34567

MARC H 15, 2012

D
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES

APRIL 30–MAY 6

Help People to
“Awake From Sleep”
PAGE 3 ˙ SONGS: 65, 96

MAY 7-13

Maintain Your
Sense of Urgency
PAGE 9 ˙ SONGS: 92, 47

MAY 14-20

Rejoicing in Our Hope

PAGE 15 ˙ SONGS: 129, 134

MAY 21-27

Do Not Look at
“the Things Behind”
PAGE 21 ˙ SONGS: 119, 17
34567 6

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 Help People
to “Awake
From Sleep”
VERY year, thousands of people die be-

E
“You people know
the season, that it is cause they get sleepy or even fall asleep
already the hour for you while driving. Others lose their jobs be-
to awake from sleep.” cause they do not wake up in time to go to work or
—ROMANS 13:11.
because they fall asleep while at work. But there
is a different kind of sleep that is much more
dangerous. It is spiritual sleep. The Bible is warn-
ing us against this kind of sleep when it says:
CAN YOU EXPLAIN? “Happy is the one that stays awake.”—Revelation
16:14-16.
Why is it so important for 2 As Armageddon gets closer, mankind in gen-
Christians to stay awake eral is spiritually asleep. Even some of the leaders
spiritually? in Christendom have said that their church mem-
bers are asleep. What is spiritual sleep? Why is it
important that true Christians stay awake? How
can we help others to wake up from spiritual

sleep?
In the ministry, why should we WHAT IS SPIRITUAL SLEEP?
be alert and listen?
3 People who are sleeping are usually not ac-
tive. In contrast, those who sleep spiritually may
be very busy, but they are not busy doing the
things that can help them have God’s favor. They
may be focusing on the daily cares of life or do-
Why should we be kind in our ing everything they can to have pleasure, fame, or
ministry? money. They are so busy with these things that
they do not think about their spiritual needs. But
1, 2. In what way do many people need to wake up?
3. How would you describe a person who is spiritually
asleep?

3
SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED
Spiritually asleep: A person who is spiri-
tually asleep is not doing God’s will. He
does not realize that we are living in the
last days and that his life is in danger
people who are spiritually awake real-
ize that we live “in the last days,” so
they are as active as possible in do-
ing God’s will.—2 Peter 3:3, 4; Luke
21:34-36.
4 Read 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8. Here
the apostle Paul told Christians not to
“sleep on as the rest do.” What did
he mean? We “sleep on” when we do
not do what Jehovah says is right and
when we do what he says is wrong.
Another way we can “sleep on” is by
living as if Jehovah’s time to destroy
the wicked was not near. We must
make sure that the wicked do not in-
fluence us to think and act the way
they do.
5 Some people think that there is
no God who will judge them for their
actions. (Psalm 53:1) Others think
that God is not interested in us, so
we have no reason to be interested in
him. And others think that belonging
to a church will make them friends of
God. All those who have these false
ideas are spiritually asleep. They
need to wake up. How can we help
them?
4. What did Paul mean when he said: “Let us
not sleep on as the rest do”?
5. What do those who are spiritually asleep
think?
4 SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
Alert ministers: Ministers who notice the
needs of those they meet in the ministry
and keep their thoughts on the preaching
work
WE MUST KEEP AWAKE OURSELVES
6 We can only help others to wake
up if we are awake ourselves. So how
can we stay awake? We must avoid
the conduct of those who are sleeping
spiritually. The Bible says that those
who sleep spiritually are doing “works
belonging to darkness.” These works
include wild partying, drunkenness,
immoral sex, loose or shameless con-
duct, fighting, and jealousy. (Read Ro-
mans 13:11-14.) It is very hard not
to be like the people around us. We
must be alert. Someone who drives
a car must remember that if he falls
asleep while driving, he could die.
How much more should a Christian
always remember that spiritual sleep
can cause death!
7 We could start to think that every-
one in our territory has rejected the
good news and is not going to change.
(Proverbs 6:10, 11) We might think,
‘If no one is going to accept the good
news, why should we try so hard to
help people?’ It is true that many are
not listening now, but something in
their life may change and they may
start to think differently. Some do
6. Why must we stay awake?
7. What could happen to us if we have the
wrong idea about people in our territory?
wake up and accept the good news.
And we can help them if we ourselves
stay awake. We can do that by trying
new ways to make the Kingdom mes-
sage interesting to people. To help
us stay awake, we need to remember
why our ministry is so important.
WHY IS OUR MINISTRY
SO IMPORTANT?
8 Always remember that even if
people do not listen, our ministry hon-
ors Jehovah. Also, he uses the preach-
ing work to fulfill his purpose in
these urgent times. Soon, God will
judge people by how they react to
our preaching. Those who do not ac-
cept the good news will be destroyed.
(2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9) It would be a
mistake to think that we do not have
Spiritual sleep
causes death,
so we must help
people wake up!
to work hard in the preaching work
because “there is going to be a res-
urrection of both the righteous and
the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) We
have learned from God’s Word that
those who are judged as “goats” will
be destroyed forever. Our preaching
is a way God shows his mercy be-
cause it gives people the opportuni-
ty to change and to live forever. (Mat-
thew 25:32, 41, 46; Romans 10:13-15)
8. Why is our ministry so important?
MARCH 15, 2012
If we did not preach, how would peo-
ple have the opportunity to hear the
message that can save their life?
9 We too benefit from preaching the
good news. (Read 1 Timothy 4:16.)
You will probably agree that speaking
about Jehovah and the Kingdom has
strengthened your faith and your love
for God. It must also have helped you
to improve your Christian qualities.
And you probably feel happier when
you show your love for God by preach-
ing. Many who have taught the truth
to others have had the joy of seeing
God’s spirit help their students to live
a better life.
BE ALERT
10 There are different ways we can
make the good news interesting to
people. So we must be alert in our
ministry. Jesus is our example. Be-
cause he was perfect, he knew that
a certain Pharisee was angry even
though the man had not said any-
thing. Jesus also knew that a woman
who was known to be a sinner had re-
pented and that a widow had given
everything she had. (Luke 7:37-50; 21:
1-4) Jesus could help people because
he knew what they needed. But we
do not have to be perfect to notice the
needs of others. The apostle Paul was
an example of that. He preached in
different ways so that he could help all
people.—Acts 17:22, 23, 34; 1 Corinthi-
ans 9:19-23.
9. How have you and others benefited from the
preaching work?
10, 11. (a) How were Jesus and Paul alert to
the needs of others? (b) How can we be alert in
our ministry?
5
HOW TO KEEP
YOURSELF AWAKE
ˇ Keep busy in doing God’s will
ˇ Avoid works belonging to the darkness
ˇ Remember the danger of spiritual
sleep
ˇ Have a good attitude about people in
your territory
ˇ Try new ways to preach to others
ˇ Remember the importance of your
ministry
11If we are alert and notice people’s
needs as Jesus and Paul did, we will
know how to get their interest. For ex-
ample, while going to speak to others,
look for clues that can give you an idea
of what their culture is, what their in-
terests are, or whether they are sin-
gle, married, or have children. Notice
what they are doing at that moment
and perhaps say something polite
about it when you start your conversa-
tion.
12 If we are alert in the ministry, we
will not allow other matters to take
our attention away from our work.
Even if we have an encouraging con-
versation with our partner, we need
to remember that our purpose is to
preach to others. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7)
So we should be careful that our con-
versation does not distract us from
our purpose. A good way to keep
our thoughts on the preaching work
12. While we are in the ministry, what do we
need to remember about our conversation?
6 SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
is to talk about what we will say to
those we meet. Also, even though a
cell phone can be helpful in the minis-
try, we should make sure that a phone
call does not interrupt our conversa-
tion with a householder.
SHOW INTEREST
IN THOSE YOU MEET
13 It is important to listen careful-
ly to those you meet in the ministry.
What questions can you ask people
in your territory so that they will tell
you what they think? Are they wor-
ried about the number of different re-
ligions, the violence in the area, or
the failure of governments? Can you
help some learn about God by talk-
ing about the wonderful way that liv-
ing things were made or about how
helpful the Bible’s advice is? Prayer
is something that interests people
of most cultures, even people who
do not believe in God. Many won-
der if there is anyone who listens
to prayers. Others may be interest-
ed in questions like these: Does God
listen to all prayers? If he does not,
what should we do to be heard by
God?
14 We can learn how to start con-
versations from those who have ex-
perience in the ministry. Notice how
they ask questions without making
the person feel uncomfortable. No-
tice how their voice and face re-
flect that they are trying to under-
stand the householder’s opinion.
—Proverbs 15:13.
13, 14. (a) What can help us to know what a
person is interested in? (b) In what ways can we
start conversations in the ministry?
BE KIND AND USE SKILL
15 Do you like it when someone
wakes you up from a deep sleep?
Many do not react well when some-
one wakes them up suddenly. Most
like to be awakened in a gentle way.
This is also true when you try to wake
people up from spiritual sleep. For ex-
ample, what should you do if someone
gets angry when you visit him in the
ministry? Be kind, and show that you
respect how he feels. Then thank him
for being honest, and calmly leave.
(Proverbs 15:1; 17:14; 2 Timothy 2:24)
If you treat him kindly now, he may
react better the next time a Witness
visits.
16 In some situations, it is possible
to continue the conversation even if a
person says that he is not interested or
that he has his own religion. He may
say that just because it is the easiest
way to end the conversation. But with
skill and kindness, you may be able to
ask a good question that will help the
householder to become interested in
our Bible message.—Read Colossians
4:6.
17 Sometimes when we meet peo-
ple who feel that they are too busy to
listen, it is best to be respectful and
leave. At other times, you may feel
that you can say something brief and
meaningful. For example, some broth-
ers are able to present a Bible mes-
sage in less than a minute. They read a
scripture, and before they leave, they
15. Why should we be kind when we do the
preaching work?
16, 17. How can we use skill and kindness in
our ministry?
MARCH 15, 2012
ask the householder a question that
they will answer at another time. This
short presentation sometimes works
so well that the householder decides
that he is not too busy for a short con-
versation. Perhaps you could try to do
that the next time you have the oppor-
tunity.
18 If we are prepared to do infor-
mal witnessing, we can help people
we meet every day to become interest-
ed in God. Many brothers and sisters
carry some literature in their pock-
et or handbag. They may also be pre-
pared to read a specific Bible text if
they have the opportunity. You may
want to ask the service overseer or the
pioneers in your congregation to help
you prepare to do informal witness-
ing.
KINDLY HELP YOUR
RELATIVES TO WAKE UP
19 All of us want to help our rela-
tives to accept the good news. (Joshua
2:13; Acts 10:24, 48; 16:31, 32) If they
rejected the message the first time we
preached to them, we may not feel
very enthusiastic about trying again.
We might feel that there is little we
can do or say that will change their
attitude. But maybe things have hap-
pened that changed your relatives’ life
or the way they think. Or you may
have improved in your ability to ex-
plain the truth, so that you may now
have better results.
18. What can we do to become better at infor-
mal witnessing?
19. Why should we keep trying to help our rel-
atives?
7

