Depression

This system is about to be destroyed and so we are feeling the effects of being further and further away from depression. Well, what are some of the causes of depression?

There could be many different things. We could be depressed over our physical condition--maybe we're not able to do what we once were or we're sickly. Could be an imbalance—if the chemicals in our brain are affecting us. Or perhaps we've had some financial reversals or a traumatic loss such as the loss of a loved one to death--or the loss of a job that we thought we'd have until we retired and one day they just let you go.

It could be that you were an innocent victim to abuse when you were younger, or even somewhat as an adult. It could even be that we're disappointed by our own shortcomings, our own sins. Maybe we've done something in the past and because of that we continue to feel that gnawing at us and causing us to feel depressed.

Well, Jehovah God has given us an education and he's provided information for us on how to deal with depression. At Isaiah 50:4 there it reads this way: "The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself has given me the tongue of the taught ones, that I may know how to answer the tired one with a word." So we have to know how and God has done that through his organization and through the scriptures. And when you look at the Watchtower and Awake magazines and you go back for some years or so you see that those magazines have been in the forefront on information on depression.

It's amazing that they were talking about it before others even really recognized it as a real malady. So have we taken advantage of those articles? What we're going to do this is highlight some of the specific points they make through the years

We can't cover all twenty-some years, But we are going to highlight some very specific key points that are made. For instance if you're suffering with depression, the first thing we must recognize is that with Jehovah God there's always light at the end of the tunnel. When we're depressed we feel bogged down, sometimes as if we're just drowning in a black hole unable to get out. But it's true with some depression it may carry on right until the end. But there's that light at the end of the tunnel or perhaps we can do things suggested that will alleviate it a little bit or even get rid of it in this system.

Well, how would you describe depression? Here's how one doctor described it. He said, “Sometimes I use the analogy of a calculator. If the batteries get run down, no matter what numbers you punch in you will not get a reliable answer. So I tell someone suffering from major depression that his batteries have run down temporarily--he's going to get some strange ideas and come to some weird conclusions but that will only be while the disturbance is there—when the problem goes things will be better.”

You see this doctor deals with depression all the time so he has an understanding of it. Have you ever had a calculator that runs only on batteries that are wearing down? He's right, you can't trust it. You see it comes up with all kinds of numbers.

What's interesting about this doctor, he doesn't just appreciate depression, he appreciates what Jehovah's people endure in this system. You see he's our Christian brother and an elder in the congregation. He knows what's always been stated, that if you are depressed--and we want to make this very clear--it is not a spiritual problem.

You are not morally weak. You see it's just a part of this wicked system that we're all trying to cope with. It's true that spiritual problems and so forth could accompany depression if we haven't taken ahold of all God has given us. But you see we're not bad people. You're not a spiritual failure. You don't have mental weaknesses. Instead we're trying to cope.

You see Jehovah God knows that even if we're depressed we can only do so much in that condition. So he doesn't hold it against you that you should be doing more and this and that. He understands why that's the case.

While we look at depression, and we understand that it doesn't mean that we're a spiritual failure, we should be able to talk about it and not be embarrassed.
At Proverbs 12:25 it says, "Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down but the good word is what makes it rejoice." So you notice no one here knows the anxiety in your heart, only you do as well as Jehovah God. And that anxiety is going to do what to us?

If it continues to build it is just going to bow our heart down. We just can't take it all. So we need to talk about it. Many who have talked about their feelings have found out that they're very normal. The weren't odd and they weren't bad people, but these were feelings that others naturally have. It also served to relieve them because now all those things aren't bottled up within us and causing us to feel worse.

And then you notice at the end of verse 25 in Proverbs it says "the good word is what makes it rejoice." So now that we share this, we get this out, now others can give us good words and fill our heart back up with other thoughts. Makes sense right.

Often when we're depressed we get in a cycle of thinking some of the same thoughts, often negative, about what we're not doing, what we don't have, what we're missing in our life instead of thinking positive thoughts as well. That's where these good words come in to assist us.

At times some have been so depressed they felt others around them, their family, their friends, were better off even without them—feeling just completely worthless. But from God's point of view none of us are worthless. Look at John chapter 3. This helps us. At John 3: 16 it says, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten son in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life."

So the idea of personal worthlessness stabs at the heart of the truth of the Bible's teaching of the ransom. You see Satan the Devil is the one who wants us to feel worthless, that we can't serve our God, don't pray to him, you're not worth it. He's trying to put that wedge between us and our heavenly Father.

All of us have worth before God. He gave his only-begotten son, a tremendous cost he paid by letting his son die in our behalf. To Jehovah, life is precious. That includes your life. What's more, Jehovah God knows you by name, he knows everything there is to know about you and he still loves you.

Look at his view of us as humans at Psalm 103. Think of yourself now, don't think of others as you read this, but think of how Jehovah God feels about you. Psalm 103:8-10: "Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness. He will not for all time keep finding fault, neither will he to time indefinite keep resentful. He has not done to us even according to our sins, nor according to our errors has he brought upon us what we deserve."

Jehovah hasn't given any of us what we deserve. We're all imperfect and we Sin many times but you see he doesn't hold that to account, he doesn't keep finding fault.
Sometimes as God's people, we beat ourselves up. We set the bar too high and we constanty think about what we're not doing and how that's going to displease God. But you notice He doesn't keep resentful to time indefinite.

Maybe we've sinned, committed a gross sin, but if we've come forward to the congregation through the elders as we should, that was the relief. We've gone to God. Now he says move on. If we've done something and haven't come forward, that's going to be a burden until we do.

I appreciated an article in an Awake about a sister who had given up her son at a young age and both of them had contact with the truth. He came into the truth and is serving as an elder in a congregation and they were going to meet for the first time. As you read the article, it shows that she was just scared to death about what her son would think of her.

Do you remember his first words to her? He said, "Mother, the truth is not about the past, it's about the future." And so that's true with us. Don't keep beating yourself up about the past. Let's move on and look towards the future.

We have to remember that since Jehovah created everything, he has the greatest mind in the universe. That means he has the greatest sense of what is right and what is wrong and what does he say? He is not going to keep badgering you, not going to keep finding fault. Isaiah 55:7 says that Jehovah forgives - in a small way? NO! In a big way? NO! It says in a LARGE way. Jehovah continues to forgive and so we must remember that.

Now what if our depression lingers--what can we do? Well, perhaps now it's time to seek medical assistance, assistance that we can't give ourselves. Whatever choices we make should always be in harmony with Bible principles. Medication and so on does have its place and many have been helped that have suffered from depression for some time.

We also have to remember something else. None of us are a superman. You can't do it all. We all have limitations. Sometimes that's hard for us to believe. Sometimes we say, "Oh, I think I'm going to do this. Maybe someone says I don't really know if you should do that and we say, "Oh, you think so? I'd really like to. You see it's because we have that desire to keep doing things, but we can't.

We all have our weaknesses, our limitations, but we all do something well, too.For instance does something better than others. We all do something well. Which brings us to what God expects of us. Matthew 22:37 shows there we must have whole-souled service to worship him with our whole heart and our whole soul and our whole mind.

What does whole-souled service mean? Some have thought that that meant they had to pioneer and they felt guilty because they couldn't. That's not what that means. If you have the circumstances to do so, yes, by all means you should. That's living up to your dedication to God and being whole-souled. But if we can't, Jehovah understands that.

It also means we don't compare ourselves with what others are doing and try to compare ourselves with men. Our faith is in God, not in men, and so we are worshiping him. So that means we worship God with what we can. You see whole-souled service has little to do with numbers or amounts. It has to do with our heart condition, our relationship with our heavenly Father. So as we serve him we're going to do all we can--but that's all we can do.

For instance, let's say that I was going to serve Jehovah God with Brother Smith's strength or Brother Miller's strength...I can't do that, can I? You see that's physically impossible. I have to worship God with my strength. That's what we all have to do, worship God with all we have. And we've been helped to see through the Watchtower and through the scriptures that whatever our best is, we're going to give it to God. If you do that, no matter how your circumstances change, your relationship with God will remain strong and firm.

Many times though when people have been depressed, they've been told by others it's a spiritual problem. You need to get more active. You need to study more. You need to get out in service more or have you thought about pioneering? Now that poor person who's depressed--how do they feel now walking away from that conversation?

Right now it's even worse. But our worship to God does have its place to help us cope with depression. That was true with one dear sister. She had lost her husband to death and they were in Bethel at the time.

Before that they were special pioneers, traveling in the travel work as well and they had lived a long life together. It was only natural that she would suffer some depression over his loss and it became quite deep for a bit. Then she got back into her routine and got back out in the ministry.

She had one specific call that really encouraged her because she was realizing she was talking about the faith, the hope of the future and she wrote this to a mutual friend. It's an interesting way to look at the ministry. She said, "I can truly say that field service is medicine for the emotion and the inner boost we all need." Isn't that an interesting way to look at the ministry--like medicine for the emotion?

You know if you think about medicine, if you've got a prescription--50 or 100 pills or whatever--are you going to take all that medication at once? No, you're going to overdose. Are you going to stop taking your medication before you're told to? Better not do that. Many have tried that even--those who have been depressed. And what happens? They get back where they were and sometimes even worse.

