... the text for June 27, 2020

Accept ... the sword of the spirit, that is, God's Word. - Eph. 6:17

The comments make this interesting point:

But we must learn to use it skillfully when defending our beliefs - or adjusting our own thinking.

 This "sword" is not an offensive weapon, meaning that we don;'t attack other people with it. It's clear from the comment above, that it is used in three ways: to teach others about Jehovah, to cut out wrong attitudes and, thoughts, and to defend ourselves against the influence of the world, ruled by Satan. (John 5:19)

To use this "sword", we need to wield it every day. That is, to read it. I participate in meetings in American Sign Language (ASL). The public talk I watched today made this wonderful point:
The speaker showed us a picture of a "Play" and "Pause" button. The "play" button was green, while the "pause" was red. So, he pointed out that the green means to watch the Bible verses, and then "pause" was to stop, and meditate on what you have just seen.

I encourage you: Don't read the Bible like it's a novel you have to burn through to get to the end. Stop occasionally to let your eyes rest, and let your brain think about what that scripture said about Jehovah. Think about how Jehovah deals with imperfect humans. Think about how different characters in the Bible felt about Jehovah or how they worshiped him.

If we do this often enough, we will be able to wield it skillfully, recalling scriptures that apply to different situations or when making important decisions. Doing this will help you improve on learning what Jehovah thinks about a matter, as that is more important than your own thinking on a matter.

John 17:3 explains just how important it is to take in the knowledge of Jehovah and conform to His way of thinking. I encourage you all to continue in your efforts and you will be the happier for it.

Stay safe!

.. the text for June 26, 2020

The hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he has offered a sacred service to God. - John 16:1

The comments today talk about conscience. Religious fanatics who kill for their religion have existed for a long time, from the famous Crusades, the Spanish Inquisitions, to ISIS and terrorist groups today. Their acts clearly violate the thinking of the One they claim to be doing all of this for. Exodus 20:13 clearly says, "You must not murder."

Yes, Israel fought the people in Canaan under God's direction, but Jehovah is The True Judge. If he decides a people should be wiped out, it is His perfect judgement that decides that.

 Taking it upon ourselves to be the judges and executioners of others due to the "sins against you" is wrong.  When we've been shown contempt or discrimated against or put down or treated as an inferior or oppressed by dominant people, learn to maintain self-control and leave it with Jehovah, who will judge righteously and perfectly.

The comments encourage us to carefully and diligently study God's Word, and meditate on the lessons we learn from it. If we train our consciences toe accept Jehovah's thoughts and feelings, we will not be switching from one extreme to the other.

The other day, I saw several headlines on Yahoo that illustrate the world's conscience. One headline described a biracial woman being set on fire in her car. She didn't die, but was hospitalized. The police are investigating this as a hate crime. In another headline, an episode of The Office TV show was edited to remove a "blackface performance" because it was racist. So, it's clear that most people's conscience is either too sensitive or too calloused.

It's important to obtain and reflect Jehovah's thinking. We will be more balanced and reasonable people if we do so.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 25, 2020

How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell toget in unity. - Ps. 133:1

The comments ask this question:

Could you "widen out," that is, do it to a greater extent and more consistently? (2 Cor. 6:11-13)

The organization of Jehovah's Witnesses are unified worldwide by having the same teachings. We all study the same material, view the same videos, read the same Bible.

The psalmist was referring to another unity, one in which we all associate with one another as friends. Because of imperfection, there is always room for improvement.

If you feel that brothers and sisters don't associate with you enough, you are not invited anywhere and no one calls you, should you sit there and be sad about it?

There's the maxim that's true: If you want friends, you need to be a friend. So, waiting for other people to connect with you will be a long wait. I've always been much of a loner. I don't like the way I sound when I speak, so I stay quiet most of the time. When I was in school, occasionally I would hang out with the other kids, playing dodgeball or handball. But, most of the time, I wandered the field behind our school and meditated.

But, I do need interaction with others and communication, so what can I do? Reach out to others. Show them that I'm thinking about them. If I want to do something, I will invite them over.

That's not easy. "Well, I've invited so an so and they just never accepted, they always had an excuse or other arrangements." That's true. I have done the same, only to get stood up time and again. Should I give up? No.

I can't expect others to drop everything for me. Everyone has their own schedule, they have other people to consider. So, in order to apply the scripture today, I need to be the one to reach out, and continue doing so when it seems pointless or maybe they don't care. I have to keep trying.

Why is it important? Because we need each other to face thecoming great tribulation. That's not a time to try to go it alone, to survive on your own mettle and resources. We need to help our brothers and sisters, and they need to help us.

It's not about picking someone up and carrying them on our back. It's holding them up so that they can keep moving forward.

Jesus, when speaking of the coming Great Tribulation, "unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved." (Mark 13:20) That means it's going to be bad! He also indicated that anything like it has never happened before and will not occur again. It's going to be truly awful and scary. We can depend on our brothers and sisters to provide assitance, but they need to depend on us for the same thing.

Unity is so important. Not just knowing hte same things, but we need to have thc close relationships.

There was this brother I knew, who apparently doesn't really like me that much. He purposly ignores me, despite my efforts to talk to him. The way Jehovah teaches us will be that he will find that I am the one he needs the most help from, and I will need his help when the time comes. Wouldn't that be a shame if that happens, and you know you need to help but you simply can't, because you've never taken the time to develop true love for that person? Jehovah may request an accounting for that.

So, let us do our best to promote unity with each other. Be willing to invite those you don't know that well to spend time with you or do some activity together. Even in the stay-at-home or lockdown, you can still Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime,  call or text someone and start with a simple hello, hope you're doing well and try to develop a good friendship.

And don't give up. Please. Even loners like me need people to talk to besides ourselves.

Stay safe!!

... the Bible reading for week of June 22-28, 2020 (Exodus 1-3)

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Exodus 1:20

So God dealt well with the midwives and the people kept increasing and becoming very mighty.

The midwives were told by the king to kill the sons but preserve the daughters. But, they feared Jehovah. So, it is obvious that the faith in God was passed down to the next generation. Because they obeyed Jehovah rather than man, they were blessed with families of their own. Jehovah truly appreciates efforts by his servants to remain obedient.

It is also clear that Jehovah did not abandon the Israelites, but helped them to prosper and become many, despite the oppression they suffered at Egypt's hand. He had told Abraham that they would be oppressed for 430 years, then he reaffirmed his promise to Jacob that the Israelites would be taken from Egypt and given the land of Canaan.

Ex. 2:10

... She [Pharaoh's daughter] named him Moses

This was interesting. In the new system, it would be cool to ask Moses what name his own mother called him. Also, it was Jehovah who caused the events to allow Moses to be nursed by his mother (and she got paid for it), so druing this time, she taught him about Jehovah. He did not forget his roots, though he grew up in the education that Egypt provided.

Ex. 2:17

... At this Moses got up and helped th womenand watered their flock.

Even at the time, when he ran from Egypt because he was wanted for murder, Moses was a humble man, and helped these women. He was approximately 40 years of age at this point, because he was 89 when Jehovah assigned him to deliver Israel and he has spent 40 years living in Midian.

Moses helped these women ithout expecting anything in return. He didn't demand payment or request anything. He decided to stay when Reuel, the father of the women, invited him and and gave him one of his daughters in marriage. His act of kindness was blessed by Jehovah.

At the end of chapter two, it talks about how Jehovah "remembered his covenant with Abraham", but Jehovah was right on time in delivering His people from bondage in Egypt.

Chapter 3 starts off with naming Moses' father-in-law as Jethro, not Reuel (in chapter 2). Research indicates that Jethro may have been a title, and that it was also common for Arabian chiefs to have more than one name, but Jethro/Reuel refer to the same person.

Ex. 3:9

The outcry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen also the harsh way the the Egyptians are oppressing them.

People who say that God doesn't see what's going on in the world today are mistaken. He is aware of everything, how people treat each other, how husbands and wives treat each other. In time, He takes action in ways that glorify His name and His sovreignty. Those who think He won't do anything will be in for a surprise!

Ex. 3:14

..."I Will Become What I Choose to Become"...

This is what Jehovah's name means. Simply put, He does whatever he wants to accomplish His will. Absolutely nothing can stop his will from succeeding. With the nation of Israel, He was their Savior, He fed them plentifully, He was their Leader, their Protector, their Law-giver. He does whatever He chooses becuase He truly has abolute freedome. A name to fear and respect.

Exodus is good to read how Jehovah dealt with his people, even when they acted foolishly and rebelled and complained many times.

Keep reading and stay safe!

... the text for June 24, 2020

Moses was by far thw meekest of the men. - Num.  12:3

The texts for today and yesterday taught me this about Jehovah: Jehovah picks the person for an assignment, because he knows that person will succeed. Man's imperfect gets in the way most of the time, so Jehovah is patient and considerate, teaching the lesson in the best way possible.

Moses was humble enough to try to not take the assignment, saying he couldn't speak well and other excuses, but Jehovah was patient with him, and gave him holy spirit to perform miracles.

