1, 2. What human struggles are featured in Genesis, and why is this of interest?

HAVE you ever thought about the personal conflicts found in the Bible? In just the first few chapters of Genesis, we learn that Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:3-8); Lamech killed a young man for hitting him (Genesis 4:23); Abraham’s shepherds argued with Lot’s shepherds (Genesis 13:5-7); Hagar felt superior to Sarah, and Sarah became upset with Abraham (Genesis 16:3-6); Ishmael was against everyone, and everyone was against him.​—Genesis 16:12.

² Why were such conflicts mentioned in the Bible? Because we can learn from these examples of imperfect people who had real problems. We too are imperfect, and when we have similar problems in our life, we can imitate the good examples found in the Bible and avoid imitating the bad ones. (Romans 15:4) This can help us learn how to keep peace with others.

3. What topics will this article cover?

³ In this article, we will learn why we need to settle differences, or solve disagreements, and how we can do that. We will also learn some basic Bible principles that can help us to solve problems and keep a good relationship with Jehovah and with others.

WHY GOD’S SERVANTS NEED TO SETTLE DIFFERENCES

4. What attitude spread throughout the world, and what has been the result?

⁴ Satan is the main reason why people are divided and have so many differences. Why do we say that? In Eden, Satan said that everyone can and should decide for himself what is good and what is bad independent of God. (Genesis 3:1-5) But when we look at the world today, we can see that such an attitude only brings problems. Many people feel that they have the right to decide for themselves what is good and bad. They are proud, selfish, and competitive, and they do not care if their decisions hurt others. Such an attitude leads to conflicts. The Bible reminds us that if we are quick to get angry, we will have many disagreements with others and we will commit many sins.​—Proverbs 29:22.

5. How did Jesus teach people to handle disagreements?

⁵ When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he taught his disciples to make peace and prevent disagreements, even if it did not seem to be in their best interests to do so. For example, he told them to be kind, to make peace with others, to get rid of feelings such as anger, to solve disagreements quickly, and to love their enemies.​—Matthew 5:5, 9, 22, 25, 44.

6, 7. (a) Why is it important to settle personal differences promptly? (b) What questions should all of Jehovah’s people ask themselves?

⁶ Today, we worship Jehovah when we pray, preach, and go to our meetings. If we do not make peace with our brothers, Jehovah will not accept our worship to him. (Mark 11:25) In order to be Jehovah’s friends, we must forgive others when they make mistakes.​—Read Luke 11:4; Ephesians 4:32.

⁷ Jehovah expects all of his servants to be forgiving and to have a peaceful relationship with others. We can ask ourselves: ‘Am I quick to forgive my brothers? Do I enjoy being with them?’ If you realize that you need to be more forgiving, pray to Jehovah and ask him to help you improve. Our heavenly Father will hear such humble prayers and answer them.​—1 John 5:14, 15.

CAN YOU IGNORE AN OFFENSE?

8, 9. What should we do if we are offended?

⁸ We are all imperfect, so we can expect people to say or do things that may offend us. (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Matthew 18:7) How will you react? We can learn an important lesson from the following experience: A sister greeted two brothers at a gathering. But one of the brothers was offended by the way she greeted him. When the two brothers were alone, the offended brother started to complain about the sister. However, the other brother reminded him that the sister had loyally served Jehovah for 40 years despite many difficulties. He was sure that the sister did not mean to offend him. How did the first brother react? He said, “You are right.” He then chose to forget about what had happened.

⁹ What does this experience teach us? When someone offends us, we can choose how we react. A loving person is forgiving. (Read Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8.) When we “overlook an offense,” this is something beautiful to Jehovah. (Proverbs 19:11; Ecclesiastes 7:9) So the next time someone says or does something that offends you, ask yourself: ‘Can I ignore this offense? Do I really need to keep thinking about this?’

10. (a) How did one sister at first react to criticism? (b) What Scriptural thought helped this sister to maintain her peace?

¹⁰ When others say something negative about us, it may be difficult to ignore their words. Consider what happened to a pioneer sister we will call Lucy. Some in the congregation made negative comments about the quality of her ministry and her use of time. She was very hurt and asked some mature brothers for advice. What was the result? She says that they used the Bible to help her stop thinking too much about the negative opinions of others and start thinking more about Jehovah. She was encouraged when she read Matthew 6:1-4. (Read.) Those verses reminded her that making Jehovah happy is what is most important. So she chose to overlook the negative comments. Now, even if others make negative comments about her ministry, she is happy because she knows that she is trying her best to please Jehovah.

WHEN YOU CANNOT IGNORE AN OFFENSE

11, 12. (a) How should a Christian act if he believes that his brother “has something against” him? (b) What can we learn from the way Abraham dealt with a dispute? (See opening picture.)

¹¹ “We all stumble many times.” (James 3:2) Suppose you learn that a brother was offended by something you said or did. What should you do? Jesus said that if “you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away. First make your peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23, 24) So talk with your brother. When you do, your goal should be to make peace with him. You should admit your fault and not try to blame him. Peace with our brothers is the most important thing.

¹² The Bible shows how God’s servants can keep peace when there are disagreements. For example, Abraham and his nephew Lot both owned many animals, and their shepherds began to argue because there was not enough land for all of them. Because Abraham wanted peace, he allowed Lot to choose the best land. (Genesis 13:1, 2, 5-9) What a good example for us! Did Abraham suffer permanent loss because of his generosity? Not at all. Immediately after this, Jehovah promised to bless Abraham with much more than he lost. (Genesis 13:14-17) What do we learn? Even if we suffer some loss, Jehovah will bless us when we solve our disagreements with love.^[1]​—See endnote.