20 We should respect the feelings
of our relatives. (Romans 2:4) Speak
just as kindly to them as you would
speak to those you meet in the preach-
ing work. Be mild and respectful. And
you may not always have to speak to
your relatives about the truth. By your
actions, you can show them how the
truth has helped you. (Ephesians 4:23,
24) Make it easy for them to see that
you live a better life because you have
been taught by Jehovah. (Isaiah 48:17)
Show your relatives by your example
how a Christian should live.
21 A sister wrote that she has al-
ways tried to witness to her 13 broth-
ers and sisters by her words and ac-
tions. She writes each of them every
20. How can we show respect for the feelings
of our relatives when we speak to them?
21, 22. Give an example that shows how im-
portant it is to keep trying to help our relatives
to learn about Jehovah.
8 SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
year. For 30 years she was the only
Witness in the family.
22 One day this sister called one of
her sisters who lives far away. Her sis-
ter told her that she asked her preach-
er to study the Bible with her, but he
never did. When our sister told her
that she would be glad to help her
study the Bible, she answered: “All
right, but I am telling you now: I will
never be one of Jehovah’s Witness-
es.” She sent her sister the book What
Does the Bible Really Teach? and called
her every few days, but she had not
opened the book yet. The sister con-
tinues: “Finally, I asked her to get her
book, and for about 15 minutes over
the phone, we read and discussed
some of the quoted scriptures. After a
few more calls, she wanted to study
for more than 15 minutes. Then she
began calling me for her study, some-
times before I was even out of bed in
the morning and sometimes twice a
day. The next year, she got baptized,
and the year after that, she began pio-
neering.”
23 We need to use skill and to keep
trying to help people to wake up from
spiritual sleep. Many are still accept-
ing the good news. On average, more
than 20,000 people get baptized each
month. So we should follow the ad-
vice that the apostle Paul gave to Ar-
chippus: “Keep watching the ministry
which you accepted in the Lord, that
you fulfill it.” (Colossians 4:17) The
next article will help all of us to under-
stand what it means to preach with a
sense of urgency.
23. Why should we keep trying to help people
to wake up from spiritual sleep?
 Maintain
Your Sense
of Urgency
EOPLE whose job it is to save lives usually

P
“Preach the word, be at it
urgently.”—2 TIMOTHY 4:2. work with a sense of urgency. For example,
firefighters rush to an emergency because
they know that lives may be in danger.
2 As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we want to help peo-
CAN YOU EXPLAIN? ple to be saved. That is why preaching and teach-

ing the good news of the Kingdom is very impor-
Why did Christians in the first tant to us. But although our work is urgent, we do
century preach with urgency? not rush around without thinking. Then what did
the apostle Paul mean when he gave the counsel:
“Preach the word, be at it urgently”? (2 Timothy
4:2) How can we preach with urgency? And why
is our work so urgent?

WHY IS OUR
How can we keep our sense of
PREACHING URGENT?
urgency? 3 When you think about how our preaching

work can save lives, you probably feel the urgent

need to tell others about the good news. (Romans
10:13, 14) God’s Word says: “When I say to the
wicked one: ‘You will positively die,’ and he actu-
ally turns back from his sin and carries on justice

and righteousness, . . . he will positively keep liv-
Why is our preaching work more ing. He will not die. None of his sins with which
urgent now than ever before? he has sinned will be remembered against him.”
(Ezekiel 33:14-16) The Bible tells preachers of the
good news: “You will save both yourself and those
1, 2. What questions will be answered about preaching with
urgency?
3. What can result if people accept the Kingdom message?
What if they do not?

