APRIL 15, 2014

SIMPLIFIED EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JUNE 2-8

Imitate the Faith

of Moses
PAGE 3 SONGS: 33, 133
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JUNE 9-15

Do You See “the One

Who Is Invisible”?
PAGE 9 SONGS: 81, 132
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JUNE 16-22

No One Can Serve

Two Masters
PAGE 15 SONGS: 62, 106
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JUNE 23-29

Be of Good Courage
—Jehovah Is Your
Helper!
PAGE 21 SONGS: 22, 95
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JUNE 30–JULY 6

Do You Appreciate
Jehovah’s Watchful
Care?
PAGE 27 SONGS: 69, 120
 STUDY ARTICLES
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Imitate the Faith of Moses

Do You See “the One Who Is Invisible”?
Moses’ faith was so strong that it was as if he could see
Jehovah. These articles will discuss how we can have faith
TURKEY like that of Moses and continue “steadfast as seeing the
COVER: In Istanbul a brother One who is invisible.”—Hebrews 11:27.
witnesses informally to his barber, __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

offering him the Good News No One Can Serve Two Masters
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Be of Good Courage—Jehovah Is Your Helper!
Many people around the world choose to move away from
POPULATION
their home in order to find work. They leave behind their
75,627,384 husband or wife and their children. These articles will
explain how Jehovah wants family heads to care for their
PUBLISHERS
families and how he helps them to do so.
2,312 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BIBLE STUDIES Do You Appreciate Jehovah’s Watchful Care?

1,632 The Bible says that “the eyes of Jehovah are everywhere.”
Do we need to be afraid that Jehovah is watching us only
RATIO
to see if we break his laws? (Proverbs 15:3) In this article,
1 WITNESS TO 32,711 we will discuss five ways we can benefit from Jehovah’s
OF THE POPULATION
loving care.
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SINCE 2004 THE NUMBER OF

REGULAR PIONEERS IN TURKEY
HAS INCREASED BY

165%

April 15, 2014

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Imitate the Faith of Moses
“By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”
—HEBREWS 11:24.

MOSES knew the kind of future that Egypt could offer WHAT DOES MOSES’
him. He saw the large, beautiful houses of the wealthy. EXAMPLE TEACH US
He had been adopted by the king’s family. He “was in- ABOUT . . .
structed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,” which prob- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ably included the arts, astronomy, mathematics, and oth- the difference between
er sciences. (Acts 7:22) It would have been very easy for planning for a temporary
future and planning for an
him to have the money, power, and privileges that a com-
everlasting one?
mon Egyptian could never have.
2Despite all the opportunities Moses had, he made a
decision when he was 40 years old that must have been ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

impossible for Pharaoh and his family to understand. how Jehovah helps us to
He chose to give up his future in Egypt. Did he want the succeed in the assignments
life of a common Egyptian? No, not even that! He chose he gives us?
to suffer with slaves. Why? Moses had faith. (Read He-
brews 11:24-26.) Because of his faith, it was as if Moses
could see Jehovah. He had faith in “the One who is invisi- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ble” and in the fulfillment of God’s promises.—Hebrews why we need to look

“intently” toward our future
11:27. reward?
1, 2. (a) What decision did Moses make when he was 40 years old?
(See opening picture.) (b) Why did Moses choose to suffer with the Is-
raelites?

APRIL 15, 2014 3

SOME To have eyes of faith:
To know that Jehovah is a
EXPRESSIONS real Person, and to have
EXPLAINED faith that is so strong that it
is as if we could see him. We
are also convinced that all of
his promises will come true
Privileges of service:
All the assignments that we
receive from Jehovah, even
though we do not deserve
them. A privilege that we all
have is to preach the good
news

