young brother in Italy, had to make an important decision. He had just finished school and had the highest grades in his class. His relatives and teachers told him that he should go to a university. But some years earlier, Bruno had dedicated himself to Jehovah and promised to put God’s will first in his life. So, what decision did he make? He explains: ‘I told Jehovah in prayer that I would keep my promise to him and put him first.’ But Bruno also honestly said in his prayer that he wanted his life in Jehovah’s service to be interesting and full of different activities.

A few years later, Bruno went to live in Ecuador, South America. He now says that Jehovah gave him even more than what he had prayed for. When he arrived in Ecuador, he was surprised to meet many other young adults who also had moved there to do more in Jehovah’s service.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO TRUST IN JEHOVAH

Jehovah invites us to give our best to him and to trust that he will bless us greatly. “Test me out, please,” Jehovah says, “whether I shall not open to you people the floodgates of the heavens and actually empty out upon you a blessing.” (Malachi 3:10) Bruno and thousands of other young people around the world have accepted Jehovah’s invitation. Because of their love for God, they decided to use their time, energy, and money to serve him in a country where there is a greater need for people to preach the good news of the Kingdom.

Soon after these young people arrived in the new country, they realized that “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37) For example, Jaqueline from Germany wrote to the Ecuador branch: “I’ve been serving in Ecuador for just over two years, and I already have 13 Bible studies, 4 of whom attend meetings regularly. Isn’t that great?” Chantal from Canada says: “In 2008, I moved to an area on Ecuador’s coast where there was only one congregation. Now there are three congregations and more than 30 pioneers in that area.” She says that it is wonderful to see so many new ones make progress in the truth. She recently moved to a city that is 9,000 feet (2,743 m) up in the Andes Mountains. The city has more than 75,000 people but only one congregation. Chantal says that many are accepting the truth and that she is really enjoying the preaching work there.

IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

Of course, it is not always easy to serve in another country. In fact, for some young people, even the decision to move was not easy. Kayla from the United States says that some in her congregation back home told her that she should not leave. They did not understand why she wanted to pioneer in another country. She knew that they were trying to help her, but their reaction made her sad. At times, she was not sure whether she was making the right decision. She prayed a lot to Jehovah and talked with mature brothers and sisters. This helped her to understand that Jehovah blesses those who want to do their best in his service. So Kayla decided to move.

For many, it was difficult to learn another language. Siobhan from Ireland remembers: “It was hard for me not to be able to express myself. I had to learn to be patient, study the language diligently, and laugh at myself when I made mistakes.” Anna from Estonia adds: “Getting used to the tropical heat, lots of dust, and a lack of hot showers was nothing compared to learning Spanish. At times, I felt like giving up. I had to learn to focus on my progress, not on my errors.”

It is also difficult to be away from family and friends. Jonathan from the United States felt that way soon after he arrived in the new country. But he started to feel better when he used more of his time to study the Bible and to go out in the ministry. After a short time, the wonderful experiences he had in the preaching work and the new friends he made in the congregation helped him to have joy again.

It may also be difficult to get used to living in another country. Life there will probably be different from life back home. Beau from Canada says that back home he always had electricity and running water, but now he does not always have these things. Also, in many countries transportation can be uncomfortable. There may be many poor people and those who do not know how to read or write. What helps Ines from Austria to keep her joy is to think about the nice qualities of the people. “They are so hospitable, gentle, helpful, and humble,” she says. “Most of all, they have a huge interest in learning more about God.”

“A BLESSING UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE WANT”

Even though all these young adults who are serving in Ecuador have made sacrifices, Jehovah has given them everything they need. He has blessed them more than they ever expected. (Ephesians 3:20) They feel that he has given them “a blessing until there is no more want.” (Malachi 3:10) This is how they feel about their ministry:

Bruno: ‘I began my service here in Ecuador in the interesting Amazon region. Later, I helped with construction at the Ecuador branch office. Now I’m serving at Bethel. When I was in Italy, I made the choice to put Jehovah first, and he is truly giving me an exciting life, full of different activities in his service.’

Beau: ‘My friendship with Jehovah is so much stronger now because in Ecuador I can use all my time in his work. Also, I can travel to interesting places, which is something I’ve always wanted to do.’

Anna: ‘Because I am a single sister, I didn’t think it was possible for me to live like a missionary. But now I know that it is possible. Thanks to Jehovah’s blessing, I am making disciples, building Kingdom Halls, and making new friends. I am so happy.’

Elke: ‘In my home country of Austria, I often prayed to Jehovah for just one Bible study. Here, I have 15 Bible studies! It gives me so much joy to see how happy they are to learn about Jehovah.’

Joel: ‘It’s a great experience to serve Jehovah in a different country. You learn to depend on him so much more, and it’s exciting to see his blessing on your efforts! In my first year here from the United States, the group where I’m serving grew from 6 to 21 publishers. We had 110 people come to the Memorial.’

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Young brothers and sisters, can you serve where there is a greater need for people to preach? Of course, you need to plan carefully before you make a big decision like that. Most of all, you need to have a strong love for Jehovah and people. If you have that love and are able to move somewhere else, pray to Jehovah about serving in another country. Also, talk to your parents and the elders in your congregation about your desire. You may decide that you too can serve Jehovah in this exciting and satisfying way.