Moses ended up being a great leader for Israel, boldly taking them out and guiding them through the wilderness. Jehovah blessed his efforts to lead over 3 million people. Moses continued to be humble, accepting counsel from his father-in-law and listening to all Jehovah told him.

Moses did his best to imitate the Almighty, and showed consideration and patience to others as Jehovah did to him.

We need to be the same way today. The world is full of independent thinkers, those who focus on their own needs before others. taking advamtage of those who appear weak. If we want Jehovah's favor and blessing, we need to be the opposite of proud, arrogant, contempuous people, and imitate Moses.

As we go through the book of Exodus, pay attention to how Jehovah treated Moses, and how Moses treated the Israelites, and look for ways to apply their example in your life.

... the text for June 23, 2020

Do not be mislead. Bad associations spoil useful habits. - 1 Cor. 15:33

A recent book I read had a chapter entitled "Have friends who want the best for you". It went on to explain how environment and association affect your own progress in life. Some people have friends who do not want the best for them, but the best from themselves and will take advantage of you to attain that goal. That's unfortunate, but it happens.

The Bible makes the same conclusion in other places. Proverbs says, several times, that bing with wise people will make you wise, associating with unwise people will make you unwise.

So, the scripture above carries the warning not to be mislead. Don't kid yourself. Don't suffer delusions that if you hang out with someone who doesn't have good qualities that your good behavior will rub off on them. It can have the oppsite affect, and that can be dangerous.

When I was in school, a kid I knew was in my class. I knew his family, was friends with his sister, who was in my congregation. He didn't go to meetings himself, but we knew each other. One of the teachers approached me and told me that this kid has come to her and was trying to improve his grades. Why? Because I was doing so well in the class, that he wanted to imitate me and my example.

So, it's not wrong to want to push yourself to a higher level. But you need to associate with the right people. You have a good friend that you want to do well in life, so you help him or her to attain their goals. They in turn want the same for you, so they will help you attain your goals. It's much more difficult to look at someone and think, "That person will do this or that for me and I will improve my life." It doesn't wsork that way.

This book gave an illustration. This man was manager of a department that was a well oiled machine. Everyone got to work on time, they dressed appropriately, the got their job done. In another department, there was one employee that was always late, did sloppy work and had behavior problems. So, an executive thought moving this person to the top department would "straighten him out". So, they made the trasfer. Within the six months, the morale of this top department was damaged.


What happened? Well, when the good employees saw the misfit employee come in late from lunch, leave early, make a lot of mistakes, they thought to themselves, "Why work harder? This person take advantage of everything and he's just complacent and all, so why bother?"

And so it goes. We need good association to make ourselves excel, but we can drag another person down if we're not excelling. Do we want to be bad association for someone else? We would not knowingly do this, but sometimes it happens. Having a friend who wants the bes for us, he or she is in a position to be a positive influence, to correct us when we're wrong, to commend us when we're doing well.

So, while we avoid people who have bad habits, we have to try to maintain good habits and help others do the same. Our preaching work is a wonderful thing to do, because we're trying to teach others to benefit themselves and all of us can praise Jehovah together.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 22, 2020

[Turn] away from ... the falsely called "knowledge". - 1 Tim. 6:20

Have you met a person who repeatedly says something and acts like it's true, but it's not? Have you heard three or four people say the same thing, so you may think that it was a fact, only to find out later that it was wrong? We all have.

The comments relate how the Israelites sent 12 spies into Canaan, and upon their return, 10 of the 12 made a negative report, while 2 stated a good report. Over 3 million Israelites believed the 10, but not the 2.

They failed to recognize Jehovah as the true Power. They witnessed His shaming the gods of Egypt. They witnessed the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh and his armies who were pursuing them. Egypt wasn't a small county, but a mighty nation.

Canaan had a multitude of small scity states. But, the people were afraid, they did not trust that Jehovah would help them to vanquish these nations so that they could inhabit Canaan. So, they lost out, because Jehovah made them wander 40 years in the wilderness until they all died. The few faithful remained alive and were able to enter Canaan. Such a sad lesson.

What of today? We are overwhelmed with information from all sources. It can be hard to pick out the facts from the fiction, and some figure that if they keep repeating something, it will be true even if it's not.

I was looking at Yahoo headlines the other day, and noticed headlines exclaiming: "Expert doctors claim the coronavirus is not as dangerous as you thing". "One nurse has hit upon an easy cure for coronavirus". "These are vegetables to avoid in reducing risk of coronavirus". All of these have some member of an experienced field explaining their viewpoint.

But, the "knowledge" Paul was discussing here is spiritual knowledge. We have many who were formerly Jehovah's Witnesses who publish information defaming Witnesses. One famous actress did an expose of Scientology, and then claimed she would expose Jehovah's Witnesses as a sham religion also. We must remain focused on what we know is true from the Bible's viewpoint and stick to it, ignoring information to the contrary.

As this world worsens, more and more will be saying different things. The best source right now amid this pandemic is jw.org, as it provides information that is true and Bible-based.

Yes, attaining good knowledge is useful. Your everlasting life depends on it. (John 17:3)

... the text for June 21, 2020

Never let anyone look down on your youth. Instead, become an example to the faithful ones in speaking, in conduct, in love, in faith, in chasteness. - 1 Tim. 4:12

When people treat you with contempt, what do you do? Get anry and harbor resentment or bitterness? While Paul was talking to Timothy, who likely was an elder in his congregation and a young man, his exortation and encouragement applies to all of us.

by our actions, we can show that we have the confidence in Jehovah. By the way we talk to each other shows the good qualities we have. By making wise decisions and maintaining good conduct, we show others that we do our best to imitate Jesus and Jehovah.

I know of one brother who became an elder at the age of 22. That seemed young, but you can watch how he acts and how he talks and know that he really cares about the congregation and wrks hard to shepherd it in love. He took this scripture to heart and  displays the qualities Paul recommended to Paul.

We have many young ones that help lead the congregation and they should be valued and recognized for thir love of Jehovah's name. As us older ones step aside, or limit our activities, the young will take it up and move the organization forward.

Such a wonderful thing to see and we can trust it, because Jesus is in full control of the congregations and he will assure that everything works smoothly.

but let all ov us continue to be a good example, encouraging others by our faith and determination to serve Jehovah, even in this crumbling system of things.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 20, 2020

Who volunteers to come forward today with a gift in hand for Jehovah? - 1 Chron. 29:5

The comments state:

Today, you also have many opportunities to volunteer your time, resources, and skills to help your brothers and sisters. And you will feel great joy and receive many blessings from makeing yourself available.

Many are not working during this pandemic. Many have to stay home and can't really do anything. However, you can volunteer! Can you help and older brother or sister with a phone call or text message? Can you volunteer to do their shopping, or help them with things needing to be done? Doing something like this is like you're giving Jehovah a gift. He greatly appreciates it.

Volunteering to do some form of preaching that you're not used to, such as letter writing, or telephone witnessins is a way to sacrifice your personal comfort for Jehovah's sake.

We can look around and find opportunities to volunteer. We can now make donations online at jw.org for the congregation, the circuit, the regional, the branch, the worldwide work. Such a wonderful chance to show our appreciation for what God has provided us, a way to salvation and everlasting life through His Son, Jesus Christ. Even if your donations are small and meager, your heartfelt desire to volunteer will not go unnoticed by our Heavenly Father.

You will be blessed! Stay safe!

... the text for June 19, 2020

You became precious in my eyes... and I have loved you. - Isa. 43:4

This is Jehovah talking to you and me. To all of us. The Bible is abundantly rich with such expressions from our God, Jehovah. He is constantly reassuring us, like the text yesterday, about listening and obeying. We listen and obey because we in turn love our Father.

The comments today make this point:

No matter what trials his people may face, Jehovah promises to sustain and comfort them.

He feels this way for us imperfect, miserable humans, who tail and scratch out an existence on this planet? You bet He does. As an organization, we have observed his promises being fulfilled daily! Many have died from this disease rampaging around the globe. His promises of a resurrection is wondeerful to meditate upon, and we look forward to seeing many come back, our friends, our relatives, those who don't know Jehovah will have to chance to learn about him. It will be wonderful.

But, we must all suffer before we get there. Each of us < b>will
be tested. We have to develop the firm resolve to trust our God, Jehovah, who is a "mighty One" who will act on our behalf.
This pandemic, though scary, is helping us to stay calm, look to Jehovah, and humbly follow His direction and guidance. No need to panic at all.

As the days get worse, meditating on the scriptures we read will help us focus on Jehovah, and His purposes, and not dwell on our own private misery.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 18, 2020

The one listening to me will dwell in security. - Prov. 1:33

This scripture is good to keep in mind. As we navigate our way through this pandemic, which may bring more serious pandemics, guidance and direction from Jehovah rhrough his organization is vital.

I have heard experiences of those who, when hearing a direction from the local Branch office, were initially confused, but obeyed anyway, then later saw that the instructions were for their benefit and saved lives.

