Pages 3-4: If we want our prayers to be answered today, we need to show humble recognition of God's way of dealing with mankind through his Son. Jesus Christ said: "If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you."
Note: Are you abiding in Jesus Christ?
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
Page 4: A follower of Christ who experienced the truthfulness of these words of Jesus was the apostle Paul. His belief in the power of prayer was certainly not in vain. He encouraged fellow Christians to take all their anxieties to God in prayer and testified: "For all things I have strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me." (Philippians 4:6, 7, 13)
Note: Jesus is God.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Page 4: Whatever the case, this "thorn in the flesh" had a weakening effect on Paul. "I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me," he wrote. However, Paul's request was not granted. It was explained to Paul that the spiritual benefits he had already received from God, such as power to endure trials, were sufficient. Furthermore, God said: "My power is being made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:8, 9.
Note: In context, Jesus was speaking to Paul.
2 Corinthians 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
2 Corinthians 12:8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Page 4: What do we learn from the examples of Eliezer and Paul? Jehovah God indeed listens to the prayers of those who humbly seek to serve him.
Note: Are you serving Jesus Christ?
Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Page 4: Sincere Christians eagerly await this promised future, with full faith in God's power to make it a reality.
Correction: True Christians place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Page 4: When the infant congregation got on its feet, as it were, and became mature, the miraculous gifts were "done away with." - 1 Corinthians 13:8, 11.
Correction: The gifts will be done away with when Jesus physically returns to the earth.
1 Corinthians 13:10-12 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
Page 4: This spiritual healing of repentant sinners is being accomplished through the preaching of the good new of God's Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14)
Note: The kingdom of God is about Jesus Christ.
Acts 28:30-31 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Page 4: By empowering his servants to carry out this lifesaving work, Jehovah God is helping millions of people from all nations to repent of their sins and come into a favorable relationship with him before the end of this wicked system.
Correction: True Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Page 5: Cornelius was a man who sought God's favor by means of frequent, heartfelt prayers. Moreover, he made good use of his position as an army officer. According to the Bible, "he made many gifts of mercy" to needy people. - Acts 10:1, 2.
Note: God doesn't care if you are a military officer.
Matthew 8:5-7 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
Page 5: Jehovah God deemed Cornelius' personal experience worthy of being included in the Bible record. No doubt, he made many changes to bring his life into complete harmony with God's standards. (Isaiah 2:2-4; John 17:16)
Note: Have you been empowered by the Holy Spirit?
Acts 10:46-47 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
Page 6: Most important, she came to know and love the one true God, Jehovah, who had answered her prayer.
Note: You can't know the Father without first knowing the Son.
John 8:19 Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."
Page 6: So the Witnesses were invited in, and a Bible study was started in the book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life.
Note: The Knowledge book is the not the Holy Bible.
Page 7: Indeed, Jehovah God graciously answers prayers and "becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him."
Note: Have you prayed to Jesus?
John 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
Page 7: Soon the great day of Jehovah will arrive and bring an end to all wickedness.
Note: The day of Jehovah is the day of Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:13-14 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Page 7: In the meantime, Jehovah is answering the prayers of his people for strength and guidance as they zealously share in the vital work of witnessing.
Note: Are you praying in the name of Jesus?
John 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."
Page 8: Where does all this solar power come from? Who constructed this celestial power plant? Jehovah God did.
Note: Jesus Christ created all things.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Note: God created the universe all by Himself.
Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;
Page 8: Yes, Jehovah is the ultimate Source of all power, just as he is the Source of all life.
Note: Yes, Jesus is the source of all power.
1 Corinthians 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Page 8: Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah reminds us to look up at the heavenly bodies, such as the sun and the stars, and mediate on how they came into existence. "Raise your eyes high up and see. Who created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing." - Isaiah 40:26; Jeremiah 32:17.
Note: Jesus Christ maintains the universe in order.
Colossians 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Page 9: Our redemption from sin and death, our hope for the future, and our trust in Jehovah are all inseparably linked to his exercise of power. (Psalm 28:6-9; Isaiah 50:2)
Note: True Christians are redeemed by Jesus Christ.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Note: True Christians place their hope in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
Page 9: Despite his limited knowledge of celestial bodies, David understood that he was very insignificant in comparison with the Creator of our vast universe.
Note: Jesus Christ is the Creator of our vast universe!