13. How did one overseer react to harsh words, and what can we learn from his example?

¹³ Consider a modern example. The new overseer of a convention department called a brother to ask if he would be able to work in that department. The brother said several unkind things and hung up the phone because he was still angry with the previous overseer of the department. The new overseer did not get offended, but he could not ignore what had happened. After an hour, he called the brother again and suggested that they meet. The next week, the brothers met at the Kingdom Hall, and after praying to Jehovah, they talked for an hour. The brother explained what had happened with the previous overseer. The new overseer listened kindly and discussed some helpful scriptures. As a result, the brothers made peace and worked together at the convention. The brother is grateful that the overseer spoke to him in a kind and gentle way.

SHOULD YOU INVOLVE THE ELDERS?

14, 15. (a) When should we apply the counsel at Matthew 18:15-17? (b) What three steps did Jesus mention, and what should be our goal in applying them?

¹⁴ Most problems between two Christians can and should be solved privately. However, sometimes this is not possible. Some situations may require help from others according to Matthew 18:15-17. (Read.) The “sin” Jesus mentioned there was not a small disagreement between Christians. How do we know? Jesus said that if the sinner refused to repent after talking to his brother, to witnesses, and to responsible brothers, he should be treated “just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.” Today, this means that he should be disfellowshipped. The “sin” could include things such as fraud or slander, but it would not include sins such as adultery, homosexuality, apostasy, or idolatry. These types of sins definitely need to be handled by the elders.

¹⁵ Jesus’ goal in giving this counsel was to show us how to help a brother because we love him. (Matthew 18:12-14) How can we follow this counsel? (1) We should try to make peace with our brother without involving others. We may need to talk with him several times. But what should we do if there is still no peace? (2) We should talk to our brother with someone who knows the situation or who can see whether something wrong has been done. If the problem gets solved, you will have “gained your brother.” But only when you have talked to your brother several times and you cannot make peace with him should you (3) report the problem to the elders.

16. What shows that following Jesus’ counsel is practical and loving?

¹⁶ In most cases, it is not necessary to use all three steps found at Matthew 18:15-17. That is encouraging. Why do we say so? Because in most cases, the sinner recognizes his mistake and fixes the problem, so that there is no need for him to be disfellowshipped. The offended person should then forgive his brother in order to have peace. So it is clear from Jesus’ counsel that we do not need to go to the elders too soon. We should report the matter only after we have followed the first two steps and if there is real proof that something wrong has been done.

17. What blessings will we enjoy when we “seek peace” with one another?

¹⁷ As long as we are imperfect, we will continue to offend others. The disciple James wrote: “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able to bridle also his whole body.” (James 3:2) To solve disagreements, we need to do our best to “seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14) When we continue to make peace with others, we will have good friendships with our brothers and sisters, and this will keep us united. (Psalm 133:1-3) Most important, we will have a close friendship with Jehovah, “the God who gives peace.” (Romans 15:33) We will enjoy all these blessings when we settle differences with love.

1, 2. What questions arise because of Jesus’ words found at Matthew 24:14?

JESUS foretold that in the last days, the good news of the Kingdom would be preached to all people. (Matthew 24:14) As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we are known worldwide for our preaching work. Some people like the message we preach, while others do not. But even some of those who do not like our message respect us for our work. We claim that we are the ones doing the work that Jesus foretold. Do we have the right to say that? How can we be sure that our preaching is the work that Jesus foretold?

² Many religious groups claim that they are preaching Jesus’ message. But their preaching is limited to sermons at church, on television, or on the Internet, or they may simply tell others how they learned about Jesus. Others feel that helping people in need or doing charity work as doctors, nurses, or teachers is their way of preaching. But are these activities the preaching work that Jesus spoke about?

3. According to Matthew 28:19, 20, what four things must Jesus’ followers do?

³ Did Jesus want his disciples to wait for people to come to them? No! After his resurrection, Jesus told hundreds of his followers: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them . . . , teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) So as Jesus’ followers, we need to do four things. We must make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. But first, we must go to the people. One Bible scholar explains: “To ‘go’ is the task of each believer, whether across the street or across the ocean.”​—Matthew 10:7; Luke 10:3.

4. What is involved in becoming “fishers of men”?

⁴ What did Jesus expect from his disciples? Did he want them to preach on their own, or did he want them to be organized as a group? Since it would be impossible for one person to preach to “all the nations,” his disciples would need to be organized as a group. That is what Jesus meant when he invited his disciples to become “fishers of men.” (Read Matthew 4:18-22.) Jesus was not referring to one fisherman using his own line and bait, waiting for fish to bite. Instead, the fishing Jesus referred to involves the use of fishing nets. That kind of fishing requires hard work, organization, and many people working together.​—Luke 5:1-11.

5. What four questions need to be answered, and why?

⁵ To know who are preaching the good news today, we need to answer these four questions:

• What message should Jesus’ followers preach?

• What should their motive be?

• What methods should they use?

• What should be the scope of the work, and how long should it continue?

The answers to these questions will help us to identify who are doing this lifesaving work and will strengthen our desire to continue preaching.​—1 Timothy 4:16.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE MESSAGE?

6. Why can you be confident that Jehovah’s Witnesses are preaching the right message?

⁶ Read Luke 4:43. Jesus preached “the good news of the Kingdom,” and he wants his disciples to do the same. Which group of people are preaching that message to all? Only Jehovah’s Witnesses! Even some who dislike us admit that. For example, notice what one missionary priest who had lived in many different countries told one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In each country, the priest had asked Jehovah’s Witnesses what message they were preaching. The priest said, “They were all so stupid that they gave the same answer: ‘The good news of the Kingdom.’” The priest’s comment actually proves that we are not stupid but that we are united as true Christians. (1 Corinthians 1:10) God’s Kingdom is also the main message of The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. This magazine is available in 254 languages, and an average of nearly 59,000,000 copies of each issue are produced, which makes it the most widely circulated magazine in the world!

