1, 2. What do some people think about God?

MANY people believe that their actions do not matter to God. They think that God does not really care about what happens to them. For example, after a very violent storm destroyed a large part of the Philippines in November 2013, the mayor of one large city said: “God must have been somewhere else.”

² Other people think that God cannot see what they are doing. (Isaiah 26:10, 11; 3 John 11) Some people in the apostle Paul’s time thought the same way. He said about them: “They did not see fit to acknowledge God.” They were unrighteous, wicked, greedy, and bad.​—Romans 1:28, 29.

3. (a) What questions should we ask ourselves? (b) In the Bible, to what does God’s “hand” often refer?

³ What about us? We know that Jehovah sees everything we do. But do we believe that Jehovah is interested in us? Do we see his helping hand in our life? In the Bible, God’s “hand” often refers to his applied power. He uses his power to help his servants and to defeat his enemies. (Read Deuteronomy 26:8.) Jesus said that some people would “see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Are we among those people? How can we “see God”? Let us learn from Bible examples of those who saw God’s hand in their life and of those who did not see it. We will also learn how faith helps us to see God’s hand.

THEY REFUSED TO SEE GOD’S HAND

4. Why did Israel’s enemies refuse to see God’s hand?

⁴ In the past, many people had the opportunity to see and hear how God helped Israel. Jehovah used miracles to free his people from Egypt and to defeat many kings in the Promised Land. (Joshua 9:3, 9, 10) Even though other kings heard and saw how Jehovah saved his people, “they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.” (Joshua 9:1, 2) When they fought against Israel, those kings had the opportunity to see God’s hand. As a result of Jehovah’s great power, “the sun stood still and the moon did not move until the nation could take vengeance on its enemies.” (Joshua 10:13) But Jehovah allowed the hearts of Israel’s enemies “to become stubborn,” so that they fought against Israel. (Joshua 11:20) Israel’s enemies were defeated because they refused to admit that Jehovah was fighting for his people.

5. What did wicked King Ahab refuse to believe?

⁵ Later, wicked King Ahab had the opportunity to see God’s hand several times. Elijah told him: “There will be no dew or rain except by my word!” (1 Kings 17:1) This was only possible because of God’s hand, but Ahab refused to believe that. Later, Elijah prayed to Jehovah, and God answered him by sending fire from heaven. Ahab saw that. Then, Elijah told Ahab that Jehovah would end the drought and send a downpour of rain. (1 Kings 18:22-45) Ahab saw all these miracles and still refused to believe that he had seen Jehovah’s power. What do we learn from these examples? We must look for God’s hand in our life.

THEY SAW JEHOVAH’S HAND

6, 7. What did the Gibeonites and Rahab recognize?

⁶ The Gibeonites were very different from the nations around them. They saw God’s hand. Instead of fighting the Israelites, the Gibeonites wanted to make peace with them. Why? They said that it was because they had heard about Jehovah and all he had done. (Joshua 9:3, 9, 10) It was wise of them to recognize that Jehovah was fighting for Israel.

⁷ Rahab also saw Jehovah’s hand. She was not an Israelite, but she had heard about how Jehovah freed his people from Egypt. When two Israelite spies came to her, she told them: “I do know that Jehovah will give you the land.” Rahab believed that Jehovah could save her and her family. She showed her faith in Jehovah even though she knew that doing so was dangerous.​—Joshua 2:9-13; 4:23, 24.

8. How did some Israelites recognize God’s hand?

⁸ Unlike wicked King Ahab, some of the Israelites who saw the fire coming from heaven in response to Elijah’s prayer recognized that God had done that. They cried out: “Jehovah is the true God!” (1 Kings 18:39) To them, it was clear that they had seen God’s power.

9. How can we see Jehovah and his hand today?

⁹ We have considered good and bad examples that help us to understand what it means to “see God” or to see God’s hand. As we come to know Jehovah and his qualities, we see his hand with ‘the eyes of our heart.’ (Ephesians 1:18) This motivates us to want to imitate faithful humans both past and present who have seen how Jehovah has helped his people. However, do we have proof that God is helping people today?

PROOF OF GOD’S HAND TODAY

10. What proof do we have that Jehovah is helping people today? (See opening picture.)

¹⁰ We have abundant proof that Jehovah continues to help people today. We often hear experiences of those who prayed for God’s help in their life and had their prayers answered. (Psalm 53:2) For example, while preaching on a small island in the Philippines, Allan met a woman who started to cry. He says, “Just that morning, she prayed to Jehovah that his Witnesses would find her.” As a teenager, she studied the Bible with the Witnesses, but when she got married and moved to the island, she did not continue her study. God answered her prayer so quickly that it touched her heart. In less than a year, she dedicated her life to Jehovah.

11, 12. (a) How is Jehovah helping his servants? (b) Explain how Jehovah helped one sister.

¹¹ Many servants of Jehovah have seen his helping hand when they stopped bad habits such as smoking, abusing drugs, or watching pornography. Some say that they tried to stop on their own but could not. However, when they asked Jehovah for help, he gave them “the power beyond what is normal,” and they were finally able to stop their bad habits.​—2 Corinthians 4:7; Psalm 37:23, 24.

¹² Jehovah also helps his servants to endure personal difficulties. This happened to Amy. She was assigned to help build a Kingdom Hall and a missionary home on a small island in the Pacific Ocean. The culture was different, there was often no electricity or water, the streets were flooded, she missed her family, and she was living in a small hotel room. One day, she yelled at a sister she was working with. She felt very bad about what she had done. When she went back to her dark room, she prayed to Jehovah and asked for help. Then, when the electricity came back on, she read an article in the Watchtower about a Gilead graduation. The article discussed the same difficulties she had to endure. She says: “I felt that Jehovah was speaking to me that night. It gave me the motivation to continue in my assignment.”​—Psalm 44:25, 26; Isaiah 41:10, 13.