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Page 10: If we 'search for God's works' as David did, we will see evidence of his power everywhere - in wind and waves, in thunder and lightning, in mighty rivers and majestic mountains. (Psalm 111:2; Job 26:12-14)
Note: Have you searched for Jesus Christ?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Page 11: The apostle John's vision of Jehovah's throne depicts four living creatures, one of which had a face like a bull. (Revelation 4:6, 7) Evidently, one of the four principal attributes of Jehovah portrayed by these cherubs is power. The others are love, wisdom, and justice.
Note: True Christians have the power of Christ in their lives.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Note: True Christians realize that the love of God is centered on Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Note: True Christians realize that the wisdom of God is centered on Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Note: True Christians realize that the justice of God is centered on Jesus Christ.
John 5:22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,
Page 11: In the Scripture, Jehovah is called "God Almighty," a title that reminds us that we should never underestimate his power or doubt his ability to vanquish his enemies.
Note: In the Scripture, Jesus is referred to as "God Almighty."
Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore."
Page 11: If we have a similar appreciation for the heavenly armies at God's disposal, we will also trust implicitly in divine backing. The apostle Paul wrote: "What, then, shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who will be against us?" - Romans 8:31.
Note: Are you in Jesus Christ?
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Page 11: We have every reason, then, to trust in Jehovah's protection. He always uses his power for good and in harmony with his other qualities - justice, wisdom, and love.
Correction: The Watch Tower is giving false hope to Jehovah's Witnesses.
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." (name of Jesus)
Page 12: Ten devastating plagues had revealed the strong hand of Jehovah and the impotence of Egyptian gods.
Note: Has Jesus been revealed to you as God?
Isaiah 53:1-3 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Page 12: If, like Elijah, we ever feel discouraged at the lack of results in our ministry, we can petition Jehovah for "power beyond what is normal" - a power that can strengthen us to continue preaching the good news without letup.
Note: True Christians will have the Holy Spirit to help them preach Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Page 12: Jehovah's power is also closely connected with his name and the carrying out of his will.
Note: The power of God is closely connected with the name of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:4-5 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Page 12: To illustrate, Jehovah once promised Abraham and Sarah that he would make their descendants a great nation. However, they remained childless for many years. They were both very old when Jehovah told them that the promise was about to be fulfilled and Sarah laughed. In reply, the angel said: "Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?"
Correction: God is not an angel.
Genesis 18:13-14 And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Note: Jesus Christ appeared to Abraham.
John 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Page 13: Centuries later, Jesus censured the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection. Why did they refuse to believe God's promise that he would bring back the dead? Jesus told them: "You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29)
Note: Like the WT, the Sadducees believed that there was no conscienceness after death.
Matthew 22:31-32 "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
Page 13: The Scriptures assure us that 'all those in the memorial tombs will hear the voice of the Son of man and come out.' (John 5:27-29)
Note: In context, not everyone will be resurrected to eternal life with God.
John 5:25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live."
Page 13: In the near future, there will come a time when every one of us will need to trust in God's saving power in a special way.
Correction: God doesn't always spare his servants from death.
Revelation 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Page 13: Satan the Devil will launch an attack on God's people, who will appear to be unprotected. (Ezekiel 38:14-16) God will then manifest his great power in our behalf, and everyone will have to know that he is Jehovah. (Ezekiel 38:21-23)
Correction: This prophecy is about a future middle-east war.
Ezekiel 38:8 "After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely."
Page 14: Unlike many humans, God always uses his power for good. "As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Note: Is your heart complete toward Jesus Christ?
Acts 8:37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
Page 14: The awesome power of our heavenly Father is a reason for trust and confidence - both in his promises and in his protection.
Correction: True Christians will have the peace of God during times of tribulation.
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Page 15: Nowhere do we find a better example of this than in Jesus Christ, who performed many miracles in "Jehovah's power." (Luke 5:17)
Note: In context, only God has power to forgive sins eternally.
Luke 5:24 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
Page 15: Instead, he used the power God gave him to train and to teach, to help and to heal. (Mark 7:37; John 7:46) What a fine example for us!
Note: There are no Watch Tower hospitals.
Luke 10:9 "And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'"
Page 15: Thus, if a true Christian boasts, he boasts in Jehovah, for he knows that what he has done has not been accomplished in his own strength. 'Humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God' will bring true exaltation. - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; 1 Peter 5:6.