7. How do we know that the clergy of Christendom are not preaching the right message?

⁷ The clergy of Christendom are not preaching about God’s Kingdom. If they do talk about the Kingdom, many of them say that it is a feeling in a person’s heart. (Luke 17:21) They do not teach people that the Kingdom is a heavenly government ruled by Jesus. Instead, they usually talk about Jesus at Christmas or Easter. They do not explain that the Kingdom will solve all mankind’s problems and that it will soon remove all wickedness from the earth. (Revelation 19:11-21) Clearly, Christendom’s leaders do not know what Jesus will do as King of God’s Kingdom. And because they do not understand Jesus’ message, they do not understand why they should preach.

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR MOTIVE FOR DOING THE WORK?

8. What is the wrong motive for doing the preaching work?

⁸ Jesus’ disciples should not preach to make money or to build impressive buildings. Jesus said: “You received free, give free.” (Matthew 10:8) So the preaching work should not be a business. (2 Corinthians 2:17, footnote) Jesus’ disciples should not ask to be paid for their preaching work. (Read Acts 20:33-35.) Even though Jesus’ instruction is very clear, most churches are distracted by collecting money in order to keep their churches and pay their clergy and other employees. As a result, many leaders of Christendom have become very rich.​—Revelation 17:4, 5.

9. How have Jehovah’s Witnesses shown that they engage in the preaching work with the right motive?

⁹ Do Jehovah’s Witnesses take collections at their Kingdom Halls or conventions? No! Their work is supported by voluntary donations. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Yet last year, Jehovah’s Witnesses spent almost two billion hours preaching the good news and conducted more than nine million Bible studies each month. They are not paid for their preaching but are happy to use their own money to do this work. One researcher said about the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses: “The main goal is preaching and teaching.” He also said that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have a paid clergy. So if we do not preach for money, what is our motive? We willingly do this work because we love Jehovah and we love people. That attitude fulfills the prophecy at Psalm 110:3. (Read.)

WHAT METHODS SHOULD BE USED?

10. What methods did Jesus and his disciples use to preach?

¹⁰ What methods did Jesus and his disciples use to preach? They went wherever they could find people. For example, they preached in the streets and at markets. They also looked for people in private homes. (Matthew 10:11; Luke 8:1; Acts 5:42; 20:20) Preaching from house to house was an organized way to reach all kinds of people.

11, 12. When it comes to preaching the good news, how do the efforts of Christendom compare with those of Jehovah’s people?

¹¹ Do churches of Christendom preach the good news as Jesus did? Usually, paid clergy give a sermon to their members. These leaders do not make new disciples but simply try to keep the church members they already have. At times, they have tried to encourage their members to preach. For example, in the year 2001, Pope John Paul II said in a letter that church members should preach the Gospel and have the same zeal as the apostle Paul, who said: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.” The pope then said that this preaching work should be done not only by a few trained people but by all church members. However, few have followed that encouragement.

¹² What about Jehovah’s Witnesses? They are the only ones who preach that Jesus has been ruling as King since 1914. They obey Jesus and make the preaching work a priority in their life. (Mark 13:10) The book Pillars of Faith​—American Congregations and Their Partners said that for Jehovah’s Witnesses, the preaching work is very important. It also said that when they find people who are hungry, lonely, and sick, they try to help, but they never forget that their main goal is to preach about the end of this world and to teach people about salvation. Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to preach that message and to imitate the preaching methods of Jesus and his disciples.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE SCOPE OF THE WORK, AND HOW LONG SHOULD IT CONTINUE?

13. What should be the scope of the preaching work?

¹³ Jesus said that his followers would preach and teach the good news “in all the inhabited earth.” They were commanded to make disciples of people of “all the nations.” (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) This means that the good news would need to be preached worldwide.

14, 15. What proves that Jehovah’s Witnesses have fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy with regard to the scope of the work? (See opening pictures.)

¹⁴ Only Jehovah’s Witnesses have fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that the good news would be preached worldwide. Why do we say that? In the United States, there are about 600,000 members of the clergy in Christendom, while there are some 1,200,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses preaching the good news in that country. Worldwide, there are about 400,000 Catholic priests, but there are more than 8 million of Jehovah’s Witnesses preaching the good news in 240 lands. Clearly, Jehovah’s Witnesses are preaching the good news worldwide, which brings honor and praise to Jehovah!​—Psalm 34:1; 51:15.

¹⁵ As Jehovah’s Witnesses, our goal is to preach the good news to as many people as possible before the end comes. To do this work, we have translated and published millions of books, magazines, tracts, and convention and Memorial invitations in more than 700 languages. We offer these to people free of charge. Just last year, we published about 4.5 billion pieces of Bible literature. We have also published more than 200 million copies of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in over 130 languages. On our official website, information is available in more than 750 languages. Only Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing such an amazing work.

16. How do we know that Jehovah’s Witnesses have God’s spirit?

¹⁶ How long would the preaching work continue? Jesus said that the good news would be preached until the end comes. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we have been able to endure in the preaching work throughout the last days only because we have Jehovah’s holy spirit. (Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 4:14) Some religious people may say: “We have the holy spirit.” But are they able to do the work that Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing during these last days? Some groups have tried to preach the way we do, but they have failed. Others are willing to preach, but only for a limited time. Still others may preach from house to house, but they do not preach the good news of the Kingdom. So they cannot be doing the work that Jesus started.