13. What proof do we have that Jehovah has helped his people to defend their right to preach?

¹³ Jehovah has also helped his people to defend and legally establish the good news. (Philippians 1:7) For example, when some governments tried to stop the preaching work, we defended ourselves in court. We have won at least 268 high-court cases around the world, 24 of which were won in the European Court of Human Rights since the year 2000. It is clear that nobody can stop God’s hand!​—Isaiah 54:17; read Isaiah 59:1.

14. What other proof do we have that God is with his people?

¹⁴ The preaching of the good news worldwide is additional proof of God’s helping hand. (Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8) And the unity among Jehovah’s servants from all nations can only be possible with Jehovah’s help. This unity is unique! Even people who do not worship Jehovah admit: “God is really among you.” (1 Corinthians 14:25) We have abundant proof that God is with his people. (Read Isaiah 66:14.) What about you personally? Do you see Jehovah’s hand in your life?

DO YOU SEE JEHOVAH’S HAND IN YOUR LIFE?

15. At times, why may we not see Jehovah’s hand in our life?

¹⁵ Sometimes, we may not see God’s hand in our life. Why? When we have a lot of problems, we may forget that Jehovah has helped us many times before. This happened to Elijah. He was courageous, but when Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him, he was scared. For a moment, he forgot how Jehovah had helped him earlier. The Bible says that Elijah wanted to die. (1 Kings 19:1-4) Where could he find help and courage? He needed to look to Jehovah!​—1 Kings 19:14-18.

16. How can we see God when we have problems?

¹⁶ Job was so focused on his worries that he did not see his situation the way Jehovah saw it. (Job 42:3-6) Sometimes, we too may find it hard to see God because of our problems. What can help us to see what God does for us? We must meditate on what the Bible says about our problems. Then, Jehovah will be more real to us, and we too will be able to say: “My ears have heard about you, but now I do see you with my eyes.”

17, 18. (a) How can you see Jehovah’s hand in your life? (b) Share an experience that shows how God is helping us today.

¹⁷ How can you see Jehovah’s hand in your life? Let us consider five examples. First, you may feel that Jehovah helped you to find the truth. Second, you may remember going to a Christian meeting, hearing a talk, and saying, “That was just what I needed!” Third, perhaps you have seen how Jehovah answered one of your prayers. Fourth, maybe you wanted to do more for Jehovah and you saw how he helped you to reach that goal. Fifth, maybe you left your job because it took time away from your service to Jehovah and then you saw God fulfill his promise: “I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) When we have a strong relationship with Jehovah, we can easily see his hand in our life.

¹⁸ Sarah, a sister from Kenya, says: “I prayed about a student who I felt did not appreciate her Bible study. I asked Jehovah if I should stop the study. Immediately after I said ‘Amen,’ my phone rang. The Bible student called to ask if she could attend the meeting with me! I was awestruck!” If we look for what God is doing for us, we will see his helping hand. Rhonna, a sister who lives in Asia, says that it takes time to see how Jehovah helps us in our life. “But once you do,” she adds, “it’s amazing to discover how much interest he has in us!”

19. What else must we do to see God?

¹⁹ Jesus said that those who “will see God” must be “pure in heart.” (Matthew 5:8) What does that mean? We must keep our thoughts pure and stop doing anything that is wrong. (Read 2 Corinthians 4:2.) In this article, we learned that to see God, we must keep strengthening our relationship with him. In the next article, we will discuss how faith can help us to see Jehovah’s hand more clearly in our life.

1. How important is faith? (See opening picture.)

HAVE you ever asked yourself, ‘Will Jehovah want to save me during the great tribulation?’ The apostle Paul said that one very important quality we need in order to survive is faith. He said: “Without faith it is impossible to please God well.” (Hebrews 11:6) That might sound simple, but the truth is that “faith is not a possession of all people.” (2 Thessalonians 3:2) Those two scriptures help us understand how important it is to strengthen our faith.

2, 3. (a) How important is our faith? (b) What will we now consider?

² The apostle Peter talked about a “tested” faith. (Read 1 Peter 1:7.) The great tribulation is very near, and we want to be “the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.” (Hebrews 10:39) So we need to work hard to strengthen our faith. We want to be among those who are rewarded when Jesus Christ, our King, is revealed. So, like the man who begged Jesus for more faith, we too may say: “Help me out where I need faith!” (Mark 9:24) Or, like the apostles, we may also say: “Give us more faith.”​—Luke 17:5.

³ In this article, we will consider the following points: how we can build our faith, how we can show that our faith is strong, and why we can be sure that God will answer us when we ask for more faith.

GOD IS PLEASED WHEN WE BUILD OUR FAITH

4. Whose examples can move us to strengthen our faith?

⁴ Because faith is so important, Jehovah has given us many examples of faith in the Bible. These “were written for our instruction.” (Romans 15:4) The examples of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, and many others can move us to strengthen our own faith. (Hebrews 11:32-35) In addition to examples from the past, we also have amazing examples of faith among our brothers and sisters today.a (See footnote.)

5. How did Elijah show that he had strong faith in Jehovah, and what should we ask ourselves?

⁵ An example from the Bible is the prophet Elijah. As you meditate on his example, notice five situations in which he showed this strong trust in Jehovah. (1) When Elijah told King Ahab that Jehovah would bring a drought, he confidently declared: “As surely as Jehovah the God of Israel whom I serve is living, during these years there will be no dew or rain.” (1 Kings 17:1) (2) Elijah believed that Jehovah would give him and others what they needed during the drought. (1 Kings 17:4, 5, 13, 14) (3) Elijah was also sure that Jehovah could resurrect a widow’s son. (1 Kings 17:21) (4) He had no doubt that Jehovah’s fire would consume his sacrifice on Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18:24, 37) (5) Even before any rain had fallen, Elijah said with confidence to Ahab: “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy downpour.” (1 Kings 18:41) So after considering these experiences, we can ask ourselves, ‘Is my faith as strong as Elijah’s?’