Like Moses, we need to have eyes

3 own desires seemed to be success-
of faith to see more than what the
world has to offer and to see Jeho-
vah. We must be “the sort who have
faith.” (Hebrews 10:38, 39) To help us
strengthen our faith, let us examine
what is written about Moses at He-
brews 11:24-26. As we do so, try to an-
swer these questions: How did faith
help Moses to reject fleshly desires?
When he faced opposition, how did
faith help him to value his privilege of
serving Jehovah? And why did Moses
look “intently toward the payment of
the reward”?
HE REJECTED FLESHLY DESIRES
With eyes of faith, Moses was able
4
to understand that the “enjoyment
of sin” was only temporary. Oth-
ers might have seen things differ-
ently. Why? They had seen Egypt, a
place where idolatry and spiritism
were common, become a world pow-
er, while Jehovah’s people suffered
as slaves. But Moses knew that God
could change the situation. Although
those who focused on satisfying their
3. What three questions will be answered in
this article?
4. What did Moses understand about the “en-
joyment of sin”?
ful, Moses had faith that the wicked
would be destroyed. As a result, he
was not tempted by “the temporary
enjoyment of sin.”
5How can you resist “the tempo-
rary enjoyment of sin”? Never forget
that the pleasure that comes from sin-
ning lasts for only a short time. Faith
will help you to see that “the world
is passing away and so is its desire.”
(1 John 2:15-17) Meditate on the fu-
ture of unrepentant sinners. They are
“on slippery ground . . . as they come
to a terrible end!” (Psalm 73:18, 19)
When you are tempted to sin, ask,
‘What future do I want for myself?’
6Moses’ faith also guided his
choice of career. “By faith Moses,
when grown up, refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” (He-
brews 11:24) Moses did not reason
that he could have an important posi-
tion in the royal court and then serve
God by using his money and power
to help his Israelite brothers. Moses
was determined to love Jehovah with
5. What will help us to resist “the temporary
enjoyment of sin”?
6. (a) Why did Moses refuse “to be called the
son of Pharaoh’s daughter”? (b) Why do you
think that Moses made the right decision?