WHO REALLY ARE PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS TODAY?

17, 18. (a) Why can we be certain that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the ones who are preaching the good news of the Kingdom today? (b) How is it possible for us to continue in this work?

¹⁷ So who are preaching the good news of the Kingdom today? Only Jehovah’s Witnesses! How do we know that? Because we are preaching the right message, the good news of the Kingdom. We are searching for people in our ministry, so we are using the right methods. We have the right motive for preaching, that is, we love Jehovah and we love people. Our preaching work has the greatest scope, because we preach to people of all nations and languages. And we will continue to preach the good news of the Kingdom until the end comes!

¹⁸ It is truly amazing to see the wonderful work that Jehovah’s people are doing to preach the good news during these last days. But how are we able to do all this work? The apostle Paul explains: “God is the one who for the sake of his good pleasure energizes you, giving you both the desire and the power to act.” (Philippians 2:13) May Jehovah continue to give us the needed strength so that we can do our best to keep preaching the good news!​—2 Timothy 4:5.

1. What are some examples of Bible laws, and how does obeying them benefit us?

IN THE Bible, Jehovah has given us laws that clearly tell us what he wants us to do. For example, he tells us that we must not worship idols, steal, get drunk, or do things that are sexually immoral. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) And Jehovah’s Son, Jesus, gave this specific command to his followers: “Make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) Everything that Jehovah and Jesus tell us to do is for our own good. Jehovah’s laws teach us how to look after ourselves and our families and help us to have better health and to be happy. More important, when we obey Jehovah’s commands, including the command to preach, he is pleased with us and he blesses us.

2, 3. (a) Why does the Bible not give us rules for every situation in life? (b) What questions will be considered in this article? (See opening picture.)

² At the same time, the Bible does not give us rules about every situation in life. For example, we do not find specific instructions in the Bible on what we should wear. This shows how wise Jehovah is. Even though fashion keeps changing over time and people around the world wear different styles of clothes, the Bible is never out-of-date. Also, it does not contain a lot of rules about what jobs or entertainment we should choose or exactly what we should do to stay healthy. Jehovah allows individuals and family heads to make decisions about these things.

³ So when we have to make an important decision that will affect our life and we find no law about it in the Bible, we might wonder: ‘Is Jehovah interested in the decision I make? Will he be pleased with whatever I choose to do as long as I do not break a law in the Bible? How can I be sure that he will be happy with the choices I make?’

OUR DECISIONS AFFECT US AND OTHERS

4, 5. How could our decisions affect us and others?

⁴ Some people feel that they can do whatever they want to do. But we want to do what makes Jehovah happy. So before we make a decision, we need to think about what the Bible says and then obey it. For example, the Bible tells us how God feels about the use of blood, so we follow what it says. (Genesis 9:4; Acts 15:28, 29) We can pray to Jehovah to help us make decisions that will please him.

⁵ Our decisions affect us. A good decision can help us draw closer to Jehovah. A bad decision could damage our friendship with him. Our decisions can also affect other people. We do not want to do anything that might upset our brothers or weaken their faith. We also do not want to cause problems between brothers in the congregation. So it is important for us to make good decisions.​—Read Romans 14:19; Galatians 6:7.

6. What should guide our decisions?

⁶ When the Bible does not tell us exactly what we should do, how can we make good decisions? Instead of just doing what we prefer, we must think carefully about our own situation and make a decision that will please Jehovah. Then we can be sure that he will help us to have good results.​—Read Psalm 37:5.

WHAT DOES JEHOVAH WANT ME TO DO?

7. Where there is no Bible law, how can we find out what Jehovah would want us to do in a certain situation?

⁷ But how can we know what will please Jehovah? Ephesians 5:17 tells us: “Keep perceiving what the will of Jehovah is.” When there is no specific law in the Bible, we need to perceive, or understand, what Jehovah wants us to do in our situation. How can we do that? We need to pray to him and allow his holy spirit to guide us.

8. How did Jesus perceive what Jehovah wanted him to do? Give an example.

⁸ Jesus always perceived what Jehovah wanted him to do. For example, twice when the crowds were hungry, Jesus prayed and then fed them by means of a miracle. (Matthew 14:17-20; 15:34-37) But when he got hungry in the wilderness and the Devil wanted him to change stones into bread, Jesus refused. (Read Matthew 4:2-4.) He knew his Father very well, so he knew that Jehovah would not want him to use holy spirit for his own needs. He was sure that his Father would guide him and give him food when he needed it.

9, 10. What will help us make wise decisions? Illustrate.

⁹ Like Jesus, we can make good decisions if we rely on Jehovah to guide us. The Bible says: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.” (Proverbs 3:5-7) When we study the Bible and learn about the way Jehovah thinks, we will understand what he wants us to do in a specific situation. And the more we learn about the way Jehovah thinks, the easier it will be for us to make decisions that will please him. In this way, we become more “sensitive to God’s guidance.”​—Ezekiel 11:19, footnote.

¹⁰ Imagine that a married woman is shopping and sees a lovely pair of shoes. But they are very expensive. Although her husband is not with her, she knows what he would think if she spent that much money. How does she know? She has been married to him for some time, so she knows how he wants them to use the money they have. In a similar way, when we learn about the way Jehovah thinks and what he has done in the past, we will know what he would want us to do in different situations.

HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT WHAT JEHOVAH THINKS?

11. What questions can we ask ourselves when we read or study the Bible? (See the box “When You Study the Bible, Ask Yourself.”)