The proven way to have a medication be effective is to take it in its prescribed doses over the period of time that we're told. And that's the way our worship to God must be, our ministry. We can't go from doing nothing to getting in 80, 90, 100 hours. Because what's going to happen? We're going to overdose and we're going to crash. Many who have been depressed have told me it's either all or nothing. So we either do it all or we don't do anything. What did that doctor say earlier? Sometimes you get some strange ideas when that calculator is worn down. So what we need is some consistency here.

We need to do just what we can within our limitations at the time and just keep doing what we can--not trying to do what others are doing or what we ourselves think we should. We have to do what Jehovah is telling us to do within our heart and so we do so.Now there are other things that can help. What about those who are not depressed?

How could you help someone who is depressed? Well, that can be very challenging. For instance, if someone came in the hall this on crutches and their leg was in a cast we'd say they must have broke their leg.We'd go "How are you? What happened? Do you need a chair, here, let me turn this chair around. What does the doctor say? Well, now don't you do anything more than you should now, take it easy, take it slow."

Now contrast that with what we said earlier when someone is depressed--"You get out in service, get going." Do you see the difference? We can see a physical problem. There are those who come into our Kingdom Halls who are depressed with huge smiles on their faces--you'd never know it--but inside they're truly affected.

That's why as servants of God and as a spiritual family we have to help each other.
At 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 it shows us what we need to do.Some have thought well maybe it's just a personal thing and we should just let them cope with it or deal with it. But look at verse 14: "On the other hand, we exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all." So you notice here he's exhorting us.

This isn't just a passive thing--you know, do it when you think you can. He's telling us to get in there and speak consolingly to them, to give some support to the weak. If we're doing that, that means we are going to avoid saying insensitive things like, "Snap out of it! What's wrong with you? Boy, you never acted like this before. Buck up! Let's get together here."

You know one brother did that to his wife. He told her, "You know you're a strong woman, you're just going tohave to take it and snap out of it." She was a strong woman all right. She let him know exactly where he stood with a comment like that. And it was put in the Watchtower for us to learn from.

You see the brother admitted that both he and other friends in the congregation were guilty of perhaps prolonging his wife's depression because of the insensitive remarks they were making, making her feel worthless as though it were her fault that she was feeling that way. It reminded me of Job and his three false comforters.

When you think of that poor man Job, all he went through, just amazing. Here he lost all his riches, all his herds, his flocks, his cattle and so on. Then when he loses all ten children, all at once, in a violent windstorm--and remember, he was told these things one after the other.

Can you can imagine the emotional impact--then he had himself attacked from head to toe with boils. As he sat in a heap of ashes his boils were oozing and he would take that pottery, and would just scrape all of that off. The dogs would come and lick his wounds and he just smelled horrific.

Then his three false friends came and what do they do? For seven days they just do this (sigh). That's it. They just stared at him for seven days. Remember that drama? How it showed they would moan and groan and shake their heads? There was no comfort there.

Imagine being looked at with such pity. And then they finally speak. Here comes the encouragement! Wrong again! If you would look at the first 31 chapters of Job you see that what these men did now was go out on the attack. They would tell Job: "You know, Job, when you were feeling good, God was blessing you. in fact, we would come to you and you would counsel us.

But now it's apparent, Job, that you're a sinner. You've sinned and God is punishing you." Do you feel that weight getting stronger? Then his wife comes and she says, "Curse God and die!" Now we don't know much about Job's wife but anyone who knows that story knows what she said, right? We don't do this-- but let's just do it for this one time--let's go back and let's rate Job's wife spirituality. From zero to 10, where would you put her?

Curse God and die. I hear many going zero. Think again! Think again! What did Job's wife lose? Didn't she lose all of her riches, her animals, her flocks, her herds? What would the loss of one child do to a mother, let alone the loss of ten--all at once? One sister after taking about it, came up to me and said, "You know, I've lost a child. It's like a piece of me that's been ripped apart."

I said, "Not much room in your heart left is there?" She says, "No. It's just sad."
So imagine the pressure that would put on a woman's emotions. Then the support she needs is from her husband.Now, look at his condition - he's withering away. There's nothing she can do. She must be so frustrated to watch him.

So she reasons and she says, "Curse God and Die!" What did that doctor say earlier? When we're depressed we get some strange ideas? We come to some weird conclusions? Imagine how depressed that dear woman must have been. You know the bible indicates for us that she was a very spiritual woman because when Job received all of his blessings, who received them with him? It was his wife.

She bore him those ten children and she benefited in the reward. You see Jehovah knew what she too was going through. So it helps us see the need to be supportive of those depressed, not to be quick to judge and to make sure that we're not just saying insensitive things.

Another key point is mentioned for us at James 1:19 where we must be swift about hearing and slow about speaking.Jehovah God has given us all two ears and one mouth. We remember to use those in that priority at times.People don't always want solutions--and some men have tried that. Their wives tell them something and the husband gives them the solution and the wife says you know you're not listening. And the husband thinks, now wait, I just told you--what do you mean I'm not listening?

The point is she didn't want a solution, she wanted someone to listen. That's true with the depressed sometimes. That's what they want. Psalm 65:2 helps us to see that Jehovah is the hearer of prayer. He's the example that we have to follow. Have you ever thought about that? Jehovah God does not have to be the hearer of prayer-- he could have asked Jesus Christ to be the hearer of prayer. He could have
assigned different angels and told them you're the hearer of prayer. Instead he says, "No. I'm the hearer of prayer. "

He wants to hear. And he listens to us time and again, the same problem day after day. Don't stop telling him. Remember that's what Satan wants. He wants you to think well, I've already told Jehovah this, I better stop. You keep telling him because he's the Hearer of prayer. He's chosen to listen to such things.

1 Peter 3:8 shows that we must have fellow feeling for each other. That's how we can help the depressed - by showing fellow feeling or feeling like your fellow. If you haven't been depressed though, you may wonder how can I feel like them? Well, that's where empathy really comes in. One definition of empathy is to enter into another person's feelings through the imagination. You don't know how they feel but you can imagine it.

Here's what one brother said about his depression. He said “depression is like swimming out in a lake. You get halfway between the shore and the raft and you get a cramp in your leg. You go down in the water, you try to breathe, but all you take in is water, not air. You can't help yourself. You're all alone. You're done. It's just a helpless feeling.”

Now, imagine if someone were in that condition and you throw them a life preserver. It's going to take all their strength--perhaps just by their fingernails--to hang on because you're exhausted when you're trying to save your life in water, then you get them to the shore and what happens? Now they cough and they just lay there exhausted.

If you've known anyone who's been close to drowning, they'll tell you that that's an experience that lingers.Many of them won't even get near water afterwards and they have nightmares about it for some time. I've gone through that as a child so I know the feeling. That's the way depression is.

You feel all alone like you're drowning there in the water, unable to help yourself, just going down and it just lingers. Many of the friends, if they could, would snap out of it. But they just can't. You see, it's the condition of these last days.

So instead of telling people to do things like that--snap out of it and so on--speak with understanding. Look for a point you can commend them on. Continue to encourage them. Let them know you're trying to understand how they feel, and then remember to use the right words. That's so important in showing fellow feeling.

Elkanah was one who used the right words. His wife could not have children, Hannah, you may remember. The Bible says she was quite depressed over it. What made it worse was his other wife, Peninnah, could have kids. Said she would vex Hannah every day.

You can almost hear her: "You know, Hannah, it's too bad you can't have children. Of course, Elkanah loves me more because I've borne him these children."

Maybe the next day her children are out playing and she looks at Hannah and says, "Oh, too bad you don't have children. They could play with my children."

And she would continue to make comments to her.

Well, this poor woman is quite depressed. What would Elkanah do? Let's look at it at 1st Samuel chapter 1. A part

Of course, Jehovah did bless Hannah because later she gave birth to Samuel, but let's look at verse 8 and just the first portion: "And Elkanah her husband proceeded to say to her: "Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why does your heart feel bad?" So why does he ask her these questions?

Well, first of all, he's showing fellow-feeling because if you note he never accuses her of anything.He doesn't say--snap out of it, this is all wrong--no, he's just questioning her because often our thoughts, when we're depressed, key in on some of the same negative thoughts and so now he's trying to reason with her to bring her out in her thoughts to think what has brought me to this point.

Sometimes when we're depressed, we don't want to be around other people. We don't just not only want to come out of the house, some don't even want to come out of their bed they're so depressed. So he's trying to reason with her. And then look at the last question: "Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

Now why does he say that? That's a strengthening question. You see she's thinking about what? I don't have children. I don't have any children. This is what's depressing her, but she's forgetting what she does have and that's a loving husband and so he's giving her a reason for joy.

And that's what we must do. Can you do that? I know we can. We must help our family members, our spiritual family here, to remember what they do have, not just what they don't. Let's give them a reason for joy. You can see how Jehovah God has educated us through the magazines. Continue to do research on that. There's so much material that is so helpful to us.

We know in the future there will be no more depression, we'll be made sound, and there will be no reasons for depression in that new world. Until then, we have to continue to build each other up, continue the battle with depression because soon, one day in the future, there will be no depression and we'll live forever in that peaceful world because we have won that battle once and for all.