4 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
all his heart, soul, and strength. (Deu-
teronomy 6:5) Moses’ decision saved
him much suffering. In the end, the
Israelites took many of the treasures
of Egypt. (Exodus 12:35, 36) Pharaoh
was humiliated and he was drowned.
(Psalm 136:15) But what about Mo-
ses? He was used by God to lead the
entire nation of Israel to safety. His
life was truly successful.
7 If you are a young servant of Jeho-
vah, how can faith help you to choose
a career? Plan for the future. Have
faith in God’s promises and “store
up,” or plan, for an everlasting fu-
ture, not a temporary one. (Read Mat-
thew 6:19-21.) This is a decision that
Sophie, a talented ballet dancer, had
to make. Ballet companies across the
United States offered her scholar-
ships and desirable career opportuni-
ties. She says that “it was thrilling to
be adored.” She even admits that she
felt that she was better than the other
dancers. But she was unhappy. Then
Sophie watched the video Young Peo-
ple Ask—What Will I Do With My Life?
She says: “I realized that the world
had given me success and the adora-
tion of fans in exchange for my whole-
hearted worship of Jehovah.” So she
prayed intensely to Jehovah and then
gave up her dancing career. How does
she feel about her decision? “I don’t
miss my old life. Today, I am 100 per-
cent happy. I pioneer with my hus-
band. We’re not famous, and we have
very little materially. But we have Je-
7. (a) According to Matthew 6:19-21, why
should we plan for an everlasting future?
(b) What experience shows the difference be-
tween planning for a temporary future and
planning for an everlasting one?
APRIL 15, 2014
hovah, Bible students, and spiritual
goals. I don’t have any regrets.”
8Jehovah knows what is best for
you. Moses said: “What is Jehovah
your God asking of you? Only this: to
fear Jehovah your God, to walk in all
his ways, to love him, to serve Jehovah
your God with all your heart and all
your soul, and to keep the command-
ments and statutes of Jehovah that I
am commanding you today for your
own good.” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13)
While you are young, choose a career
that will make it possible for you to
serve and love Jehovah “with all your
heart and all your soul.” You can be
confident that such a choice will be
“for your own good.”
HE VALUED HIS PRIVILEGES OF SERVICE
9Moses “considered the reproach
of the Christ to be riches greater than
the treasures of Egypt.” (Hebrews 11:
26) In this scripture, Moses is referred
to as “the Christ,” or “Anointed One.”
This means that he was selected by Je-
hovah to lead Israel out of Egypt. Mo-
ses knew that doing this would be dif-
ficult. He would even face “reproach,”
that is, opposition. Earlier, one of the
Israelites had mocked Moses by say-
ing: “Who appointed you as a prince
and a judge over us?” (Exodus 2:13,
14) Later, Moses himself asked Jeho-
vah: “How will Pharaoh ever listen to
me?” (Exodus 6:12) To prepare for the
opposition, Moses prayed to Jehovah
about his fears and worries. How did
8. What Bible counsel can help a young person
to decide what to do with his life?
9. Explain why it may have been difficult for
Moses to fulfill his assignment.
5
Jehovah help Moses to succeed in his
difficult assignment?
10First, Jehovah promised Moses:
“I will prove to be with you.” (Exodus
3:12) Second, Jehovah gave him hope
and courage by explaining one aspect
of the meaning of His own name: “I
Will Become What I Choose to Be-
come.” (See footnote.) (Exodus 3:
14) Third, he gave Moses the power
to perform miracles, and this proved
that Moses was truly sent by God. (Ex-
odus 4:2-5) Fourth, Jehovah selected
Aaron to speak for Moses and to help
him fulfill his assignment. (Exodus 4:
14-16) By the end of his life, Moses
was absolutely sure that God helps
His servants fulfill any assignment He
gives them. Moses was so confident
in Jehovah that he could tell Joshua:
“Jehovah is the one marching before
you, and he will continue with you.
He will neither desert you nor aban-
don you. Do not be afraid or be terri-
fied.”—Deuteronomy 31:8.
11With Jehovah’s support, Moses
valued his difficult assignment even
more than “the treasures of Egypt.”
There is nothing like serving the al-
mighty God. Of what value was be-
ing a prince in Egypt compared with
being selected by Jehovah to lead Is-
rael? Moses was rewarded for having
the right attitude. He enjoyed a close
relationship with Jehovah, who gave
One Bible scholar explained the words found at
Exodus 3:14 and said that nothing can stop Jehovah
from performing His will. He wrote: “This name [Je-
hovah] was to be Israel’s fortress.” It would provide
them with all the hope and comfort they needed.
10. How did Jehovah give Moses what he need-
ed to fulfill his assignment?
11. Why did Moses value his assignment?
6 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
him “awesome power” to lead the Is-
raelites to the Promised Land.—Deu-
teronomy 34:10-12.
12We too have an assignment. Je-
hovah has assigned us “to a minis-
try,” as he did the apostle Paul and
others. (Read 1 Timothy 1:12-14.) All
of us have the privilege to preach the
good news. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19,
20) Some serve as full-time ministers.
Mature baptized brothers serve oth-
ers in the congregation as ministeri-
al servants and elders. However, your
unbelieving family and others may
question the value of the privileges
you have. They may even criticize you
for the sacrifices you make for Jeho-
vah. (Matthew 10:34-37) If they dis-
courage you, you could begin to think
that these sacrifices are not worth-
while or that you cannot fulfill your
assignment. If that happens to you,
how will faith help you to endure?
13 Beg Jehovah for his support, hav-
ing faith that he will help you. Tell
him your fears and worries. After all,
it is Jehovah who gave you this as-
signment, and you can be sure that
he will help you to succeed. How? In
the same ways that he helped Moses.
First, Jehovah promises: “I will fortify
you, yes, I will help you, I will really
hold on to you with my right hand of
righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10) Second,
he reminds you that you can trust his
promises: “I have spoken, and I will
bring it about. I have purposed it, and
I will also carry it out.” (Isaiah 46:11)
Third, Jehovah gives you “the power
12. What privileges has Jehovah given us?
13. How does Jehovah help us to fulfill the as-
signments he gives us?
beyond what is normal” to succeed in God’s promises will come true. For
your assignment. (2 Corinthians 4:7) example, we “do not know when the
Fourth, to help you endure in your appointed time is” for the great tribu-
assignment, our caring Father gives lation. (Mark 13:32, 33) Even though
you a worldwide brotherhood of true we do not know everything, we know
worshippers who “keep encouraging much more about the future Paradise
one another and building one another than Moses knew. Jehovah has given
up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) When Je-
hovah gives you what you need to suc-
It will be exciting to talk to faithful servants like Moses
ceed in your assignments, your faith (See paragraph 16)
in him will become stronger. As a re-
sult, you will value the assignments
you receive more than anything the
world could offer you.
“HE LOOKED INTENTLY TOWARD THE
PAYMENT OF THE REWARD”
14Moses “looked intently toward
the payment of the reward.” (He-
brews 11:26) Even though there were
many details about the future that
Moses did not know, he allowed the
little he did know to guide his deci-
sions. Like his forefather Abraham,
Moses was confident that Jehovah can
resurrect the dead. (Luke 20:37, 38;
Hebrews 11:17-19) His confidence in
God’s promises helped Moses not to
feel that his 40 years as a fugitive and
his 40 years in the wilderness were a
wasted life. Although he did not know
exactly how Jehovah would keep all of
His promises, he had so much faith in
Jehovah that it was as if Moses could
see his future reward.
15 Do you look “intently toward the

