1, 2. (a) Why are you convinced that Jehovah loves his people? (b) Humans were created with what need?

WHY are you convinced that Jehovah loves his people? Before you answer that question, consider these examples: For several years, brothers and sisters kindly encouraged a sister named Taylene. They told her not to expect too much of herself. She says: “If Jehovah didn’t love me, his counsel would not have been so persistent.” Brigitte, who raised two children alone after her husband died, says: “Raising children in Satan’s system is one of the most difficult challenges, especially for a single parent. But I am convinced of Jehovah’s love because he has guided me through tears and heartache, and he never let me experience more than I could endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) Sandra has a serious illness that has no cure. At a convention, a sister showed Sandra personal interest. “Although we did not know her personally,” says Sandra’s husband, “her deep concern brought great joy to our hearts. Even small expressions of love from our brothers and sisters show me how much Jehovah loves us.”

² Jehovah created humans with the need to love and to feel loved. However, it is easy to become discouraged because of sickness or financial problems or because we do not have results in our ministry. If we begin to feel that Jehovah no longer loves us, we should remember that we are precious to him and that he is there, holding our right hand and helping us. He will never forget us if we are faithful to him.​—Isaiah 41:13; 49:15.

3. What can strengthen our conviction that Jehovah’s love for us is enduring?

³ The Witnesses mentioned earlier were convinced that God was with them during difficult times. We can have the same confidence that he is on our side. (Psalm 118:6, 7) In this article, we will discuss four gifts that prove that Jehovah loves us. These are (1) his creation, (2) the Bible, (3) prayer, and (4) the ransom. Meditating on the good things Jehovah has done can help us to be more grateful for his enduring love.​—Read Psalm 77:11, 12.

MEDITATE ON JEHOVAH’S CREATION

4. What do we learn from Jehovah’s creation?

⁴ When we look at Jehovah’s creation, we learn how much he loves us. (Romans 1:20) For example, Jehovah designed the earth so that we can do more than just stay alive. He has given us everything we need to enjoy life. We need to eat, but Jehovah has given us such a variety of foods that eating is an enjoyable experience! (Ecclesiastes 9:7) A sister named Catherine enjoys what she sees in creation, especially during springtime in Canada. She says: “It is truly amazing how everything comes to life​—flowers that are programmed to pop out of the ground and birds that return from their migration, including the tiny hummingbird that finds its way to the bird feeder outside my kitchen window. Jehovah must love us to give us so much delight.” Our Father loves his creation, and he wants us to enjoy it too.​—Acts 14:16, 17.

5. How is Jehovah’s love shown in the way humans are made?

⁵ Jehovah made us with the ability to do meaningful work and enjoy it. (Ecclesiastes 2:24) He gave humans the assignment to fill the earth, cultivate it, and care for the fish, the birds, and other living things on it. (Genesis 1:26-28) And he also created us with beautiful qualities so that we can imitate him!​—Ephesians 5:1.

GOD’S WORD IS PRECIOUS

6. Why should we have deep appreciation for God’s Word?

⁶ Jehovah gave us the Bible because of his great love for us. It tells us what we need to know about him and how he feels about humans. For example, the Bible tells us how Jehovah felt about the Israelites, who often disobeyed him. Psalm 78:38 says: “He was merciful; he would forgive their error and not bring them to ruin. He often held back his anger instead of stirring up all his wrath.” Meditating on that verse may help you to see just how much Jehovah loves and cares for you. We can be confident that Jehovah deeply cares about us.​—Read 1 Peter 5:6, 7.

7. Why should the Bible be precious to us?

⁷ The Bible should be very precious to us. Why? Because Jehovah communicates with us through his Word. When a parent and a child have open communication, they strengthen their love and trust for each other. Jehovah is our loving Father. And even though we have never seen him or heard his voice, it is as if he communicates directly with us through the Bible. We should keep listening to him! (Isaiah 30:20, 21) When we read God’s Word, we come to know and trust in Jehovah, who guides and protects us.​—Read Psalm 19:7-11; Proverbs 1:33.

8, 9. What does Jehovah want us to know? Give an example from the Bible.

⁸ Jehovah wants us to know that he loves us and that he sees more than our imperfections. He looks for the good in us. (2 Chronicles 16:9) Let us consider how Jehovah saw the good in King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehoshaphat made the bad decision to join King Ahab of Israel and fight against the Syrians at Ramoth-gilead. Even though 400 false prophets told wicked Ahab that he would win the battle, Jehovah’s true prophet Micaiah told Jehoshaphat and Ahab that if they fought, they would lose. And that is exactly what happened. Ahab died in battle, and Jehoshaphat barely survived. After the battle, Jehovah used Jehu to counsel Jehoshaphat for his mistake. Yet, Jehu also told him: “There are good things that have been found in you.”​—2 Chronicles 18:4, 5, 18-22, 33, 34; 19:1-3.

⁹ Years earlier, Jehoshaphat had told the princes, Levites, and priests to visit all the cities of Judah to teach the people Jehovah’s Law. They were so successful that even people from other nations came to know Jehovah. (2 Chronicles 17:3-10) So even though Jehoshaphat made a bad decision later, Jehovah did not forget the good things he had done earlier in life. That example is very comforting for us because sometimes we make mistakes. However, if we do our best to serve Jehovah, he will continue to love us and he will not forget the good things we have done.

APPRECIATE THE PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER

10, 11. (a) Why is prayer a special gift from Jehovah? (b) How may God answer our prayers? (See opening picture.)

¹⁰ A loving father takes time to listen to his children when they want to talk to him. He wants to know how they feel because he deeply cares about them. Our loving Father, Jehovah, does the same. He listens to us when we pray to him. Talking to our Father is a precious privilege!