At this moment my mother is in the hospital I feel fighting for her life and I'm sad for other reasons because she received a blood transfusion. You might wonder why should I be upset. Well, that's another subject in itself but to make a long story short. The command to abstain from blood was not a mere dietary restriction but is a serious moral requirement, as is seen by the fact that it was as serious to Christians as abstaining from idolatry or fornication. Acts chapter 15 comes to mind in connection with Blood. As mentioned that's another issue which I can discuss later.

Till tomorrow.

Monday

Happy Monday all and before I continue let me just say that I'm not going to touch the Michael Jackson subject to much. I was more into the Jackson 5 stuff than I was his updated stuff. We did compare however Prince to Michael Jackson and the roads they both took.

If you look at the kind of life Prince had it was very sexual. He was very nasty vs Michael was very innocent. As time moved on things changed. Prince cleaned up his act and Michael became different. The way he changed his face and all the stuff that came out in court that he did in private. Yeah they said he didn't touch kids but it was the other stuff that came out that I'm talking about.

Anyway, when anyone dies its sad. It doesn't matter if you know them or not. Think of the pain that family is feeling. I know that I would be hurt if any of my kids died. Anyway, this weekend was our tract work for the up and coming convention that we are having at the Cow Palace.

The title on the track is How to survive the end of the world. The Convention is titled " Keep on the Watch "

It was so hot that it made it a challenge to do the track work but we got it done and will continue till all is complete. I have a talk coming up in August which I look forward to. I didn't get my slip yet but I saw it on the boards. I love giving talks. It's very exciting to get up there and encourage our brothers and sisters to remain strong.

I know of 4 people who have left the truth. One of them returned but the others are still lost sheep and have yet to find their way back home. I went to a Salsa concert sometime last year. I took my mother and Jesse. I saw this sister who left the truth. She didn't see me but she was dressed as if she was ready to sell herself. I mean her skirt was so short I couldn't believe how far she went back into the world.

I often ask the Elders at my former congregation if she returned. Sadly she has not as well as the others. I haven't seen any of them but I sure do hope that they return while there is still time.

I don't know what they did, that is kept private but I do hope they wake up and notice what's going on around them. Notice that right now on the news is mainly about Michael Jackson. Folks there are other things going on in the world besides that.

Till Tomorrow, have a great day.!!

Friday

Of course the hot topic of the day are the deaths of Michael Jackson & Farrah Fawcett. I grew up listening to the Jackson 5. I recall watching Farrah on TV. I read that Farrah had health issues but Michael Jackson wasn't something I expected.

Then I received calls from my family while I was at work. When I got to work I was told by co-workers. I looked at everyone and said " Folks I didn't know the man on a personal level "

The death of anyone is sad and a reminder that we are in this mess because of Adam, Eve, and Satan. It should also prove that no matter how big of a star you think you are, you have the same disease as I do which is called Death. We all have it and nobody is immune. There is no vaccination that will cure you.

Our only hope is Jehovah and what's amazing to me is that the Jacksons at one time had the truth. They had it. Michael left the truth shortly after Thriller if I'm not mistaken and the rest left the truth I believe as soon as they hit 18 or some of them. Not sure. If I'm not mistaken again I believe Rebbie Jackson remains a witness.

Anyway, I have more thoughts on this but sadly time again is pulling me away. I'll be back and update more on the weekend.

Are you ready for the Finish Line?

Think of a race.

The smart and determined runner trains hard for the finish line. Every nerve, every muscle, every sinew must be strained. His lungs must bellow if he wants to win. And he knows that the worst thing that can happen to him is to start out with a burst of speed only to have his legs give out and his lungs fail as he reaches his goal. So what does he do? Long before the event, he trains. He trains hard to acquire the strength, endurance, proper technique to learn obedience to the rules, because only in this way can he make his dash to the finish a winning success.

Now the alert runner takes note as he runs his course because all along the way there are markers that tell him where he is in the race. This tells him how he must harness his energies, it tells him whether he is near the finish and whether his kick needs to be stronger and higher; whether or not he needs to put all his speed into it or whether he needs to measure his gauge, or his stride.

Now so it is with the Christian. As we move to the conclusion of this system of things, as we come to the finish line, there are markers all along the way that tell us where we are and what we should be doing. I want you to open your bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 24, and this is where the heart of our discussion is going to be. It is going to be based primarily on Matthew 24, although we will be using other scriptural text.

Our interest lies particularly in Jesus statements found in the 24th chapter of Matthew. Here in the 24th chapter of Matthew Jesus said something that certainly ought to catch our attention because it is a marker. It tells us where we are and what we should be doing. Beginning with verse 21 of Matthew chapter 24 Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning until now, no nor will occur again, in fact, unless those days were cut short no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short.” And then Jesus goes on to add other mile post, he says first as you make your dash to the finish; you’re going to see a thing called the great tribulation. He said this thing is going to be horrendous. And unless it’s cut short absolutely no one would be able to survive it, because it’s going to be just that bad.

Immediately he says in verse 29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” See that’s another marker. And quickly you come upon another marker (verse 30), “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (verse 31) And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to the other extremity.”

Now what Jesus is outlining for us here is the dash to the finish itself. These markers are going to come clipping along as we move to the conclusion of this system of things. And the reason why we’re raising this question is because once you get into that first marker, it will be a steady and very rapid downhill slide to the goal from then on. It will not be a time for you to adjust your stride, or to rethink your position. It will be a fast moving time. It will happen like this; and then, and then, and then, and then… and then it will be over. What you have not done you will not be able to do. Where you have not adjusted, you will not be able to adjust. You will not find some new supposed strength at that particular time. You are going to run the way you have been trained to run.

Have you been running with the world? It is just as if a runner who has trained for years for a race, he’s not going to all of the sudden on the day of the race change his style, it’s too late for that! And chances are if he tried to change during the course of the race, he’d lose anyway because it would cause too much confusion.

Let’s take a look at the first marker, go back to the 24th chapter of Matthew and look at verse 21. “For then there will be great tribulation” The first marker opens up with the destruction of Babylon the Great. That is when everything kicks off. Immediately with this destruction of Babylon the Great you and I are in for the race of a lifetime.

Open your bibles to Revelation now and you’ll get an idea as to some of the things that will occur once the tribulation begins. It will start with the fall of Babylon the Great. Turn to Revelation 17 and here you will see a very exciting thing occur. Beginning with verse 2, start in part of verse 1, it says, “Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, (verse 2) with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

Down to verse 10, “And there are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while (verse 11) And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth king, but springs from the seventh, and it goes off into destruction.” Rev 17: 10,11. And then in verse 13, “These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast.”

And what do they do with this new found power, this singular thought? Verse 16, “And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. Verse 17 For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought; even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast.” In other words Jehovah God is going to cause some sort of madness, some kind of crazed madness to come over the world powers in the near future, and they will attack Babylon, and they will rip and tear at her for all she’s worth.

If you pay real close attention the stage is already being set for that. Already they have no compulsion whatsoever about putting the religious clergy in jail. They have no sanctity or feeling toward the religious clergy; they are cutting and slashing them in the face in New York. Thieves are breaking into the convents and churches and robbing them, nuns are being raped. They’re even breaking into churches and robbing them, they’re robbing preachers on the streets. So the appetite to attack Babylon is already there. Jehovah is going to simply open their mouths wide and they will chew her all to pieces and burn what’s left. It will be a most frightening time brothers when that marker shows up. Even the world will be terrified at what they see actually happening to the churches.

Look at what it says Rev 18: 9 “And the Kings of the earth who committed fornication with her and lived in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her…” when they look at the smoke from the burning of her (verse 10) while they stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say “Too bad, too bad, you great city Babylon you strong city because…” we don’t have any more Christmas, no more Easter, and we can’t have any more political elections in your churches.

And Babylon will be destroyed. This will not be a funny matter with us either; because once you see it happen the religious clergy will be cut down and the political leaders will obviously know that they are next. They stand back because they see that this must be the hand of God, they will know that something is terribly different here when they see the religious parties and other things being destroyed. Now this is very important, because once that time hits, what will you and I need? What will we need when we see this system coming to the conclusion?

• A new car?
• A new house?
• A new pair of shoes?
• A new coat?
• A new bottle of perfume?
• Fashionable clothes?
• Money for the education of our children?

Once you see that happening it will not be your money; you’re most valuable possession at that time will be your faith in God. Because once it hits it is going to be furious, no one will survive it except by the grace and protection of God himself. And the question is; will you be ready for that?

Will you have the courage to go out and speak whatever message God will dictate for that particular time and situation if we tremble now, and find it difficult to have a share in the preaching of the good news under these circumstances, if this is our training at this point, Please don’t imagine that you’re going to find some new found courage to get up and to speak when they are busting Babylon all to pieces and anyone who dares to come up and say anything religious whatsoever. Don’t imagine that you’re going to find some new found courage to tell the truth or to speak the truth if you can’t do it now. And then, immediately after Babylon the Great is destroyed, almost without a break, look at Matt 24:29 –immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Now in what sense will the sun be destroyed and the moon not give its light?
In what sense will the stars fall and the heavens be shaken?

Doubtless in the early part of this great tribulation the many luminaries, prominent Clergymen of the world, the political lights, the economic lights, those who are supposed to know their way out of things; the religious clergy who are supposed to be able to cut a deal with God so that you’ll be saved; the economic prognosticators who tell you how you can make money so that you can be rich; perhaps the political guru’s who tell you how they’re going to work out this world’s problems and situations. When that time hits, the bible will thoroughly expose them as being nothings and nobody’s and they will not be able to save anyone. It will be as if all the stars in the heavens went out, and all the powers of the very heavens will be shaken.