9
SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED
Sense of urgency: To be
aware that preaching is
important because lives
are in danger and preach-
ing can save lives
Christ’s presence: The
period of time that Jesus
Christ has been invisibly
present after his enthrone-
ment in heaven as King
in 1914
Spiritual sleep: To be un-
aware of or not to care
about the need to know
God

who listen to you.”—1 Timothy 4:16;
Ezekiel 3:17-21.
4 To understand why Paul strong-
ly advised Timothy to preach with ur-
gency, we need to read our theme
scripture and some of its context:
“Preach the word, be at it urgently in
favorable season, in troublesome sea-
son, reprove, reprimand, exhort, with
all long-suffering and art of teach-
ing. For there will be a period of
time when they will not put up with
the healthful teaching, but, in accord
with their own desires, they will ac-
cumulate teachers for themselves to
have their ears tickled; and they will
turn their ears away from the truth.”
(2 Timothy 4:2-4) Jesus had prophe-
sied that there would be an apostasy.
(Matthew 13:24, 25, 38) So it was ur-
gent for Timothy to “preach the word”
even inside the congregation so that
this apostasy would not attract Chris-
tians and deceive them with false
teachings. Their lives were in danger.
What about today?
5 This apostasy from true worship
4. Why did apostasy make preaching in the
first century urgent?
5, 6. What popular ideas do people we meet in
the ministry believe?
has grown and spread to many places.
(2 Thessalonians 2:3, 8) What wrong
teachings attract people today? For ex-
ample, in many places evolution is
taught with the same strong feelings
that people have for their religion.
Even though science is usually used to
explain and support evolution, it is as
if evolution has almost become a reli-
gion but without God. It affects how
The opportunity we
have to help others
survive Armageddon
will never come again
people feel about God and how they
feel about other people. Another pop-
ular teaching is that God is not inter-
ested in us, so we do not need to be in-
terested in him. Why do millions of
people listen to these teachings that
prevent them from having a relation-
ship with God? Both teachings make
people believe that they can do any-
thing they want because there is no
one to answer to. This is a message

10 SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

that many want to hear and believe.
—Read Psalm 10:4.
6 But there are other teachings that
people believe. Some people who still
go to church like to hear that no mat-
ter what they do, God loves them.
Others like to hear their priests and
pastors tell them that ceremonies,
Masses, religious celebrations, and
images can help them to be blessed
by God. These churchgoers may not
realize the danger of their situation.
(Psalm 115:4-8) But they can benefit
from God’s Kingdom if we wake them
up from spiritual sleep and help them
to understand Bible truths.
WHAT DOES PREACHING
WITH URGENCY MEAN?
7 A good surgeon must give his
complete attention to the surgery be-
cause the patient’s life could be lost.
In our Christian ministry, we can
show a sense of urgency by giving
our complete attention to the preach-
ing work. We can do this by think-
ing carefully about what subjects,
questions, or information the people
we meet might be interested in. Also,
we understand how important this
work is, so we might want to change
our schedule so that we can visit peo-
ple when they are more willing to lis-
ten to our message.—Romans 1:15, 16;
1 Timothy 4:16.
8 Having a sense of urgency also
means that we do the most impor-
tant things first. (Read Genesis 19:
15.) For example, imagine that after
you receive the results from a medi-
7. How can we show our sense of urgency?
8. What does having a sense of urgency mean?
MARCH 15, 2012
cal test, your doctor calls you into his
office and tells you: “You have an ur-
gent health problem, and you have no
more than a month to do something
about your illness.” What would you
do? You would probably not immedi-
ately rush out of his office to do some-
thing about the situation. But you
would listen carefully to what he
thinks you need to do, go home, and
decide what you should do.
9 We can learn from Paul’s sense of
urgency by reading what he told the
elders in Ephesus about his preach-
ing in the district of Asia. (Read Acts
20:18-21.) From the first day he ar-
rived, he was busy preaching to peo-
ple from house to house with the good
news. For two years, he also had a reg-
ular schedule of “daily giving talks in
the school auditorium of Tyrannus.”
Events of the
last days can make
a person become
interested in the
Kingdom message
(Acts 19:1, 8-10) Paul’s sense of urgen-
cy influenced his routine. The counsel
to preach with urgency is not meant
to make us feel that the preaching
work is too much for us to do. But the
preaching work should be very impor-
tant in our lives.
9. Why can we say that Paul preached with ur-
gency in Ephesus?
11
 10 Before 1914 a small group of Bi-
ble Students started to preach the
good news. Their example shows us
what it means to have a sense of ur-
gency. Although there were only a
few thousand of them, they knew that
they lived in urgent times and began
preaching about the Kingdom with
zeal. They had sermons printed in
hundreds of newspapers and showed
a program of color slides and moving
pictures called the “Photo-Drama of
Creation.” By the Bible Students’
work, millions of people heard about
the good news. Because the Bible
Students had a sense of urgency, it
was possible for many of us to hear
about the Kingdom.—Read Psalm
119:60.
KEEP YOUR SENSE OF URGENCY
11 Distractions can stop a person
from thinking about how important
the preaching work is. Satan uses this
system of things to distract us from
Jehovah’s service by trying to keep
us busy with personal interests and
things that are not important. (1 Peter
5:8; 1 John 2:15-17) Some people who
at one time put Jehovah’s service first
in their life lost their sense of urgency.
For example, Demas was a Christian
who worked along with the apostle
Paul, but he later became distracted
by the world. Instead of continuing to
encourage Paul during a difficult time,
Demas left him.—2 Timothy 4:10; Phi-
lemon 23, 24.
10. Why can we be glad that the Bible Students
began to preach with urgency?
11. Why have some lost their sense of ur-
gency?
12
12 If we want to keep our sense of
urgency, we need to resist the tempta-
tion to do things that distract us from
our preaching work. We should work
hard to “get a firm hold on the real
life.” (1 Timothy 6:18, 19) You no
doubt believe that everlasting life on
earth under God’s Kingdom will give
us endless opportunities to enjoy in-
teresting activities. But the opportuni-
ty we have now to help others survive
Armageddon will never come again.
13 Most people in the world around
us do not know Jehovah. So, what can
we do to keep our sense of urgency?
We need to remember that there may
have been a time when we did not
know God and we had no hope for the
future. But we learned the truth about
Jehovah and Jesus, and now we have
the privilege of teaching others about
the truth. (Read Ephesians 5:14.) Paul
wrote: “Keep strict watch that how
you walk is not as unwise but as wise
persons, buying out the opportune
time for yourselves, because the days
are wicked.” (Ephesians 5:15, 16) In
this wicked world, it is important that
we use our time for activities that can
keep us close to Jehovah.
WE LIVE IN A VERY
IMPORTANT TIME
14The Christian ministry has al-
ways been urgent. But now it is more
urgent than ever before. Since 1914
we have seen many events happen-
12. What opportunity do we have now? What
opportunities will we have in the future?
13. What can help us to keep our sense of ur-
gency?
14-16. What makes Kingdom preaching more
urgent now than ever before?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
ing on the earth exactly as the Bible
foretold. (Matthew 24:3-51) All hu-
mans are threatened with destruction
as never before. Even though the most
powerful nations in the world have
made peace agreements, they still
have about 2,000 nuclear missiles that
can be fired at any place on the earth.
Authorities report hundreds of situa-
tions where nuclear material is miss-
ing and is said to be lost. Is it possible
that terrorists have some of this nucle-
ar material? Some people say that all
humans could easily be destroyed by
a war started by a terrorist. But war
is not the only thing to threaten man-
kind’s survival.
15 A 2009 report by The Lancet and
University College London says about
our day: “Climate change is the big-
gest global health threat.” It said that
the effects of climate change will af-
fect the health of most people and put
the lives of billions of people in dan-
MARCH 15, 2012
ger. Many places could be destroyed
because of rising sea levels, droughts,
floods, diseases, hurricanes, and wars
over shortages of supplies. There is no
doubt that wars and disasters threaten
mankind’s survival.
16 Some people might think that
the danger of nuclear war could lead
to the events that would fulfill Je-
sus’ prophecy about the last days.
But most people do not understand
the real meaning of Jesus’ prophecy.
For many years, we have seen events
showing that Christ’s presence is real
and that the end of this system is near.
(Matthew 24:3) Never before have we
seen so many events of Jesus’ prophe-
cy. It is time for people to realize that
they need to have a relationship with
God. Our ministry can help them.
17 We have only a short time to
17, 18. (a) How does living in the last days af-
fect us? (b) What could cause people to become
interested in the Kingdom message?
13
prove our love for Jehovah and to fin-
ish the preaching work he gave us to
do in the last days. What Paul told
the Christians in Rome is even more
important for us today: “You people
know the season, that it is already the
hour for you to awake from sleep, for
now our salvation is nearer than at the
time when we became believers.”—Ro-
mans 13:11.
18 The events foretold for the last
days can make people realize that
they need to have a relationship with
God. Some people become interested
in the Kingdom message when they
think of how human governments
have failed. The governments have
not been able to stop economic disas-
ters, nuclear threats, violent crime, or
the ruining of the earth. Others be-
come interested in the Kingdom mes-
sage because of problems in their own
family, such as a health crisis, a di-
vorce, or the death of a loved one. So
when we are in the ministry, we can
help these interested ones.
MOTIVATED BY A
SENSE OF URGENCY
19 Because of their sense of urgen-
cy, many Christians make changes in
their lives so that they can do more
in the ministry. For example, a young
couple in Ecuador decided to simpli-
fy their life after they heard the 2006
special assembly day program “Keep
Your Eye Simple.” They made a list of
things they did not need, and with-
in three months they moved from
their three-bedroom apartment to
a one-bedroom apartment, sold some
19, 20. How has their sense of urgency caused
many Christians to make changes in their lives?
14
things, and paid off all their debt.
Soon they began auxiliary pioneer-
ing and accepted the circuit overseer’s
suggestion to work with a congrega-
tion where there was a greater need.
20 A brother in the United States
writes: “When my wife and I attend-
ed an assembly in 2006, we had been
baptized for 30 years. While driving
home after the program, we discussed
how we could apply the counsel given
on simplifying our life.” (Matthew 6:
19-22) They owned three homes, land,
expensive cars, a boat, and a motor
home. Because they felt that they had
wasted their time and energy on ma-
terial things, they decided to make the
full-time ministry their goal. In 2008
they joined their daughter in the reg-
ular pioneer service. It has been very
rewarding for them to see how hap-
py people are when they hear and un-
derstand the truth of God’s Word. The
brother continues: “What a joy it has
been to work more closely with the
brothers! We have been able to serve
where there is greater need. Also, the
experience of doing more for Jehovah
has drawn us closer to him.”
21 We know that “the day of judg-
ment and of destruction of the un-
godly men” will soon end this wick-
ed world. (2 Peter 3:7) Because of the
knowledge we have of God’s Word,
we preach with zeal about the coming
great tribulation and the new world.
We continue to have a deep sense of
urgency in telling people about a real
hope for the future. By doing as much
as we can in this urgent work, we
show true love for God and for people.
21. What knowledge makes us preach with a
sense of urgency?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
 Rejoicing
in Our Hope
EHOVAH is “the God who gives hope,” said