The Great Tribulation is coming, as foretold by Jesus Christ when he was on earth. It is crucial to listen to God's direction, as He has everything in His control.

He loves mankind deeply, and wants us to still preach and teach to bring more people into his embrace. Let us continue to apply what we learn from the Bible in our lives and remain calm and trust our Heavenly Father, who really does know what's best.

Stay safe!

... a new family member

I woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. In the dark, I could find my way to the bathroom. I didn't see the tennis ball I stepped on that almost caused me to crash to the ground, but I stumbled and kept my footing. A couple of steps further, I stepped on a stuffed rabbit whose ears had been ripped off. It was a minefield of things to navigate as I finally made it to the bathroom.

It was as if we had a 2 year old child living with us, but it wasn't a child. It was our puppy, Phoebe.

She was two months old when we found her at one of the animal shelters. She had just been spayed, so she was in hte medical area, with a cone around her head to protect her stitches. We had found her because on that day, it was raining horribly, so they had moved the dogs from their cages. So, we didn't see any small dogs, so we headed to the main office to find our where they moved thm. On the way, we saw a door, with a sign indicating that it was the medical area. So, my wife knocked at the door. They let us in. A couple of the dogs were yapping constantly, but they were all sick or recovering. Phobe, then called Precious, was sitting in the cage, loking forlorn.

My wife asked to hold her, and upon removing her from the cage, she immediately started licking my wife's face and showing affection. She was handed to me and she nibbled on my nose. My wife fell in love her immediately, so we went to the office with the paperwork, paid the fees, changed her name and registered the puppy.

She was quiet the whole day, not making a single sound. That changed the following day, as she barked at the fridge, the door, birds, any foreign noise.

She instantly became devoted to my wife and would get separation anxiety if my wife left her sight, even for a moment.

We love her to death, but she can be a brat. For instance, efforts to train her in the car have been to no avail. She can sit on my lap, however, she fights and struggles to get onto my wife's lap when she's driving and stays there. No amount of commands or holding the leash helps. She will struggle violently until she gets her way.

She loves toys, and my wife is always getting her something. She has quite a collection. She can be greedy at times. For example, she loves tennis balls. We got a package of three, so one goes with us to the dog park, the other two we toss around the apartment and she runs after them. When you try to take it away, she will exhibit her extreme agility and avoid our grasp. One day, she had a ball in her mouth. I saw the second tennis ball on the floor, so I picked it up. Upon seeing this, she attempted to get the other ball, even though her mouth was full. So, in trying to get the second ball, she would drop the first. Then with the second ball in her mouth, she saw the first ball, and attempted to get it, dropping the second ball. After a few rounds of this, she would bark at both balls for their  uncooperate nature, as they sat there, blank and green.

At the park, she is not overly aggressive with other dogs, and can run with the bigger ones. When we are in the car, or on a walk with the leash, she will gov nuts if she sees another dog, barking uncontrollably, until we remove her from the scene.

Though she can be a pain at times, she is very affectionate and loving. She is also easy to train. We potty trained her in three or four days.

I have taugh her to sit on command, and she knows that I mean it when I say "Hey!" in a certain tone. We have other things to work on, but she's young.

She is a half Chihuahua and half something else. Her body looks like a whippet, or a fox terrier, with muscular back legs, and a lithe greyhound body. She runs extremely fast and very quick on her feet.

In public, she is an angel. My wife puts her in a harness, and carries her in front, like those baby pounches, and she doesn't bark, doesn't get feisty. We take her everywhere, to grocery stores, to electronic stores, to pet stores, and she is so well-behaved, everyone coos and aahs over her.

When I say she's a different animal at home, they don't believe me, but it's all right. She's part of the family.

... the Bible reading for week of June 15-21, 2020 (Gen. 48-50)

Genesis 48-50

Gen. 48:14

However, Israel put out his right hand and placed it on Eʹphra·im’s head, although he was the younger, and he placed his left hand on Ma·nasʹseh’s head. He purposely laid his hands this way, since Ma·nasʹseh was the firstborn.

This was interesting, but after researching this, it may have been a result of what happened to Jacob, when Isaac blessed him instead of his older brother, Esau. The right hand signifies favor. Both boys became many, and were listed as part of the 12 tribes of Israel, replacing Joseph. The tribe of Levi got no land, so both Ephraim and Manasseh received their land allotments.

Gen. 49;4 refers to Reuben defiling Israel's bed. This happened when Reuben had sexual intercourse with Jacob's wife, Bilhah, given to him by Rachel.

Gen. 49:10

The scepter will not depart from Judah, neither the commander’s staff from between his feet, until Shiʹloh comes, and to him the obedience of the peoples will belong.

Jesus was a descendant of Judah and fulfilled this prophecy.

Gen 49:24 Jacob acknowledged Joseph's suffering at the hends of his brothers, but attributed Jehovah, "the shepherd, the stone of Israel" with protecting and blessing Joseph through his tenure in Egypt.

Gen. 50:17 showed that Joseph's brothers still felt guilty of what they had done to Joseph and were afraid that now that their father was dead, Joseph would get revenge, so they sent an apology, asking for forgiveness. This touched Joseph's heart, even thout he had forgiven them already.

We all still feel guilty over what mistakes we've done in the past. Jehovah is loving and kind. When He forgives, he truly forgives and drops it. This is a comfort to me, as I have had a long history of mistakes. Other people may not be as forgiving, but I trust my God, Jehovah, that His forgiveness is perfect. It's not limitless, meaning that if we willfully continue sin, He may not forgive us. It's important to continue to ask for forgiveness in our prayers, but we should work along with praying for it, with actions that prove that we are repentant. This may include going to the elders when it is something really serious, or some other act of atonement.

Looking forward to the lessons we can learn about Jehovah in Exodus.

... the text for June 17, 2020

Ponder over these things. - 1 Tim. 4:15

The comments make this encouragement:

Giving advance thought to the need to remain loyal can also prove helpful in the event of a medical emergency.

 It specifies medical emergencies. We now are in the days of a raging pandemic. We have been encouraged to maintain our Durable Power of Attorney medical cards and keep it current, for cases when we don't have the time to explain our religious beliefs about blood and our refusal to accept transfusions.

The importance in pondering over things is a exercise in mental preparation for things that may happen in future. We all strive to serve God faithfully. Satan is the true ruler of the world, so he's interested in making you not to be faithful to God. The way everyone acts around you should not be an influence for your actions. But, it's hard, isn't it?

We have many examples in the Bible of those who pondered over their relationship with Jehovah and made firm decisions beforehand. Joseph, confronted with adultery, refused. Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego faced idolatry, and refused even uder penalty of death.

Their resolve wasn't a spur of the moment thing, a reaction to what was going on. I'm sure they didn't consider every possible occurrence to happen, but knowing Jehovah's thinking was important for them to make the right decision and stick to it.

As you continue your Bible reading, think about how Jehovah feels about things such as lying, or tattoos (1 Lomgs 18:28), flirting, or anything that may appear harmless.

Years ago, I became friends with this young sister, who was 20. One day, we were preaching together in a group, and she elbowed me in the ribs, and, looking around to see if anyone was looking, pulled up her jacket sleeve. On her wrist was a henna tattoo. She had gone to a fair and had it done. Now, henna tattoos are not permanent, they wash off eventually. But, still, was it okay? Taking a step in that direction only makes you take one step closer, and then you have a real tattoo somewhere on your body. If you serve God, how does He feel about that?

This sister ended up leaving the truth, because she did not take the time to ponder things over from God's viewpoint, so when situations arose, she did not handle them properly.

We must remember that "narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life". (Matt. 7:14) A slight misstep will take us off this path, and the end result will not be good. 

thining that "well, everyone else is doing it, so it's okay" is dangerous thinking. Even something really small and simple like using an app. The developers have instructions for using it. Say it's a app where you offer things for sale to others. The app tells you not to cross-post into more than two categories, but people in general ignore that and put it in as many categories as they want to be seen and make a sale.

That seems harmless enough, but if we develop thinking that it's okay, and just continue, eventually, we will end up doing something more serious, just because everyone does it, so it must be all right. We can't do that with Jehovah. It doesn't work, so we need to really meditate and consider our spiritual steps and make decisions before we take that step. Humbly remembering that  it says in Jeremiah 10:23 that "it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step".

Keep pondering and be safe!

... the text for June 16, 2020

Do not lie to one another. - Col. 3:9

This simple command is at the top of a slippery slope. Why is it hard? Imperfection, and everyone else does it. We need to do our best to not lie, why?

The comments clearly point it out:

Decitful people camnot keep anything secret from Jehovah, for "all things are naked and openly exposed to him." (Heb. 4:13)

Then a reference was made to Ananias and Sapphira. They attempted to make themselves look good and appear more generous than they really were. And that was their downfall, because Jehovah saw what they were doing and took action.

Was it wrong to keep money from the sale of the field? No. Had they been truthful and said, "We sold a field for this much, and we held back this much, the rest we give to Jehovah," that would have been very acceptable. But, they fudged the figures, they smeared the facts, to impress other humans.