Note: True Christians are in Jesus Christ who is God.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
Pages 15-16: Consider how this imbued Christ's disciples with power when they chose to obey God rather than the religious leaders who had ordered them to stop witnessing about Jesus. When they prayed for Jehovah's help, their sincere prayer was answered, and holy spirit empowered them to continue preaching the good news with boldness. - Acts 4:19, 20, 29-31, 33.
Note: The good news is about Jesus. Are you witnessing about Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the good news which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Page 16: The fine outcome of Josiah's reform was that during "all his days they did not turn aside from following Jehovah." - 2 Chronicles 34:33.
Note: True Christians follow Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Page 16: We too draw strength from association with fellow Christians. As long as we are free and able to associate with one another, we must not try to walk alone along the cramped road leading off into life. - Proverbs 18:1; Matthew 7:14.
Note: Are you on the right road to eternal life with God?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Page 16: Young Christians need the strength to stand up to peer pressure and to say no to drugs and immorality. No one should hesitate to ask Jehovah for "power beyond what is normal" to cope with such challenges. - 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Note: You will be empowered when you become a Jesus witness.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord,
Pages 16-17: To Christians in Thessalonica, he wrote: "The good news we preach did not turn up among you with speech alone but also with power and with holy spirit." (1 Thessalonians 1:5) His preaching and teaching had the power to work great changes in the lives of those who listened to him.
Note: You will be empowered when you become a Jesus witness.
Acts 17:1-3 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."
Page 17: Above all, we can employ our tongue to share the powerful Kingdom message with all who will listen.
Note: The kingdom of God concerns Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Page 18: Although he is almighty, Jehovah rules the congregation with love. (1 John 4:8)
Note: True Christians abide in the love of Jesus.
John 15:9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."
Page 18: Parents and husbands also have authority granted them by Jehovah, and this power should be used to help, nurture, and cherish. (Ephesians 5:22, 28-30; 6:4)
Note: When you realize that Jesus is your personal Savior, then power is granted to you.
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
Page 18: Marriages are strengthened when Christian husbands lovingly exercise their headship and wives deeply respect their husbandly head rather than go beyond their God-assigned sphere of influence to dominate or get their way. - Ephesians 5:28, 33; 1 Peter 3:7.
Note: When you realize that Jesus is your personal Savior, then godly authority is exercised
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Page 18: Both in the family and in the congregation, the goal is to instill love - love of Jehovah, love of one another, and love of right principles. Love is the strongest bond of union and the strongest motivation for doing what is right. - 1 Corinthians 13:8, 13; Colossians 3:14.
Note: True Christians will abide in the love of Jesus.
John 15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
Page 18: To know Jehovah is to recognize his power. Through Isaiah, Jehovah said: "Have you not come to know or have you not heard? Jehovah, the Creator of the extremities of the earth, is a God to time indefinite. He does not tire out or grow weary." (Isaiah 40:28)
Correction: To know the Father you must know the Son.
John 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Page 18: Jehovah's power is inexhaustible. If we rely on him and not on ourselves, he will not forsake us. He assures us: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not gaze about, for I am your God. I will fortify you. I will really help you. I will really keep fast hold of you with my right hand of righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)
Note: The power of the Father and the Son are inexhaustible.
John 10:28-30 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."
Page 18: Like Jesus, let us always use whatever power Jehovah gives us to help and to build up. May we control our tongue so that it heals rather than harms. And may we always stay awake spiritually, stand firm in the faith, and grow mighty in the power of our Grand Creator, Jehovah God. - 1 Corinthians 16:13.
Note: You will be empowered when you become a Jesus witness.
1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
Page 19: THE apostle Paul was a man of outstanding faith, and he encouraged fellow believers likewise to cultivate faith.
Note: Paul's faith was in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
Page 19: She relates: "I had always remembered the words of Jesus recorded at Matthew 7:7: 'Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.' With this scripture in mind, I prayed regularly for God to lead me to the truth."
Note: If she had been reading Scripture, she would have found Jesus. (John 14:6)
Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Pages 20-21: She responded immediately, since Volume 1 of Studies in the Scriptures had the same title as the talk. The surrey was hitched up, and the whole family went to our first meeting via horse and buggy. From then on we attended meetings in the homes of the brothers on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Shortly thereafter, Mother was baptized again by a representative of the Christian congregation.