J
“[There is] hope of the
everlasting life which God, the apostle Paul. Paul continued by saying
who cannot lie, promised that Jehovah can give us joy and peace so
before times long lasting.” that we “may abound in hope with power of holy
spirit.” (Romans 15:13) If this hope is clear in our
—TITUS 1:2.
minds, we will be able to endure difficult situa-
tions and keep our joy and peace. Difficult situa-
tions are like storms. During the storms of life,
CAN YOU ANSWER? our hope is “an anchor for the soul, both sure and

firm,” whether we are of the anointed or of the
Why do we know that there is
other sheep. (Hebrews 6:18, 19) By holding on to
joy in heaven when one of the our hope, we will not “drift away.” Our hope will
anointed keeps his integrity until help us to keep our faith strong and not to have
death? doubts.—Read Hebrews 2:1; 6:11.
2 Christians living at this time of the end have

one of two hopes. Those of the “little flock”

who are on earth have the hope of immortal life

in heaven. They will be kings and priests with
How is the hope of the other Christ in his Kingdom. (Luke 12:32; Revelation
sheep connected with that of
5:9, 10) The “other sheep,” who are much great-
the anointed?
er in number, have the hope of living forever on
a paradise earth ruled by the Messianic King-
dom. (John 10:16; Revelation 7:9, 10) The other
sheep should never forget that to be saved, they
If we want our hope to come need to support Christ’s anointed brothers who
true, what “holy acts of conduct” are still on earth. (Matthew 25:34-40) The anoint-
and “deeds of godly devotion” ed will receive their reward, and the other sheep
should we show? will certainly receive theirs too. (Read Hebrews
1. How can the hope Jehovah has given us help us to endure?
2. What two hopes do Christians today have? Why are the
“other sheep” interested in the hope of the anointed?