WHAT CAN WE DO TO BUILD OUR FAITH?

6. What is needed from Jehovah to build our faith?

⁶ Since we cannot build our faith on our own, we need to ask God for holy spirit. Why? Because faith is a part of the fruitage of the holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22) We are wise when we follow Jesus’ counsel to pray for more holy spirit. Jesus promised that Jehovah will “give holy spirit to those asking him.”​—Luke 11:13.

7. Describe how we can keep our faith strong.

⁷ Once we have strong faith in God, we must maintain it. We can compare faith to a fire. When we start a fire, the flames can be very strong. However, if we do not add wood to the fire, it will eventually burn out and turn into cold ashes. But if we regularly add wood to the fire, we can keep it burning. It is the same with our faith. If we continue to read and study God’s Word daily, our love for the Bible and Jehovah will grow. As a result, we will maintain and strengthen our faith.

8. What will help you to build and maintain your faith?

⁸ You must not be satisfied with only the things you learned before your baptism. (Hebrews 6:1, 2) For example, studying Bible prophecies that have already been fulfilled will help you to build and maintain your faith. You can also use God’s Word to see whether your faith is really strong.​—Read James 1:25; 2:24, 26.

9, 10. How is our faith strengthened by (a) good friends? (b) congregation meetings? (c) preaching?

⁹ The apostle Paul said that Christians can “have an interchange of encouragement by one another’s faith.” (Romans 1:12) What does that mean? When we spend time with our brothers and sisters, we can strengthen one another’s faith. This is especially true when we spend time with those who have a “tested” faith. (James 1:3) Bad friends destroy our faith, but good friends build it. (1 Corinthians 15:33) That is why we are counseled to attend the meetings regularly. There, we can keep on “encouraging one another.” (Read Hebrews 10:24, 25.) In addition, the instruction we receive at the meetings strengthens our faith. The Bible says that “faith follows the thing heard.” (Romans 10:17) So ask yourself, ‘Are Christian meetings a regular part of my life?’

¹⁰ We also strengthen our faith when we preach and teach the good news of the Bible to others. Like the early Christians, we learn to trust in Jehovah and speak boldly in any situation.​—Acts 4:17-20; 13:46.

11. Why did Caleb and Joshua have strong faith, and how can we be like them?

¹¹ Our faith in Jehovah grows when we see how he helps us and how he answers our prayers. That is what happened to Caleb and Joshua. They showed faith in Jehovah when they spied out the Promised Land. As time passed, their faith became stronger each time they saw how Jehovah helped them. Joshua could confidently tell the Israelites: “Not one word out of all the good promises that Jehovah your God has spoken to you has failed.” He later said: “Therefore, fear Jehovah and serve him with integrity and faithfulness.” Then he added: “As for me and my household, we will serve Jehovah.” (Joshua 23:14; 24:14, 15) When we trust in Jehovah and see how he helps us personally, our faith will become stronger.​—Psalm 34:8.

HOW WE CAN DEMONSTRATE OUR FAITH

12. How do we show that we have strong faith?

¹² How do we show that we have strong faith? The disciple James said: “I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18) Our actions show that we have strong faith. Let us see how.

13. How do we demonstrate our faith when we preach?

¹³ Preaching is an excellent way to demonstrate our faith. Why? Because when we preach, we show that we believe that the end is near and that “it will not be late!” (Habakkuk 2:3) To know whether our faith is strong, we can ask ourselves: ‘How important is preaching to me? Am I doing all that I can to tell others about God? Do I look for ways to do more in my service to Jehovah?’ (2 Corinthians 13:5) Let us show the strength of our faith by making “public declaration for salvation,” that is, by preaching the good news.​—Read Romans 10:10.

14, 15. (a) How can we show faith in our daily lives? (b) Share an experience that shows strong faith in action.

¹⁴ We also show our faith in Jehovah as we endure the challenges of life in this world. When we are sick, discouraged, depressed, poor, or have other problems, we must have faith that Jehovah and Jesus will “help us at the right time.” (Hebrews 4:16) We show faith in Jehovah when we ask him for help. Jesus said that we can ask Jehovah to give us “bread according to our daily needs.” (Luke 11:3) Accounts in the Bible prove that Jehovah can give us anything we need. For example, during a severe drought in Israel, Jehovah gave food and water to Elijah. The Bible says that “the ravens were bringing him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream.” (1 Kings 17:3-6) We have faith that Jehovah can also give us what we need.

¹⁵ We are confident that when we apply Bible principles, we will be able to care for the needs of our family. Rebecca, a married sister in Asia, explains how she and her family applied the principles at Matthew 6:33 and Proverbs 10:4. She says that her husband felt that his job was a danger to their relationship with Jehovah. So he left his job. But they had four children to care for, so they started making food they could sell. As a result of their hard work, they always made enough money to care for the needs of the family. She says: “We felt that Jehovah never abandoned us. We never missed a single meal.” Have you had a similar experience that strengthened your faith?

16. What will happen if we trust in God?

¹⁶ We should never doubt that if we follow Jehovah’s direction, he will help us. Paul quoted Habakkuk’s words when he said: “The righteous one will live by reason of faith.” (Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4) That is why we should have strong faith in the One who really can help us. Paul reminds us that God is “the one who can, according to his power that is operating in us, do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive.” (Ephesians 3:20) Jehovah’s servants do all they can to do God’s will, but they also know that they have limitations. We are so grateful that God is with us and that he is blessing all our efforts.