¹¹ We can pray to Jehovah at any time. He is our Friend, and he is always ready to listen to our prayers. Taylene, mentioned earlier, says, “You can say anything and everything to him.” When we tell Jehovah our deepest thoughts, he may answer us through a scripture, an article in our literature, or encouragement from a brother or a sister. Jehovah hears our earnest requests, and he understands us even when no one else does. His answers to our prayers prove that his love for us is enduring.

12. Why should we study prayers found in the Bible? Give an example.

¹² We can learn important lessons from prayers found in the Bible. At times, it is helpful to study some of these prayers during family worship. The quality of our prayers will improve when we meditate on the earnest prayers of God’s servants in the past. For example, study Jonah’s humble prayer from the belly of a huge fish. (Jonah 1:17–2:10) Review Solomon’s sincere prayer to Jehovah when the temple was dedicated. (1 Kings 8:22-53) And meditate on Jesus’ model prayer. (Matthew 6:9-13) Most important, regularly “let your petitions be made known to God.” As a result, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers.” Our gratitude for Jehovah’s enduring love will continue to grow.​—Philippians 4:6, 7.

SHOW THAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE RANSOM

13. What opportunity do we have because of the ransom?

¹³ Jehovah gave us the gift of the ransom so that “we might gain life.” (1 John 4:9) Referring to this wonderful expression of God’s love, the apostle Paul wrote: “Christ died for ungodly men at the appointed time. For hardly would anyone die for a righteous man; though perhaps for a good man someone may dare to die. But God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8) The ransom is the greatest example of God’s love, and it gives humans the opportunity to have a close relationship with him.

14, 15. What does the ransom mean for (a) anointed Christians? (b) those who hope to live on earth?

¹⁴ A small group of Christians feel Jehovah’s enduring love in a special way. (John 1:12, 13; 3:5-7) God has anointed these ones with holy spirit, and because of this they are now his children. (Romans 8:15, 16) Since some of them are still on the earth, why did Paul say that they are seated “together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus”? (Ephesians 2:6) It is because Jehovah has given them the hope of everlasting life in heaven.​—Ephesians 1:13, 14; Colossians 1:5.

¹⁵ All those who are not anointed can become God’s friends if they show faith in the ransom. They too have the possibility of being adopted as God’s children and of living forever on a paradise earth. The ransom reveals Jehovah’s love for all humans. (John 3:16) How exciting it is to know that if we serve God faithfully, he will give us the best possible life in the new world! So let us show that we value the ransom, the greatest proof of God’s enduring love for us.

SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR JEHOVAH

16. What will we do after meditating on God’s love?

¹⁶ It is impossible to count the many ways Jehovah shows his love for us. King David sang: “To me, how precious your thoughts are! O God, how vast is the sum of them! If I try to count them, they outnumber the grains of sand.” (Psalm 139:17, 18) Meditating on the many ways that Jehovah loves us will motivate us to love him in return and give him our very best.

17, 18. What are some ways that we can show our love for God?

¹⁷ There are many ways to show Jehovah that we love him. For example, we can show our love for Jehovah by zealously telling others about the good news of the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) We can also show love for God by loyally enduring trials that test our faith. (Read Psalm 84:11; James 1:2-5.) Even if our trials are severe, we can be sure that Jehovah sees our suffering and will help us because we are precious to him.​—Psalm 56:8.

¹⁸ Our love for Jehovah motivates us to meditate on all the wonderful things he has created. We show Jehovah that we love him and his Word by being good students of the Bible. We pray to Jehovah regularly because we love him and want to strengthen our relationship with him. And when we meditate on his precious gift of the ransom, our love for him grows even deeper. (1 John 2:1, 2) These are just some of the many ways we show Jehovah that we value his enduring love for us.

1, 2. What attitude do Jehovah’s servants have?

JEHOVAH’S servants have waited patiently for prophecies to be fulfilled. For example, Jeremiah expected that the Babylonians would destroy Judah, and that is what happened in 607 B.C.E. (Jeremiah 25:8-11) Isaiah prophesied that Jehovah would bring the exiled Jews back to Judah and said: “Happy are all those keeping in expectation of him.” (Isaiah 30:18) Micah too expected that Jehovah’s promises would come true and said: “I will keep on the lookout for Jehovah.” (Micah 7:7) And for hundreds of years, God’s servants were confident that the promised Messiah, or Christ, would come.​—Luke 3:15; 1 Peter 1:10-12.a (See footnote.)

² Today, we too are waiting for prophecies about Jehovah’s Kingdom to be fulfilled. Jesus, as King of that Kingdom, will soon rescue God’s servants from this dangerous world. He will destroy wicked people and end all suffering. (1 John 5:19) So we must keep expecting Jehovah’s day to come at any moment and do all we can to be ready for it.

3. If we have been waiting a long time for the end to come, what might we wonder?

³ We very much look forward to the day when God’s will is done on earth. (Matthew 6:10) But if we have been waiting for many years for the end to come, we may begin to wonder, ‘Why should we keep expecting the end to come soon?’

WHY SHOULD WE KEEP EXPECTING THE END TO COME SOON?

4. Why is it important for us to “keep on the watch”?

⁴ Jesus commanded his followers to “keep on the watch” and to “keep awake.” That is why it is important for us to keep expecting the end to come soon. (Matthew 24:42; Luke 21:34-36) Also, Jehovah’s organization keeps reminding us to “await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah” and to stay focused on Jehovah’s promise of the new world.​—Read 2 Peter 3:11-13.