15
SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED
Our hope: The promise we believe of
living forever either in heaven or on earth,
which is certain to come true
The revealing of the sons of God: The
time when it will be made clear to all that
the anointed have been resurrected to
heavenly life and are ruling with Christ
11:39, 40.) So let us first learn more
about the hope that God gives to the
anointed.
THE “LIVING HOPE” OF
ANOINTED CHRISTIANS
3 The apostle Peter wrote two let-
ters to anointed Christians. He called
the anointed “the ones chosen.” (1 Pe-
ter 1:1) Peter’s letters help us learn
more about the wonderful hope that
the little flock have. In the first letter,
he wrote: “Blessed be the God and Fa-
ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, for ac-
cording to his great mercy he gave us
a new birth to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead, to an incorruptible and un-
defiled and unfading inheritance. It is
reserved in the heavens for you, who
are being safeguarded by God’s power
through faith for a salvation ready to
be revealed in the last period of time.
In this fact you are greatly rejoicing.”
—1 Peter 1:3-6.
4 Jehovah gives “a new birth” to
the limited number of Christians he
chooses to rule with Christ in heav-
3, 4. How does Jehovah give the anointed “a
new birth to a living hope”? What is that hope?
16
Messianic Kingdom: God’s government
ruled by Christ
The revelation of Jesus Christ: The time
when it will be made clear to all that
Christ is a powerful King who rewards the
faithful and punishes the wicked
en. Jehovah uses his holy spirit to
adopt them as his sons and to appoint
them as future kings and priests with
Christ in heaven. (Revelation 20:6)
This “new birth” makes it possible for
them to have “a living hope.” What
is that hope? Peter said that it is the
type of everlasting life that can never
be destroyed and is reserved for them
in heaven. This wonderful hope gives
the anointed good reason to rejoice.
But their hope can only come true if
they continue to be faithful.
5 In his second letter, Peter told
anointed Christians to do all they can
to remain faithful so that they will re-
ceive their heavenly reward. (2 Peter
1:10) They must keep showing such
qualities as faith, godly devotion,
brotherly affection, and love. Peter
said: “If these things exist in you and
overflow, they will prevent you from
being either inactive or unfruitful.”
—Read 2 Peter 1:5-8.
6 Christ said to the anointed elders
in the congregation of Philadelphia,
in Asia Minor: “Because you kept the
5, 6. Why must anointed Christians remain
faithful?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
 Anointed Christians have “a new birth to a living hope”
word about my endurance, I will also
keep you from the hour of test, which
is to come upon the whole inhabited
earth, to put a test upon those dwell-
ing on the earth. I am coming quickly.
Keep on holding fast what you have,
that no one may take your crown.”
(Revelation 3:10, 11) The “crown of
glory” has been promised to the cho-
sen ones who remain faithful until
death. If an anointed Christian be-
comes unfaithful, he cannot receive
that crown.—1 Peter 5:4; Revelation
2:10.
A GLORIOUS ENTRANCE
INTO THE KINGDOM
7About the year 65, Jesus’ half
brother Jude wrote a letter to anoint-
ed Christians. He said that they were
“the called ones.” (Jude 1; compare
Hebrews 3:1.) At first, he wanted to
write them about the hope of salva-
7. What wonderful hope did Jude mention in
his letter?
MARCH 15, 2012
tion that all anointed Christians have.
(Jude 3) Instead, he had to write about
other urgent matters. But he still end-
ed his short letter by mentioning the
wonderful hope of anointed Chris-
tians. He wrote: “Now to the one who
is able to guard you from stumbling
and to set you unblemished in the
sight of his glory with great joy, to
the only God our Savior through Je-
sus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty,
might and authority for all past eter-
nity and now and into all eternity.”
—Jude 24, 25.
8 Certainly, each faithful anointed
Christian wants God to protect him
from “stumbling,” or from anything
that may cause him to become un-
faithful and result in his destruction.
The hope of the anointed is that Jesus
Christ will resurrect them from the
dead as perfect spirit creatures. This
8. Why do we know that there is joy in heaven
when one of the anointed keeps his integrity
until death?
17
 will allow them to come into God’s
presence. When one of the anointed
dies faithful, there is no doubt that
he will be “raised up a spiritual body”
and resurrected “in incorruption” and
“in glory.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) If
there is much “joy in heaven over one
sinner that repents,” imagine the joy
in heaven when one of Christ’s broth-
ers keeps his integrity until death.
(Luke 15:7) Each anointed one re-
ceives his reward “with great joy,” and
Jehovah and the faithful spirit crea-
tures rejoice with him.—Read 1 John
3:2.
9 Like Jude, Peter wrote to anoint-
ed Christians about the reward they
would receive if they remained faith-
ful. He told them: “There will be rich-
ly supplied to you the entrance into
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord
Our hope is possible
because of Jehovah’s
abundant kindness, not
because of our works
and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10,
11) When Peter said that entrance into
the Kingdom would be “richly sup-
plied” to them, he could have been re-
ferring to the fact that they would en-
ter heaven in great glory. He may also
have been referring to the many bless-
ings that they will receive in heaven.
9. How is entrance into the Kingdom “richly
supplied” to faithful anointed ones? How does
this hope affect the anointed who are still on
earth?
18
The anointed will feel great joy and
gratitude when they think of the faith-
fulness that they showed. This hope
strengthens anointed Christians to re-
main faithful while they are still on
earth.—1 Peter 1:13.
“THE BASIS OF HOPE” FOR
THE OTHER SHEEP
10 The apostle Paul wrote to anoint-
ed “sons of God” about their glorious
hope to be “joint heirs” with Christ.
Then he mentioned the wonderful
hope that Jehovah gives to the un-
limited number of other sheep: “The
eager expectation of the creation is
waiting for the revealing of the sons
of God. For the creation was subject-
ed to futility, not by its own will but
through him that subjected it, on the
basis of hope that the creation itself
also will be set free from enslavement
to corruption and have the glorious
freedom of the children of God.”—Ro-
mans 8:14-21.
11 Jehovah gave humans “the basis
of hope” when he promised to free
them from Satan the Devil by means
of the promised “seed.” (Genesis 3:
15; Revelation 12:9) The main part
of that seed was Jesus Christ. (Gala-
tians 3:16) Jesus’ death and resurrec-
tion made it possible for humans to
have the hope of being free from sin
and death. This hope is connected to
“the revealing of the sons of God,” the
anointed in heaven. They are the oth-
er part of the seed. They will be re-
vealed, or made known as kings with
10, 11. (a) What hope do the other sheep
have? (b) How is the earthly hope connected
to Christ and to “the revealing of the sons of
God”?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
Christ, when they help Christ to de-
stroy Satan’s wicked system. (Revela-
tion 2:26, 27) This will result in sal-
vation for those of the other sheep
who come out of the great tribulation.
—Revelation 7:9, 10, 14.
12 The thousand years of Christ’s
reign will result in great relief for hu-
mans! During that time, “the sons of
God” will be revealed in another way.
They will act as priests with Christ
and help mankind to receive the bene-
fits of his sacrifice. When God’s King-
dom rules over the earth, obedient hu-
mans will gradually “be set free from
enslavement to corruption.” They will
be set free from the results of sin and
death. If they remain faithful to Jeho-
vah both during the thousand years
and during the final test that comes
at the end, their names will be writ-
ten in “the scroll of life” forever. They
will have “the glorious freedom of
the children of God.” (Revelation 20:
7, 8, 11, 12) This is truly a wonderful
hope!
HAVE YOUR HOPE CLEAR IN MIND
13 What Peter wrote in his two let-
ters helps both the anointed and the
other sheep to keep their hope clear
in mind. He explained that their
hope is possible because of Jeho-
vah’s abundant kindness, not because
of their works. He wrote: “Keep bal-
anced and set your hope completely
upon the undeserved kindness that is
to be brought to you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13; foot-
12. What wonderful benefits will the revealing
of the anointed have for humans?
13. What makes our hope possible? When will
the revelation of Christ happen?
MARCH 15, 2012
note) “The revelation of Jesus Christ”
will happen when he comes to reward
his faithful followers and to destroy
the wicked.—Read 2 Thessalonians 1:
6-10.
14 To keep our hope clear in mind,
we must constantly remember that
“the day of Jehovah” is coming soon.
This attitude should affect our entire
life. Jehovah will destroy today’s hu-
man governments, “the heavens,” and
We keep our
hope clear in mind
by remembering
that “the day of
Jehovah” is near
wicked people, “the earth” and its “el-
ements.” Peter wrote: “What sort of
persons ought you to be in holy acts of
conduct and deeds of godly devotion,
awaiting and keeping close in mind
the presence of the day of Jehovah,
through which the heavens being on
fire will be dissolved and the elements
being intensely hot will melt!”—2 Pe-
ter 3:10-12.
15 Then there will be “new heav-
ens and a new earth.” Christ’s gov-
ernment and its righteous citizens
will replace human governments
and all wicked people. (2 Peter 3:
13) Peter told us clearly what to do
to keep “awaiting,” or to keep clear
in mind, our hope of the promised
14, 15. (a) What must we do to keep our hope
clear in mind? (b) What did Peter say we
should do?
19
new heavens and new earth. He said:
“Hence, beloved ones, since you are
awaiting these things, do your utmost
to be found finally by him spotless and
unblemished and in peace.”—2 Peter
3:14.
Have your hope clear in mind as a family
20
SHOW THAT YOU HAVE
YOUR HOPE CLEAR IN MIND
16 We show that we have our hope
clear in mind by the way we live. As
Peter reminds us, we should make
sure that we are the kind of person
Jehovah approves. “Holy acts of con-
duct” include keeping our conduct
“fine among the nations” by doing
what God says is right. (2 Peter 3:11;
1 Peter 2:12) We must love our world-
wide brotherhood. That includes do-
ing all we can to keep the unity in our
congregation. (John 13:35) Peter also
mentioned “deeds of godly devotion,”
We show that
we have our hope
clear in mind
by the way we live
which are things we do to keep our re-
lationship with Jehovah strong. They
include meaningful prayers, daily Bi-
ble reading, deep personal study, fam-
ily worship, and regular participation
in the preaching of the “good news of
the kingdom.”—Matthew 24:14.
17 Each of us wants to be the sort
of person Jehovah approves and will
save when he destroys this wicked
system. If we are that sort of person,
our hope, the “hope of the everlasting
life which God, who cannot lie, prom-
ised before times long lasting,” will
come true.—Titus 1:2.
16, 17. (a) What “holy acts of conduct” and
“deeds of godly devotion” should we show?
(b) How will our hope come true?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
 Do Not Look
at “the Things
Behind”
EMEMBER the wife of Lot.” (Luke 17:32) Je-

“R
“No man that has put
his hand to a plow and sus Christ gave that strong warning almost
looks at the things behind 2,000 years ago. That warning is now more
is well fitted for the king- important than ever. What did Jesus mean? The
Jews he was talking to knew exactly what had
dom of God.”
happened to Lot’s wife. While she was fleeing
—LUKE 9:62.
from Sodom with her family, she disobeyed Je-
hovah and looked back. Because of that, she was
turned into a pillar of salt.—Read Genesis 19:
CAN YOU ANSWER? 17, 26.

2 But why did Lot’s wife look back? Maybe she

Why should we “remember wanted to see what was happening. Or it is possi-

the wife of Lot”? ble that she turned around because she could not
believe that the city was being destroyed. Maybe
her faith was weak. Or maybe she wanted to go
back to the things she had left behind in Sodom.