Note: The Bible students were poor students of the Bible.
Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Page 23: When Brother Rutherford explained that those of the great multitude were an earthly class of faithful Armageddon survivors, many were surprised.
Note: Brother Rutherford violated the word of God.
Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!"
Page 29: Like Ezra, Jehovah's people today want to do all that Jehovah asks of them while living in a world that is hostile to true worship.
Note: Have you placed your sincere belief in Jesus Christ?
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Page 29: How important it is, then, for all of us to apply the Bible's admonition: "More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life."
Note: Have you placed your sincere belief in Jesus Christ?
John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Page 29: "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need," Jesus said. (Matthew 5:3) Like physical hunger that reminds us of our need to eat, an awareness of our spiritual need keeps us hungry for spiritual food.
Note: Are you feasting on Jesus?
John 6:47-51 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
Page 30: Even so, Jesus said: "Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth." - Matthew 4:4.
Note: The word of God is the word of Jesus.
John 8:51 "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
Page 30: Humility enabled Jesus' "unlettered and ordinary" disciples to grasp and apply spiritual truths that escaped those who were "wise and intellectual" but only "in a fleshly way."
Correction: The spiritual truth is for people to come to Jesus through sincere belief.
John 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."
Page 30: Honesty, however, will help us to gain the victory over a treacherous heart by assisting us to face the truth about ourselves so that we can improve.
Note: Do you have the Holy Spirit guiding you?
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
Page 30: While appreciating Jehovah's loving-kindness and goodness, a person who truly fears Jehovah is ever aware that Jehovah has the power to inflict punishment, even death, upon those who disobey him.
Note: Unbelievers will experience the wrath of Jesus.
Revelation 6:15-16 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
Pages 30-31: A heart strong in faith knows that whatever Jehovah asks or directs through his Word is always right and in our best interests. (Isaiah 48:17, 18)
Note: True Christians will obey Jesus Christ in faith.
Acts 26:17-18 "I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me."
Page 31: A person with such a heart gets deep satisfaction and contentment from applying the exhortation at Proverbs 3:5, 6, which says: "Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight."
Note: Have you placed your trust in Jesus?
Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Page 31: A heart lacking in faith, however, would be disinclined to trust in Jehovah, especially if doing so involved sacrifices, such as simplifying one's life in order to focus on Kingdom interests. (Matthew 6:33)
Correction: True Christians focus in on Jesus Christ.
John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."
Page 31: Our faith in Jehovah is reflected in many areas, including the things we do in the privacy of our own home. Take, for example, the principle at Galatians 6:7: "Do no be misled: God is not one to be mocked. for whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap."
Note: True Christians place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
Page 31: Our faith in this principle will be reflected in such things as the movies we watch, the books we read, the amount of Bible study we do, and in our prayers.
Correction: Through Jesus Christ a person will lead a sanctified life.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Page 31: Yes, a strong faith that moves us to sow "with a view to the spirit" is a key factor in having a heart that is prepared to accept Jehovah's Word and to obey it. - Galatians 6:8.
Note: The promise of God is not given to those outside the faith in Jesus Christ through belief.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Page 31: More than all other qualities, love truly makes the soil of our heart responsive to Jehovah's Word. Thus, when comparing it with faith and hope, the apostle Paul described love as "the greatest of these" qualities. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Note: Do you love Jesus Christ?
1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.
Page 31: A heart filled with love for God gets intense satisfaction and joy from obeying him; it certainly does not chafe at God's requirements.
Note: Do you love Jesus Christ?
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
Page 31: The apostle John said: "This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3)
Note: Do you really care for people?
1 John 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
Page 31: Along similar lines, Jesus said: "If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him." (John 14:23) Note that such love is reciprocated. Yes, Jehovah deeply loves those who are drawn to him in love.
Note: Do you love Jesus Christ?
Page 31: Of course, Jehovah knows that it takes time and effort for us to cultivate good qualities in our heart and thus to produce the fruitage of the spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 23)
Correction: True Christians are doing the works of God through faith.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Page 31: If you at times find it a struggle to pull up deep-rooted, weedlike habits or to break up pockets of hard, claylike traits, do not become downhearted or discouraged. Instead, keep working at making improvements as you "persevere in prayer," including frequent supplication to Jehovah for his spirit. (Romans 12:12)
Note: Are you "born again" through a sincere belief in Jesus Christ?
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?