5. What other reason do we have to keep expecting Jehovah’s day?

⁵ If Jesus’ followers in the first century needed to keep expecting Jehovah’s day, then this is even more important for us today. Why? Because the sign Jesus gave proves that he has been King of God’s Kingdom since 1914 and that we are living in the last days, or “the conclusion of the system of things.” For example, just as Jesus prophesied, conditions in the world are getting worse and the good news of the Kingdom is being preached in all the earth. (Matthew 24:3, 7-14) Jesus did not say how long the last days would last, so we must be prepared for the end to come at any time.

6. How do we know that world conditions will become worse the closer we get to the end?

⁶ Could “the conclusion of the system of things” refer to a time in the future when the world becomes even worse than it is now? The Bible says that people will become more and more wicked “in the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 13; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 12:12) So, although things are very bad now, we know that they will continue to get worse.

7. What does Matthew 24:37-39 teach us about world conditions during the last days?

⁷ Some could think that before “the great tribulation,” there will be war in every country and that most people will be sick or starving. (Revelation 7:14) But if that happened, it would be obvious to everyone that Bible prophecy was being fulfilled. It would be clear even to people who are not interested in what the Bible says. Remember, Jesus said that in the last days, most people would take “no note.” They would be living their normal daily lives and would be shocked when Jehovah’s day comes. (Read Matthew 24:37-39.) Clearly, we should not expect world conditions to become so bad before “the great tribulation” that people would be forced to believe that the end is near.​—Luke 17:20; 2 Peter 3:3, 4.

8. Because we are alert to Jesus’ sign, what are we convinced of?

⁸ The sign Jesus gave was meant to give his followers clear warning of the time they would be living in. Jesus’ followers have been alert. (Matthew 24:27, 42) Since 1914, the different parts of Jesus’ sign have been coming true. We are convinced that we are living in the last days, “the conclusion of the system of things.” Jehovah has already decided when he will destroy Satan’s wicked world.

9. Why must we keep expecting the end to come soon?

⁹ So why must we keep expecting the end to come soon? Because we obey Jesus Christ. Also, we clearly see that the sign Jesus gave about the last days is coming true. We believe that the end is close, not because we trust everything we hear, but because we are convinced that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled. We must stay alert and be ready for the end to come.

HOW LONG MUST WE WAIT?

10, 11. (a) Why did Jesus tell his disciples to “keep on the watch”? (b) What did Jesus tell his followers to do if the end did not come as quickly as they thought? (See opening picture.)

¹⁰ Many of us have been faithfully serving Jehovah and eagerly waiting for his day to come for many years. No matter how long we have been waiting, we must keep expecting that day to come soon. We need to be ready when Jesus comes to destroy Satan’s world. Remember what Jesus told his followers to do: “Keep looking, keep awake, for you do not know when the appointed time is. It is like a man traveling abroad who left his house and gave the authority to his slaves, to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep on the watch. Keep on the watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether late in the day or at midnight or at dawn or early in the morning, in order that when he comes suddenly, he does not find you sleeping. But what I say to you, I say to all: Keep on the watch.”​—Mark 13:33-37.

¹¹ When Jesus’ followers understood that he had begun to rule in 1914, they realized that the end could come at any time. So they prepared for it by doing more in the preaching work. Jesus said that he might come later, “at dawn or early in the morning.” If that happened, what would his followers need to do? Jesus said: “Keep on the watch.” So even if we feel that we have been waiting a long time, this does not mean that the end is far away or that it is not coming in our lifetime.

12. What did Habakkuk ask Jehovah, and how did God answer him?

¹² The prophet Habakkuk waited patiently while he preached about the destruction of Jerusalem. Other prophets before him had also preached that message for many years. Habakkuk could see that there was more wickedness and injustice than ever before. He begged Jehovah for help, asking: “How long, O Jehovah, must I cry for help?” Although Jehovah did not say when the end would come, he promised Habakkuk: “It will not be late!” Jehovah also told Habakkuk to “keep in expectation.”​—Read Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:3.

13. What could Habakkuk have thought, and why would that have been dangerous?

¹³ Imagine that Habakkuk got tired of waiting for the end and said: ‘I have been expecting Jerusalem’s destruction for years. It will be a long time before the end comes. I do not need to keep preaching about it. Others can do the work.’ What would have happened if he had thought that way? He would have lost Jehovah’s approval. And if he had not been ready when the end came, he could have lost his life.

14. Why will we be thankful that Jehovah has warned us to keep expecting the end?

¹⁴ Imagine that you are in the new world. All the events that were prophesied about the last days happened just as Jehovah had said. You trust in Jehovah more than ever, and you are even more confident that he will do everything else that he has promised. (Read Joshua 23:14.) You are so thankful that Jehovah set the right time to bring the end and that he warned his people to keep expecting it.​—Acts 1:7; 1 Peter 4:7.

WE KEEP PREACHING WHILE WE WAIT

15, 16. Why should we do all we can in the preaching work during this time of the end?

¹⁵ Jehovah’s organization will keep reminding us to focus our lives on serving Jehovah. These reminders help us not only to keep busy serving God but to see clearly that our message is urgent. We are convinced that the sign Jesus gave is being fulfilled right now and that the end is coming very soon. So we put Jehovah first in our lives and keep preaching the good news about the Kingdom.​—Matthew 6:33; Mark 13:10.

¹⁶ When we preach the good news to others, we help to rescue them from the destruction of Satan’s world that will happen soon. One of the worst disasters at sea happened in 1945 when the ship Wilhelm Gustloff sank. Thousands of people died. A sister and her husband were rescued from that ship. She remembers that even while the ship was sinking, a woman kept crying: “My suitcases! My suitcases! My jewelry! All my jewelry is down there in the cabin. I have lost everything!” But other passengers understood what was most important and worked hard to save people’s lives. Today, lives are in danger. We too want to be like those unselfish passengers and focus on how urgent our preaching work is. We need to do everything we can to help people survive the end of this system.