Can you imagine the confusion of the people who put all their stock and faith in the religious clergy only to see them destroyed at the opening of the great tribulation? Can you imagine people walking around the streets looking for whoever might be left of the religious clergy? Looking for them yes! “We want to find you because you know we had a chance to get a bible study, a 19 free week course, and you told us that those Jehovah’s Witnesses are not to be fooled with. And you told us that all we had to do was to come down here and sit and listen to you and we’d be saved. And now the church is gone and it’s all burned up and this stuff is gone and we don’t have a prayer and we don’t have a chance, and you fooled us!” And they are going to finish off whose left.

And they are going to find those college professors, “You told us if we listened to you we will have earth’s good things. And now the stock market has crashed, money is of no value. You told us that if we just get this education we’ll have the good life and now we have no treasures stored up with God and we’re facing this great thing called Armageddon that Jehovah’s Witnesses talked about all along!” And they are going to finish them off.

There will be no light brothers when that time comes, will you be ready for it? Will you have something to say that is worthwhile? Will you have proof at that time that you have been running the race correctly? Why is that such an important question?

Matt 24: 29 – 30 because the Bible says just as quickly as the sun, moon, and stars become dark, the bible says, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation.” Now what is this appearance of the Son of Man in the Heavens?

It is the same thing that is spoken of in Matthew chapter 25: 31-32 – “When the Son of Man arrives in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne and all the nations will be gathered before him (including Jehovah’s Witnesses) and He will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Why?

Turn back to Matt 24 evidently, even the people of the world will know and understand that they are in the final judgment period, and they will see something that will be evident; they will come to discern something that will be evident that this is it! And they will cry and weep because this will not be a time where they can make any adjustments, have any bible studies, have any return visits, or have any change in the judgments they are about to be rendered. Are you ready for that brothers?

Do you understand what this actually means? Once that sign of the Son of Man appears in the heavens, where Jesus sits down on his glorious throne, He (Jesus) will judge you and I at that point in history as to whether or not you are actually a sheep or a goat. You and I will not be able to adjust or modify or rearrange the outcome of that judgment at that particular time. You will not be able to say to Jesus, “Oh Jesus just wait a minute, I’m sinned; but let me get reinstated,” Oh no, Oh no! You see all the evidence will have been brought into the court as to who you are and what you are as a person. And once he sits down, you will not be able to change your record, not one iota!

So you can say, “Well Jesus you know I was an irregular publisher, give me a little time, let me…” NO! “I meant to turn my…” NO! Because everything at that point, once it hits, everything that you were from here back will be dragged into that courtroom and Jesus will judge it right then and right there, and you and I will not be able to alter that situation. Not one iota! It will be finished! The judgment will be rendered; it will be cut and dry. You will either be a sheep or a goat. You will not be able to make any adjustment to the judgment. Serious business!

Question is, are you ready for that?
What are you training yourself to be now? What kind of person are you now? Are you trying to get as close to the world as you possibly can?

- by looking like them
- by dressing like them
- by acting like them
- by dancing like them
- by speaking like them

Once Jesus sits down on his judgment throne you will not be able to say “Oh let me take this stuff off” Nope, Nope, you had it on then, you have it on now. That’s the way you were then, this is the way you are going to be judged as you stand.
What evidence you brought into that courtroom between now and when Jesus sits down on his throne, that is the evidence that will be stacked up, and that will be the determining factor as to whether we are sheep or goats.

Let me illustrate it another way; Have you ever seen these advertisements where they have these muscle men, they show you this picture and they say “your body can look like this”. They give you the idea that if you just lift up a few weights, if you go on a diet and eat specific food that you too will have these big bulging muscles or you have this shapely trim. Don’t even think that you want to believe that! It takes years of serious training and meticulous dieting. Those pictures that you see don’t imagine that it takes just a couple of days or a few weeks of dieting. Years! Years!

Now once the Great Tribulation starts remember everything is going to happen like this –clap! Clap! Clap! Very quickly, so you’re not going to have time to reach back and develop some kind of spirituality that you hadn’t already developed. Think about it! How long does it take for a person to come into the truth now?

Doesn’t it take a minimum, a very minimum of 19 weeks? (about 6 months) and then they have to go out in the field ministry, so don’t imagine that all of a sudden you’re going to see Babylon fall and you’re going to change your whole record, your whole outlook! NO!

You’re going to run the way you’ve been trained and the way you’ve trained yourself. Generally speaking, when an emergency occurs, when a crisis happens, people fall back on what they know. They don’t reach back and get something they don’t know. They fall back on what they know.

So if you have known irregularity, if you have known hard-headedness, if you have known skipping around obedience to the rules, if you have known worldliness, then you’re not all of the sudden going to know the truth! You are going to fall back on what you know.

Are you ready for the finish line?
Are you putting distance between you and the world?
Are you claiming to serve Jehovah and at the same time getting close to Satan’s world?

Let me share something interesting from the bible; go to Ephesians 4: 20 – Speaking about Christ it says; “But you did not learn the Christ to be so…” Speaking honestly many of us are not training the way we think Armageddon is going to be. Some of us are too close to the world. Some of us are not running hard like we should. Remember what you learn here in the Kingdom Hall, what you studied in the books, everything you learned in the bible, you did not learn Christ to be that way – the way you see the world. Christ was not anywhere near the world; if Christ were here today do you imagine that he would be walking around in baggy pants or with earrings in his ear? You never read anything in the bible that gave any hint or suggestion that Christ would look like that.

If he were here today do you imagine that he would be dressed up and looking as much like the radical elements the world today? He would never do a thing like that. The world has the habit of saying, “look at me”. When I went to the grocery store the other day, to show you the way things are, here’s a woman she’s being paid I don’t know how much an hour, and you know the world pays much attention to efficiency. They want people to be efficient, so what is she doing? She is trying to wait on me and she’s picking up the money but she can’t even use her hands with her fingernails!

Now if Christ were here, would he have even resembled or hinted or suggested in any way that the sisters or the brothers go to any extremes. Did you ever read anything in the bible that gave you the idea that Christ Jesus would have been like that or approved of that?

And this is the point that we have to appreciate. Armageddon will be the biggest thing that you and I will ever experience. The firmer we are trained to serve Jehovah the better we are going to be when the time comes. But believe me when that time hits you will never be able to reach back and try to grab something that you never trained yourself to be. Give it some serious thought.

Your heart, spiritual lungs, and limbs must be flailing away at trying to be as close as we possibly can to Jesus Christ and the way he trained himself to be, because that’s the only way that we are going to be able to win this race.

Now immediately, shortly thereafter, once Jesus does this separating work of the sheep and the goats something very interesting is going to happen. He (Jesus) is going to gather… Let’s go to Matt 24: 31- for a minute because these things are going to be happening quite rapidly- otherwise as Jesus said, no flesh would be saved – NO flesh would be saved if it didn’t happen in this fast fashion. Matt 24: 31- “And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to the other extremity.”

At that time there will be no question as to who the anointed are. When Jesus gathers his anointed ones you know it might prove to be a bigger test on you than you think. If you and I have the habit of not listening now, when most of the anointed ones are gone off the earth and there is nothing left hardly but those of the great crowd, will you listen then?

Will you say, “Well you know you’re not of the spiritual anointed. They’ve all gone to heaven. Who are you to be telling me? I didn’t turn my time in back then when they were here on the earth and I’m turning it in now to you?” You see brothers that wrongheaded spirit, or lack of cooperation can get you in serious trouble and can create an attitude problem in you. Jesus said “he who is faithful in what is least will also be faithful in what is much.” It’s all part of our training.

And then something else will happen, don’t imagine that Satan the Devil, who looks around and sees his false religion devastated; he sees economic system that he put together in a shambles, he sees the whole political world he carved and woven all torn apart, don’t imagine that he isn’t going to come for you! Don’t imagine that he’s not going to try and get Jehovah back in some way, or that he’s not going to strike a blow at the very heart of Jesus Christ himself. Don’t imagine that he’s going to let it go like that. That he’s just going to walk away and get off the field and say that the fight is over. Although he knows it’s over, don’t imagine that he’s going to give up like that; because he won’t. And then will come the attack of Gog of Magog. The only way Satan can get at Jesus and Jehovah is to get at YOU!

And who are you? What are you? If you have been hiding it you won’t be able to hide it then. Because only those who have absolute faith in Jehovah, and who absolutely put their confidence in Him, and there can be no question in their minds as to whether God will protect us. If you have any questions in your minds, you simply will not make it. If you have any doubts Satan will gobble you up. You will run out in fear and you will be strangled or caught or killed like some young animal in the hands or the paw of some attacking lion.

Any dark secrets, any lack of faith, any bad motives, regrets, misgivings, once the Gog of Magog makes his attack, and you don’t have the absolute confidence that you have done all you can… well…

See here’s now where the question of whether or not we’ve been serving Jehovah whole souled will be answered. It will not be answered by a time sheet or by an elder. It will be answered right then and there. And the question is will you be ready for it? Because once he makes his attack, Jehovah is going to come at him with all fury and then you’ll finally be in Armageddon. That will be the last of the hoorahs. Once Gog makes his attack on God’s people, Armageddon then will begin. That will be when it will all come together.