(Luke 17:31) Whatever the reason for her looking
What three things should we back, she died when she disobeyed. Just think of
not keep thinking about? it! She died the same day as those wicked people
of Sodom and Gomorrah. That is why Jesus said:
“Remember the wife of Lot.”
3 Lot’s wife should not have looked back at

what was behind her. In the same way, we
How can we keep moving should not look back at, or keep thinking
forward with Jehovah’s organiza- about, the things we left behind. Jesus empha-
tion? sized this when talking to a man who had said
1. What warning did Jesus give? What question arises?
2. Why may Lot’s wife have looked back? What happened to
her when she disobeyed?
3. How did Jesus emphasize that we should not look back?

21
SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED
To look at the things To look at the things
behind: To keep thinking ahead: To keep thinking
about the past in a way about the future and
that could discourage us about serving Jehovah
or make us stop serving forever
Jehovah
that he wanted to be Jesus’ disciple.
The man had said that he first want-
ed to return to his family to say good-
bye. Jesus answered: “No man that has
put his hand to a plow and looks at
the things behind is well fitted for the
kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Was Je-
sus’ answer to the man too strong or
unkind? No. He knew that the man
was just making excuses to avoid the
responsibility of becoming a disciple.
Jesus said that a person who avoids
his obligations to God is looking at
“the things behind.” A person who is
plowing a field may look back while he
is plowing or put the plow down and
turn to look back. Either way, he is dis-
tracted from what he should be doing,
and he is not doing his work properly.
4 We must focus on the future and
not on the past. The Bible clearly says
this at Proverbs 4:25: “As for your eyes,
straight ahead they should look, yes,
your own beaming eyes should gaze
straight in front of you.”
5 We have good reason not to look
at the things behind. What is the rea-
son? These are “the last days.” (2 Tim-
4. What should we focus on?
5. We have what reason not to look at the
things behind?
22
To make sacrifices:
To decide not to go after
things or opportunities in
the world or to leave them
behind
othy 3:1) Soon God will destroy, not
just two wicked cities, but the whole
system of things. What will help us
to avoid being distracted as Lot’s wife
was? We need to know what some of
the things are that we might be in dan-
ger of looking back at. (2 Corinthians
2:11) So let us consider what they are
and see how we can avoid focusing on
them.
THE IDEA THAT THE
OLD DAYS WERE BETTER
6 We could make the mistake of
thinking that life was better in the
past. The way we remember the past
might not be the way it truly was.
Without realizing it, we could start to
think that our problems in the past
were not so bad and that we were
much happier then. In other words,
we start to think that things were a
lot better than they really were. If we
make this mistake, we may start to
wish that life would go back to the
way it was. But the Bible warns us: “Do
not say, ‘Why were the old days better
than these days?’ for it is not wise to
ask that.” (Ecclesiastes 7:10, New En-
6. Why should we not always trust the way we
remember the past?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
glish Translation) Why is this type of
thinking so dangerous?
7 Think about what happened to the
Israelites in Moses’ time. When the Is-
raelites first went to live in Egypt, they
were guests in that land. But after Jo-
seph’s time, the Egyptians put over
the Israelites “chiefs of forced labor
for the purpose of oppressing them in
their burden-bearing.” (Exodus 1:11)
Later, Pharaoh even ordered his peo-
ple to kill the male babies of the Isra-
elites because he did not want the Is-
raelites to become many. (Exodus 1:15,
16, 22) With good reason, Jehovah said
to Moses: “Unquestionably I have seen
the affliction of my people who are in
Egypt, and I have heard their outcry
as a result of those who drive them to
work; because I well know the pains
they suffer.”—Exodus 3:7.
8 Can you imagine the joy the Israel-
ites felt when they came out of Egypt
as a free people? They had seen the
wonderful way Jehovah used his pow-
er when he brought the Ten Plagues
7-9. (a) What happened to the Israelites in
Egypt? (b) What reasons for joy did the Israel-
ites have? (c) What did the Israelites begin to
complain about?
MARCH 15, 2012
upon proud Pharaoh and his people.
(Read Exodus 6:1, 6, 7.) Finally, the
Egyptians allowed the Israelites to go
free. In fact, the Egyptians told the Is-
raelites to leave quickly and gave them
so much gold and silver that the Bi-
ble says that God’s people “stripped
the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:33-36) Lat-
er, the Israelites rejoiced when they
Be careful not to
imagine that the past
was better than
it really was
saw Jehovah destroy Pharaoh and his
army in the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:30,
31) Their faith should have been very
strong after they saw all that Jehovah
had done!
9 It is hard to believe that just a
short time after Jehovah had miracu-
lously freed them, these same people
began to complain. About what? Food!
They became dissatisfied with what Je-
hovah had given them, and they said:
“How we remember the fish that we
used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the
cucumbers and the watermelons and
the leeks and the onions and the gar-
lic! But now our soul is dried away.
Our eyes are on nothing at all ex-
cept the manna.” (Numbers 11:5, 6)
So they did not remember the past
the way it truly was. Because of their
wrong thinking, they even wanted to
return to the land where they had
been slaves! (Numbers 14:2-4) The
Israelites looked at the things behind,
23
and Jehovah became angry at them.
—Numbers 11:10.
10 What is the lesson for us today?
When we have problems, we should
not keep thinking that things were
much better in the past, perhaps even
before we knew the truth. It is not
wrong to learn from what happened in
the past or to think about some of the
happy times we had. But we need to be
balanced and to think of the past as it
really was. If we do not, we could be-
gin to feel even more dissatisfied with
our life now and want to return to the
way of life we had before.—Read 2 Pe-
ter 2:20-22.
SACRIFICES WE MADE IN THE PAST
11 Sadly, some think of the sacri-
fices they made in the past and wish
that they had not made them. Perhaps
you had opportunities to get high-
er education, to become famous, or to
have a lot of money, but you decid-
ed not to go after these things. Many
brothers and sisters had well-paying
jobs. For example, they may have had
a business, or they may have been fa-
mous musicians, professors at univer-
sities, or successful athletes. But they
have left those jobs behind. Now time
has passed, and the end has not yet
arrived. Do you keep imagining what
might have happened if you had not
made those sacrifices?
12 The apostle Paul gave up much to
become a follower of Christ. (Philippi-
10. What lesson do we learn from what hap-
pened to the Israelites?
11. How do some feel about the sacrifices they
made in the past?
12. How did Paul feel about the things he had
left behind?
24
ans 3:4-6) How did he feel about the
things he had left behind? He tells us:
“What things were gains to me, these
I have considered loss on account of
the Christ.” And why? We read at Phi-
lippians 3:7, 8: “I do indeed also con-
sider all things to be loss on account
of the excelling value of the knowl-
edge of Christ Jesus my Lord. On ac-
count of him I have taken the loss of all
things and I consider them as a lot of
refuse, that I may gain Christ.”1 (See
footnote.) A person who throws away
refuse, or garbage, does not later re-
gret that he threw it away. In the same
way, Paul did not regret that he had
left behind opportunities in the world.
He no longer felt that they had any
value.
13 What should we do if we keep
thinking about the opportunities we
rejected in the past? We should follow
Paul’s example. How? Think about the
1 The original-language word here translated “ref-
use” also meant what “is thrown to the dogs,”
“dung,” “excrement.” One Bible scholar says that
Paul used this word to refer to something that a per-
son completely rejects. The person thinks of it as
worthless and disgusting, and he never wants to see
it again.
13, 14. How can we follow Paul’s example?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
value of what you have now. You have
a good relationship with Jehovah, and
he knows you as a faithful person.
(Hebrews 6:10) The world can offer us
nothing that is as valuable as what Je-
hovah gives us now and will give us in
the future.—Read Mark 10:28-30.
14 Paul next mentions something
that will help us to continue to serve
Jehovah faithfully. Paul says that
he was “forgetting the things behind
and stretching forward to the things
ahead.” (Philippians 3:13) Paul here
tells us about two things we need to
Think about the value
of what you have now
and of what is ahead
do. Both are necessary. First, we have
to forget the things we left behind. We
must not waste our energy and time by
always thinking about them. Second,
like a runner at the finish line, we need
to stretch forward. We must focus on
the things ahead.
15 Think about the examples of
faithful servants of God who lived
in the past and who live in our day.
Their examples will encourage you to
keep moving forward instead of look-
ing at the things behind. If Abra-
ham and Sarah had kept remembering
Ur, “they would have had opportuni-
ty to return.” (Hebrews 11:13-15) But
they did not return to Ur. When Mo-
ses left Egypt the first time, he left be-
15. Why is it good to think deeply about the ex-
amples of faithful servants of God?
MARCH 15, 2012
hind much more than what the other
Israelites later left behind. But the Bi-
ble does not say that he wanted those
things back. Instead, it says that “he
esteemed the reproach of the Christ
as riches greater than the treasures of
Egypt; for he looked intently toward
the payment of the reward.”—Hebrews
11:26.
DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES
WE HAD IN THE PAST
16 Some experiences we had in the
past may have been difficult. For ex-
ample, we may constantly worry about
past sins or mistakes that we made.
(Psalm 51:3) We might still feel an-
gry or sad because we received strong
counsel. (Hebrews 12:11) Maybe we
cannot stop thinking about a time
when we suffered an injustice or what
we thought was an injustice. (Psalm
55:2) What can help us not to keep
thinking about these experiences? We
will consider three examples.
17 Past mistakes. Paul said that he
felt that he was not as good as the
other holy ones. (Ephesians 3:8) Why
did he feel that way? Because he had
persecuted the congregation of God.
(1 Corinthians 15:9) Paul must have
felt very guilty when he met broth-
ers and sisters whom he had persecut-
ed in the past. But he did not allow
these thoughts to discourage him. In-
stead, Paul kept thinking about how
God had shown him mercy and kind-
ness. (1 Timothy 1:12-16) As a result,
16. How may we feel about difficult experienc-
es we had in the past?
17. (a) Why did Paul feel that he was not as
good as the other holy ones? (b) What helped
Paul not to allow guilt to discourage him?
25
 19 Injustices or what seemed to be
injustices. We may sometimes feel
like the prophet Habakkuk, who cried
out to Jehovah for justice. He did not
understand why Jehovah had allowed
certain unfair things to happen. (Ha-
bakkuk 1:2, 3) It is very important for
us to imitate the faith of that prophet,
who said: “Yet, as for me, I will exult in
Jehovah himself; I will be joyful in the
God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:
18) Another example of faith is Jeremi-
Paul felt very grateful, and he was mo-
ah, who kept “a waiting attitude.” We
tivated to continue in his ministry.
can imitate him by having complete
When Paul said that he wanted to for-
faith that Jehovah, the God of justice,
get the things behind, he was includ-
will correct all things at the right time.
ing his past mistakes. Since we cannot
—Lamentations 3:19-24.
change the mistakes we made in the 20 We live in exciting times. Won-
past, we will only waste our energy if
derful things are happening now and
we keep thinking about them. Instead,
more will happen soon. Jehovah’s or-
we should keep remembering the mer-
ganization keeps moving forward, and
cy that Jehovah has shown us and use
we should move forward with it. Let
our strength to serve Jehovah now.
18 Strong counsel. It may be that we
us follow the Bible’s advice to look for-
ward and not to look at the things be-
keep thinking about some counsel we
hind. In this way, we will prove that we
received in the past. This can make us
do “remember the wife of Lot”!
feel sad or angry and cause us to give
up. (Hebrews 12:5) Whether we im- 19. How can we imitate the faith of Habakkuk
mediately reject the counsel or accept and Jeremiah?
it and then later give up, the result is 20. How can we prove that we “remember the
wife of Lot”?
the same. We do not allow the coun-
sel to help us. It would be much bet-
ter to follow Solomon’s advice: “Take
hold on discipline; do not let go. Safe-
guard it, for it itself is your life.” (Prov-
erbs 4:13) Like a driver who obeys
road signs, let us accept counsel, fol-
low it, and move forward.—Proverbs 4:
26, 27; read Hebrews 12:12, 13.
18. (a) What may happen if we keep thinking
about strong counsel we received in the past?
(b) How can we follow Solomon’s advice about
accepting counsel?