¹¹ How can we find out what Jehovah thinks? The most important thing we can do is to read and study the Bible regularly. While we are doing this, we could ask ourselves: ‘What does this teach me about Jehovah? Why did he act this way?’ And like David, we also need to ask Jehovah to help us know him better. David wrote: “Make me know your ways, O Jehovah; teach me your paths. Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, for you are my God of salvation. In you I hope all day long.” (Psalm 25:4, 5) When we learn something about Jehovah, we can think of situations where we can use that information. Could we use it in the family, at work, at school, or in the ministry? When we think of a specific situation, it will be easier to know how Jehovah would want us to use the information.

12. How can our publications and meetings help us to get to know what Jehovah thinks about various matters?

¹² Another way to get to know the way Jehovah thinks is to pay close attention to what his organization teaches us from the Bible. For example, when we have a decision to make, the Watch Tower Publications Index and the Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses can help us find out what Jehovah thinks. We can also benefit from our Christian meetings when we listen carefully and comment and when we meditate on what is being taught. This will help us learn to think the way Jehovah does. As a result, we will be able to make decisions that will please him and that he will bless.

MEDITATE ON WHAT JEHOVAH THINKS BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION

13. Give an example of how we can make a wise decision when we consider what Jehovah thinks.

¹³ Let us take a look at an example of how we can make a wise decision when we consider what Jehovah thinks. Perhaps you would like to pioneer. You have made some changes in your life so that you can spend more time in the ministry. But you are still not sure whether you will really be happy with less money and fewer things. Of course, the Bible does not say that we have to pioneer to serve Jehovah. We could continue to serve him faithfully as publishers. But on the other hand, Jesus said that Jehovah blesses those who make sacrifices for the Kingdom. (Read Luke 18:29, 30.) The Bible also says that Jehovah is pleased when we do all we can to praise him, and he wants us to be happy serving him. (Psalm 119:108; 2 Corinthians 9:7) By praying about these things and meditating on them, we can make a decision that is practical in our situation and one that Jehovah will bless.

14. How can you determine if a certain style of clothing is pleasing to Jehovah?

¹⁴ Here is another example: You really like a certain style of clothing, but you know that some in the congregation might be offended if you wear those clothes. The Bible does not say anything about that specific style. So how can you know what Jehovah thinks? The Bible tells us: “The women should adorn themselves in appropriate dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive clothing, but in the way that is proper for women professing devotion to God, namely, through good works.” (1 Timothy 2:9, 10) Of course, all of Jehovah’s servants, including men, can learn from these words. When we are modest, we think of how others might feel about the clothes we choose to wear. And because we love our brothers, we avoid upsetting or offending them. (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24; Philippians 3:17) If we consider what the Bible says and how Jehovah thinks, we can make decisions that he will be pleased with.

15, 16. (a) How does Jehovah feel if we keep on thinking about sexually immoral things? (b) When we are choosing entertainment, how can we know what is pleasing to Jehovah? (c) How should weighty decisions be made?

¹⁵ From the Bible, we learn that Jehovah feels deeply hurt and sad when people do wicked things and when they think about bad things. (Read Genesis 6:5, 6.) It is clear that Jehovah does not want us to daydream about sexually immoral things. In fact, if we keep thinking about these things, we may actually do them. Instead, Jehovah wants us to think about pure and good things. The disciple James wrote that Jehovah’s wisdom “is first of all pure, then peaceable, reasonable, ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical.” (James 3:17) So the Bible teaches us that we must avoid any entertainment that could cause us to imagine or desire unclean and bad things. And if we understand clearly what Jehovah loves and what he hates, it will be easy for us to know which books, movies, or games to choose. We will not need to ask others what we should do.

¹⁶ When we have a decision to make, there are often several options we can choose from that would all please Jehovah. But when we need to make a very important decision, it may be good to ask an elder or another experienced brother or sister to give us some advice. (Titus 2:3-5; James 5:13-15) Of course, we should not ask that person to make a decision for us. Instead, we need to think carefully about what we know from the Bible and then make our own decision. (Hebrews 5:14) The apostle Paul said: “Each one will carry his own load of responsibility.”​—Galatians 6:5, footnote.

17. How do we benefit from making decisions that please Jehovah?

¹⁷ When we make decisions that please Jehovah, we draw closer to him and have his approval and blessing. (James 4:8) Then our faith in Jehovah becomes stronger. So let us meditate on what we read in the Bible so that we can understand how he thinks. Of course, we will always have something new to learn about Jehovah. (Job 26:14) But if we work hard to learn about him now, we will become wise and will be able to make good decisions. (Proverbs 2:1-5) The ideas and plans of humans change, but Jehovah never changes. The psalmist said: “The decisions of Jehovah will stand forever; the thoughts of his heart are from generation to generation.” (Psalm 33:11) Clearly, we can make the best decisions when we learn to think the way Jehovah thinks and then do what is pleasing to him.

1-3. (a) What changes may it be hard for us to make after our baptism? (b) When making progress is harder than we expected, what questions might we ask? (See opening pictures.)

FOR many years, Kevin gambled, smoked, drank too much, and took drugs.^[1] (See endnote.) Then he learned about Jehovah and wanted to be his friend. But to do so, he had to make big changes in his life. He was able to change by means of Jehovah’s help and the power of His Word, the Bible.​—Hebrews 4:12.

² After Kevin got baptized, he still had to make changes to his personality so that he could become a better Christian. (Ephesians 4:31, 32) For example, he used to get angry quickly. He was surprised when he found out how difficult it was to learn to control his temper. In fact, Kevin said that learning to control his temper was actually harder than it was to stop the bad things he was doing before he got baptized! But he was able to make changes by begging Jehovah to help him and by a thorough study of the Bible.