If you and I have worked hard, if we have exerted ourselves, if we have cooperated then you can say to yourself, “You know I’m glad I used my money to pay for the Kingdom work, and I sat down in there and I got the education. I was sitting in that Armageddon survival class that they had at that Kingdom Hall. They had classes Tuesday, and Home study on Thursday, they had class on Sunday, and I was at every last one of them. And now I’m getting ready to go through Armageddon and I’m confident that I have been properly educated, and I’ve trained myself to run, and I’m ready for Armageddon, because I used everything I had to support the Kingdom; I used my funds, I didn’t try to hold back anything knowing that the money was not going to be any good.

Oh what a wonderful time that will be! And then, and then, after the great tribulation begins and after the sun, moon, and stars fall, and the sign of the Son of Man appears in the heavens, the separating of the anointed, the attack of Gog of Magog, the battle of Armageddon, and then… THE NEW WORLD! THE NEW WORLD!

Won’t you be glad when there will be just the new world? And you’ll be glad when you’re little legs, your heart, and your lungs come charging over the hill gasping for breath because you knew how to run like you were supposed to, and you’ll be saying to yourself, “I’m so glad that I was at these meetings. I’m so glad that I was in the field ministry, and I’m so glad I listened to the elders, I’m so glad that I got away from the world!

And you’ll fall across the finish line into the New World! Are you ready for it?
You won’t have time to train then, everything will be moving too fast. It will happen too fast. NOW is the time to train. And one of the things that we need to do, we need to train harder to be at our meetings because every meeting is an Armageddon training session.

Just like those who pump weights, it may not be the one where they lifted it up like that, it may not be the one that got him the big muscles, it never happens like that. You never pick up a weight one time; it’s the consistency and constancy that puts the spiritual bulges on your chest. That’s what gives you the neck, arms, legs, the physique of somebody beautiful. Not the one time that you did something, but the consistency and the regularity, that’s what produces the ability to run like you’re supposed to run. That is what produces strong legs, strong hearts, and strong lungs. That’s what produces faith and fearlessness and determination. You can’t do it when it starts – You have to do it NOW!

So, are you ready for the finish line? Are you training yourselves? If the tribulation were to break out tomorrow, can you guarantee that you look enough like Christ that could get you through? Are you assured that you have proven irrevocably and unconditionally that you are sure that you are devoted to Jehovah whole-souled? Aren’t you glad that we have a few more minutes yet before the end comes? And that perhaps, where there is some weakness in our running style, perhaps you have just a little bit more time to finish off that kick, to get your stride together, to learn how to be obedient. Obedience is a wonderful thing.

Let me tell you one little experience, it’s an experience that affected me, and I never forgot. For this reason, it taught a lesson; I recall being in a literal race, it was at school. And lined up were some of the boys; and in my mind I could beat them ten ways to Sunday. I knew I could beat them. When the teacher gave the gun to go, I took off! And sure enough I beat them!

The teacher told me that I got a zero. I couldn’t believe me ears, I thought “What? I didn’t win?” I not only hadn’t won but I got a zero. I was stunned. Well you see, in a race there are these things called lanes, and they have rules, and the rule is that you have to run in your lane, you can’t run in the other man’s lane. Well I was all over those lanes, and when I got down to the end of that race, I had lost.

Now, you might laugh, but here’s the point, Jesus not only requires that you run the race with good flare but he also requires that you run according to the rules. You can run as hard as you want, but when you get down to that point where he sits on his judgment throne and he sees that you zigzag, you cut all across the lanes, he may well say that you’re a goat and not a sheep, much to your surprise. We don’t want that brothers.

Learn to run with endurance; learn to run with obedience; learn to run hard; learn to train yourself because once we get to the marker of the great tribulation you will not be someone that you’re not. You will not prove yourself to be something that you haven’t trained yourself to be all along. And I hope we get the message clear – NOW is the time to get ready before the battle of Armageddon occurs, and only then, by such vigorous training will we prove ourselves winners and come across the finish line to our everlasting life and Jehovah’s glory.

Till tomorrow.

Tuesday

My Apologies for the late post. I started at 7am and just now finished working. It's 9:01pm. I had such a busy day and to top it off I'm still not feeling 100 percent. I was going to post tomorrow but I felt the need to post tonight while my thoughts are fresh in my head. I'm going to tell you something that happened two days ago. Aside from Jesse being sick and having to take him to the Doctors, Aside from myself getting sick, something bad happened to my mother.

She was out hanging clothes up after a wash so they can get dry. After she put the clothes up she came back into the house and went into the Kitchen. This is where it was scary because Nelly (my niece) received a call from my mother. My mom was still in the Kitchen, she picked up her cellphone and hit redial. Nelly was on the other end. She said to my mom " Yeah mom " my mother replied " Who's this " Nelly responded " It's me Nelly " My mother responded " Nelly Who "

My mother lost all her memory. Nelly kept trying to talk to her but she didn't know who Nelly was. Nelly quickly called my sister who tried to contact me but I didn't answer the phone because I was in bed. I normally don't answer the phone by the way. Isabell ( my other niece ) ran over that only to find my mother in bed moving her head back and forth from left to right as if she was having a nightmare but only awake. She didn't know who anyone was.

My sister finally showed up. She knew my sister and she screamed out " I want my kids " " Where are my Kids " Who stole my kids " My sister convinced her to go too the hospital. As the day turned into night, I checked my email which my sister sent me an important email letting me know that I needed to call her right away. I called my mom's cellphone only. Desiree answered ( my mother niece ) and told me everything. My mom was at home resting but got on the phone. Her memory came back while at the hospital.

I started to cry. I know the truth. I know what Jehovah has planned but to see my mother in pain makes me hate even more this system of things. I hate it. I'm crying a bit now just thinking of her not being here. The reason I posted this tonight and will leave it up tomorrow is to remind just what I went through with my mother. She put me through the most pain any child can imagine. She not only said words that burned my heart alive. She beat me. It was hard to convince her of anything. She is the most hardheaded person I know but I love her very much, not for what she did but for having me.

If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have met my wife. I wouldn't have had my children. I wouldn't be the man I am today. I wouldn't have known Jehovah at least in this system. She could have said " No I already have two kids, I'm getting an abortion ". She could have given me up. She didn't. I ate, I had clothes on my back, and even when we slept in parks because we had no home, she kept me warm.

In life our Parents are always going to do things that we just don't understand. They are going to say things that will hurt. How we react to it only makes us stronger. What would happen if you knocked on a door to give a witness and someone screamed at the top of their lungs at you, would you knock on the next door? Of course you would. You wouldn't give up. You would take it and move on. Like at the door our parents are going to say things that hurt, just take it and move on.

If your parent is an understanding parent then perhaps you can reason with them. Maybe you can explain how you feel? If you can't well, like the door you move on or in this case take it one day at a time. Your conduct may win them over if you show that you are allowing Jehovah to guide you. In my case, I realized that I'll never change my mother but I figured her out and it took me to become a man before I did. Our relationship today is great compared to back then.

I pray that she comes into the truth and I pray that Jehovah shows her mercy because she does have mental issues. When I lived with her it was bad. I didn't get along with her. She always had to be right and I always had to be wrong. Today it's " let's agree to disagree " and change the subject and it works. Anyway, have a great day or night. LOL

See you on Thursday.

Monday

Happy Monday all. Jesse is finally better. His fever broke during the weekend. He started to eat and all is well. I'm a bit sick now but no where on the level where he was sick.

I don't have much to add today but I will update by tomorrow. Thanks all

Thursday

It's hard to imagine that it's already Thursday. This week is going by fast. I'm very tired and having trouble sleeping. Jesse is sick and has been since last Friday. I took him to the Doctors and I may take him again if he doesn't improve. It started on Friday he was out running and when he came home he felt sick.

His temperature hit 101 and 102 and has remained that way. So I took him to the Doctors after seeing him shake and not eat. They looked at him and said he has a fever and that it should go away. They recommended that I just give him some over the counter meds.

Last night he was still sick with a temperature of 101/102. I said to myself that if he doesn't improve by today that I would take him to the emergency. He came into my room at about 6:15. He was going to take a shower. He was feeling a little better or so I thought.

Because I couldn't sleep after he came into the room. I got up and went to the bathroom to bush my teeth and get ready for work. He was sitting on the toilet naked, shaking. He started to feel bad but his temperature was good because of the shower. I advised him that if he was going to take a shower, make sure it's not cold. You need your body to be hot to fight off what's in it. That's why it gets hot.

He took a warm shower. He went back to bed. I got him some fruit to eat, gave him some meds, and something to drink. I took his temperature again and he went back up to 101. He went to sleep. I called home to check on him and he did get up telling my wife that he felt a little better but that he was going back to sleep.

That's where we are now. Jesse for those who don't know is my first born. My baby. I love him so much and I'm very proud of him. I think at times I take for granted the fact that he is there meaning he loves basketball, I should play it more with him. I did try but I got dizzy after about 10 minutes. I'm not in bad shape but I'm not in the best shape. I'm not big and my weight is about 175/178. I used to be 197 but my wife put me on a diet.