Now, here's a more subtle example: We tell a story, and we omit a true fact from this story, that if we said it, it would make us look bad to those listening. Have you done that? Many of us have done this, including myself.

But, Jehovah knows the whole story already. The Bible is full of writers who were honest with themselves and their readers. Think about  Jonah. He admitted to being scared and running away. David wrote many psalms about embarrassing mistakes he had made. Paul wrote that he was an insolent man who persecuted Christians. That's one of many reasons the Bible can be trusted, is the honesty of the imperfect human writers used to write  it under inspiration.

I kind of feel sorry for those who are image conscious. They work hard to create an image and carefully maintain it by crafty lies and misleading actions to appear more spiritual, more popular, more wealthy, more attractive, more superior, more intelligent, or more of whatever they want to attain. A certain amount of personal stress and anxiety goes into maintaining this image. They put a mask on to hide their true feelings from others. Last week, a daily text stated, "People lie to protect themselves or promote themselves." Those who have an image to display, stay busy keeping up appearances.

Jehovah knows the whole story. Here's an interesting thing: Even though Jehovah knows every detail of our life, the good, bad and worst, He still wants a relationship with you. James 4:8 says that if we make the effort to draw close to God, he will draw close to us. That includes whatever horrible past you may have had, or a ongoing struggle you deal with now. Our God has an arrangement, the elders, to help us in telling the whole truth about ourselves. If there are no elders, are there psychologists? Psychiatrists? Therapists? Yes, it's okay to tell the whole story to those trained to help, by providing needed counsel, discipline and prayers to God on our behalf, like what job did for the three "friends".

If you want to seem generous, really be generous, not only when it's advantageous for you to appear generous. If you want to appear kind and loving, really be kind and loving, not when people are watching. If you want to appear forgiving, really be forgiving, not only when it benefits you or impresses others. Today's text shows how we can keep from lying to one another in this way. Continue to work hard at it. It isn't easy, but nothing really is easy.

Stay safe.

... the text for June 15, 2020

Buy truth and never sell it. - Prov. 23:23

Yesterday, it was "walking in truth". Today is the step in starting the walk in truth.

The comments say:

Our most precious possession is our relationship with Jehovah, and we would not trade it for anything.

How do you start this relationship? Treasuring Bible truths. It's how we develop that bond with our God

If we sacrifice our time and personal preferences to absorb bible truths, through reading the Bible itself daily or studying through one of the publications available to help us, we can "buy" this truth, and "keep on" maintaining this truth.

jw.org has "Online Bible sessions" available free of charge. There is also many videos, talks, and even music that help us to treasure Jehovah and Bible truths. If you "buy" it with your time and energy and self-sacrifice, you will never have buyer's remorse.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 14, 2020

Go on walking in the truth. - 3 John 3

The truth is what we have learned from the Bible, that keeps us on this path through life. How do we keep walking in truth? The comments state this:

Continue to study the precious truths of God's Word and meditate on them.

Isn't that true? Those who are doctors will consider medical journals to keep up to date on new medicines, procedures, etc. That's how they stay good doctors. Same with any other profession.

I have worked in the mortgage industry for nearly 20 years. When I changed careers to work on computers, I still knew a lot. Over time, though, what I knew slipped away. Now, I don't know anything new.

It is the same when you learn the truths from the Bible.

Now, many say, "Jesus saved me, so I'm always saved." Well, there are scriptures, such as the one aboe, that indicate otherwise. It says, "keep on...", meaning it's maintaining a forward momentum, not a signal to stop. Many who go to church stop "keeping on", and we see the result in all the hatred and anger, prejudice, lies, and everything else.

We need to continue to study and meditate. As we do our weekly Bible reading, we have been given only two chapters to read. Reading them doesn't take much time, but sitting bacck and reflecting on what you read is what's vital to "keep on walking in truth".

If you use audio and listen to it, still pause it when you hear something that impresses you about Jehovah and think about it, then resume listening to it.

I've been trying to get into the mode of reading those two chapters every day for a week, in both English and ASL. I have the best intentions, but imperfection ruins the best of intentions. I tend to meditate too much, which is good, but I need to continually feed the meditation.

So, this text is a good reminder to me to "keep on".

Stay safe!

... how experiences shape life

When I was growing up, I knew a family of four: parents, one son, one daughter. I was best friends with the son. The son was the third generation, taking the name of his father, as his father did his father. So, he had the "III" attached to his name.

He was meant to be the only child. His parent threw all of their attention on him. He got the best of everything he wanted. Some years later, a daughter was born, an "accident". The son continued to prosper and grow in good looks and ego. After high school, he talked his way into a well-paying job and was on a fast track to a successful career.

The daughter didn't fare so well. She was mostly ignored by her parents and wasn't as successful.

In time, the son married a nice girl. They had one boy. The son had created companies, and was very wealthy. When the son turned 18, the wife simply walked away. No words, no explanation, just walked out the door, not coming back.

He had spent so much time building material success, that he forgot about his personal success, and his spiritual success. How sad.

The daughter still lives in the area where she grew up. She is successful in other ways, friends and her ministry, serving Jehovah. But, she has little to no contact with her family. Who could blame her?

Experiences we have in live shape who we are. Good or bad, they shape up. They develop our thinking, our feelings, our emotions, the way we handle stress. Sometimes they contain scars that remain for a lifetime, until someone truly loving and discerning can see and truly help the person to feel "normal".

The experiences I have had have done the same. I use my experiences to demonstrate why I believe what I believe, why I think the way I do, and why I feel the way I feel. I can state them matter-of-factly, acknowleging that they happened, and determine the lessons from them and explain it to others, so that those who have had similar experiences may know: they're not alone, and, there's happiness to be found, somehow.

Somtimes, my experiences leave me angry and bitter, as a "why should this have happened to a nice guy like me?" and I rant. That's what happened the other day.

I began a blog post about value. The values we place on one another, how we automatically place a value based on what we see of a person, but not on how we know that person. The value can increase if we learn more and grow in appreciation and love, or it can decrese based on experiences with that person, if we experience disappointment from something that they had done.

I thought about my experiences and realized some have looked at me and thought, "Well, this guy's deaf, half blind, and looks pretty sorrowful, with little to no potential to be anything more", and stuck an "As-is" price tag on me. Whatever efforts I made to increase my value seemed to go unnoticed. It left me feeling bitter, and I expressed in in my blog draft. I could recall one time that someone really discerned what I needed and helped me.

I was transferred from a hard-of-hearing school to one that was full hearing. I was the only kid with a hearing aid, and this got some ridicule from the other kids. In my fourth grade class, I was flunking the spelling tests because with all the nose, I couldn't hear the teacher say the words we had to spell. She, discerning that I was a very smart kid, could do well in her class, needed help, took time out of her break, to go with me during recess, and we would go out on the field, and sit cross-legged facing each other. She would then give me the spelling test, so I ended up doing well in her class, getting excellent grades.

Now, I wished more people were like her, willing to sacrifice a little to give me a boost, but we're all imperfect and we forget to do the simple things that mean so much to others. So, what do I do now in my old age?

When I read Revelation 21: 4, it says:

And he [Jehovah God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.

Outcry and pain will be gone, forgotten! Like when you ride a bike and fall, and your knee is skinned, the wound goes away. Imagine that!

We ;have a lot of baggage in our life. We carry it around, as trophies and burdens. But, God promises to get rid of our baggage and make it disappear. It won't even come to mind for us to remember, "Yeah, that's how I used to feel." That hope is worth holding onto, for a lot of reasons. It is that hope that keeps us enduring, and endure we must, as we continue to have experiences in this world, and suffer pain, and bitterness and disappointments and resentment.

So, I deleted that blog post. I leave it with Jehovah, who will judge righteoudly and try to stay positive and express upbuilding, positive thoughts for the people that read my posts.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 13, 2020

Grief and sighing will flee away. - Isa. 35:10

As of June 12, 2020, in the United States, we have had over 2 million cases of COVID-19, with almost 114,000 deaths. In the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, sadly, over 700 brothers and sisters have died as a result of this pandemic.

There is grief all around. We hear news of people we know who have gotten sick and who have died. Death is not easy to take. Jehovah did not create us to experience death. Had Adam and Eve remained faithful and obedient, they would be alive today! There would have been no need for God's Kingdom at all!

But, here we are. But, we can meditate on God's promise recorded by Isaiah. It applied first to those released from captivity in Babylon and returned to their home land. There would be no grief or fear of attacks by animals and humans. There would be plenty of food. There would be no need for grief.

The comments on today's test say this:

Isaiah also said that the whole earth - not just the nation of Israel - would "be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea."

There will be a time in the near future when that promise will be fulfilled. Imagine that. Not just over 8 million Jehovah's Witnesses that live on the earth today, but 8 billion or more humans worshiping Jehovah! We have those who have recently died to come back in a resurrection.

If they served Jehovah in their life, they will be overjoyed at waking up again. Those who did not know Jehovah will have the opportunity to be taught about Jehovah and experience being resurrected.