payment of” your reward? Like Mo-

ses, we still do not know exactly how
14. Why was Moses sure that he would be re-
warded?
15, 16. (a) Why do we need to focus on our re-
ward? (b) What blessings are you looking for-
ward to under God’s Kingdom rule?

APRIL 15, 2014

us enough promises about what life
will be like under his Kingdom rule
that we can look “intently” toward it,
that is, we can form a clear picture
of the new world in our minds. If we
have this clear picture, we will really
want to seek the Kingdom first. Why
so? Think about this: Would you buy
a house if you knew very little about
it? Of course not! In the same way,
we would not use our lives to pur-
sue a hope that is not real to us. Our
faith should help us see a clear, fo-
cused picture of our life under King-
dom rule.
16To have a clear picture of God’s
Kingdom in your mind, look “intent-
ly,” that is, imagine your life in Par-
adise. For example, when you study
the lives of Bible characters who lived
before Jesus, think about what you
might ask them when they are resur-
rected. Imagine what they might ask
you about your life during the last
days. Imagine how excited you will
be to meet your relatives from hun-
dreds of years ago and to teach them
about all that God has done for them.
Imagine your joy as you learn about
many wild animals by watching them
on a peaceful earth. Meditate on how
much closer you will feel to Jehovah
as you gradually become perfect.
17Having a clear picture in our
mind of our future reward helps us to
endure, to have joy, and to make deci-
sions. Paul wrote to anointed Chris-
tians: “If we hope for what we do not
see, we keep eagerly waiting for it
with endurance.” (Romans 8:25) But
17. How can a clear picture of our future re-
ward help us today?
8 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
this does not only apply to the anoint-
ed. It applies to all Christians with the
hope of everlasting life. Although we
have not yet received our reward, our
faith is so strong that we keep on wait-
ing patiently for “the payment of the
reward.” Like Moses, we do not feel
that the years we spend serving Jeho-
vah are a waste of time. Rather, we are
sure that “the things seen are tempo-
rary, but the things unseen are ever-
lasting.”—Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
18Faith allows us to see “the con-
vincing evidence of realities that are
not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1; footnote) A
physical person does not have eyes of
faith, so he does not understand the
value of serving Jehovah. To such a
person, this privilege is “foolishness.”
(1 Corinthians 2:14) We hope to live
forever and to see the resurrection,
things that people in this world can-
not even imagine. Like some men of
Paul’s day who called him an ignorant
“chatterer,” most people today think
that the hope we preach is complete
nonsense.—Acts 17:18.
19Because we are surrounded by
a world that has no faith, we must
fight to keep our faith strong. Beg Je-
hovah that “your faith may not give
out.” (Luke 22:32) Like Moses, have
clearly in mind the consequences of
sin, the honor of serving Jehovah, and
the hope of eternal life. Is that all we
learn from Moses’ example? No. In
the next article, we will discuss how
faith helped Moses to see “the One
who is invisible.”—Hebrews 11:27.
18, 19. (a) Why must we fight to keep our
faith strong? (b) What will we discuss in the
next article?
Do You See “the One
Who Is Invisible”?
“He continued steadfast as seeing the
One who is invisible.”—HEBREWS 11:27.