26
How
Do You
Give
Advice?
Has anyone ever asked
you for advice? For exam-
ple, have you been asked
such questions as: ‘What
should I do? Should I go
to this gathering? Should
I choose this as my career?
Should I date this person?’

A person may ask you for help in mak-

ing a decision that may influence his
or her relationship with friends, fami-
ly, or even Jehovah. Will you base your
advice on your own opinion or on the Bi-
ble? How do you usually help people to
make decisions? Whether the person’s
question seems to be important or not,
Proverbs 15:28 says: “The heart of the
righteous one meditates so as to an-
swer.” Think about how the following five
Bible principles can help us to give good
advice.

27
 1 2
Understand the Situation Well.
“When anyone is replying to a
matter before he hears it, that is
foolishness on his part and a
humiliation.”—Proverbs 18:13.
If we want to give a person good advice,
we must understand the way he thinks
and understand his situation. For exam-
ple, if someone called you and asked how
to get to your home, what would you need
to know to help him? You would need to
know where he is so that you can give him
good directions to your home. In the same
way, if you want to give proper guidance,
you need to understand the person’s situa-
tion and what he is thinking. Could there
be things about his situation that you are
unaware of and that might affect your ad-
vice? If we do not understand a person’s
situation well, we might give advice that
causes him to become confused.—Luke
6:39.
Find Out How Much Research He Has
Done. It may also be wise to ask the per-
son such questions as: “What Bible prin-
ciples do you think can help you make a
decision?” “What is good and what is bad
about the options you have now?” “What
research have you already done?” “What
help have others, such as the congregation
elders, your parents, or your Bible teacher,
already given you?”
The person’s answers to these questions
may help us to know how much effort
he has put into making a decision and if
he has already asked other people for ad-
vice. We may also learn if the person just
wants us to tell him what he wants to hear.
—2 Timothy 4:3.
28
Avoid Quick Responses.
“Every man must be swift about
hearing, slow about speaking.”
—James 1:19.
Sometimes we may think that a quick re-
sponse would be helpful to the person ask-
ing for advice. But giving a quick response
is usually not wise, especially if we have
not done thorough research on the per-
son’s question. Proverbs 29:20 says: “Have
you beheld a man hasty with his words?
There is more hope for someone stupid
than for him.”
Make sure that your advice is based on
the wisdom from God’s Word. Ask your-
self, ‘Have the thinking and attitude of this
Base your advice
on the wisdom
from God’s Word
world influenced my thinking?’ (1 Corin-
thians 2:12, 13) When Jesus said that he
must suffer and die, Peter advised him:
“Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not
have this destiny at all.” What can we learn
from Peter’s response? If we are not care-
ful, we may base our advice, not on “God’s
thoughts, but those of men.” (Matthew 16:
21-23) It is good to be helpful, but we need
to remember that God’s wisdom is much
greater than our own experience. So it is
important that we think before we speak.
—Job 38:1-4; Proverbs 11:2.
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION
3 4
Be Humble and Apply God’s Word.
“I do nothing of my own ini-
tiative; but just as the Father
taught me I speak these things.”
—John 8:28.
Will you say, “If I were you, I would . . .”?
Even if the person’s question seems easy
to answer, it is good for you to follow Je-
sus’ example by being humble and modest.
Even though he had much greater wisdom
and experience than any other human, he
said: “I have not spoken out of my own
Follow Jesus and
be humble
impulse, but the Father himself . . . has giv-
en me a commandment as to what to tell
and what to speak.” (John 12:49, 50) Jesus’
teachings and advice were always based on
his Father’s will.
For example, we read at Luke 22:49 that
Jesus’ disciples asked for direction on
whether they should fight when he was
about to be arrested. One disciple used a
sword to defend Jesus. A similar account
at Matthew 26:52-54 tells us that even in
that situation, Jesus took the time to help
the disciple understand Jehovah’s will. Je-
sus knew the principles found at Genesis
9:6 and the prophecies of Psalm 22 and Isa-
iah 53, so he was able to give wise direction
that saved lives and made Jehovah happy.
MARCH 15, 2012
Use the Publications.
“Who really is the faithful and
discreet slave whom his master
appointed over his domestics, to
give them their food at the prop-
er time?”—Matthew 24:45.
Jesus has appointed “the faithful and
discreet slave” to give us Bible publica-
tions. Before you give someone advice
about important matters, do you take time
to do thorough research in Bible-based
publications?
We can find much information by look-
ing in the Watch Tower Publications Index
and the Watchtower Library.1 (See foot-
note.) We should not forget to use these
tools. They list thousands of topics, with
many articles to help someone looking for
advice. Are you able to help others use
these tools to study and compare Bible
principles so as to make a good decision?
Just as a map can help a person decide
which way to go to reach his destination,
the publications can help a person make
decisions that will help him reach his goal
of everlasting life.
Many elders have shown publishers how
to use the Index or the Watchtower Li-
brary. This helps publishers to find arti-
cles so that they can study and compare
the Scriptures when they make decisions.
They learn to do research and to rely on
the publications Jehovah provides not only
when solving problems but also when
going about everyday life. By doing this,
they “have their perceptive powers trained
to distinguish both right and wrong.”—He-
brews 5:14.
1 The Watchtower Library on CD-ROM is currently
available in 39 languages. The Watch Tower Publications
Index is currently available in over 45 languages.
29
5
Avoid Making Decisions for Others.
“Each one will carry his own
load.”—Galatians 6:5.
Jehovah gives all of us the freedom to
decide whether we will follow his princi-
ples or not. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) In
some situations, a person may need to ap-
ply many Bible principles, but he is the one
We do not make
final decisions
for others
who must make the final decision. If some-
one asks us for advice, we may need to ask
ourselves, ‘Do I really have the authority to
answer this question?’ At times, it would
be best for the elders to help him. Or if he
is a young person, it would be better for his
parents to help him.
We are thankful to Jehovah that he has
used his organization to help us both to
give and to receive the best advice. Eccle-
siastes 12:11 states: “The words of the
wise ones are like oxgoads, and just like
nails driven in are those indulging in col-
lections of sentences; they have been giv-
en from one shepherd.” “Oxgoads” are
pointed sticks that are used to guide an-
imals. Good and loving advice is like an
oxgoad because it guides us in the right
direction. And just as “nails” are used
to build stable, solid buildings, good ad-
vice helps a person make good, solid de-
cisions. Those who are wise are happy to
follow the “collections of sentences,” or
wise advice, from their “one shepherd,”
Jehovah.
We should imitate our Shepherd, Jeho-
vah, when we give advice. We are hap-
py to listen to those who ask us for ad-
vice and help them whenever we can. If
we base our advice on Bible principles, it
will benefit others and help them to gain
everlasting life.