How about those who died during the infamous inquisitions and crusades of times past? They will wake up and learn exactly who Jehovah is.

Grief will definitely flee from our memories and from our bodies. That's something worth grasping and keeping a hold on it.

If something bad makes you sad, keep your eyes fixed on a future so bright, you might have to wear shades.

Stay safe.

... the text for June 12, 2020

We ... speak, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the spirit, as we explain spiritual matters with spiritual words. - 1 Cor. 2:13

The comments today state in part:

God's thinking is superior to that of today;'s world. Living by his thoughts will bring us the greatest happiness and success.

But, but, the answer must lie elsewhere, some think. So, they go after drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity and a host of other things in an effort to establish their own wisdom.

To truly understand spiritual things, it's important to be a spiritual person. If you were going after physical things, spiritual things would make no sense to you. So, you think you can gloss over it or ignore it completely. Well, that's incorrect hinking.

Getting to know Jehovah's thought require effort on our part. Floating through life  or taking the easiest path will not work, it will be fatal. It's important to develop a love for spiritual things in order to gain spiritual understanding. That's why jw.org has so many things to help us develop a love for spiritual wisdom: movies, music, Bible study aids, and more. Many of this information is being translated in as many languages, so that everyone has an opportuity to gain spiritual wisom.

It's not too late to start.

... the text for June 11, 2020

There is no wisdom... in opposition to Jehovah. - Prov. 21:30

Adam and Eve had everything they could want. Plenty of food, perfect bodies, the potential of living forever. They followed someone's bad advice, one who had his own motives, who was not really looking out for Adam and Eve.

Recnetly, I read a story by Louis L'Amour, who was famous for his Westerns. The title of the story was,  "One Mistake Can Kill You." At the end of the story, a man died because he misjudged just how many bullets remained in his opposer's gun.

What happened in the Garden of Eden really did cost the first human pair, and every single descendant after them. What was the wisdom of that? Zero.

Jehovah has always acted in a way that benefits humans, not Himself. Satan always acts in a way to benefit himsef at everyone's expense.

Many copy Satan's attitude. Let's say, you want to enjoy life. So, you demand and require others to improve your life. Let's say you get depressed one day. How do you feel better? By treating a friend with contempt. The friend gets hurt by the contempt, and it really puts a damper on his day. But, somehow, it makes you feel better. So, as long as you feel better, you really don't care how another person feels, even if it's a sense of despair or depression over being treated with contempt. It doesn't prick your conscience or make you feel guilty. After all, you demand that other people make you happy, because you yourself don't know how to make yourself happy.

Imitating Satan is the worst advice anyone can think of. Imitating Jehovah, who benefits us so much, is the much happier goal, one that has everlasting life attached to it. We have free will. We can choose whatever we like, but we must choose wisely if we want true happiness.

... the text for June 10, 2020

A voice came out of the heavens: "You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you." - Mark 1:11

With these words, three statements were made:

1. Jehovah called Jesus his Son.
2. Jehovah loves his Son.
3. Jehovah approved of his Son.

The King James Vesion says this:

Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased

Here, God is clearing saying Jesus is His Son. It's apparent they are two separate individuals. So, why is there a common belief that they are equal?

I had a woman at the door tell me that Jesus was not created, but was a Divine Being. There are scriptures in both the Old Testament and New Testament that clearly define Jesus as an "only begotten", marking that he was created by God.

Paul wrote this: "Who [Jesus], although existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal with God." (Phil. 5:16)

It's interesting that other Bibles translate this verse differently. King James says, "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." The American Standard Version notes: "counted not the being onan equality with God a thing to be grasped." The Byington Bible renders this verse as, "did not regard equality with God as a prize". 

This is an important truth to know about the Almighty God and Jesus. it's life or death. So, it's crucial to have the Bible available in a language that is current and easily understood.

You can use whatever Bible you feel comfortable with. That's not the issue of which Bible. The important thing ias that if you honestly want to serve God, accurate knowledge is key. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures has been updated since it's inception in the early 60s. Why is it revised? To be clearer and more readily understood.

After all, Jesus prayed in John 17:3 that "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."

Other Bibles:
King James: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  "
American Standard Version: "And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ."
Byington Bible: "and this is what the eternal life is, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."

jw.og has the Bible Online. They also have many different Bible translations on the scriptures you're reading, showing you how that verse reads in other versions. Why do they do this? Because they understand that you may have grown up with a certain Bible, and comparing Bibles is great, as it helps to get a clearer picture of what it reveals about Jehovah and his Son.

Stay safe!   

... the text for June 9, 2020

Do not be anxious, for I am your God. - Isa. 41:10

When Jehovah spoke this, it was to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, before they were freed to go back to Jerusalem. These reassruing words stregnthened them back then.

These words strengthen me now. I try to be Jehovah's servant. Despite being deaf and legally blind, I still try to do what I can. I meditate constantly on the passages of the Bible I'm reading; I pray to him incessantly (1 Thess. 5:17).

Sometimes, my prayer results in me signing different expressions, or moving my mouth to speak. To others, they may think I'm mentally deficient, a lunatic. But, I'm expressing; how I'm feeling about that particular day and no one should consider me as inferior, or make fun of me, or hold me in contempt.

I feel Jehovah with me every day, even when I feel like it's no use, like I can't get credit for any good I think I'm doing. I continue on, I struggle forward, I keep my head bowed down as if I'm pushing into a Force 3 wind. I can't lay down and feel sorry for myself.

Routine and sticking to the routine helps me. It would be to easy to just lay there and mope, so I get up and so something useful. Sometimes, it's playing a video game, like online gold (which I love and hate at the same time) or something mundane like Solitaire, but I'm doing something. And it helps me think.

Be assured that at this point of time, it's ever more crucual to remember that Jehovah is with his servants, he will not abandon them, and he provides his holy spirit to the ones leading the organization to wisely tread the path through disease, apathy and persecution. We will make it through.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 8, 2020

Seek meekness. - Zeph. 2:3

A very short scripture, but also profound in that it is so difficult to apply in this day and age. Meek people do not organize protests, defy government authorities, or loot. But, many view meekness as a weak quality, somthing to disdain or show contempt for.

For me, all my life I have been an easy-going guy and flexible. I don't demand anything or issue commands like a dictator. Yet, people see me as weak, easy to manbipulate, a human carpet to walk on. So, when I stand up for myself, it causes shock, then resentment, then some increase their contempt in an effort to show me up, to prove they are better at being mean than me.

To truly be meek, today's excerpt from the Watchtower, dated February 2019, pp. 8-9, paragraphs 3-5:

...we must combine a number of appealing qualities to be meek. Prominent among those qualities are humility, submissiveness, mildness, and inner strength.

When people show me contempt or disdain, or show a lack of concern for how I feel, I do admit that I boil inside with rage. Then, I pray to Jehovah to calm me, and I meditate on His words, recorded at Heb. 10:30: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay". Then I pray to leave it in his hands to judge.

Some who see that I don't react the way they expect, tend to be bolder and treat me worse, as if to try to start a fight. But, no, I have learned in my life to develop inner strength to not stress overmuch in matters I can 't control. I can't change other people. They have to change themselves.

If we continue to work on developing the qualities needed to have meekness: humility, submissiveness and mildness, we can be successful in being meek in such a heartless, cruel world, thus bringing Jehovah's favor and blesseings.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 7, 2020

Let, not my will, but yours take place. - Luke 22:42

The comment made this statement:

He [Jesus]  was fully awre that his enemies would soon humiliate, beat, and execute him.

Yes, Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to him. Can you imagine that? How would you feel that soon you would die in a car accident, caused by a drunk driver, on a particular night. If you knew before hand, would you change your route to avoid it? MJost people would.

That makes Jesus' sacrifice so special, in that he didn't try to alter the course of things, but humbly submitted to his Father's will. And it brings untold blessings upon all of us.

Today, we have many brothers and sisters in Russia, who are under ban. Many have been sent to prison, or on trial. Some have been beaten and tortured. Yet, knonwing all these things would happen, did they change their course to avoid it? No, and it's a testament to our Father, Jehovah, who provides holy spirit to keep them calm under persecution.

We, who live in countries where religion is practiced freely, should heed these faithful examples. On a future date, things will change. We may come under ban, it may be vicious or it may be restrictive, but, it's a ban. How will we react? We should expect persection. We should not be surprised or dismayed that it happened or is happening. "Oh, no! It's starting already?" Yes, and it will spread all over the earth, as Jehovah's prophecies continue to be fulfilled.

If you read you Bible everyday, continue doing so. It's important to meditate on it, for you may end up with no Bible or Watchtower or videos to watch and songs to listen to. Maintain vigilant and frequent prayer to Jehovah, for that will the lifeline you will need. Keep thinking of the future where all with serve Jehovah happily forever in true peace and security under His heavenly Kingdom.

Stay safe!