REQUESTS FOR FAITH ANSWERED

17. (a) How did Jesus answer the apostles? (b) Why can we expect that Jehovah will answer our requests for more faith?

¹⁷ From what we have considered, we may feel as the apostles did when they asked Jesus: “Give us more faith.” (Luke 17:5) Jesus answered his apostles in a special way at Pentecost in the year 33, when they received holy spirit and were able to get a deeper understanding of God’s purpose. This strengthened their faith. What was the result? They started the greatest preaching campaign up to that time. (Colossians 1:23) Can we expect our requests for more faith to be answered? Jehovah promises us that we can when “we ask according to his will.”​—1 John 5:14.

18. How does Jehovah bless those who build their faith?

¹⁸ When we have complete trust in Jehovah, he will be pleased with us. He will answer our request for more faith, our faith will become stronger, and we will become “worthy of the Kingdom of God.”​—2 Thessalonians 1:3, 5.

1, 2. Why did Jesus love Martha, but what mistake did she make that shows she was not perfect?

WHEN you think of Lazarus’ sister Martha, what kind of person do you imagine? The Bible shows that Martha was a very good friend of Jesus, and it says that he loved her. Of course, she was not the only woman whom Jesus loved and respected. For example, Martha’s sister, Mary, was also Jesus’ close friend. And Jesus loved his own mother, Mary. (John 11:5; 19:25-27) So why did Jesus love Martha?

² Jesus loved Martha because she was kind and generous, and she was also a hard worker. But most of all, Jesus loved her because she had strong faith. She believed all that Jesus taught, and she had no doubts that he was the promised Messiah. (John 11:21-27) Even so, Martha was not perfect. Like all of us, she made mistakes. For example, once when Jesus was visiting them, Martha was upset with her sister, Mary, and told Jesus that he should correct her. “Lord,” said Martha, “does it not matter to you that my sister has left me alone to attend to things? Tell her to come and help me.” (Read Luke 10:38-42.) Why did Martha say that, and what can we learn from Jesus’ reply to her?

MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED

3, 4. What did Mary do that Jesus approved of, and what did Martha learn? (See opening picture.)

³ Jesus was grateful that Martha and Mary had invited him to their home, and he wanted to use that time to teach them precious truths. Mary immediately sat by him, “listening to what he was saying.” She wanted to learn everything she could from the Great Teacher. Martha too could have chosen to listen to Jesus. And he would have praised her for stopping what she was doing to pay attention to him.

⁴ But Martha was distracted. She was busy preparing a special meal for Jesus and doing many other things to make his stay as nice as possible. When she saw that Mary was not helping her, she got irritated and complained to Jesus. He knew that Martha was trying to do too much, so he kindly said: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and disturbed about many things.” He also suggested that a simple meal, perhaps one dish, would be enough. Then Jesus praised Mary for listening carefully to him. He said: “For her part, Mary chose the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary may have forgotten what she ate during that meal, but no doubt she never forgot the things she learned from Jesus and the way he commended her. Over 60 years later, the apostle John wrote: “Jesus loved Martha and her sister.” (John 11:5) These words show that Martha accepted Jesus’ loving correction and served Jehovah faithfully for the rest of her life.

5. Why is it especially difficult today to stay focused on what is more important, and what question will we answer?

⁵ We realize that today there are more things that can distract us from serving Jehovah than there were in Bible times. The September 15, 1958, issue of The Watchtower warned the brothers and sisters not to allow technology to distract them from serving Jehovah. Even at that time, it seemed that every day there was something new. Things such as glossy magazines, radio, movies, and television had become very popular. The Watchtower said that as we get closer to the end of this system, “distractions will likely increase.” Today, more than ever before, there are so many things that can distract us. What can we do to become more like Mary and stay focused on worshipping Jehovah?

DO NOT USE THE WORLD TO THE FULL

6. How have Jehovah’s people used technology?

⁶ Jehovah’s people have used the world’s technology to preach the good news. For example, before and during the first world war, they showed the “Photo-Drama of Creation.” By using slides and short movies in color and with sound, they preached to millions of people in many countries. The end of the “Photo-Drama” described the peaceful time when Jesus Christ would rule the earth. Later, Jehovah’s people used the radio to broadcast the Kingdom message to millions around the world. Today, we use computers and the Internet to reach people wherever they are, even in isolated places.

7. (a) Why is it dangerous to use the world to the full? (b) What should we be very careful of? (See footnote.)

⁷ The Bible warns us not to use the world to the full. This includes spending too much time on things that the world offers. (Read 1 Corinthians 7:29-31.) Some of these things are not wrong, but they could waste a lot of our time. For example, we might enjoy hobbies, reading books, watching television, visiting interesting places, shopping, and finding out about the latest electronic devices or luxuries. Many like to chat online, send text messages and e-mails, or keep checking the news or the sports results. But some can become addicted to doing these things.a (See footnote.) (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6) If we use a lot of our time on things that are not essential, we might not give enough attention to what is most important, our worship of Jehovah.​—Read Ephesians 5:15-17.

8. Why is it so important that we do not love the things in the world?

⁸ Satan does all he can to attract us to the things in his world and distract us from serving Jehovah. Satan did this in the first century, and he does this even more so today. (2 Timothy 4:10) So we should constantly examine how we feel about the things in the world and make adjustments where needed. The Bible tells us that we must not love the things in the world. Instead, we must keep our love for Jehovah strong. If we do, it will be easier to obey Jehovah and to stay close to him.​—1 John 2:15-17.