[Blurb on page 27]

Kayla from the United States prayed a lot to Jehovah and talked with mature brothers and sisters. This helped her to understand that Jehovah blesses those who want to do their best in his service

[Box/​Picture on page 30]

How to prepare for serving in another country

• Do personal study regularly

• Read the August 2011 Our Kingdom Ministry, pages 4-6

• Talk to others who have served in another country

• Do research on the culture and history of the country

• Take a basic language course

[Box/​Picture on page 30]

Some who serve in another country earn money by . . .

• working a few months each year in their home country

• renting their house, apartment, or business to others

• working by means of the Internet

[Pictures on pages 28, 29]

1 Jaqueline from Germany

2 Bruno from Italy

3 Beau from Canada

4 Siobhan from Ireland

5 Joel from the United States

6 Jonathan from the United States

7 Anna from Estonia

8 Elke from Austria

9 Chantal from Canada

10 Ines from Austria

Questions From Readers

How is the death of God’s loyal ones “precious in the eyes of Jehovah”?

▪ Psalm 116:15 says: “Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the death of his loyal ones.” Everyone who serves Jehovah is precious, or very valuable, to him. But Psalm 116:15 is not talking about the death of just one loyal person.

A brother who gives a Bible talk when a loyal servant of Jehovah dies should not say that Psalm 116:15 is talking about the person who died. Why not? Because this verse has a greater meaning. It means that it is very important to Jehovah that his loyal servants as a group do not die. So he will never allow that to happen.​—See Psalm 72:14; 116:8.

Psalm 116:15 promises that Jehovah will not allow his enemies to destroy all of his loyal servants on the earth. We know that God’s people have been persecuted very much in recent times, but their enemies could not kill them all. This proves to us that God will not allow anyone to destroy his people completely.

One reason why Jehovah will not allow his enemies to destroy us all is that he is much stronger than they are. If God allowed his enemies to destroy his servants, other people could think that his enemies are more powerful than he is. But they are not. Another reason why Jehovah will not allow his enemies to destroy us is that his purpose is for the earth to be filled with people who are loyal to him. No one can stop his purpose from coming true. (Isaiah 45:18; 55:10, 11) If all of Jehovah’s servants died, there would be nobody on earth to serve Jehovah. And when Jehovah destroys this wicked world, there would be no one to live in the new world under his government. (Revelation 21:1) Also, Christ could not rule over the earth for a thousand years if there was no one living on earth.​—Revelation 20:4, 5.

God will not allow his enemies to destroy all of his servants on earth because that could make some people think that he is not really the Most High God. Another reason is that Jehovah respects himself and his holy name. Also, the Bible says that “there is no injustice” with God. This means that he will always protect his loyal servants as a group. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Genesis 18:25) And the Bible promises: “Jehovah will not desert his people for the sake of his great name.” (1 Samuel 12:22) If God allowed his enemies to destroy all of his people, the Bible’s words would not be true. So we can be sure that “Jehovah will not forsake his people, nor will he leave his own inheritance.”​—Psalm 94:14.

We are very happy to know that there will always be people on earth who serve Jehovah. So let us remain loyal to God and trust in his promise: “Any weapon whatever that will be formed against you will have no success, and any tongue at all that will rise up against you in the judgment you will condemn. This is the hereditary possession of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from me.”​—Isaiah 54:17.

[Blurb on page 31]

God will not allow anyone to destroy all of his people

“My Dream Has Come True”

Emilia used to serve as a regular pioneer, but 15 years ago she had to stop. Recently, she started to think a lot about how happy she was when she was a pioneer, and she wanted to become a pioneer again.

But Emilia’s job took too much of her time, and this was making her unhappy. One day, she said in front of other workers: “I wish I could work fewer hours!” Her boss heard of this and asked Emilia if that was really what she wanted. Emilia told her that it was. But the company required its employees to work full-time. So Emilia had to meet with a director to get permission to work less. She prepared for the meeting with the director and prayed to be calm and have the courage to speak.

During the meeting, Emilia politely but bravely asked to work fewer hours. She explained to the director that when she is not at work, she uses her time to help others. She told him that she is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that she helps people to learn about the Bible. She added that today many do not know the difference between right and wrong and need the wisdom from the Bible to help them make good decisions. Emilia assured him that she would continue to be a good worker for the company, but she wanted to work fewer hours so that she would have more time to help people.

The director listened carefully and said he once thought about doing charity work. He understood Emilia’s reasons and gave her permission to work fewer hours. But he asked her: “Do you realize you will earn less money?” Emilia said that she did but that she could learn to live with less money. She added that she is happy when she helps people. The director said he admired her for using her time to help others.

No one working for that company had ever been allowed to work fewer hours. Emilia now works only four days a week. To her surprise, the company increased her pay, and she earns as much as she used to. She says: “My dream has come true, and I can regular pioneer again!”

Have you ever thought about making changes in your life so that you could pioneer? Or if you pioneered before but had to stop, could you pioneer again?

[Blurb on page 32]

The director said he admired her for using her time to help others