17. Why should we believe that the end could come at any time?

¹⁷ We can clearly see that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled and that the end of this wicked system is very close. We are waiting for “the ten horns” and “the wild beast” to turn against false religion, Babylon the Great. (Revelation 17:16) We should not assume that much time is needed before that happens. Do not forget that God will “put it into their hearts” to attack false religion and that this could happen quickly and at any time! (Revelation 17:17) The end of Satan’s wicked world is coming soon. So we should obey Jesus’ warning: “Pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare.” (Luke 21:34, 35; Revelation 16:15) Let us stay alert and keep busy in Jehovah’s service, confident that he “acts in behalf of those who keep in expectation of him.”​—Isaiah 64:4.

18. What question will be answered in the next article?

¹⁸ While we wait for the end of this wicked world, we should listen to the counsel from the disciple Jude: “Beloved ones, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, and pray with holy spirit, in order to keep yourselves in God’s love, while you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.” (Jude 20, 21) But how can we show that we are expecting God’s new world to come soon and that we are looking forward to it? We will discuss this in the next article.

1, 2. (a) What do you look forward to in Paradise? (See opening picture.) (b) What will give us the most joy in the new world?

WE REALLY look forward to “everlasting life.” The apostle Paul described this as “the real life.” (Read 1 Timothy 6:12, 19.) For most, this will mean living forever in Paradise on earth. It is hard to imagine what it will be like to wake up feeling healthy, happy, and satisfied every morning. (Isaiah 35:5, 6) Think of how good it will be to spend time with your family and friends, including those who will be resurrected. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) You will have time to learn new skills and become better at the things you enjoy. For example, you could learn more about science. Or you could learn how to play musical instruments or how to design your own home.

² Although we look forward to all these good things, worshipping Jehovah will bring us the most joy. Imagine what life will be like when all people treat Jehovah’s name as holy and accept Jehovah as their Ruler. (Matthew 6:9, 10) We will be excited to see the earth filled with perfect people, just as God intended it to be. And just think how much easier it will be to deepen our friendship with Jehovah as we gradually become perfect!​—Psalm 73:28; James 4:8.

3. What should we prepare for now?

³ We trust that Jehovah will do all these wonderful things, because “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:25, 26) If we want to live forever in the new world, now is the time to “get a firm hold” on everlasting life. We know that the end is coming soon, so we must live in a way that shows we expect the end to come at any time. We need to do everything we can now to prepare for life in the new world. Let us see how.

HOW TO PREPARE

4. How can we prepare now for life in the new world? Give an illustration.

⁴ How can we prepare now for life in the new world? If we were planning to go and live in another country, we might do some things to prepare ourselves for life in that country. For example, we might start learning the language and customs of the people who live there. We might try some of their foods. Similarly, we can prepare now for life in the new world by doing what we can to live as if we are already there. Let us examine some ways we can do this.

5, 6. How will learning to obey the direction from Jehovah’s organization help us to prepare for life in the new world?

⁵ In this world, Satan wants people to think that they can do whatever they like. Many feel that it is important to be independent and that there is no need to obey God. What has been the result? Much suffering and unhappiness. (Jeremiah 10:23) But Jehovah is a loving Ruler. How much better life will be in the new world when everyone obeys him!

⁶ In the new world, we will enjoy following direction from Jehovah’s organization to help make this earth into a beautiful paradise and help teach those who are resurrected. Jehovah will have much work for us. But what if those taking the lead asked us to do something that we do not really like? Would we obey? Would we do our best to fulfill and enjoy our assignment? To prepare for everlasting life in the new world, we need to obey the direction from Jehovah’s organization now.

7, 8. (a) Why should we cooperate with those taking the lead? (b) What changes have some Christians experienced? (c) What can we be sure of in the new world?

⁷ If we want to be ready for life in the new world, we need to learn to be content and to cooperate with Jehovah’s organization and with one another. For example, when we are given a new assignment, we willingly cooperate and do our best to be happy and content. If we learn to cooperate with those taking the lead now, we will likely do the same in the new world. (Read Hebrews 13:17.) When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were assigned where to live. (Numbers 26:52-56; Joshua 14:1, 2) We do not know where each one of us may be assigned to live in the new world. But if we have learned to cooperate, we will be happy to do Jehovah’s will wherever we live.

⁸ Imagine what an honor it will be to serve in God’s new world under the rule of the Kingdom! For this reason, we are happy to cooperate with Jehovah’s organization now and to do whatever we are assigned to do. At times, though, our assignments may change. For example, some Bethelites in the United States have been reassigned to the field. And because of age or other circumstances, some traveling overseers have been assigned to be special pioneers. They are happy in their new assignments, and Jehovah is blessing them. If we pray for Jehovah’s help, do all we can to serve him, and learn to be content with whatever assignment we are given, we will be happy and Jehovah will bless us. (Read Proverbs 10:22.) What if, in the new world, we would love to live in one area but Jehovah’s organization asks us to move to another? At that time, it will not matter where we live or what we do. We will simply be thankful to be living in the new world.​—Nehemiah 8:10.

9, 10. (a) Why may we need to be patient in the new world? (b) How can we show that we are patient now?

⁹ In the new world, at times we may need to be patient. For example, we may hear that some people are very excited because their relatives and friends have been resurrected. However, we may have to wait for the resurrection of our loved ones. If that happens, will we rejoice with others and be patient? (Romans 12:15) If we learn to wait patiently for Jehovah to fulfill his promises now, it will help us to be patient then.​—Ecclesiastes 7:8.