KEEP FOCUSED ON WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

9. What did Jesus teach his disciples to focus on, and how did he set the example?

⁹ Just as he kindly taught Martha not to be distracted by many things, Jesus taught his disciples the same lesson. He encouraged them to keep focused on serving Jehovah and his Kingdom. (Read Matthew 6:22, 33.) Jesus himself set an excellent example. He did not have many things, and he did not own a house or any land.​—Luke 9:58; 19:33-35.

10. What good example did Jesus set for us?

¹⁰ Jesus did not let anything distract him from the preaching work. For example, not long after he began preaching, the crowds in Capernaum wanted Jesus to spend more time in their city. What did he do? He stayed focused on his assignment. He said: “I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent.” (Luke 4:42-44) Jesus walked great distances to preach the good news and teach as many people as possible. He was a perfect man, but he still got tired and needed to rest because he worked very hard.​—Luke 8:23; John 4:6.

11. What did Jesus do when a man asked him about a personal problem? What lesson did Jesus teach his disciples?

¹¹ Later, when Jesus was teaching his disciples an important lesson, a man interrupted him and said: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus did not try to solve this man’s personal problem. He did not get distracted from teaching his disciples. In fact, he used this opportunity to teach them that if they focused on having more things, they could be distracted from serving God.​—Luke 12:13-15.

12, 13. (a) What did Jesus do that impressed some Greek people in Jerusalem? (b) How did Jesus react when Philip asked him to meet with those people?

¹² Jesus’ last few days as a human were very stressful. (Matthew 26:38; John 12:27) He knew that he was going to suffer terribly and die. He also knew that he had more work to do before he died. For example, on Sunday, Nisan 9, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The crowds welcomed him as their King. (Luke 19:38) The next day, Jesus courageously threw out from the temple greedy men who were selling things for high prices and thus robbing people.​—Luke 19:45, 46.

¹³ Some Greek people, who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, saw what Jesus had done and were impressed. So they asked the apostle Philip if they could meet with Jesus. But Jesus was not trying to find people who could support him and defend him from his enemies. He knew what was more important. He kept focused on Jehovah’s will for him, that is, to give his life as a sacrifice. So he reminded his disciples that he would soon die and that all those who follow him must be willing to sacrifice their lives too. He said: “Whoever is fond of his life destroys it, but whoever hates his life in this world will safeguard it for everlasting life.” But Jesus also promised that “the Father will honor” Jesus’ followers and give them everlasting life. Philip could give those Greek people this encouraging message.​—John 12:20-26.

14. Although Jesus put the preaching work first in his life, what did he make sure to do?

¹⁴ When Jesus was on earth, his main work was to preach the good news. Although he focused his life on preaching, he was not always thinking about work. For example, he went to at least one wedding, where he turned water into very good wine. (John 2:2, 6-10) He also had meals at the homes of his friends and others who were interested in the good news. (Luke 5:29; John 12:2) More important, Jesus often took time to pray, meditate, and rest.​—Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; 6:31, 32.

“THROW OFF EVERY WEIGHT”

15. What did the apostle Paul say that Christians need to do, and how did he set a good example?

¹⁵ The apostle Paul said that Christians are like runners in a long race and that to finish the race, they have to get rid of anything that could slow them down or stop them. (Read Hebrews 12:1.) Paul himself set a good example. He could have been rich and famous as a Jewish religious leader, but he gave up that career to focus on “the more important things.” He worked very hard in the preaching work and traveled to many places, including Syria, Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Judea. Paul looked forward to his reward of everlasting life in heaven. He said: “Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead, I am pressing on toward the goal for the prize.” (Philippians 1:10; 3:8, 13, 14) Paul was not married, and that helped him to give “constant devotion to the Lord without distraction.”​—1 Corinthians 7:32-35.

16, 17. Whether married or not, how can we follow Paul’s example? How did Mark and Claire do this?

¹⁶ Like Paul, some of Jehovah’s servants today choose not to get married so that they can do more in Jehovah’s service. (Matthew 19:11, 12) Unmarried people often have fewer family responsibilities than married people. But whether married or not, all of us can “throw off every weight” that could distract us from serving Jehovah. We may need to change our habits so that we avoid wasting time and are able to do more in Jehovah’s service.

¹⁷ For example, Mark and Claire, who grew up in Wales, began pioneering when they finished school. After they got married, they continued pioneering. But they wanted to do more. Mark explains: “We were able to simplify our lives further by giving up our three-bedroom house and our part-time work so that we could enter the international construction work.” For the past 20 years, they have traveled to many parts of Africa to help build Kingdom Halls. Sometimes they had very little money, but Jehovah always took care of them. Claire says: “It gives us deep satisfaction to spend every day serving Jehovah. We have made so many friends along the way, and we lack nothing. The little that we have given up cannot be compared to the happiness that comes from serving Jehovah full-time.” Many full-time servants feel the same way.b​—See footnote.

18. What questions can we ask ourselves?

¹⁸ Do you feel that you could be more enthusiastic in your service to Jehovah? Are there things distracting you from what is more important? If so, what can you do? Maybe you could improve the way you read and study the Bible. The next article will explain how you can do that.

1, 2. What makes humans different from animals?

THE human brain is unique. For example, humans have the ability to learn a language. And language allows us to read, write, speak, and understand what we hear. It also gives us the ability to pray and sing praises to Jehovah. All of this makes us different from animals. Scientists cannot fully understand just how our brain is able to do these amazing things.

² Our ability to use language is a gift from Jehovah. (Psalm 139:14; Revelation 4:11) He has also given us another gift that makes us different from animals. Humans were created “in God’s image.” We have free will, that is, the freedom to make our own choices. And we can choose to use language to serve and praise Jehovah.​—Genesis 1:27.