PHARAOH was a powerful ruler, and the Egyptians wor- HOW WILL “SEEING
shipped him as a god. The book When Egypt Ruled the East THE ONE WHO IS
says that to the Egyptians, he was greater than any other INVISIBLE” . . .
earthly creature “in wisdom and power.” Pharaoh wanted ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

the Egyptians to fear him, so he wore a crown with the im- protect you from fear of man?
age of a cobra ready to attack. This image was a remind-
er that the king’s enemies would quickly be destroyed. So
imagine how Moses felt when Jehovah told him: “I will ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

send you to Pharaoh, and you will bring my people the Is- encourage you to do your best
raelites out of Egypt.”—Exodus 3:10. in the field ministry?
2Moses went to Egypt and told Pharaoh about God’s
message. That made Pharaoh very angry. After Egypt was
punished with nine plagues, Pharaoh was so angry that ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

he warned Moses: “Make sure that you do not try to help you to remain strong
see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you during the great tribulation?
will die.” (Exodus 10:28) Moses left, but before that, he
1, 2. (a) Explain why Moses seemed to be in danger. (See opening pic-
ture.) (b) Why did Moses not fear the anger of the king?

APRIL 15, 2014 9

SOME Having fear of man:
Being afraid of what others
EXPRESSIONS might think of you or do
EXPLAINED to you because you serve
Jehovah
prophesied that the king’s firstborn
son would die. (Exodus 11:4-8) Mo-
ses then told every Israelite family to
slaughter a goat or a male sheep and
to splash its blood on their doorways.
The male sheep was a sacred animal
to the Egyptian god Ra. (Exodus 12:
5-7) How would Pharaoh react? Mo-
ses was not afraid of Pharaoh’s re-
action. Why not? Because he had faith
and obeyed Jehovah, “not fearing the
Is your faith so
strong that it is as if
you could “see God”?
anger of the king, for he continued
steadfast as seeing the One who is in-
visible.”—Read Hebrews 11:27, 28.
3Is your faith so strong that it is
as if you could “see God”? (Matthew
5:8) To strengthen our faith so that
we can see “the One who is invisi-
ble” as a real Person, let us discuss the
example of Moses. How did his faith
in Jehovah protect him from fear of
man? How did he show that he real-
3. What questions about Moses’ faith in “the
One who is invisible” will we discuss?
10
“Seeing the One who
is invisible”:
Understanding that Jehovah
is a real Person who is eager
to help us, and remember-
ing that all of his promises
will come true
ly believed God’s promises? And how
did seeing “the One who is invisible”
strengthen Moses when he and his
people were in danger?
HE WAS NOT AFRAID OF
“THE ANGER OF THE KING”
4Those without faith may have
thought that Moses was powerless
against mighty Pharaoh. Moses’ life
and future were in Pharaoh’s hands.
Even Moses himself asked Jehovah:
“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh
and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
(Exodus 3:11) About 40 years earlier,
Moses had run from Egypt as a fu-
gitive. He may have wondered, ‘Is it
really a good idea for me to go back to
Egypt and risk making the king an-
gry?’
5God taught Moses an important
lesson before he returned to Egypt.
Moses later wrote about that lesson in
the book of Job: “The fear of Jehovah
—that is wisdom.” (Job 28:28) To help
Moses learn proper fear and act wise-
ly, Jehovah compared humans with
himself, the almighty God. He asked:
4. When Moses appeared before Pharaoh,
what may those without faith have thought?
5, 6. What helped Moses to fear Jehovah, not
Pharaoh?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 “Who made a mouth for man, or who
makes them speechless, deaf, clear-
sighted, or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?”
—Exodus 4:11.
6What was the lesson? Moses was
sent by Jehovah, so he did not need to
be afraid. God would give Moses the
power to tell God’s message to Pha-
raoh. And this was not the first time
God’s servants had been in danger
in Egypt. Perhaps Moses remembered
how Jehovah had protected Abraham,
Joseph, and even Moses himself from
other Pharaohs who ruled in the past.
Pharaoh was powerless against Je-
hovah. (Genesis 12:17-19; 41:14, 39-
41; Exodus 1:22–2:10) Because Mo-
ses saw “the One who is invisible,”
he courageously went to Pharaoh and
told him every word of Jehovah’s mes-
sage.
7Faith in Jehovah also protected a
sister named Ella from giving in to
fear of man. In 1949 she was arrested
Pharaoh was powerless
against Jehovah
in Estonia by the KGB. They took all
her clothes off, and then young police
officers stared at her. “I felt humiliat-
ed,” she said. “Yet, after I prayed to Je-
hovah, peace and calmness of heart
came over me.” Then Ella was left
alone in a small, dark cell for three
days. She says: “The officials shout-
ed: ‘We are going to make it so that
even the name Jehovah will not be re-
7. How did faith in Jehovah protect one sister?
APRIL 15, 2014
membered in Estonia! You are going
to a camp, and the others are going
to Siberia!’ Tauntingly, they added,
‘Where is your Jehovah?’” Would Ella
fear men or trust in Jehovah? When
interrogated, she was not afraid to tell
With faith in God,
you can overcome
fear of man
them: “I have given this matter much