³ Before we got baptized, many of us had to make big changes in our lives so that we could live in the way the Bible says we should. But even now, we realize that there are smaller changes we need to make to become more like God and Christ. (Ephesians 5:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:21) For example, we might notice that we complain a lot or that we often gossip and say unkind things about others. Or at times we may be so afraid of what others might think or say that we do not do what is right. Perhaps we have been trying to change for many years but we still keep making the same mistakes. So we may wonder: ‘Why is it so difficult for me to make these smaller changes? What must I do to apply what the Bible says so that I can continue to improve my personality?’

YOU CAN PLEASE JEHOVAH

4. Why are we unable to please Jehovah in everything we do?

⁴ We love Jehovah, and we desire with all our heart to please him. But sadly, we cannot please him all the time, because we are imperfect. We often feel like the apostle Paul, who said: “I have the desire to do what is fine but not the ability to carry it out.”​—Romans 7:18; James 3:2.

5. What changes did we make before we got baptized, but what weaknesses may we still struggle with?

⁵ Before we could be part of the congregation, we had to stop practicing things that Jehovah hates. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) But we are still imperfect. (Colossians 3:9, 10) So we continue to make mistakes even if we have been baptized for many years. From time to time, we may have wrong desires and feelings, or we may find it hard to control a weakness in our personality. In fact, we may have to fight the same weakness for many years.

6, 7. (a) What makes it possible for us to be Jehovah’s friends even though we are imperfect? (b) Why should we not hold back from asking Jehovah for forgiveness?

⁶ Even though we are imperfect, we can still have a friendship with Jehovah and serve him. Always remember how you first became Jehovah’s friend. He was the One who saw the good in you and wanted you to know him. (John 6:44) He also knew that you had faults and weaknesses and that you were going to make mistakes. But Jehovah still wanted you to be his friend.

⁷ Jehovah loved us so much that he gave us a precious gift. He sent his Son to earth so that Jesus could give his life as a ransom for our sins. (John 3:16) When we make a mistake, we can ask Jehovah for forgiveness. And because of the ransom, we can be sure that he will forgive us and that we will still be his friends. (Romans 7:24, 25; 1 John 2:1, 2) Remember, Jesus died for repentant sinners. So even if we feel that what we have done is very bad, we must never stop praying to Jehovah for forgiveness. If we did not ask him to forgive us, it would be like refusing to wash our hands when they are dirty. How grateful we are that Jehovah has made it possible for us to be his friends even though we are imperfect!​—Read 1 Timothy 1:15.

8. Why should we not ignore our weaknesses?

⁸ Of course, we cannot ignore our weaknesses or keep making excuses for them. Jehovah has told us what kind of people he wants his friends to be. (Psalm 15:1-5) So if we want to draw closer to him, we must keep trying to imitate him and his Son. We must also try to control our wrong desires, and we may even be able to get rid of some of them. No matter how long we have been baptized, we must keep improving our personality.​—2 Corinthians 13:11.

9. How do we know that we can keep putting on the new personality?

⁹ The apostle Paul told Christians: “You were taught to put away the old personality that conforms to your former course of conduct and that is being corrupted according to its deceptive desires. And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, and should put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) This means that we need to keep on making the effort to change and “put on the new personality.” So no matter how long we have been serving Jehovah, we can always learn more about his qualities. And the Bible can help us to keep making changes in our personality to become more like him.

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT?

10. What must we do to keep making changes with the help of the Bible, and what questions might we ask?

¹⁰ We all want to follow what the Bible says. But we need to work hard if we want to continue to change. Why do we need to make such an effort? Could not Jehovah just make it easy for us to do what is right?

11-13. Why does Jehovah expect us to put forth effort to overcome our weaknesses?

¹¹ When we think of the universe and all that is in it, we have no doubt that Jehovah has the power to do anything. For example, he made the sun, which is extremely powerful. Every second, the sun produces a huge amount of light and heat, yet only a small amount of this energy is needed for life on earth to exist. (Psalm 74:16; Isaiah 40:26) Jehovah also gives power to his servants on earth when they need it. (Isaiah 40:29) Clearly, if Jehovah wanted to, he could make it very easy for us to fight our weaknesses and to stop having wrong desires. So why does he not do so?

¹² Jehovah has given us free will. He allows us to choose for ourselves whether we will obey him or not. When we choose to obey him and work hard to do his will, we show that we love him and want to please him. Satan says that Jehovah has no right to rule. But when we obey Jehovah, we show that we want him to be our Ruler. And we can be sure that our loving Father values every effort we make to obey him. (Job 2:3-5; Proverbs 27:11) When we work hard to control our weaknesses even though it is not easy to do so, we are loyal to Jehovah and show that we want him to be our Ruler.

¹³ Jehovah tells us that we should work hard to imitate his qualities. (Colossians 3:12; read 2 Peter 1:5-7.) He also expects us to work hard to control what we think and what we feel. (Romans 8:5; 12:9) Whenever we have to work hard to make a change and we are successful, we feel especially happy.

LET GOD’S WORD KEEP ON CHANGING YOU

14, 15. What can we do to develop qualities that Jehovah loves? (See the box “The Bible and Prayer Changed Their Lives.”)