3. What has Jehovah given us to make us wise?

³ Jehovah has shown us how to serve and praise him by giving us the Bible. The entire Bible or parts of it are available in more than 2,800 languages. When we meditate on what the Bible says, we can begin to think the way God thinks. (Psalm 40:5; 92:5; 139:17) And Jehovah’s thoughts make us wise and lead us to everlasting life.​—Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

4. What does it mean to meditate, and what questions will we discuss?

⁴ To meditate means to concentrate on something and think deeply and carefully about it. (Psalm 77:12; Proverbs 24:1, 2) We benefit the most when we meditate on what we learn about Jehovah and Jesus. (John 17:3) In this article we will answer the following questions: How can we read in a way that makes it easier to meditate? What can we meditate on? And what can help us to meditate regularly and to enjoy it?

MAKE SURE THAT YOU BENEFIT FROM YOUR STUDY

5, 6. What can help you to remember and better understand what you read?

⁵ Have you ever noticed that there are some things you can do without even thinking about them, such as breathing, walking, or riding a bicycle? Unfortunately, you might at times even read without thinking. Perhaps you may even start thinking about other things while you are reading. What can you do to prevent this? It is important to concentrate on what you are reading and think about what it means. Then, when you get to the end of a paragraph or subheading in a publication, pause and meditate on what you just read. Think about what you learned, and make sure that you really understood it.

⁶ Scientists have discovered that it is easier to remember something when we read it aloud. Our Creator knows this, and that is why he told Joshua to read the book of the Law “in an undertone,” that is, to read it softly to himself. (Read Joshua 1:8.) Reading the Bible aloud will also help you to concentrate better and to remember more.

7. When is the best time to meditate on the Bible? (See opening picture.)

⁷ It requires a lot of effort to meditate and concentrate on what we study. That is why it is best to meditate at a time when you are not tired and in a place that is quiet, where not many things will distract you. The psalmist David meditated while he was awake in bed during the night. (Psalm 63:6) Jesus, who was perfect, chose quiet places to meditate and pray.​—Luke 6:12.

GOOD THINGS TO MEDITATE ON

8. (a) What can we meditate on? (b) How does Jehovah feel when we talk about him to others?

⁸ In addition to what you read in the Bible, there are other things you can meditate on. For example, when you see one of Jehovah’s marvelous creations, pause and ask yourself, ‘What does this teach me about Jehovah?’ Such thoughts will surely move you to thank Jehovah in prayer. And if you are with others, you will want to share your feelings with them. (Psalm 104:24; Acts 14:17) Jehovah pays attention and is pleased when we meditate, pray, and talk about him to one another. The Bible assures us: “A book of remembrance was written before him for those fearing Jehovah and for those meditating on his name.”​—Malachi 3:16.

9. (a) What did Paul tell Timothy to meditate on? (b) What can we meditate on when we prepare for our ministry?

⁹ The apostle Paul told Timothy to meditate on how his speech, his conduct, and his teaching affected others. (Read 1 Timothy 4:12-16.) You too can meditate on these things. For example, you need time to meditate when you prepare for a Bible study. Think of your student, and try to find a question or an illustration that will help him to make progress. When you prepare for your Bible studies in this way, your own faith is strengthened and you become a better and more enthusiastic teacher of the Bible. You will also benefit when you meditate before going out in field service. (Read Ezra 7:10.) Perhaps you can read a chapter from the book of Acts to help you become more zealous for the ministry. You can also meditate on Bible verses you plan to use that day and the publications you plan to offer. (2 Timothy 1:6) Think about the people in the territory and what you can say that will interest them. When you prepare in this way, you will be able to use the Bible effectively to witness to others.​—1 Corinthians 2:4.

10. What other good things can we meditate on?

¹⁰ What else can you meditate on? If you take notes during public talks, assemblies, and conventions, take the time to review them. As you do, ask yourself, ‘What have I learned from God’s Word and from his organization?’ You can also meditate on the information in each month’s issues of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and in the latest convention releases. When you read the Yearbook, pause after reading an experience, think about it, and let it touch your heart. When you read our publications, you may want to underline the main thoughts or make notes in the margin. This will help you when you are preparing for a return visit, a shepherding call, or a talk. Most important, when you stop and meditate on what you read, you allow time for the material to reach your heart and time for prayer to thank Jehovah for the good things you are learning.

MEDITATE ON GOD’S WORD EVERY DAY

11. What is the most important publication we should meditate on, and how will doing this help us? (See also footnote.)

¹¹ Of course, the Bible is the most important publication we should meditate on. But what if one day you are not allowed to have a Bible?a (See footnote.) No one can prevent you from meditating on the things you have memorized, such as your favorite scriptures or Kingdom songs. (Acts 16:25) And God’s spirit will help you remember the things you have learned, which will help you remain faithful.​—John 14:26.

12. What is one way you can plan your daily Bible reading?

¹² What is one way you can plan your daily Bible reading? Some days of the week, perhaps you can read and meditate on the weekly Bible reading for the Theocratic Ministry School. Other days you can read from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and meditate on what Jesus said and did. (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 2:21) We also have a publication that describes the events of Jesus’ life in the order that they happened. This publication can help you to benefit more fully from your reading of the Gospels.​—John 14:6.

WHY IS MEDITATION SO IMPORTANT?

13, 14. Why is it so important for us to keep meditating on Jehovah and Jesus, and what will this motivate us to do?

