Jehovah your God will bless you . . . , and you must become nothing but joyful.—Deut. 16:15.
Joy is a state of great happiness. Jehovah is "the happy God." (1 Tim. 1:11; Ps. 104:31) The Son delights to do his Father’s will. (Ps. 40:8; Heb. 10:7-9) And "the joy of Jehovah is [our] stronghold." (Neh. 8:10) God-given joy brings us deep satisfaction when we do the divine will even in times of hardship, sorrow, or persecution. What happiness "the very knowledge of God" brings us! (Prov. 2:1-5) Our joyous relationship with God is based on accurate knowledge and faith in him and in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. (1 John 2:1, 2) Being part of the only true international brotherhood is another source of joy. (Zeph. 3:9; Hag. 2:7) Our Kingdom hope and the grand privilege of declaring the good news make us joyful. (Matt. 6:9, 10; 24:14) So does the prospect of everlasting life. (John 17:3) Since we have such a grand hope, we should be "nothing but joyful." w07 7/15 2:9, 10
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
thought for the day - November 25 2008
The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.—Ps. 19:1.
As a youth, David was often outside, shepherding the flocks. The sheep lowered their heads to graze, but he raised his eyes to the heavens. In the evening darkness, David reflected on the grandeur of the universe and what it all meant. Although young, David had already discerned that he was "wonderfully made." (Ps. 139:14) Acting on this insight brought him great benefits throughout his life. If we, young and old, praise and serve our Grand Creator, our present and future life will be delightful. Regarding those who stay close to Jehovah and live by his righteous ways, the Bible promises: "They will still keep on thriving during gray-headedness, fat and fresh they will continue to be, to tell that Jehovah is upright." (Ps. 92:14, 15) And we will have the hope of enjoying our Maker’s wonderful works forever. w07 6/15 1:18, 19
As a youth, David was often outside, shepherding the flocks. The sheep lowered their heads to graze, but he raised his eyes to the heavens. In the evening darkness, David reflected on the grandeur of the universe and what it all meant. Although young, David had already discerned that he was "wonderfully made." (Ps. 139:14) Acting on this insight brought him great benefits throughout his life. If we, young and old, praise and serve our Grand Creator, our present and future life will be delightful. Regarding those who stay close to Jehovah and live by his righteous ways, the Bible promises: "They will still keep on thriving during gray-headedness, fat and fresh they will continue to be, to tell that Jehovah is upright." (Ps. 92:14, 15) And we will have the hope of enjoying our Maker’s wonderful works forever. w07 6/15 1:18, 19
Monday, November 24, 2008
thought for the day - November 24 2008
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.—Rom. 12:20.
What does this text mean?
To "heap fiery coals upon his head" is a figure of speech drawn from the method of smelting metals in Bible times. Ore was put into a furnace, and a layer of coals was put not only underneath the ore but also on top of it. Fiery coals heaped on top increased the heat so that the hard metal melted and separated from the impurities in the ore. Similarly, by doing kind deeds to an opposer, we may "melt" his hardness and bring out his better qualities. (2 Ki. 6:14-23) In fact, numerous members of the Christian congregation were first attracted to true worship by the kind deeds that Jehovah’s servants performed in their behalf. By forgoing retaliation and promoting peace, we lovingly hope to help even some fierce opposers to become worshippers of Jehovah.
What does this text mean?
To "heap fiery coals upon his head" is a figure of speech drawn from the method of smelting metals in Bible times. Ore was put into a furnace, and a layer of coals was put not only underneath the ore but also on top of it. Fiery coals heaped on top increased the heat so that the hard metal melted and separated from the impurities in the ore. Similarly, by doing kind deeds to an opposer, we may "melt" his hardness and bring out his better qualities. (2 Ki. 6:14-23) In fact, numerous members of the Christian congregation were first attracted to true worship by the kind deeds that Jehovah’s servants performed in their behalf. By forgoing retaliation and promoting peace, we lovingly hope to help even some fierce opposers to become worshippers of Jehovah.
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