Research Project for Family Worship

As a study project, you
might want to do research
on a question that some-
one has asked you recent-
ly. What articles and Bible
principles can you find that
could help the person an-
swer his question? For ex-
ample, a brother or a sister
may ask you about some-
one they would like to date
and perhaps marry. In the
Index or the Watchtower
Library, you might look up
the topics “Dating” or “Mar-
riage.” Then look for a sub-
topic that applies to the per-
son’s situation. You may find
the “See also” topics found
under the main heading
helpful because they may
lead you to more informa-
tion about the topic you are
researching.
Could a Christian’s habit of viewing pornography
become so bad that he must be disfellowshipped
from the congregation?
ˇ Yes, it could. That is why it is so important
to avoid all pornography. This includes books,
magazines, films, videos, and Internet sites that
describe or show pornography.
Pornography is now everywhere around the
world. The number of people viewing pornog-
raphy has increased because the Internet has
made it easy to watch pornography. Some peo-
ple have seen pornography on Web sites by ac-
cident. But others have looked on purpose for
Web sites that show pornography. They may
feel comfortable doing this because they are at
home or at the office where they think that no
MARCH 15, 2012
one can see them. Why is pornography a dan-
ger for Christians?
Jesus’ warning gives us an important reason:
“Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so
as to have a passion for her has already commit-
ted adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew
5:28) It is true that sexual relations between a
husband and his wife are proper and something
a couple can enjoy. (Proverbs 5:15-19; 1 Corin-
thians 7:2-5) But pornography shows immor-
al sex and causes a person to have the wrong
thoughts that Jesus warned us about. So read-
ing or viewing pornography is against God’s
A Christian who
is in the habit
of viewing
pornography
should realize
that he needs
help and should
go to the elders
31
command: “Deaden, therefore, your body
members that are upon the earth as respects
fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurt-
ful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
—Colossians 3:5.
What could happen if a Christian viewed por-
nography once or twice? He would be in a dan-
gerous situation. Asaph was in a dangerous sit-
uation once. He later said: “As for me, my feet
had almost turned aside, my steps had nearly
been made to slip.” If a Christian viewed pic-
tures of naked men or women or of a couple
having sexual relations, he could not have a
clean conscience and be at peace with God. He
would feel like Asaph, who said: “I came to be
plagued all day long, and my correction is every
morning.”—Psalm 73:2, 14.
A Christian who is viewing pornography
should realize that this affects his relationship
with Jehovah and that he needs help. He can get
this help from the elders in the congregation:
“Even though a man takes some false step be-
fore he is aware of it, you who have spiritual
qualifications try to readjust such a man in a
spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on
yourself.” (Galatians 6:1) One or two elders can
give him the help he needs. They can pray for
him and have faith that Jehovah “will make the
indisposed one well,” and his sin “will be forgiv-
en.” (James 5:13-15) Asaph benefited by draw-
ing near to God. Those who receive help to stop
viewing pornography will also benefit because
they will have a better relationship with Jeho-
vah.—Psalm 73:28.
But the apostle Paul said that some who
sinned did not repent “over their uncleanness
and fornication and loose conduct.”1 (See foot-
note.) (2 Corinthians 12:21) Professor Marvin
R. Vincent wrote about the Greek word that
Paul used for “uncleanness.” He said that it
1 To learn the difference between “uncleanness and fornica-
tion and loose conduct,” see The Watchtower of July 15, 2006,
pages 29-31.
www.watchtower.org
means uncleanness that is dirty, or filthy. There
is filthy, disgusting pornography that shows sex
between two people of the same gender, group
sex, sex with animals, child pornography, gang
rape, cruel and violent treatment of wom-
en, and torturing or tying others up for sexu-
al pleasure. Paul described some people in
his time who were “in darkness mentally” and
“past all moral sense [and who] gave them-
selves over to loose conduct to work unclean-
ness of every sort with greediness.”—Ephesians
4:18, 19.
Paul also mentioned “uncleanness” at Gala-
tians 5:19. A British scholar said that “un-
cleanness” here refers to unnatural lusts. All
Christians would agree that the kinds of por-
nography we have discussed are filthy and
cause people to have unnatural desires. Paul
says at Galatians 5:21 that those who do these
things “will not inherit God’s kingdom.” What
would happen if someone has had the hab-
it, perhaps for a long time, of watching filthy,
shameful forms of pornography? If the per-
son does not repent and stop this behavior, he
would be disfellowshipped in order to protect
the congregation and keep it clean.—1 Corinthi-
ans 5:5, 11.
It is good to know that some who viewed
pornography received help from the elders and
made changes in their lives. Jesus urged Chris-
tians in ancient Sardis: “Strengthen the things
remaining that were ready to die, . . . contin-
ue mindful of how you have received and how
you heard, and go on keeping it, and repent.
Certainly unless you wake up, . . . you will not
know at all at what hour I shall come upon
you.” (Revelation 3:2, 3) It is possible to re-
pent and escape the dangers of pornography.
—Jude 22, 23.
It is much better not to be harmed by por-
nography at all. We should all be determined to
avoid all forms of pornography.
ws12 03/15-E