¹⁰ We can also prepare for the new world by being patient when we receive adjustments in our understanding of Bible truth. Do we study this new material, and are we patient if we do not fully understand it? If so, in the new world, it will be easier to be patient each time Jehovah gives us new instructions.​—Proverbs 4:18; John 16:12.

11. Why should we learn to forgive others now, and how will this help us in the new world?

¹¹ Another way we can prepare for life in the new world is by learning to be forgiving. During Christ’s Thousand Year Rule, it will take some time for everyone to become perfect. (Acts 24:15) Will we be loving and forgiving toward one another? If we learn to forgive others and to have a good relationship with them now, it will be easier for us to do so in the new world.​—Read Colossians 3:12-14.

12. Why should we prepare now for life in the new world?

¹² In the new world, we may not always get what we want, or we might have to wait for it. We will need to be thankful and content in whatever situation we are in. In fact, we will need the same qualities that Jehovah is teaching us to show now. So by learning to show these qualities now, we prove that the new world is real to us and that we are preparing for everlasting life. (Hebrews 2:5; 11:1) Also, we will show that we really want to live in a world where everyone obeys Jehovah.

FOCUS ON SERVING JEHOVAH

13. What will we put first in our lives in the new world?

¹³ In the new world, we will have everything we need to enjoy life. But our greatest joy will come from our close relationship with Jehovah. (Matthew 5:3) We will be busy in Jehovah’s service, and we will enjoy serving him. (Psalm 37:4) So when we put Jehovah first in our lives now, we are preparing for life in the new world.​—Read Matthew 6:19-21.

14. What goals in Jehovah’s service can young ones set?

¹⁴ How can we enjoy serving Jehovah even more? One way is by setting goals. If you are young, think seriously about using your life to serve Jehovah. Why not do some research in our publications on different types of full-time service? You can set one of these as a goal.a (See footnote.) Talk to some who have served Jehovah full-time for many years. If you use your life to serve Jehovah, you will receive valuable training. This experience will help you to serve Jehovah in the new world.

15. What other goals in Jehovah’s service can we set?

¹⁵ There are many goals that we can set in our service to Jehovah. For example, we could make it a goal to learn a new skill in the ministry. Or we could try to understand Bible principles better and learn how we can apply them in our life. We could try to improve our public reading or our talks and comments at the meetings. The point is this: When you set goals in your service to Jehovah, it will help you to have more zeal and to prepare for life in the new world.

THE BEST WAY OF LIFE NOW

16. Why is serving Jehovah the best way of life?

¹⁶ When we use our time to prepare for God’s new world, are we missing out on a better way of life today? No! Serving Jehovah is the best way of life. We do not serve him because someone forces us to do so or just to survive the great tribulation. When we have a good relationship with Jehovah, our life is better and we are happier. That is how he designed us to live. Having God’s love and receiving his direction in our life is much better than anything else. (Read Psalm 63:1-3.) We can all feel the joy that comes from worshipping Jehovah with our whole heart. Some who have served him for many years can truly say that this is the best way of life.​—Psalm 1:1-3; Isaiah 58:13, 14.

17. How important will personal interests and recreation be in Paradise?

¹⁷ In Paradise, we will enjoy spending some of our time on personal interests and recreation. After all, Jehovah is the one who created us with the desire to enjoy ourselves, and he promises that he will “satisfy the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16; Ecclesiastes 2:24) We need recreation and we need rest, but we enjoy them even more when we put our relationship with Jehovah first. It will be the same in the new world. So it is wise to keep “seeking first the Kingdom” and to focus on the blessings we receive from serving Jehovah.​—Matthew 6:33.

18. How can we show that we are preparing to live forever in Paradise?

¹⁸ In the new world, life will be better than we can ever imagine. May we show how much we want to be there by preparing for “the real life” now. Let us develop the qualities that Jehovah teaches us to show, and let us zealously preach the good news. May we experience the joy of putting Jehovah’s worship first in our lives. We have complete trust that in the new world, Jehovah will do everything he has promised. So let us live as if we are already there!

1. What time period are we living in?

WE ARE living in “critical times hard to deal with.” Since 1914, when “the last days” began, conditions in the world have become worse than ever before. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) And we can be sure that the world will continue to get worse, because Bible prophecy says that “wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse.”​—2 Timothy 3:13.

2. What kind of entertainment do many people enjoy? (See opening picture.)

² For entertainment, many people today watch or do things that are violent or immoral or that involve magic and demonism. For example, the Internet, television programs, movies, books, and magazines often make violence and immorality seem acceptable. And behavior that used to shock people has become so acceptable that it is now legal in some places. But that does not mean that Jehovah approves of such behavior.​—Read Romans 1:28-32.

3. What do many people think of those who live by God’s standards?

³ In the first century, people also watched things that were violent and immoral for entertainment. But not Jesus’ followers, because they lived by God’s standards. This “puzzled” the people around them. What was the result? People made fun of the Christians and persecuted them. (1 Peter 4:4) Today, too, many people think that those who live by God’s standards are strange. In fact, the Bible warns us that those who follow the example of Christ Jesus “will also be persecuted.”​—2 Timothy 3:12.

“BAD ASSOCIATIONS SPOIL USEFUL HABITS”

4. Why should we not love this world?

⁴ If we want to do God’s will, we cannot love “either the world or the things in the world.” (Read 1 John 2:15, 16.) Satan, “the god of this system of things,” controls the world. He uses religions, governments, commercial organizations, and the media to mislead people. (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19) We do not want to be influenced by the world, so we must avoid bad associations. The Bible clearly warns us: “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.”​—1 Corinthians 15:33.

5, 6. Whom should we not associate with, and why?