Anyway, Jesse is a special kid. A respect kid not only to us but to those in the world and of course his fellow brothers and sisters. I can't imagine life without him. Jehovah is the only key, the only option we have. Peter said to Jesus, where are we to go, you have sayings of everlasting life. That is true. There isn't anything any of us can do. Jehovah is the only key the life.

I really hope that those I know who aren't in the truth can somehow open their eyes and trust me to at least allow me a chance to read to them scripture. One chance to study with them in the book " What does the Bible Really Teach " Just one chance. Just a chance to complete the book so that there is some understanding of the bible.

Not everyone who reads the bible, understands the bible. I wasn't born a witness, I became a witness. I was around the bible my entire life. I did not understand the bible. There is a basic bible teaching and deeper things of the bible. It's not just a book that anyone can read. Many do not understand what is taught in the bible.

Take for example Genesis 3:15 as mentioned yesterday. How many knew that it was the very first prophecy? How many understood the prophecy? Just one chance is all I ask.

I just received a cellphone call from my wife. Jesse needs to go too the hospital.

Sacred Secret.

That's a question I've heard a few times in connection with a person who knows the truth or learning and yet others in their family circle can't see it as they see it. Then the fighting begins because they can't see it. Why can't they see it?

If you are a witness then this isn't new to you but if you aren't a witness, then let me talk about the sacred secret. Jehovah first spoke of a sacred secret after the Serpent had deceived Eve, and Adam had followed her into rebellion. God then promised that the “seed,” or offspring, would crush the Serpent’s head. You can read that at Genesis 3:15. That is the very first prophecy in the bible.

But what did it mean? Let me post the scripture. Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 says " And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.”

That's what it says but what does it mean? Who is this Seed? How would he conquer the Serpent? In time, divine prophecies revealed clues as to the identity and future activity of the Seed. It wasn't right then and there. In time it was revealed. He would be a descendant of Abraham, would inherit David’s kingdom, and would be called Prince of Peace. I'm sure you can guess who it is now.

In 29 C.E., John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, and from heaven God’s voice His own voice declared: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” Here at last was the Seed of promise! The sacred secret had started to unfold in all its glorious facets, including the matter of godly devotion.

What do we understand by “godly devotion”? In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the expression occurs just 20 times, more than half of these in Paul’s two letters to Timothy. Insight on the Scriptures defines “godly devotion” as “reverence, worship, and service to God, with loyalty to his universal sovereignty.” Reverence proceeds out of a heart that draws close to God, in awe of his majesty, his eternalness, and the multiplicity of his grand creations, with thankfulness for the spiritual and material gifts that he showers upon appreciative humans.

Each one of us who practices godly devotion can say, as did the psalmist at Psalm 104:1: “Bless Jehovah, O my soul. O Jehovah my God, you have proved very great. With dignity and splendor you have clothed yourself.”

Our devotion to God must find expression, and this it does through actions.To many people on earth, religion—if they still have a religion—is a formalism, a cloak that is put on to make them appear holy while they live a life that conforms to the corrupt world around them. They do not even know who God is.

As the “Revealer of secrets,” Jehovah would eventually unveil pertinent details regarding the outworking of this secret. But he would do so gradually,progressively. To illustrate, we might think of the way a loving father responds when his little boy asks, “Dad, where did I come from?” A wise father provides only as much information as that little boy can grasp. As the boy gets older, the father tells him more. In a similar way, Jehovah determines when his people are ready for revelations of his will and purpose.

The apostle Paul wrote: “The sacred secret that was hidden from the past systems of things and from the past generations has been made manifest to his holy ones.” Jehovah’s anointed holy ones have come to understand much about the sacred secret, and they have shared such knowledge with millions.

Even as Jehovah and Satan are opposites, so also are their worshipers. Those who follow the lead of Satan are characterized by duplicity and deceit, their actions etc....

We are thankful that Jehovah has shown us this secret and that through time has shown us more. Like the example of the father and son. We receive food at the proper time. Thank you Jehovah for sending your son and making a way out for us in this system of things which is getting worse each day. Till tomorrow.....

Tuesday

Hello world. I wrote about this before and I guess its a good time to bring it up again. It's that word that those who wish to excel in life all wish to be. Perfection. For parents wishing to be perfect, please look in the mirror because that is a goal that you can never reach without Jehovah. Perfection.

I've watched interviews in which Actors would say their goals are to be perfect in everything they do. Parents who put so much pressure on their children to be perfect. Your report card must be an A at all times or you are grounded. Should we expect perfection from our children when the world isn't perfect?

PERFECTIONISM—the belief that one has to be absolutely perfect in everything he or she does—afflicts the thinking of many youths.There’s a big difference between the healthy pursuit of excellence and the unhealthy striving for an impossible ideal. People who strive for excellence may have a strong need for order and organization and high expectations for themselves, but they also accept their own mistakes and have positive ways of coping.

Perfectionists, on the other hand, live in a constant state of anxiety about making errors. They have extremely high standards.Does that describe you? Is your parents making you feel this way? If your standards are impossibly high, you can easily become immobilized. You may find that you avoid doing anything new. Or you may tend to put off doing important things because you are afraid you will fail. You may even feel inclined to reject anyone who fails to meet your standards, and you may find yourself friendless.

If the above is in any way true of you, consider the Bible’s words at Ecclesiastes 7:16: “Do not become righteous overmuch, nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you cause desolation to yourself?” Yes, a perfectionist can “cause desolation”! In fact, perfectionism has even been linked to such life-threatening eating disorders as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

How can I stop trying to be perfect? Admittedly, changing one’s thinking in this regard can be challenging. But with God’s help, it can be done. Let us look at God’s view of perfectionism. First of all, is it possible for you to be perfect in the absolute sense? Not according to the Bible, which says: “There is not a righteous man, not even one. All men have deflected, all of them together have become worthless.” Thought-provoking words, aren’t they? They indicate that anyone who tries to be absolutely perfect is going to fail. Any Parent who expects perfection from their children are going to fail.

Consider the apostle Paul, who obviously was an outstanding example of spirituality. Yet, even Paul couldn’t serve God without error. He confessed: “When I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me. I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, but I behold in my members another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my members.” It was only with God’s help that Paul could be faithful as a Christian.

Fortunately, God neither demands nor expects absolute perfection from any of us. “He himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.” Only in God’s new world will humans finally reach the state of perfection.

Paul wrote that “love is kind.” Parents who are truly kind will discipline their children in a consistent manner. By doing so, they imitate Jehovah. “Whom Jehovah loves he disciplines,” wrote Paul. Please note that the type of discipline referred to in the Bible does not simply mean punishment. It carries the idea of training and education. What is the purpose of such discipline? “To those who have been trained by it,” Paul states, “it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”

When parents kindly educate their children according to God’s will, they give them the opportunity to become peaceable, upright adults. If children accept “the discipline of Jehovah,” they gain wisdom, knowledge, and discernment.

What happens at times when parents expect perfection from their children is that the children often get frustrated and disconnected. They love and hate their parents. They feel they cannot communicate with their parents and often times can't wait till they become adults so they can leave their parents.

I left home when I was 14 years old. I could not stand my mother. Her rules and the way she punished me was to much for me to handle. I'm not saying that children should run away but in my case that was my only choice. I felt that my mother was going to kill me because of the way she abused me.

I grew up with issues. I hated my mother. In a way I'm glad I did go through all of it because I'm the opposite with my children. I love my children very much. I guide them as best I can and I ALLOW them to make mistakes so they can learn from them. I don't mean the kind of mistakes like " Dad I tried some Pot " No there are lessons in life that others have already shown you why you should not do them.

I don't mean mistakes such as " Dad I had sex with this girl " No Jehovah tells us not to fornicate. Those are mistakes that should not happen. I'm talking about life's lessons that if children are not allowed to learn then it's going to be a challenge for them as adults. Think about this. Do you know someone who became a wild child as soon as they hit 18? I do

Do you know someone who became alcoholics as soon as they hit 18? I do. It could be anything but I'm sure you know someone who as soon as they turned 18 changed from what they normally do. For the most part they go down hill. Not all children because some are more mature than others but since this system of things really has no rules, children may do everything their parents did not want them to do.

Use caution and keep in mind that we as parents must respect our children. We must listen to them. The world isn't the same as when we grew up. It's more of a struggle for them than it was for us. If we do that then we will find the communication between parents and children will improve. Till tomorrow.

Sad to be away from those we love

I've read a few things over the last few weeks that has made me sad in many ways. First let me say that I have always had my wife there. Even the times when I was away from her, she was always there. When I say away from her, I mean when I was younger and locked up behind bars but even then she was always there and I knew she would be there when I was released.

I recall reading experiences from Brothers who were locked up for years and years away from those they love because they were witnesses. This still goes on today. The best advise I can give is to place your trust in Jehovah. Not just parts of it but all of it. Recall the experience of Karen Malone who at the end of all the issues she went through, her and her husband both were in the truth who had children in the truth and were happy.

I know there really isn't no easy answers when you are away from those you love just have comfort in knowing that this family, the Rivera family loves you very much and that we are proud of you. Those that are reading are wondering what this is about. As you can tell this post is more personal.