... the text for June 6, 2020

Can a woman forget her nursing child or have no compassion for the son of her womb? Even if these women forget, I would never forget you. - Isa. 49:19

We all know the strong bond between a mother and her baby. Can you realize that Jehovah really cares for you? Isaiah's book is full of expressions from Jehovah, such as the one above. Yesterday, we learned that when we're distressed, He is distressed also. Today, He expresses that he loves us just like a mother loves her child.

I have to maditate on this because I feel unloved. I don't feel worthy, because I make a lot of mistakes, and can't seem to keep it together. Sometimes, when I do good, I feel that no credit is due to me because I do something right, like the debt is just too much.

So, knowing Jehovah really feels that way is a comfort to me, that even if I'm alone or disconnected from everything, I am not truly abandoned. I have to remind myself that God will turn his attention to the world at large, and all of us, yes, all of us, will be judged based on what's in our hearts. There is no escape, so if you think you can balance the sheet by showing everyone how good you can be, but if your heart is not complete, Jehovah will know it.

I think about the simplicity of the events in Genesis. Cain made a sacrifice of vegetables to Jehovah. The sacrifice was fine, it was an acceptable sacrifice. How do we know? Later, the Israelites were given the option of doing grain offerings and other kinds that didn't involve meat, or life. So, the sacrifice was good, in itself.

So, what was wrong? Why did God not accept Cain's sacrifice? Because, Jehovah looked at Cain's heart, and found something there that he didn't like. So, the sacrifice was rejected.

Knowing this about Jehovah helps us to really examine ourselves, our motives, our personality. We have to tell ourselves the cold truth. We can't hide anything or cover it up, so why try? Why fool other humans? It may gain you prestige and popularity, but in the long run, it doesn't trick our Father. Can we use it as a bargaining chip, "Hey, everyone likes me, so I get a ticket to paradise." No, it doesn't work that way. Jehovah isn't impressed by our showing off.

Jehovah loves us so dearly, and He has so much compassion for us sinful humans. And that is truly beautiful. Let us not abuse it.

His justice is perfect, so if I stand before him, and there's something in me that's displeasing to Him, I'm still accountable. No blame can be placed on anyone else. So, again, we're reminded of the love and mercy and compassion, but it's an incentive to do our best to find favor with Jehovah.

Continue to do your best.

,,, the text for June 5, 2020

During all their distress it was distressing to him. - Isa. 63:9

The "him" in this scripture is Jehovah, Himself. The comments for today say this:

Jehovah does more than just feel compassion for his servants who suffer.

When something you witness distresses you, you want to take action, some step to relieve the affliction. Jehovah is the same way. The comments point out how He heard the outcries and witnesses the suffereing of the Israelites under Egyptian slavery. (Ex. 3:7, 8)

He is our empathetic Father, the One who understands us. He is aware of what goes on, how we are treated by others. What a wonderful God!

Many paint Him as unknowable, distant, out of reach of us, but through the pages of the Bible, He proves otherwise. Judges is probably one of my favorite books to read, and there will be many posts about it.

Why do I like it? Because it describes how the nation of  Israel enjoyed blessings from Jehovah, then they sin against Him by following other gods. He withdraws his protection, and they suffer at the hands of other nations oppressing them. They cry out to Jehovah, repent of their wrong ways, and Jehovah forgives them, sending judges to save his people.

The funny thing is, it's a cycle of sorts. Everything is great, then they got sloppy in their worship, things go bad, they feel bad and repent, Jehovah forgives and helps, then the cycle repeats itself. Can't they just figure out that doing good is the best course.

But no, they're imperfect, so they make the same mistake over and over, never really learning it. But, the book of Judges shows Jehovah's ability to forgive and to show real compassion for his imperfect servants, even when they're repeat offenders. But His patience does run out. When Jesus was put to death, he gave up on the Israelites completely, establishing a covenant with a spiritual Israel.

Isn't that the same today? Yes. For me, I have repeated my mistakes only to experience pain, then I realize that Jehovah is the One to worship in truth. So, I change.

But, I change. I try to change. I make the effort to change. I'm not perfect, and it's a long road for me. But, that's the key. We read about Jehovah's mercy and forgiveness, but there is a point. It's not limitless. It's important to try to change. Jehovah does appreciate the effort we make in that regard, and he will provide the help necessary for us to be successful. And many are successful! (1 Cor. 6:9, 10) Believing that He will accept us for who we are is wrong thinking, because the scriptures indicate otherwise, that we have to "strip off  the old personality" (Col. 3:9) That brings to mind a person taking paint off of an automobile's fender. The paint is removed all the way to the bare metal, the imperfections and blemishes are repaired (sanded down, a new piece of metal welded in), then a new coat of paint is applied. This must be done, otherwise the new paint on top of the old paint will reveal imperfections and will not adhere. Eventually, it flakes off. So, we're taught to completely remove it. Eph. 4:22 says to "put away the old personality that conforms to your former course of conduct". It's not easy, but it needs to be done.

You can succeed in doing so. Our empathetic Father feels for us, understands us, knows everything about us, and will truly help us in his compassion that moves Him to action on our behalf.

... the text for June 4, 2020

As for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it. - Gen. 2:17

In the face of everything Adam and Eve had, this command seems like a simple directive. It ended up being a matter of life and death.

Think about it. Jehovah had provided super-abundantly to the first human pair. For example, there are 3,000 known varieties of pears in the world today. There are around 2,500 varieties of apples.

Did Adam and Eve have any needs that were unfulfilled? No!

As imperfect people, we are prone to test the forbidden. Have you seen a sign declaring "Wet Paint" and suddenly get the urge to test and see if the statement is true? Adam and Eve were perfect! Satan made it so appealing to Eve, that she harbored the desire for it, and took her own action, showing a lack of respect to her husband and Jehovah.

And so it goes. People in the world today don't realize that authority is in place with Jehovah's permission to provide order and structure. We have Stop signs at intersections, not to cramp our freedom, but to keep us from killing ourselves and others. The Bible states that husbands are considered heads of the family. That's Jehovah's direction and structure. So, imagine if a wife routinely disobeys her husband, doesn't follow his instructions, makes her own decisions with his input, lies to him or misleads him, shows him contempt, attempts to dominate and control her mate, what is she really doing?

She's doing it to Jehovah, the God, the One who established the marriage arrangement, and set how it's supposed to work. Oh, but my mom acted that way and everything was okay. Well, sorry but the Bible is the better example to follow. Everything goes up and down the hierarchy.

If I disrespect the elders, it's the same as disrespect to Jehovah; if the elders disrespect the Governing Body, or ignores Branch instructions, they're doing the same to Jehovah; if children disobey their parents, it goes up the chain and everyone up the line is disrespected. Everyone is accountable to Jehovah. (Rom. 14:12)

The world doesn't care about that. That's why they protest and complain about everything, without realizing the God who provided everything for man to live is figaratively jabbed and poked and reproached.

He is getting ready to act soon, and He will, He promises. We need to examine ourselves and think about why we act the way we do, stop blaming other people, and accept the counsel and discipline Jehovah provides through his Word, the Bible and the organization he uses to take care of His servants.

... the text for June 3, 2020

Be courageous and strong. Do not be struck with terror or fear; for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go. - Josh. 1:9

Upon first reflection of this scripture, I thought of how the Examining the Scriptures Daily is produced. During this year, there are ones busy compiling the daily texts for 2021.

Yet, today's scripture is so timely! It's at the perfect moment that we're reading this! In my area, there is looting and violence. People are protesting and lashing out at anything. Others are scared and paranoid about what's going on, and then we get the words of Joshua to the nation of Israel, at the beginning of their conquest of Canaan.

And yes, we as Jehovah's Witnesses, do see that Jehovah has been with us every step of the way. We don't need to quake with fear, or be shocked at what we see around us. As this week begins, we are encouraged to strength and encourage one another, knowing that Jehovah is with us and is guiding us through His organization on earth to make our way to the new system, where His Kingdom will rid the earth of those who are wicked. Gone will be disease, anger, hate, prejudice, famine, pollution, war and many other things, to be replaced by unity and true love for God and neighbor

Hold your heads up, and look straight ahead.

... the text for June 2, 2020

Let us [encourage] one another and all the more so as you see the day drawing near. - Heb. 10:24, 25

Recently, our congregation started doing morning worship via Zoom, where the elders and others assigned to discuss either the daily text or something encouraging such as good experiences. They do this because of the need to encourage one another, not forsaking gathering together but joining together in unity in serving Jehovah.

We are all isolated now. Stay-at-home orders, lockdowns, quarantines really make it a challenge. The ability to use Zoom, or Skype or FaceTime allows us to see each other and see their smiles.

The common goal of the command above given by Jehovah is to build up each other's faith. As the scripture notes, the "day drawing near" means that things will get worse. There will be more diseases, more protest, more insanity. So, while the world is acting out their frustration by looting and burning, we sit calmy in our living rooms and talk with one another and provide strength and positivity.

We are grateful to Jehovah for the provision he provides through the Governing Body, to have meetings and regular schedule to meeting together to discuss Bible-related topics. Don't let anything get in the way of that, it's too important in this moment of time we are passing through.