⁵ To keep our good relationship with Jehovah, we do not choose to associate with anyone who practices bad things. This includes people who say that they worship Jehovah but choose to disobey him. If such ones commit a serious sin and do not repent, we stop associating with them.​—Romans 16:17, 18.

⁶ People usually want to please their friends and be accepted by them. So if we associate with those who do not obey God, we might be tempted to do what they do. For example, if we closely associate with people who are sexually immoral, we might become like them. That has happened to some of our brothers and sisters. And those who did not repent were disfellowshipped. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Unless they repent, their situation can become like that described by Peter.​—Read 2 Peter 2:20-22.

7. Whom should we choose to be our close friends?

⁷ Although we want to be kind to everyone, we should not become close friends with those who do not obey God. It would be wrong for one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to date someone who is not a faithful baptized servant of Jehovah. It is much more important to have God’s approval than to be accepted by people who do not love him. We should be close friends with only those who do God’s will. Jesus said: “Whoever does the will of God, this one is my brother and sister and mother.”​—Mark 3:35.

8. How did bad associations affect the people of ancient Israel?

⁸ Bad associations result in disaster. Take, for example, what happened to the Israelites. Before they arrived in the Promised Land, Jehovah warned them about the people who already lived there. He said: “You must not bow down to their gods or be persuaded to serve them, and you must not imitate their practices. Instead, you must demolish them and smash their sacred pillars. You must serve Jehovah your God.” (Exodus 23:24, 25) But most of the Israelites did not obey God’s instructions and became unfaithful to him. (Psalm 106:35-39) What was the result? Jehovah later rejected the nation of Israel and instead chose the Christian congregation as his people.​—Matthew 23:38; Acts 2:1-4.

BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU READ AND WATCH

9. Why can this world’s media be dangerous?

⁹ Much of this world’s media, such as television programs, websites, and books, can harm our relationship with Jehovah. This kind of material is not designed to help Christians have faith in Jehovah and his promises. Instead, it encourages people to trust in Satan’s evil world. So we need to be very careful that we do not choose to watch, read, or listen to anything that could cause us to have “worldly desires.”​—Titus 2:12.

10. What will happen to this world’s media?

¹⁰ Soon, Satan’s world and its harmful media will be destroyed. The Bible says: “The world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.” (1 John 2:17) Similarly, the psalmist sang: “Evil men will be done away with.” Then he added: “But the meek will possess the earth, and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” For how long? “The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.”​—Psalm 37:9, 11, 29.

11. How does God help us to remain faithful to him?

¹¹ Unlike Satan’s world, Jehovah’s organization helps us to live in a way that leads to everlasting life. Jesus prayed to Jehovah: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) Jehovah uses his organization to provide us with everything we need to come to know him. For example, we have many magazines, brochures, books, videos, and Web pages that help us to keep serving God. His organization also arranges for regular meetings in more than 110,000 congregations all over the world. What we learn from the Bible at those meetings and at larger assemblies strengthens our faith in Jehovah and his promises.​—Hebrews 10:24, 25.

MARRY “ONLY IN THE LORD”

12. Explain the Bible’s command to marry “only in the Lord.”

¹² Christians who want to get married need to be very careful about whom they choose to associate with. God’s Word warns us: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) The Bible tells God’s servants to marry “only in the Lord,” that is, to marry only someone who is dedicated and baptized and who lives by Jehovah’s standards. (1 Corinthians 7:39) When you marry such a person, someone who loves Jehovah, you will have a partner who will help you to remain faithful to God.

13. What command about marriage did God give the Israelites?

¹³ Jehovah knows what is best for us, and his command to marry “only in the Lord” is not something new. For example, consider what Jehovah told the Israelites about people who did not serve him. Through Moses, he commanded: “You must not form any marriage alliances with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods; then Jehovah’s anger will blaze against you, and he will swiftly annihilate you.”​—Deuteronomy 7:3, 4.

14, 15. What happened to Solomon because he ignored Jehovah’s command?

¹⁴ Soon after Solomon became king of Israel, he prayed for wisdom, and Jehovah answered his prayer. So Solomon became famous as the wise ruler of a successful nation. Actually, the queen of Sheba was so impressed with Solomon’s wisdom that she said to him: “You have far surpassed in wisdom and prosperity the report that I heard.” (1 Kings 10:7) But Solomon’s example also teaches us what can happen when a person ignores God’s command and marries someone who does not serve Jehovah.​—Ecclesiastes 4:13.

¹⁵ Even though Jehovah had blessed him, Solomon disobeyed God’s clear command. Solomon “loved many foreign women” who did not serve Jehovah, and he eventually had 700 wives and 300 concubines. What was the result? When Solomon was older, his wives “inclined his heart to follow other gods, . . . and Solomon did what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah.” (1 Kings 11:1-6) Bad associations affected him, and he did not remain faithful to Jehovah. If this could happen to Solomon, it could happen to anyone. That is why we do not even think about marrying someone who does not love Jehovah!

16. What advice does the Bible give to someone who is married to an unbeliever?

¹⁶ What if someone becomes a worshipper of Jehovah while married to an unbeliever? The Bible says: “You wives, be in subjection to your husbands, so that if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives.” (1 Peter 3:1) Of course, this also applies to a husband if his wife does not worship Jehovah. God’s Word is clear: Be a good husband or wife, and apply God’s standards for marriage. Then, when your mate notices that you have changed for the better, he or she may also want to serve Jehovah. This has been the experience of many couples.

ASSOCIATE WITH THOSE WHO LOVE JEHOVAH

17, 18. What helped Noah to survive the Flood, and what helped Christians in the first century to survive the destruction of Jerusalem?