¹⁴ What must we do to develop the qualities that Jehovah loves? Instead of just deciding for ourselves what we need to change, we need to let God guide us. Romans 12:2 says: “Stop being molded by this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” So to find out what Jehovah wants, we need to rely on the help that he has provided. We must read the Bible daily, meditate on what we read, and pray to Jehovah to give us his holy spirit. (Luke 11:13; Galatians 5:22, 23) In these ways, Jehovah can help us to understand what pleases him, and we can learn to think the way he does. As a result, what we think, say, and do will be more pleasing to Jehovah, and we will learn how to control our weaknesses. But even then, we will need to keep fighting them.​—Proverbs 4:23.

¹⁵ In addition to reading the Bible every day, we need to study it with the help of our publications, such as The Watchtower and Awake! Many articles in these magazines teach us how we can imitate Jehovah’s qualities and how to fight our weaknesses. We may find certain articles or scriptures that are especially helpful to us. We can collect these scriptures and articles so that we can read them again from time to time.

16. Why should we not be discouraged if we are not able to make changes quickly?

¹⁶ It takes time to learn to imitate Jehovah’s qualities. So if you feel that you have not made as many changes as you would like to, be patient. At first, you may need to force yourself to do what the Bible says. But the more you think and behave the way Jehovah wants you to, the easier it will become for you to think the way he does and to do what is right.​—Psalm 37:31; Proverbs 23:12; Galatians 5:16, 17.

THINK ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL FUTURE

17. If we are loyal to Jehovah, what delightful future can we look forward to?

¹⁷ We look forward to the time when we will be perfect and serve Jehovah forever. At that time, we will not need to fight any weaknesses, and it will be much easier for us to imitate Jehovah. But even now we are able to worship Jehovah because he has given us the gift of the ransom. Although we are imperfect, we can please him if we continue to work hard to make changes and follow what he teaches us in the Bible.

18, 19. How can we be sure that the Bible has power to continue changing our life?

¹⁸ Kevin did all he could to learn to control his anger. He meditated on what he read in the Bible and tried hard to make changes in his life. He also followed the advice that fellow Christians gave him. Although it took a few years for Kevin to improve, in time he was able to serve as a ministerial servant. And for the last 20 years, he has been serving as an elder. But even now, he knows that he needs to continue fighting his weaknesses.

¹⁹ Like Kevin, we can keep improving our personality. If we do, we will continue to draw closer to Jehovah. (Psalm 25:14) And when we do all we can to make changes to please him, he will help us to succeed. We can be sure that with the help of the Bible, we can keep making changes in our lives.​—Psalm 34:8.

1, 2. (a) How do Jehovah’s Witnesses feel about the Bible? (b) What is your favorite part of the Bible?

AS Jehovah’s Witnesses, we love the Bible. It gives us comfort, hope, and instruction that we can trust. (Romans 15:4) It is not a book of human ideas but is “the word of God.”​—1 Thessalonians 2:13.

² Most likely, all of us have our favorite parts of the Bible. Some like the Gospels because they show Jehovah’s beautiful personality through Jesus. (John 14:9) Others prefer prophetic books such as Revelation, which shows us “the things that must shortly take place.” (Revelation 1:1) Some are comforted when they read the Psalms, and others enjoy reading the helpful advice in the book of Proverbs. Clearly, then, the Bible is a book for everyone.

3, 4. (a) How do we feel about our publications? (b) What publications do we receive for specific groups of people?

³ Because we love the Bible, we also love our publications, which are based on God’s Word. All the books, brochures, magazines, and other literature we receive are provisions from Jehovah. They help us to stay close to him and to keep our faith strong.​—Titus 2:2.

⁴ Many of our publications are written for Jehovah’s Witnesses in general. However, there are some publications that are written for specific groups, such as young ones or parents. Most of the articles and videos on our website are prepared specifically for people who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses. Such a variety of material shows that Jehovah has kept his promise to provide plenty of instruction for all people.​—Isaiah 25:6.

5. We can be sure that Jehovah appreciates what?

⁵ Most of us would like to have more time to read the Bible and our publications. So we may not always spend the same amount of time studying every publication we get. We can be sure that Jehovah is pleased with us when we use our time wisely to read and study the Bible and our publications. (Ephesians 5:15, 16) However, there is a danger that we must be careful to avoid. What is it?

6. What could cause us to miss out on the benefits of Jehovah’s provisions?

⁶ If we are not careful, we might think that certain parts of the Bible or certain publications do not apply to us. For example, what if a part of the Bible does not seem practical for our situation? Or what if we are not part of the main audience for a publication? Do we just read such information quickly or even avoid reading it at all? If so, we could miss out on valuable information that would benefit us. How can we avoid that danger? We should remember that all the information we get comes from Jehovah. In the Bible we read: “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself.” (Isaiah 48:17) In this article, we will discuss three suggestions that will help us to benefit from all the provisions that Jehovah gives us.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BENEFICIAL BIBLE READING

7. Why do we need to read the Bible with an open mind?

⁷ Read with an open mind. It is true that some parts of the Bible were written for a specific person or group of people. However, the Bible clearly says that “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial.” (2 Timothy 3:16) That is why we need to have an open mind when we read the Bible. One brother tries to remember that he can learn several lessons from just one account. That helps him to see lessons that are not so obvious. So before we read the Bible, we should ask Jehovah to give us an open mind and the wisdom to understand the lessons that he wants us to learn.​—Ezra 7:10; read James 1:5.

8, 9. (a) When reading the Bible, what questions might we ask ourselves? (b) What do the qualifications for Christian elders tell us about Jehovah?

⁸ Ask questions. When you read the Bible, stop and ask yourself the following questions: ‘What does this tell me about Jehovah? How can I use this information in my life? How can I use it to help others?’ When we meditate on these questions, we will benefit more from our Bible reading. Let us look at one example. The Bible describes certain qualifications for Christian elders. (Read 1 Timothy 3:2-7.) Yet most of us are not elders, so we may think that this information cannot help us in any way. However, let us use the three questions mentioned earlier to see how this list of qualifications can help all of us.