¹³ Meditating on Jehovah and Jesus can help a person become a mature Christian and maintain strong faith. (Hebrews 5:14; 6:1) A person who spends little time thinking about God will gradually lose his relationship with Jehovah or even end up rejecting him. (Hebrews 2:1; 3:12) Jesus warned that if we do not hear, or accept, God’s Word “with a fine and good heart,” we will not “retain” it. Instead, we could easily be “carried away by anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life.”​—Luke 8:14, 15.

¹⁴ So let us continue to meditate on the Bible and come to know Jehovah better. This will motivate us to imitate his qualities and personality more fully. (2 Corinthians 3:18) We can continue to learn more about our heavenly Father and imitate him forever. There is no greater honor!​—Ecclesiastes 3:11.

15, 16. (a) How have you benefited from meditating on Jehovah and Jesus? (b) Why may it sometimes be difficult to meditate, but why should we keep trying?

¹⁵ Meditating on Jehovah and Jesus helps you remain zealous for the truth. Your zeal will encourage your brothers and the people you meet in field service. And when you meditate on what Jehovah did for you by providing the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, you will continue to value your close relationship with God. (Romans 3:24; James 4:8) Mark, a brother from South Africa who spent three years in prison because of his faith, said: “Meditation can be compared to an exciting adventure. The more we meditate on spiritual things, the more we discover new things about our God, Jehovah. At times when I’m feeling a little discouraged or anxious about the future, I pick up the Bible and meditate on a passage of Scripture. I feel that it really calms me down.”

¹⁶ Life in this world is so full of distractions that it is difficult to find the time to meditate on the Bible. Patrick, a brother from Africa, said: “My mind is like a mailbox filled with a variety of information, both wanted and unwanted, that needs to be sorted every day. As I search the contents of my mind, I often find ‘disquieting thoughts,’ and I have to pray to Jehovah about them before I can meditate with a clear mind. Although doing this might take a little time before I can start to meditate on spiritual subjects, I feel closer to Jehovah. This opens my mind to understanding the truth better.” (Psalm 94:19, footnote) Yes, we benefit in so many ways when we read and meditate on the Bible every day.​—Acts 17:11.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME?

17. How do you find the time to meditate?

¹⁷ Some get up early in the morning to read, meditate, and pray. Others do so during their lunch break. Perhaps for you, the best time to read the Bible is in the evening or before you go to bed. Some like to read the Bible in the morning and again before going to sleep. (Joshua 1:8) The important thing is to make “the best use of your time,” that is, to take time from less important things so that you can meditate on God’s Word daily.​—Ephesians 5:15, 16.

18. What does the Bible promise to those who meditate on God’s Word daily and who apply what they learn?

¹⁸ The Bible promises that Jehovah will bless all those who meditate on his Word and who try hard to apply what they learn. (Read Psalm 1:1-3.) Jesus said: “Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!” (Luke 11:28) But most important, meditating on Jehovah’s Word every day will help us to act in a way that brings him honor. When we do this, Jehovah will reward us with happiness now and everlasting life in his new world.​—James 1:25; Revelation 1:3.

SINCE 1992, the Governing Body has assigned experienced, mature elders to help its committees accomplish their work.a (See footnote.) These helpers, who are members of the “other sheep,” provide valuable support to the Governing Body. (John 10:16) They attend the weekly meeting of the committee to which they are assigned. Their role is to provide any information that is needed and to offer suggestions. The Governing Body members make the final decisions, and then the helpers assist in seeing that what has been decided is actually done. These brothers are willing to do whatever tasks they are assigned. They travel with members of the Governing Body to special and international conventions. They may also be assigned to visit branch offices as headquarters representatives.

One brother who has served as a helper since 1992 says, “When I take care of my assigned tasks, the Governing Body can concentrate more fully on spiritual matters.” Another brother who has served as a helper for 20 years says, “It has been a privilege beyond anything I could ever have anticipated.”

The Governing Body has given a lot of responsibility to its helpers and appreciates the hard work of these loyal brothers. Let us all “keep holding men of that sort dear.”​—Philippians 2:29.

WHEN I was nine years old, I stopped growing. Today at age 43, I am only one meter (three feet) tall. When my parents realized that I would not get any taller, they encouraged me to work hard so that I would not constantly think about my height. To keep busy, I set up a fruit stand in front of our house and kept the display neat. That attracted many customers.

Of course, working hard did not change everything. I was still very short, and I had to struggle with even simple things in life, such as the height of store counters. Everything seemed to be designed for people almost twice my height. I felt sorry for myself, but that changed when I was 14 years old.

One day, two women who were Jehovah’s Witnesses bought some fruit and then offered me a Bible study. Soon I realized that coming to know Jehovah and his purpose was more important than my height. That helped me a lot. Psalm 73:28 became my favorite scripture. The first part of that verse says: “Drawing near to God is good for me.”

Our family suddenly moved from Côte d’Ivoire to Burkina Faso, and my life changed a lot. In our old neighborhood, people were used to seeing me next to the fruit stand. But in our new neighborhood, I was a stranger, and to many, I looked strange. People stared at me, so I stayed indoors for many weeks. Then I remembered how good it had been for me to draw near to Jehovah. I wrote to the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and they sent the right person. Nani, a missionary, came to visit me on a motor scooter.

The sandy roads in our neighborhood were always slippery, and in the rainy season, muddy. Nani fell from her scooter many times when coming to study with me, but she did not give up. One day, she offered to take me to the meetings. I realized that this meant leaving my house and enduring people’s stares. In addition, having me on the back of the motor scooter would add extra weight to a scooter that was already difficult to steer. Even so, I agreed, remembering the second part of my favorite scripture: “I have made the Sovereign Lord Jehovah my refuge.”

Nani and I sometimes fell into the mud, but because we loved the meetings, we did not care. What a difference there was between the loving smiles I saw inside the Kingdom Hall and the stares I got outside! Nine months later, I was baptized.