¹⁷ Bad associations can influence you to disobey Jehovah, but good associations can help you to be faithful to him. Noah is a good example for us. He lived during a time when “man’s wickedness was great on the earth” and “every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.” (Genesis 6:5) People were so bad that Jehovah decided to destroy that wicked world. But Noah was different. The Bible calls him “a righteous man” who “walked with the true God.”​—Genesis 6:7-9.

¹⁸ Noah did not associate with people who did not love Jehovah. He and his family kept busy building the ark, and he was also “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5) Noah, Noah’s wife, his three sons, and their wives had good association with one another. They kept busy doing things that pleased God, and as a result, they survived the Flood. All of us today are their descendants, so we should be grateful that Noah and his family were obedient to Jehovah and avoided bad associations. In a similar way, Christians in the first century did not associate with people who did not love Jehovah. They obeyed him and survived when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 C.E.​—Luke 21:20-22.

19. What will help us to stay faithful to Jehovah?

¹⁹ Like Noah and his family and Christians in the first century, we do not associate with anyone who does not love Jehovah. We have millions of faithful brothers and sisters whom we could choose as our friends. They will help us to “stand firm in the faith” during these very difficult times. (1 Corinthians 16:13; Proverbs 13:20) Just think how wonderful it will be to survive the end of this wicked world and live in Jehovah’s new world! How important it is to avoid bad associations now!

I WAS born in the state of Queensland, Australia, in 1955. Soon after that, my mother, Estelle, started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. She was baptized one year later, and my father, Ron, came into the truth 13 years later. I was baptized in 1968 in a remote area, the Queensland outback.

Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved books and languages. Whenever my parents and I went on road trips, I would sit in the backseat of the car, reading a book. My parents were probably frustrated that I was not looking at the scenery. But my love of reading helped me to do well in school. And I even won several awards while I was in high school in the city of Glenorchy, on the island of Tasmania.

During that time, I had to make an important decision. Would I accept a scholarship to go to university? Even though I loved books and learning, I am grateful that my mother had taught me to love Jehovah more than anyone or anything else. (1 Corinthians 3:18, 19) So with my parents’ permission, I decided that as soon as I finished my basic education, I would leave school and start pioneering. I did this in January 1971, when I was 15 years old.

For the next eight years, I had the privilege of pioneering in Tasmania. During that time, I married a beautiful girl from Tasmania, Jenny Alcock. For four years, we served together as special pioneers in the isolated towns of Smithton and Queenstown.

MISSIONARIES IN THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC

In 1978, my wife and I traveled to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, to attend an international convention. I especially remember a missionary giving a talk in the Hiri Motu language. Although I could not understand what he was saying, I began thinking that I too wanted to become a missionary, learn another language, and be able to encourage the brothers by giving a talk in their language. At last, I realized how I could use my love of language to serve Jehovah.

When we got back home, you can imagine how surprised we were to be invited to serve as missionaries. We arrived on the island of Funafuti, in Tuvalu, in January 1979. There were only three other baptized publishers in all of Tuvalu.

It was not easy to learn the Tuvaluan language. The only book that existed in that language was the “New Testament.” There were no dictionaries or language courses, so we decided to try to learn from 10 to 20 new words each day. But we soon realized that we did not understand the correct meaning of most of the words we were learning. Instead of telling people that demonism was wrong, we were telling them that they should not use measuring scales and walking sticks! But we had to keep trying to learn the language because we had started several Bible studies. Many years later, one of those first Bible students told us: “We are so happy that you can speak our language now. At first, we didn’t have a clue what you were trying to say!”

But there was something that really helped us to learn the language faster. Since there were no places to rent, we had to live with a Witness family in the main village. We had to speak Tuvaluan everywhere, including at home. After not speaking English for some years, we found that Tuvaluan had become our main language.

Soon after we arrived, many started to show an interest in the truth. But what could we use to study with them? We had no publications in their language. How could they do personal study? When they started coming to the meetings, what songs could they sing, how would they give talks, and how could they prepare for the meetings? How could they ever get baptized? These humble people needed publications in their own language to teach them about Jehovah! (1 Corinthians 14:9) We wondered, ‘Would we ever have publications in Tuvaluan, a language spoken by fewer than 15,000 people?’ Jehovah answered those questions, proving to us two things: (1) He wants people in “the islands far away” to learn about him, and (2) he wants those whom the world views as “humble and lowly” to take refuge in his name.​—Jeremiah 31:10; Zephaniah 3:12.

TRANSLATION WORK TO TEACH THE TRUTH

In 1980, the branch office assigned us to translate publications into Tuvaluan. We started the work, even though we felt that we did not know the language well enough. (1 Corinthians 1:28, 29) At first, we bought an old machine from the government to print literature by hand for our meetings. Later, we even translated the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life into Tuvaluan and printed it on this small machine. I still remember the strong smell of ink, as well as the intense tropical heat that made it very hard to print all these publications by hand. At the time, we did not have electricity!

It was not easy to translate into Tuvaluan because we could not look up words in a dictionary or do research in Tuvaluan books. But sometimes we got the help we needed in other ways. One morning I called by mistake at the home of someone who opposed the truth. The older man, who had been a teacher, reminded me that we should not come to his home. Then, he said: “I just want to mention one thing. In your translation, you use the passive form too much. It is not used that often in Tuvaluan.” I checked with others, and he was correct. So we made changes to improve our translation. I was amazed that Jehovah had given us this help by means of a man who opposed the truth but who obviously read our publications!

The first Tuvaluan publication that we offered to people was a Memorial invitation. Then we had the tract Kingdom News No. 30, which was released at the same time as the English. How happy we were that we could give something to the people in their own language! After a while, we also had some brochures and even some books in Tuvaluan. In 1983, the Australia branch began to print The Watchtower in Tuvaluan. The magazine had 24 pages and came out every three months. Did the people in Tuvalu like these books and magazines? Yes, they did, because they love to read. Every time we released a new publication, the government radio station announced it on the news, and sometimes it was the main story of the day!a​—See footnote.