For those reading, there is a very special person who wants to become a witness but is receiving family opposition but like Job isn't allowing anything to come between a relationship with Jehovah. It's amazing to me because really what do Jehovah's witnesses do? We follow scripture. We apply scripture. We study. We teach others. This is reflected in our lives, our conduct. It shows on how we treat others. Witnesses don't do drugs, we don't smoke, we don't fornicate, we don't get drunk, we are the opposite when it comes to the world and what they practice.

I personally think it's a misunderstanding when it comes to witnesses that people judge who we are before they truly understand who we are. It's tradition that people can't let go. It's Satan who blinds the minds. It could be many things. I lost many in my life because I became a witness. As I said my brother and I haven't spoken because of it. I still till this day don't understand that. Why can't you be happy for me. I'm happy and that's all that should matter.

Job is a an example to us all. He endured and in the end was blessed because he did indeed keep his Integrity. I hope these words will encourage you. I hope that time does indeed fly by. We miss and love you very much and you know who you are. Matter of fact, I miss your whole family and I hope that someday their eyes will be opened. I hope and pray that something in their hearts will show them that this is the truth. I would not be here if it wasn't the truth. I would not share with others if it wasn't the truth. I would not risk my life each time in service if it wasn't the truth. There are stories of brothers and sisters getting hurt and even killed because they discuss the Kingdom.

We do this because we love Jehovah and respect the requirement to preach and teach others. Know that we pray often for you and your family. You are not alone. Let me repeat, You are not alone. You are loved. You are a gift and really we are blessed to know you and have you in our lives.

Till tomorrow. Have a great day. Keep your heads up!!!

Friday

My apologies again it's been very busy for me. Next month my the new addition to the family will be here. My little boy Joshua. I was always taught that you shouldn't get your hopes up high. When we first found out that we were having a baby I was a bit nervous because we had lost a baby as well.

My wife and I were so hurt because we were so excited to have another baby. They couldn't explain why the baby's neck was swollen. I remember the call clearly. I was at work and she just went for her regular check up. They couldn't find the heart beat. They did an ultrasound and found that the baby's heart wasn't beating anymore and that the neck looked swollen. Our baby was dead.

My wife called me crying. I knew from the moment I heard her on the phone that we lost the baby. It was very hard for us. We did have another baby but we always felt that something was missing. Sadly and I don't know if my wife knows this. Maybe I don't mention it because I don't want to hurt her or bring up the past but there isn't anything that is going to replace what could have been.

The thoughts that go through my mind is " I wonder who the baby would have looked like " I wonder what the first word would be " To wonder these things at times makes me sad.

I mentioned a few posts ago on how Jehovah shows us that he loves us. Well, one way is his original purpose which was to pro-create. The fact that he allows us to have children is a blessing. The Earth that he gave us. Life itself. So many things that he has given us that shows that he loves us.

Each time I had a child, I always thanked Jehovah. It's easy to think of the things we lose in life, lets think of the good things that we have now. Have a great day!!!

Wednesday

My apologies yesterday was very busy. I have what I was going to post today at home so I will post that tomorrow. Yesterday I was a bit upset at my daughter because of what she caused. Let me fill you in.

My little girl likes to climb everything. I often worry and I tell my wife to make sure she doesn't climb because if she looses her balance she can get hurt. So far she hasn't which is a good thing but its only a matter of time.

She likes to climb my desk which has very expensive items. My computer was custom made and is about $2500.00. My screen is a 30-inch screen which at the time was about $3000.00 so I told my wife to make sure she doesn't climb because I don't want her to hurt herself or break something. Sure enough I come home yesterday and my wife says " I have something to tell you " I said " What " She said " Nevaeh was on your desk and she dropped your screen " Nevaeh at the time was sleeping. I walked over to her to make sure she was ok then I was a bit upset but didn't know if it was damaged so I turned it on.

Crack right on the display. I got up and walked away. I was upset because really it didn't need to happen. While cleaning up Nevaeh wakes and looks at me. I couldn't help but smile at her and give her a big hug and a kiss and I started playing with her. I felt better. I wasn't upset at her, I was upset that it happened but there is nothing I can do because what happened well, happened but her little smile made my day.

How can anyone be upset at anything when your kids smile at you? I couldn't and it made my heart melt. I felt better. I didn't care that $3000.00 screen was down the drain. Her smile was worth way more than that. I learned that while we will get upset over our material being broken we must understand that most of the time when our items break it's an accident. Nobody means for bad things to happen but they do.

Anyway, till tomorrow. Everyone have a great day.

Make the Truth you own

That is my favorite Kingdom Song. Here it is being played


Everyone really has their personal favorite but for me this is it. The lyrics are:

1. The way of the truth is the best way of living.
No better way can there be found.
Christ Jesus has taught us the value of giving,
That happiness spreads all around.
Make the truth your own.
May your faith to all be shown.
By the way you do conduct yourself,
You make known that the truth is your own.

2. By putting God first and him actively praising,
The world and its friendship you’ll lose.
To those without faith, it is truly amazing
That God’s righteous way you did choose.
Make the truth your own.
Shun the world; leave it alone.
As to God Jehovah you draw near,
You make known that the truth is your own.

3. The Devil will ever resort to deception,
But him you can firmly oppose.
The large shield of faith will provide sure protection,
And with it you’ll ward off his blows.
Make the truth your own.
Satan’s wiles are not unknown.
Putting on the armor God supplies,
You make known that the truth is your own.

4. The flesh is so weak, and the heart too is desparate.
With this sinful state you contend.
But please be assured that you can overcome it,
For God is your Helper and Friend.
Make the truth your own.
To bad ways do not be prone.
If your body members you control,
You make known that the truth is your own.
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How can you not love those words. Really it's heart warming. What does it mean to make the truth your own? As we study & continue our studies, the truth does become our own. As we learn to appreciate what Jehovah as done for us, the truth does become our own. As we teach others the truth, the truth does become our own. No matter what happens to us in this system of things or what the world takes away, they can never take away the Truth.

There is a brother in our congregation who is going back to Hong Kong. He's been here for about a year but he told what he went through just because he became a witness. When this brother learned the truth, his parents disowned him. Did not want anything to do with him. His mother who loved him very much just stopped talking to him and threw him out the house.

He had an education but didn't have a job. He moved in with other brothers who were there to help him but his pain didn't stop. He was thrown in Jail because of being a witness and stayed there for about a year. I didn't have a chance to talk to this brother but I'm going to get the rest of the story on Tuesday. The only reason I found out what happened is because an Elder was telling his story since he was going back.

After he was released he came to the United States to our congregation. I assumed he has always been here but I was wrong. I can't wait to speak to him. The watchtower yesterday which talked about Job hit the spot. Job went through so much and yet kept his integrity to Jehovah. He lost all his wealth, his health, and his children and still kept his integrity to Jehovah.

We have to remember that we may go through the same things. We may lose a loved one in this system of things. It's not Jehovah's fault. We may get sick. It's not Jehovah's fault. Our friends or parents may never speak to us because of the choice to become a witness. It's not Jehovah's fault.

If it wasn't for Jehovah's sending Jesus to die for us we would not have a second chance at life. We should not blame Jehovah for all the badness we see or what happens to us. Think about this for a second. Right now if everything was perfect in our lives with no issues and we are witnesses, we should question our spirituality. Because we are Targets of Satan. Our lives should not be perfect, there should be something wrong somewhere and if there isn't now there will be. That's exactly what an Elder said yesterday.

Satan isn't going to stop. He already has the world. It's us that he wants. Recall when he tried to tempt Jesus. He didn't get him but he did say that he will return to tempt Jesus again. We should expect the same and it can come in many forms but nothing that we don't see coming. We know all of Satan's tricks but he continues to use them because they have worked on some of our brothers and sisters who fall away from the truth. They have worked on those who want to be apart of the truth.

Jesus stated at Matthew 10:38 that whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. Jesus requires not only that we accept and believe in what he taught but also that, for our entire life, we continually follow the pattern he set. We cannot slave for two masters. It's one or the other and the way we live will show which master we serve.

For those looking reading wanting to learn the truth. First know that Jesus came to give you a second chance but he also stated that he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. It requires effort on your part to maintain the pattern set by Jesus. It requires that you show that you Love Jehovah by your actions and not just your words. Talk is cheap as they say. Think of a person that you love. How do you show them that you love them?

Those who have children, how do you show them that you love them?
Husbands, How do you show your wife that you love her?
Wife - How do you show husband that you love him?
Children - How do you show your parents that you love them?

I'm not asking how you tell them, I'm asking how you show them. So in like manner whats the best way you can show Jehovah that you love him? By your actions because they will speak louder than any words you can say.

How has Jehovah shown you? I will talk about that tomorrow. Have a great day.

Friday

Talk about being tried. I only had one hour sleep so far. I'm working on a project that requires my attention and sadly I cannot rest till it's complete. I work very hard. More than most and others work harder than I do. I guess it's just the way that I am. When your mind if focused on one thing, you have to see it through. That's how I feel about the truth. The world and its temptations are nothing but distractions that want to block you from the truth. Life slaps you in the face and tries to convince you that you are to busy to do your studies. You are to busy to go out in service. You are to busy for family study or personal study.