... the text for June 1, 2020

No matter what you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. - John 15:16

We truly can't ask Jehovah for anything. How do we know? The comments have this to say:

Jehovah was ready to answer their prayers for any help they needed to carry out the command to preach the Kingdom message.

So, today, we ask Jehovah for help in doing his will, not ask for our own desires, such as preyers for a good paying job, financial security and other things of that nature.

We can see Jehovah's answers to our prayers when we read the Bible and receive needed counsel. We humbly ask for guidance and direction on  making wise decisions so that we can be in a position to serve him more fully. We can pray for our brothers and sisters and He will respond with holy spirit and support for them.

When I get irritated or frustrated by something, I pray to Jehovah to help me to contain my  anger, help in not being bitter or to hold grudges, to consign my propblems to God for Him to take care of. He answers by calming me down, helping me to reflect on what He promises through his Word, the Bible.

Jesus, quoted above, was talking about the preaching work. He was going to die soon, so he wanted to comfort his disciples by letting them know they were not left in the lurch, to figure things out for themselves, but Jehovah would provide what is necessary to assist them in accomplishign His will.

We have the same assurance today, even when our preaching is limited by the pandemic, and many have found ways to still preach, with letter writing and focusing on their Bible studies. That is wonderful to see and hear.

... the Bible reading for week of June 1-7, 2020 (Gen. 44-45)

Genesis 44-45

The scriptures I liked this week were:

Gen. 44:13

Then they ripped their garments apart...

This action was a strong emotion caused by despair, grief, humiliation, indignity or mourning. While this isn't practiced today, we can still apply this. Do we figuratively "rip our garments" in the sense of feeling true remose for things we have done? If we do so, we demonstrate to Jehovah how sorry we truly are, and can receive forgiveness from Him, along with any discipline that's needed, even being disfellowshipped? It's important to think about, if we are truly humble

Gen. 45:5

...do not repraoch one another because you sold me here; because God has sent me ahead of you for the preservation of life.

 Joseph may not have understood Jehovah's purpose in giving him the dreams, but it was clear to him now. He clearly had no grudge againt them, even during the time from when he was sold until he revealed himself to them. Can we do the same today? When circumstances arise, or we may have experienced something, we can have confidence that Jehovah knows exactly what's going on and everything will be revealed when He is ready to reveal it. Joseph is a good example of maintaining focus on Jehovah and His will, not dwelling on our own situation, and being forgiving to one another, which is all the more important in this stream of time.

Gen. 45:20

Do not worry about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.

 The brothers were given wagons to transport their father, theire wives and children. They weren't required to bring anything other than their flocks. What a nice display of good will from Pharaoh.

... a walk in the park

Today, we decided to go to our local park, to walk the dog and also feed the squirrels, my wife's favorite activity. She's an animal lover and even made a bird feeder, which she hangs at the rear of our apartment building, the the birdies. One day, a peacock showed up and helped himself. There were some squirrels in the area, living in the huge tree that sits in the middle of an empty field behind our place. So, they were raiding the bird feeder.

So, my wife took an old plastic water bottle, cut a big hole and put peanuts into it for the squirrels, so we have a bird feeer and a squirrel feeder.

anyway, so we went to this park, where there are many squirrels. She had a bag of peanuts in the car, slightly aged. So, as we walked through the park, the dog sniffing and digging in the layer of pine needels that covered the ground. She would grab some peanuts and drop them at the base of one or two trees.

The squirrels scurried down and took some. The dog barked. There was a gentle breeze. My hearing aid is broken at the moment, so the volume is very low, but I could hear the sound of sirens as police cars and fire trucks rushed by on the way to somewhere, Code-3, lights and siren blaring.

As we walked around, my wife grew agitated. She told me, there were strange people in the park (all this in sign language), I respondend, "What made them strange?" She did the sign for sick and tapped the side of her head.

Yes, acrooss the street there was a halfway house for those who were mentally ill. At that time of the day, a group of them were in the park. They weren't bothering us, we were quite a distance away.

She signed that one woman, her pants were off. I asked her if she had underwear on, and she shook her head. So, there was a woman running around naked from the waist down. I didn't look, and I couldn't see that well anyway. She wanted to go. Her facial expression was distraught, she shielded her eyes as from a bright light, and looked away. "Let's go now," She said, so we cut our park sojourn short.

There are two types of mentally ill people I've found: those who are obviously ill; the other have managed to keep it covered up, making it through life appearing a little eccentric., they don't readily admit that they have problems, they sometimes deny it. But, they get by.

There is a future, Isaish 33:24 says, where no one will be sick. That is such an amazing hope, that even those who end up homeless because of their mental state, or they're dealing with schizophrenia, multiple personalities, manic depression, mania, psychosis will be cured. it will be a thing of the past. None of that will exist under God's wonderful Kingdom. If you or someone you know and love is dealing with mental illness, there is hope. And it isn't a plethora of drugs, it's true healing by Jesus Christ, our Lord amd King.

... the Night of the Drive-Thrus

Yesterday, the city I live in instituted a curfew. The first night, they started the curfew at 8pm. Today, we all got an emergency alert on our phones, notifying us that the curfew continues today from 8pm to 5:30am.

This was around 4 or so. At about 5:30, we get an updated alert, saying the curfew is from 6pm to 6am! What ensued? Pandemonium!

I had been craving fish and chips from this sports bar we frequently go to. So, we drove over there, called in and was told they ran out of fish! What to do? My wife suggested this burger place we usually go to. Okay. We drive over there, and there is a long line for the drive=thru. Cars were lined up out on the boulevard. In all my years here, we have never seen that.

I didn't want to wait, so I mentioned a fast-food Mexicam restaurant. We drive there. Huge line. Strangley, the In-N-Out burger place was closed! They are usually the busiest, but today, nada.

I said, forget it. We have food at home. Everyone is trying to get dinner before the curfew starts. Many will not be happy. So, we drive home, passing several other fast-food places, all with long lines out into the street. Complete bedlam. I imagine it was just as bad everywhere else in the city.

I can understand it needed to be done. There have been rioting, arson and looting in many cities around the country, in protest of a policeman killing a civilian. Everyone is angry at the government curtailing their "freeedom" by causing businesses to close, wearing masks in public, so the curfew is just one more log for the blazing fire. Is Protest the Answer?

I am pround to be in an organization that gives us direction and tells us to be calm, just follow the medical advice, the government edicts. It's all really for our good, so we are glad to obey.

Luke 21:26 quotes Jesus as saying what will happen during the "last days": "People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth..." And that's exactly what's happening. People don't know what to do, so they're lashing out at anything and everything.

Trust in Jehovah, and He will carry us through this time. What we see today will be worse tomorrow. 

Keep the fait, and be safe.

... the text for May 31, 2020

Let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. - Eccl. 11:9

I graduated high school at age 17. I was also baptized that year. I didn't pioneer right away, but I did try to be regular in the ministry, going out during the week.  I had one preaching buddy, a cranky old man, who lived in his little RV. His wife had recently left him for a doctor, leaving him with little. But, he had a faith in Jehovah and was always at meetings and service. So, we worked together often.  He was in his 70s, and i was 17; he was overweight, I was awkward and skinny. Kind of like Laurel and Hardy.

I had thought about Bethel service, but didn't do it. I considered pioneering, but it didn't happen. My folks were not pushy, they didn't try to help me set goals or take part in anything. It wasn't until later, when I was in my 30s and 40s, that I tried doing more. I was able to pioneer for one year. I was in the RBC, working as a help desk for a program that volunteers could sign up for and allows for finding help quickly for special skills, etc.

Now, I'm past 50, and I feel frustrated that I can only do so much with my current disabilities. I can't just hop in a car and drive where ever. I need ridges and help with things. All I can be is a presence in my congregation, and participate in the meetings. I still pray to Jehovah about what else I can do. So, I started this blog.

The idea of the blog is to review the text, but also find applications for me in my life. I have experienced so many things. I thank Jehovah that I am able to have the insight on what the scriptures mean, not only to me, but maybe to some of you as well. If you don't serve Jehovah, reading this will teach you more about him, but also realize that we're all imperfect people. I have made many mistakes in life, but I try to apply what I read. Such as having an "inner truth", so to put that into action, I told myself no to do anything that I would need to lie about.

I say to the younger ones, if you have a desire for theocraic things, go for it. Don't wait for mom and dad to approve. Don't wait for your friends to do it so that you can follow their example. Efforts large and small are always appreciated by God, and he can do amazing things with the little effort you put in.

Do it with a complete heart, and you will be able to look back on your life and have good memories to cherish, and the good memories will cover over the bad, the mistakes that we all make in life.

Stay safe

.. the text for May 30, 2020

Accept the helmet of salvation. - Eph. 6:17

One day, I was preaching with my friend. We were in Pasadena, and we decided to walk through a few stores, using sign language to attract deaf ones.

My friend is a shutterbug. He is constantly taking pictures of whatever with his phone. So, we were walking along the street, I with my cane, he with his phone out snapping away. I didn't know he had stopped to take a picture of a sign, so I kept walking.