thought, and I would rather live in
prison with my relationship with God
intact than be free and lose his ap-
proval.” Jehovah was just as real to
Ella as the men standing in front of
her. She remained loyal to Jehovah be-
cause she had faith in him.
8If you have faith in Jehovah, you
can overcome your fears. If the au-
thorities try to stop you from wor-
shipping God, it may seem that your
life and future are in their hands. You
might even ask yourself: ‘Is it really
a good idea for me to continue serv-
ing Jehovah and to make the authori-
ties angry?’ Remember: With faith in
God, you can overcome fear of man.
(Read Proverbs 29:25.) Jehovah asks:
“Why should you be afraid of a mortal
man who will die and of a son of man
who will wither like green grass?”
—Isaiah 51:12, 13.
9 Keep your almighty Father clearly
8, 9. (a) What do you need in order to over-
come fear of man? (b) If you are tempted to give
in to fear of man, what should you keep clearly
in mind?
11
in mind. He sees all those who suffer
because of unfair treatment. He feels
compassion for them and helps them.
(Exodus 3:7-10) Even if you have to de-
fend your faith to powerful officials,
“do not become anxious about how
or what you are to speak, for what
you are to speak will be given you in
that hour,” the Bible says. (Matthew
10:18-20) Human rulers and officials
are powerless against Jehovah. If you
strengthen your faith now, you can
see Jehovah as a real Person who is ea-
ger to help you.
HE HAD FAITH IN
GOD’S PROMISES
10In the month of Nisan 1513 be-
fore Christ, Jehovah instructed Moses
and Aaron to tell the Israelites to take
a healthy male sheep or goat, slaugh-
ter it, and splash its blood on their
doorways. (Exodus 12:3-7) Although
the Israelites had never done that be-
fore, the apostle Paul later wrote that
Moses had faith and “observed the
Passover and the splashing of the
blood, so that the destroyer might not
harm their firstborn.” (Hebrews 11:
28) Moses knew that Jehovah’s prom-
ises would come true, and he had
faith that all firstborn sons in Egypt
would die.
11Moses obediently warned other
Israelite families whose firstborn sons
were in danger, even though his own
sons were apparently in Midian, safe
and far away from “the destroyer.”
10. (a) What instructions did Jehovah give the
Israelites in the month of Nisan 1513 before
Christ? (b) Why did Moses obey God’s instruc-
tions?
11. Why did Moses warn others?
12
(Exodus 18:1-6) (See footnote.) Be-
cause Moses loved his fellow man, he
quickly “called all the elders of Israel
and said to them: . . . ‘Slaughter the
Passover sacrifice.’”—Exodus 12:21.
12 With the help of the angels, Jeho-
vah’s people are announcing this im-
portant message: “Fear God and give
him glory, because the hour of judg-
ment by him has arrived, so worship
the One who made the heaven and
the earth and the sea and the springs
of water.” (Revelation 14:7) We must
preach that message now. We must
warn our neighbors to get out of Bab-
ylon the Great, that is, false religion,
so that they do not “receive part of her
plagues.” (Revelation 18:4) Anointed
Christians, with the help of the “other
sheep,” beg people to become friends
of God.—John 10:16; 2 Corinthians
5:20.
13 We are convinced that “the hour
of judgment” has arrived. We are also
convinced that the preaching work is
just as urgent as Jehovah says it is. In a
vision, the apostle John “saw four an-
gels standing on the four corners of
the earth, holding tight the four winds
of the earth.” (Revelation 7:1) Do you
see those angels ready to release the
destructive winds of the great tribula-
tion on this world? If you see those an-
gels with your eyes of faith, you will
feel confident about preaching the
good news to others.
Jehovah evidently sent angels to execute the first-
born sons of the Egyptians.—Psalm 78:49-51.
12. What message has Jehovah told us to
preach?
13. What will help increase your desire to
preach the good news?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 14We already have a friend-
ship with Jehovah and the hope
of eternal life, but we also under-
stand that it is our responsibility
to “warn the wicked one to turn
from his wicked course so that
he may stay alive.” (Read Ezekiel
3:17-19.) Of course, this is not
the only reason why we preach.
We preach because we love Je-
hovah and because we love our
neighbor. In his illustration of
the Samaritan, Jesus taught us to
understand what it really means
to show love and mercy. We
might ask ourselves: ‘Am I like
the Samaritan, or am I like the
priest and the Levite? Am I al-
ways willing to give a witness, or
do I make excuses not to preach
to others?’ (Luke 10:25-37) If we
have faith in God’s promises
and love for our neighbor, we
will want to do our best in the
preaching work before it is too
late.
THE ISRAELITES “PASSED
THROUGH THE RED SEA”
15Moses’ faith in “the One
who is invisible” helped him
when the Israelites were in dan-
ger after they left Egypt. The Bi-
ble says: “The Israelites raised
their eyes and saw the Egyptians
pursuing them. The Israelites be-
came terrified and began to cry
out to Jehovah.” (Exodus 14:10-
12) The Israelites should have
14. Why do we want to “warn the wick- If you have faith in Jehovah, your desire
ed one to turn from his wicked course”? to preach the good news will increase
15. Why did the Israelites feel trapped? (See paragraph 13)