“To declare all your works” is the third part of my favorite scripture. I knew that the ministry would be my biggest challenge. I still remember the first time I went preaching from house to house. Both children and adults stared at me, followed me, and made fun of the way I walked. That really hurt me, but when I reminded myself that they needed the Paradise just as much as I did, I was able to endure.

To make things easier, I got a hand-pedaled tricycle. My service partner pushed me uphill and then jumped on the tricycle as we sped downhill. Although the ministry was a challenge at first, it soon made me very happy, so much so that in 1998, I became a regular pioneer.

I conducted many Bible studies, and four of those students were baptized. In addition, one of my own sisters also accepted the truth! Hearing how others progressed often encouraged me just when I needed it. One day while suffering from malaria, I got a letter from Côte d’Ivoire. I had started a doorstep Bible study with a university student in Burkina Faso and had turned it over to a brother. The student later moved to Côte d’Ivoire. I was happy to hear that he had become an unbaptized publisher!

How do I support myself? An organization that helps the disabled offered to teach me sewing. One instructor noticed my work habits and said, “We should teach you to make soap.” And so they did. I now make laundry and household soap at home. People like my soap and recommend it to others. I deliver it myself, using a three-wheeled motor scooter.

Sadly, in 2004, I had to stop pioneering because of severe pain in my back. But I still go out in the ministry regularly.

People say that I am known for my smile. I have every reason to be happy because drawing near to God has been good for me.​—As told by Sarah Maiga.

PEOPLE over 200 years ago could not trust everything written in the newspapers. Today we cannot believe everything we read or see on the Internet. There is a huge amount of information online, and modern technology makes it easy for us to find it. Much information is true, useful, and harmless, but much is false, worthless, and dangerous. That is why we must choose carefully what we read. When some begin using the Internet, they may think that a news report must be true just because it is online or because a friend sent it to them in an e-mail. They may believe a story even if it is very unusual. But the Bible warns us: “The naive person believes every word, but the shrewd one ponders each step.”​—Proverbs 14:15.

The opposite of being naive, or foolishly believing everything we hear, is being shrewd. When we are shrewd, we are careful and only believe what we know to be true. We will not be tricked and believe a false story we read on the Internet, no matter how popular it may be. What can help you to be shrewd? First, ask yourself: ‘Is the story from an official, reliable website? Or is it from a website that allows anybody to write his opinion, or even from an unknown source? Has a trusted website already shown that the story is false?’a (See footnote.) Then, use “good sense.” (Proverbs 7:7) If a news item seems unbelievable, it probably is. Also, when you read negative news about others, think about who would benefit if the story spreads and why someone might want to spread it.

DO YOU ALWAYS FORWARD E-MAILS?

Some people may forward news to all their contacts without checking whether the story is true or without thinking about what might happen after they send it. Perhaps it is because they constantly want people’s attention and want to be the first to spread news. (2 Samuel 13:28-33) But a shrewd person thinks about the damage that this could cause. For example, it could damage the reputation of a person or an organization.

The person sending the news may not check whether it is true because doing so takes time and effort. He simply thinks that those who receive his message can do that. But their time is precious too. (Ephesians 5:15, 16) So instead of sending things that we are not sure of, it would be better to think, “If I am in doubt, I should throw it out!”

Ask yourself: ‘Do I always forward e-mails? Have I ever had to apologize to my contacts for sending them wrong information or even lies? Has anyone ever asked me to stop forwarding e-mails?’ Remember that if your friends have e-mail, they can also use the Internet and do not need your help to look for things that interest them. They do not want to receive a huge number of e-mails that include funny stories, videos, or pictures. It is also unwise to forward recordings or detailed notes of Bible talks.b (See footnote.) And remember that if a person does his own research, looks up Bible verses, or prepares his own answers for the meetings, he will benefit more than if you had sent him any of this information.

What should you do if you see something on the Internet that tells vicious lies about Jehovah’s organization? Reject those lies immediately! Do not believe them. It would not be wise to share what you read with others and ask for their opinion because that would only spread the harmful information even more. If something you have seen on the Internet worries you, ask Jehovah for wisdom and speak to mature brothers. (James 1:5, 6; Jude 22, 23) We should not be surprised that people tell lies about us. People told lies about Jesus, and he warned his disciples that their enemies would persecute them and “lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against” them. (Matthew 5:11; 11:19; John 10:19-21) So if you are wise and think carefully, you will be able to recognize when someone is telling lies and trying to deceive others.​—Proverbs 2:10-16.

SHOW RESPECT FOR OTHERS

We also have to be careful about sharing news about our brothers or sharing experiences we have heard. There are times that it would not be right or loving to spread information even if it is true. (Matthew 7:12) For example, it is not loving or encouraging to forward negative information about others. (2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Timothy 5:13) And some news might be confidential. People may want to reveal this information later or in a specific way. So we should respect their right to decide when and how to reveal it. In fact, if we tell this information to others ahead of time, we can do a lot of harm.

Today, news can spread very quickly, whether it is true or false, useful or worthless, harmless or dangerous. Even if you send a message to one person, that person can forward it to people all over the world in just a few seconds. So resist the temptation to forward information quickly and to everyone you know. Even though love “believes all things” and is not suspicious, we should not be naive and believe every new and exciting story. (1 Corinthians 13:7) And we would never believe lies or hateful things about Jehovah’s organization and our brothers, whom we love. Remember that those who start and spread these lies are pleasing Satan the Devil, “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44) So may we be shrewd and always think carefully about how we use the huge amount of information available to us every day. As the Bible says, “the naive will inherit foolishness, but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.”​—Proverbs 14:18.