How was the translation work done? First, we wrote everything using pen and paper. Then, we typed and retyped the translation many times until it was ready to be sent to the branch in Australia. Two sisters at the branch typed the Tuvaluan text into a computer separately, even though they did not understand the language. But by entering the text twice and comparing the differences on the computer, they avoided mistakes. The branch then composed the publications, which means that they combined the text with pictures. Then they sent us these composed pages by airmail. We checked them and sent them back to the branch for printing.

Translation work has improved so much! Now translation teams type text and correct it directly on the computer. Usually, the publications are composed by someone who is in the same place as the team. Then, the team sends the files to the printing branches using the Internet. No one needs to rush to the post office at the last minute to send the translated text by mail.

OTHER ASSIGNMENTS

As the years went by, Jenny and I received various assignments in different parts of the Pacific. From Tuvalu we were assigned to the Samoa branch in 1985. There we helped with translation into the Samoan, Tongan, and Tokelauan languages, as well as helping with the translation in Tuvaluan.b (See footnote.) Then, in 1996, we were assigned to the Fiji branch, where we helped with the translation work being done in the Fijian, Kiribati, Nauruan, Rotuman, and Tuvaluan languages.

I am always amazed at how much translators love their work even though it is not easy and can be very tiring. Like Jehovah, these faithful brothers and sisters really want people to hear the good news in their language. (Revelation 14:6) For example, when the translation of the first Watchtower magazine into Tongan was being organized, I met with all the elders in Tonga and asked who could be trained as a translator. One of the elders, who had a good job as a mechanic, offered to quit his job the next day and start immediately as a translator. I was encouraged by his strong faith, since he had a family and had no idea how he would earn enough money to take care of them. But Jehovah cared for him and his family, and he remained in the translation work for many years.

Like these translators, the brothers on the Governing Body care deeply about providing publications in all languages, even those spoken by only a small number of people. For example, a question was raised as to whether it was worth all the effort to translate publications into Tuvaluan. I was so encouraged to read this answer from the Governing Body: “We see absolutely no reason why you should discontinue translation work in the Tuvaluan language. Even though the Tuvaluan field may be small in comparison to other language groups, the people still need to be reached with the good news in their own language.”

In 2003, Jenny and I were transferred from the Translation Department in Fiji to Translation Services in Patterson, New York. It was like a dream come true! We became part of a team that helps to support the translation of our publications into more languages. During the two years or so that we were in Translation Services, we were assigned to help train translation teams in various countries.

VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS

Now let me return to the important meeting I mentioned in the beginning. By the year 2000, the Governing Body felt that translation teams worldwide needed help to do their work. Most translators had not attended any courses for translation. After that meeting with the Writing Committee, the Governing Body decided that all translators around the world must be trained. Translators would be taught how to understand the English text, how to solve translation problems, and how to work together as a team.

What has been the result of all this training for translators? The quality of the translation has improved. Also, our publications are translated into more languages than ever. In 1979, when we were assigned to serve as missionaries, the Watchtower magazine was available in only 82 languages. Even so, in most languages The Watchtower came out a few months after the English one. But now The Watchtower is translated into over 240 languages, and for most of them, the magazine is available at the same time as the English. Now, in over 700 languages, people can read something that teaches them the truth from the Bible. Some years ago this seemed impossible.

In 2004, the Governing Body decided that it was very important to have the New World Translation in many more languages and as soon as possible. Because of that decision, many more people can now read the New World Translation in their language. In fact, in 2014, this Bible or parts of it were available in 128 languages, including a number of languages spoken in the South Pacific.

One of my favorite memories is of a convention in Tuvalu in 2011. For many months, there had been an extreme drought in the whole country. The brothers thought that the convention would have to be canceled. But happily, the evening we arrived, it started raining heavily. So we were able to have our convention! For me, it was such a great privilege to release the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures in Tuvaluan! Even though there are only a small number of brothers who speak that language, they too could receive this beautiful gift from Jehovah. Then, at the end of the convention, there was another rainstorm. So everyone had plenty of water of truth as well as plenty of rainwater!

Sadly, my dear wife Jenny was not there with me. She had died in 2009, after fighting cancer for ten years. We were married for 35 years. When she is resurrected, she will be so glad to hear about the release of the Tuvaluan Bible.

Jehovah has blessed me with another beautiful wife, Loraini Sikivou. Loraini and Jenny had worked together at Bethel in Fiji, and Loraini too was a translator. So once again, I have a wife who serves Jehovah faithfully with me and who loves language as I do!

Over the years, I have seen how our loving Father, Jehovah, cares for the needs of people of all languages, even if their language is spoken by only a few. (Psalm 49:1-3) I have seen how happy people are when they get our publications in their language for the first time or when they sing to Jehovah in the language of their heart. At times like these, I think of Jehovah’s great love for us. (Acts 2:8, 11) I can still clearly remember the words of an elderly Tuvaluan brother, Saulo Teasi. After he had sung a Kingdom song for the first time in his language, he said, “I think you should tell the Governing Body that these songs sound better in Tuvaluan than they do in English.”

In September 2005, I was surprised to receive the privilege of serving as a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Although I can no longer serve as a translator, I thank Jehovah that he allows me to continue supporting the worldwide translation work. It makes me happy to know that Jehovah cares for the needs of all his people, even those on isolated islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Yes, as the psalmist said, “Jehovah has become King! Let the earth be joyful. Let the many islands rejoice.”​—Psalm 97:1.