⁹ “What does this tell me about Jehovah?” Jehovah gave us the list of qualifications for elders. He has high standards for the men who care for the congregation. This shows that the congregation is precious to Jehovah. The Bible says that he bought it “with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20:28) So Jehovah expects elders to be good examples, and they are accountable to him for the way they treat members of the congregation. He wants us to feel safe under their care. (Isaiah 32:1, 2) When we read these qualifications, we learn how much Jehovah truly cares for us.

10, 11. (a) When reading the qualifications for elders, how can we apply the information in our own life? (b) How can we use this information to help others?

¹⁰ “How can I use this information in my life?” If you are already an elder, you should regularly review the list of qualifications and try to improve. If you are “reaching out to be an overseer,” you should try to meet these qualifications to the best of your ability. (1 Timothy 3:1) But all Christians can learn from these qualifications. For example, Jehovah expects each of us to be reasonable and to use good judgment. (Philippians 4:5; 1 Peter 4:7) When the elders are “examples to the flock,” we can learn from them and “imitate their faith.”​—1 Peter 5:3; Hebrews 13:7.

¹¹ “How can I use this information to help others?” We can use the list of qualifications for Christian elders to help Bible students and other interested ones to understand how the elders are different from the religious clergy. This list can also help us to remember the hard work that the elders do in our congregation. And this, in turn, will help us to respect these brothers. (1 Thessalonians 5:12) The more we respect them, the more joy they will have in their assignment.​—Hebrews 13:17.

12, 13. (a) Using tools available to us, what kind of research might we do? (b) Give an example of how background information may reveal lessons that are not immediately obvious.

¹² Do research. When we study the Bible, we can look for the answers to the following questions:

• Who wrote this part of the Bible?

• Where and when was it written?

• What important events were happening when this book was written?

Such information may help us to see lessons that are not immediately obvious to us.

¹³ For example, Ezekiel 14:13, 14 says: “If a land sins against me by acting unfaithfully, I will stretch out my hand against it and destroy its food supply, and I will send famine upon it and cut off man and animal from it. ‘Even if these three men​—Noah, Daniel, and Job—​were within it, they would be able to save only themselves because of their righteousness,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.” If we do some research, we learn that Ezekiel wrote those words about 612 years before Christ. Noah and Job had already been dead for hundreds of years, but Jehovah still remembered their faithfulness. Daniel, however, was still alive. Most likely, he was about 20 years old when Jehovah said that he was righteous just like Noah and Job. What do we learn? Jehovah sees and values all of his faithful servants, including young ones.​—Psalm 148:12-14.

BENEFIT FROM A VARIETY OF PUBLICATIONS

14. How does the material published for young people help them, and how can it benefit others too? (See opening picture.)

¹⁴ Literature for young people. We have learned that we can benefit from all parts of the Bible. In a similar way, we can benefit from all our publications. Let us consider a few examples. In recent years, Jehovah has provided a lot of information for young people.^[1] (See endnote.) This information helps them to cope with pressures at school and the challenges of growing up. But how can all of us benefit from reading these articles and books? When we read this information, we learn about the problems young people have and are better able to help and encourage them.

15. Why should adult Christians be interested in information for young people?

¹⁵ Adult Christians should not be too proud to read information for young people. Many of the problems discussed in the articles for them affect all Christians. For example, all of us need to defend our beliefs, control our emotions, reject peer pressure, and avoid bad association and entertainment. So even though these publications were written for young people, the information in them comes from the Bible, and all Christians can benefit.

16. What else do our publications help young people to do?

¹⁶ Publications written for young people can also help them to strengthen their friendship with Jehovah. (Read Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13.) And adults can benefit too. For example, the April 2009 issue of Awake! included the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Make Bible Reading Enjoyable?” That article had several helpful suggestions and included a box that could be cut out, kept, and used for study. Did adults benefit from the article? One wife and mother said that Bible reading has always been difficult for her. But she used the suggestions in the article and now looks forward to Bible reading. She says that she enjoys seeing how the books of the Bible are related and create a beautiful picture, adding, “I have never been this excited over Bible reading.”

17, 18. How can we benefit from reading material written for the public? Give an example.

¹⁷ Literature for the public. Since 2008 we have enjoyed the study edition of The Watchtower. This edition is written mostly for Jehovah’s Witnesses, but we also have magazines that are mainly for the public. How can we benefit from those as well? Let us use an example. When you invite a person to the Kingdom Hall and he comes, you are excited. While the speaker gives his talk, you think about your guest. You wonder how this person feels about the things he is hearing and how the information can change his life. As a result, your heart is touched and you are even more grateful for that subject.

¹⁸ Something similar may happen to us when we read literature written for the public. For example, the public edition of The Watchtower and articles on jw.org explain the Bible using words and expressions that are easy to understand. When we read this information, we deepen our understanding and love for Bible truths that we already know well. Also, we may learn new ways to explain our beliefs in the ministry. In a similar way, the Awake! magazine strengthens our belief that there is a Creator. It also helps us learn how to defend our beliefs.​—Read 1 Peter 3:15.

19. How can we show our gratitude to Jehovah for his provisions?

¹⁹ Clearly, Jehovah has provided plenty of advice and instruction for our benefit. (Matthew 5:3) Let us continue to read and apply all the information he has given to us. If we do that, we will benefit and will show Jehovah that we are grateful for all of his provisions.​—Isaiah 48:17.