Satan's world is full of distractions. I recall telling a brother one time who didn't develop the habit of a personal study. I gave the illustration about food and how you cannot go one day without eating. Well we need our spiritual food as well. He understood but always said he didn't have time. So I asked, how many hours in the day? 24 he replied so then I asked do you think it's possible that maybe out of the hours that you are awake lets say the first hour, give ten minutes to Jehovah. Just ten minutes. Then the next hour comes, give another 10. Next hour another 10. In three hours you would have given 30 minutes of your time to Jehovah. In 6 hours you gave an hour. Jehovah doesn't expect more than what we can do that is a true statement but if you can't give to Jehovah and allow the world to get in your way of personal study, meeting attendance, and preparation for the Watchtower then really your starving and not feeding yourself with spiritual food. Your not shielding yourself with spiritual armor so when your weak because you haven't taken in any spiritual food and can't even put on the armor, guess who is going to attack you.

The scriptures speak of Satan as a lion seeking to devour someone. That is a fitting description and reminds me of an illustration in connection with Satan and a lion who seeks to devour. Gods word tells us in in 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 8 to keep our senses, to be watchful. How can we do that if we allow ourselves to be influenced or distracted with the world. It calls Satan adversary. He is looking to devour someone. Not just anyone but someone in Jehovah's Organization. Satan doesn't have to try hard to get those in the world, he already has them. He wants want belongs to Jehovah. He wanted it back in the Garden of Eden and he still wants it today. Nothing makes Satan more happy than turning a brother, a sister, and a bible student away from the truth. Satan is a liar who has lied from the start. He has been exposed. We know all his tricks. With Jehovah's help we can resist Satan and his attacks. A lie can never expose the truth but the truth can expose a lie. Satan is the father of the lie who will try and convince you that the world we live in today is fine. He will try and convince you that you don't need Jehovah. You don't need to pray, Satan will try to convince you of those things. He will distract you so you will stop doing and applying the things you learned.

Jehovah saved my life in so many ways. He saved my marriage. I owe everything to him and without him I am lost. I am nothing but he see's value in me. He see's value in you. He didn't send his son to die in our behalf because he hates us. He sent his son to give us a second change. All he asks is that we listen to him. Pray to him and thank him for all that you have. All that you are. All that you want to be.

Have a great weekend.

Yesterday's Post

The post yesterday was a bit emotional for me. I do have a horrible past that's filled with drugs, violence, abuse, gangs, etc..

In truth, I know that I would be in jail or perhaps dead if it wasn't for Jehovah coming into my life. I would have been killed by another gang member. Maybe it could have been drugs. Maybe it could have been by someone in jail. I'm going to be 36 years old. I was shocked when I made it to 19 because I always thought that I would die.

You can't live that kind of life and expect to live. The chances are high that you will die in one way or another. In Jesse's talk he mentioned when Adam and Eve sinned, our death sentence began. Some will pass away because of age, maybe poor health, but to die because of a gun or drugs is not acceptable but it was something I expected to die from. When I say Gun I mean by another gang member or maybe someone in the same gang I was in. Who knows.

Point is in life we all have choices and the choices we make in life can hurt or help us. Jehovah again protects us when it comes to our choices. I could not be a gang member and serve Jehovah! I could not smoke whatever and serve Jehovah. I could not get drunk and serve Jehovah. Jehovah tells me through his word and his organization what protects me and how I can protect myself.

You show me a gun I will show you the bible. You show me drugs, I will share a scripture. You scream and use foul language in my face and I will continue to share the WatchTower or Awake. This is my life now. As mentioned Jesus came to Earth to preach. That was his goal. That is what he was sent here to do. He was sent to finish the work that his father Jehovah wanted him to finish. Yes he healed, yes he raised the dead, and yes he fed many but all of that was temporary. Those that were brought back to life did die again but his word stands today.

We have the joy and honor to do the same work Jesus had the honor of doing for his father which is to preach the good news of God's Kingdom. I will tell you more tomorrow just how Jehovah saved my life. Till then, have a great day.

Thank you all

For your wonderful comments. It really makes me feed good inside. I started this blog about a year ago and it started because I felt I had internal issues that I needed to get out but couldn't open myself up. When I spoke I felt that no one really listened. I remember when I opened up to an Elder about my issues. He gave me encouragement and spiritual insight that I needed to hear.

When I spoke with him there were things that I didn't tell him about my past. I felt that some secrets needed to stay within your family. Of course Jehovah knew but I couldn't tell anyone. If you read my past posts you will find what I'm talking about. So you don't have to search, I'll say it again.

When I was younger, my sister was molested by my little brother's father. My sister finally told my mother but my mother didn't believe her. My older brother, sister, and I share the same mother and father. Only my little brother Jesus has a different father. He was an evil man. I say was because he died sometime ago. As mentioned my sister told my mother but my mom didn't believe her and she kicked my sister out. My sister went to live with my Grandmother.

I didn't know at that time what was going on. My sister didn't say anything to us. Then I noticed that he ( little brothers father ) would come into our room and touch my older brother. It wasn't till he came to my area that I had enough courage to scream as loud as I could. When he came in to touch my brother at night, I screamed so he would leave. He would try and give me money to shut me up.

I finally told my mother. He was gone. Why my mother sided with him over my sister still bothers me today and it was one of those secrets that I kept in. I was scared to tell my mother. I was abused by her. I was hit with everything and even burned in the face. My spankings didn't happen on my behind. It happened on my face. I missed many days of school.

My mother even when as far as biting me and turning her cigarette out on my skin. Even put in a chair tied with rope just to hit me and punish me. It was very hard. I kept secrets. Little by little I let the cat out the bag and I opened myself up to some folks. I opened my heart to Jehovah and cried while doing so.

When things are bothering you or you are upset. Pray to Jehovah. Throw all your burdens on him. Give an Elder, brother or sister a call. Don't hold things in. It can eat you alive. When I let it all out, I felt so good to finally get it off my chest. All that I was feeling, all the pain. My wife was there through it all.

She was there when I placed a gun to my head ready to shoot. She was there when I sliced my hand trying to cut a vain. She has always been there for me and has cried with me. I am so thankful to have her in my life. I am so thankful that I have Jesus and Jehovah. I am thankful to have his organization who are my fellow brothers and sisters.

Every now and then when I think of the past I get upset because of the things I went through but at the same time, this is what I said to Jesse. I told him everything that I went through. I told Jesse that I love my mother very much. Yes we were abused but I'm still here and alive because of her. I can dwell on the past or look at the positive. I had clothes on my back and food on the table.

The scriptures tell us to Honor your mother and father and I have done so with my mother and I will do so with my father when he is brought back to life. When Jesse had to talk to the Elders about a private matter along time ago, he didn't want to keep secrets. It was eating him inside. He told me what he was going through and as a father I listened and gave him spiritual support. I reminded him of David.

King David loved Jehovah but took false steps that led to grave sins. This can happen to any of us, especially if he or she has authority over others. Recall the account of David Bath-sheba. David watched Bath-sheba a married woman who was taking a bath. She was married to Uriah’s.

With Uriah at war, David had Bath-sheba brought to his palace and committed adultery with her. She ended up pregnant! David sent for Uriah, hoping that he would spend the night with Bath-sheba and would consider the child his own. Though David got him drunk, Uriah refused to sleep with her. Now desperate, David sent the commander Joab secret orders to put Uriah in the front lines where he would be sure to die. Uriah was killed in battle, his widow observed the usual mourning period, and David married her before people became aware of her pregnancy.

Through the prophet Nathan, Jehovah exposed David’s sins. David’s sins humbled him and made him aware of the need to stay close to his compassionate God. Jehovah forgave him. There is more to the story but, isn't Jehovah a loving and merciful God? He is willing to forgive in a large way if we humble ourselves, repent, and not repeat any action that got us in trouble in the first place.

Satan is the one who wants you to feel that you will not be forgiven. If Jehovah wasn't a loving God he would have ended this system along time ago but he is giving us time to adjust ourselves spiritually so that we can meet his requirements which is found through his word the bible. We should be thankful that we have time. Time that will allow us to continue preaching to our families. Time to find other lost sheep that are of my fold. Jehovah is such a loving God. Remember to pray to him folks and pour your heart out to him.

Thanks for listening. Till tomorrow. OH wait before I forget. My wife often looks at my blog. I told her that I would post the daily text which if some are new to this blog, the daily text well, it's a text of encouragement for day. Here is today's daily text for Wednesday the 3rd for June.
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You do not know what your life will be tomorrow. For you are a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.—Jas. 4:14.

Concern about the sanctification of Jehovah’s holy name helped Jesus to be prepared for the trials he faced. In fact, he taught his followers that their prayers to God should include the request: “Let your name be sanctified.” (Matt. 6:9)

If we deeply desire that Jehovah’s name be sanctified, or held sacred, we will strive to avoid doing anything that would bring reproach upon it. As a result, we will be better prepared for the great day of Jehovah.

If Jehovah’s day comes tomorrow, will you really be ready for it? Each of us would do well to examine his or her life to see if any actions or attitudes need to be adjusted. In view of the brevity and uncertainty of present human life, every one of us needs to be spiritually alert each day.
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Next week's talk is titled " How Should Christians Exercise Authority? "
That talk will be handled by an Elder if I'm not Mistaken. I'll take notes and post it here. I'm also looking into posting Audio. I didn't get to record Jesse's talk yesterday but I have my recorder ready. Till tomorrow. Have a Great Day!!!