Then I noticed he wasn't there, so I turned and looked back. A woman was passing me and as I stood there looking for my buddy, she tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Do you need help?" She was a short, black woman, about 30 or so. I smiled and said, "No, I'm just waiting for my friend," just as he arrived at my side. She smailed and nodded. I thanked her for her help.

We talked to a couple of people at a bus stop, then crossed to the other side of the avenue, and walked back. We were getting hungry, and we wanted to meet up with other members of our group who were off elsewhere, so we headed back toward the car.

As we walked along, the same woman that tried to help me, she caught up with us and tapped me on the shoulder. She exlaimed, "I didn't realize that you were deaf and blind, I'm so sorry!" She went on to tell me that when she was younger, she had a temporary blindness that afflicted her for a week. She also said that she has tender feelings for those who are disabled. Then she said, "I will pray for you."

I graciously thanked her, but she kept on, "No, I will pray for you. I can put my hands on you, and you will receive sight!" I then understood, she was a faith healer. She confirmed it when she said, "I am a pastor and have my own church. I can lay my hands on you and pray, and your eyes will be opened. Don't you want that?"

I told her, "I truest my God, Jehovah. He has an appointed time, and will heal me. Meanwhile, I will continue to do what I can with the aid of my friends. She became incredulous. "What? Don't' you want to be healed now? I can do it in no time." "No, I truest God and will wait patiently for him to ..." "But," she interrupted, "why go through the suffering, what's the tpoint of it?"

My friend and I showed her scriptures and tried to explain that Christ's true followers would suffer and endure. We had to pick up our torture stake and follow him. My torture stake happens to be my eyes and my ears, and I go through it.

"What would you do, if I heal you, right here, right now?" First of all, if she was going to pray for me, she needed to have her head covered. I didn't point that out. I also knew that the truth was, if she could have healed me, it wasn't with Jehovah's backing, and it would be the work of Satan, who blinds people to the true knowledge of God, Jesus, death, and many other teachings. I said, "I trust my God."  She threw up her hands, and walked away, "Okay, keep on sufferin'!"

The comments today in the text say this:

Satan surely knew that Jesus had the hope of eventually ruling mankind. But Jesus would have to wait until Jehovah's appointed time. And before then, he would have to suffer and die. So Satan offered Jesus the chance to fulfill his hope sooner.

That helmet is an important part of the armor. Let the helment of salvation protect our thinking, in that we wait for Jehovah, the one who can heal. I keep repeating it as a mantra, the words of Micah 7:7, which says, "I will keep on the lookout for  Jehovah, I will show a waiting attitude for the God of my salvation."

Keep the hope alive. It will be here; it will not be late.

... the text for May 29, 2020

The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one. - 1 John 5:19

Recently, a couple returned from a road trip to Chicago and bck. They related that on this trip, when ever they stopped, they wore their masks. In some areas, people were not wearing masks and so others looked upon this couple with hostile looks.

In Minnesota, people are rioting and burning down buildings and looting. All this in protest of the government institting a lockdown due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Many are angry.

It is clear from the scripture above why things are the way they are. How does it start?

The comments today make this point:

He [Satan] understands that storytelling does much more than entertain us; it teaches us how to think, feel, and act.

 We have a slew of films and television shows that promote violence, rebellion, anger, contempt, prejudices, hatred of family members, and so on. We must be careful what we watch. If we keep watching these types of entertainment, we start to emulate and think the same way. It's not good.

Soon, the ruler of this world will be cast out, along with the people that follow him. Gone will be the vile and selfish "what's in it for me" attitudes that is so prevalent today.

Imagine a place where everyone smiles and is truly your friend, with no motives or selfish reasons attached. I long for that world, and it's getting closer everyday.

... the text for May 28, 2020

Jehovah became furious at Solomon. - 1 Kings 11:9

Jehovah was righteously angry with Solomon, because He had warned him about seeking other gods. How did Solomon end up on this path? Well, he did have many wives, who did not worship Jehovah. In time, he turned away from God, the one who gave him supassing wisdom.

When I was married to my first wife, it was good for a time. Then what happened was that she didn't feel like going to the meetings. I was serving as a ministerial servant at the time. Monday nights were our book study (about 27 years ago). We carpooled to work, so on that night, my wife would cajole me into going to a sports bar. Then it became regular, and so, our meeting attendance started to drop.

In time, I was removed as a minsterial servant, because I was absent all the time from meetings. I did love my wife, so I allowed her to influence me in that way.

I was inactive for five years. When I mustered up the strength to go to meetings again, and studying, my wife started to persecute me. She would purposely start a fight with me on meeting nights, so that i would be too angry or upset to go. I caught onto her game, so I went to the meetings mad and upset anyway.

She had even gone so far as to tell me that she wanted me to love her even though she wanted to be worldly. I told her I loved Jehovah first, so it became a competition with her to get me to sin against Jehovah.

Eventually, I gave in, haviing met a woman at a computer club meeting. I got divorced, and that was that. But, the damage I had received was so great, it took almost 10 years after my divorce to feel whole again.

It's important to remember, Micah 7:6 says your enemy is your household. That's exactly how Satan uses the situation. So, one would be weaker than the other and the effect is similar to a bowl of apples. If one rots, it affects the others so that they're rotten to. It's crucial to have the resolve that nothing will get in the way of your worship to Jehovah. Evem an innocent action like missing the occasional meeting, not studying, skipping Bible reading, sleeping in when you should be going in service, these can have a cumulative effect, so let us work hard to maintain a strong spiritual routine.

Bad associations come in two flavors: one is very clear, the other very subtle. Satan uses the subtle because it works gradually, slowly eroding away the faith and the habits until it's gone.

Solomon was the wisest man on earth, but he lost it all with associating with the wrong people. It's a good thing to make friends who want the best for you. Anything else is dangerous.

A preaching experience from Sweden

An experience from an convention in Sweden. I received the video, which the brother translated into English:

The brother who was interviewing asked the first sister if she finds it easy doing store-to-store service and she answers right away, "No. It has never been easy for me. It has always been a struggle to find the courage to do it, til one day I mustered up the courange and I entered a shoe store, and simply put the magazines on the counter and said to the lady, "These are for you", and then I left the store quickly because of feeling uncomfortable.

Then the microphone was passed to the second sister and she said, "Yes, I am that sales lady at the shoe store. I began to read the magazines very quickly, and in a short while I said to myself, 'Incredible! This is the truth'!And I read all the magazines with great interest, and said to myself, 'If these magazines are so interesting and so practical, they probably also will be for someone else, so I gave them to the owner of the shoe store."

Then she passes the microphone to the brother next to her, and he says, "I was the owner of that store. And I read the magazines in the park during my break. And the deeper I got into the material, the more it became clear to me that this is the truth! This is fantastic! I want to give someone else this opportunity to read these magazines, so I left them on the edge of the park bench."

The brother passes the microphone [to the brother next to him], "I was someone who did not have a home or a place to stay anymore. I happened to sit on the bench and saw the magazine, and said, 'I was already once a Jehovah's Witness, but I had left the truth because I thought of living my life, I wanted to explore and see what was out there, but things went from bad to worse, to the point of losing everything. After that point, it was not clear to me that Jehovah was waiting for me to return, but on seeing the magazines, it helped me to understand that. And by reading them, it helped me to take the step to return to Jehovah."

And he [the first brother] asked the first sister if she had anything else to say, "Yes! You see, this young man who found the magazines on the park bench, he is my son."

... the ringing in my ears

Since I was born deaf, I can only hear really loud noises. I can take my hearing aid off at a concert and hear just fine. Recently, the hearing aid broke, so I don't hear much of anything, except the dog barking.

Don't imagine that everything is peaceful and quiet. I really have the most horrendous case of tinnitus or commonly known as ringing in the ears.

I had endured this all of my life, and I don't think there's a cure for it. I hadn't looked, anyway.

At first, it would sound like a bomb dropping. It starts at a high whistle, then lowers through the octaves and then stops. No explosions. Other times it's just a comstant sound, like someone holding a key on an organ and just holding it there indefinitely.

Lately, it is more of a hissing buzz. It moves on to static, as if I have the dial set between radio stations. To ward it off, sometimes I play music in my head, but even that is getting on my nerves.

Two years ago, my hearing aid was getting warranty work done, so I did not hear for a week. During this week was a special medley of David Gilmour (of Pink Floyd fame) playing guitar solos. Shine On You Crazy Diamong, Another Brick In the Wall Pt. 2, and other various tunes. I try to switch it up by playing classical music in my noggin, Mozart mostly. But, it doesn't drown out th emonotonous buzzing or motorcyles, static, bombs.

Sometimes the tinnitus provides a counterpoint to the music I'm thinking of, and if there was a way to attach electrodes to my head to hear the music, I'd be famous like Beck or Kraftwerk, who are known for their interesting musical accompaniments. I love them both.

But, I endure. Just ahead will be a time when I won't need a hearing aid, and instead, I'll be putting a pillow over my head to block real sounds of crickets and other nocturnal life.