APRIL 15, 2014

expected this situation. Jehovah had
foretold: “I will allow Pharaoh’s heart
to become obstinate, and he will
chase after them, and I will glorify
myself by means of Pharaoh and all
his army; and the Egyptians will cer-
tainly know that I am Jehovah.” (Exo-
dus 14:4) Despite Jehovah’s warning,
the Israelites had no faith. They could
see only the Red Sea blocking the way
in front of them, Pharaoh’s war chari-
ots approaching quickly behind them,
and an 80-year-old shepherd leading
them. They felt trapped.
16 Moses was not afraid. His eyes of
faith saw something much more pow-
erful than a sea or an army. He could
“see the salvation of Jehovah,” and
he knew that Jehovah would fight
for the Israelites. (Read Exodus 14:
13, 14.) Moses’ faith strengthened and
encouraged God’s people. The Bible
says: “By faith they passed through
the Red Sea as on dry land, but when
the Egyptians attempted it, they were
swallowed up.” (Hebrews 11:29) After
that, “the people began to fear Jeho-
vah and to put faith in Jehovah and in
his servant Moses.”—Exodus 14:31.
17Soon, our lives will seem to be
in danger. By the time Armageddon
begins, the governments of this world
will have destroyed religious organi-
zations that were much more power-
ful than ours. (Revelation 17:16) In a
prophecy, Jehovah says that we will
be defenseless, like a “land of un-
protected settlements . . . , unpro-
tected by walls, bars, or gates.” (Eze-
16. How did faith strengthen Moses at the
Red Sea?
17. What future event will test our faith?
14
kiel 38:10-12, 14-16) Those who do not
have faith in Jehovah may think that
we have no chance of survival. How
will you react?
18We do not need to be afraid.
Why? Because Jehovah has foretold
not only that his people will be at-
tacked but also that he will save them.
“‘On that day, the day when Gog in-
vades the land of Israel,’ declares the
Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘my great
rage will flare up. In my zeal, in the
fire of my fury, I will speak.’” (Ezekiel
38:18-23) God will destroy all those
who want to harm Jehovah’s people.
If you have faith that Jehovah will pro-
tect you during his “great and awe-
inspiring day,” you will be able to “see
the salvation of Jehovah” and remain
strong.—Joel 2:31, 32.
19Prepare now for those thrilling
events by continuing “steadfast as
seeing the One who is invisible”! Be-
come a closer friend of Jehovah by
studying and praying regularly. Moses
had a close friendship with Jehovah
and was used so powerfully by him
that the Bible says that Jehovah knew
Moses “face-to-face.” (Deuteronomy
34:10) Moses was an extraordinary
prophet. If you have faith, you too can
have such a close friendship with Je-
hovah that it will be as if you could ac-
tually see him. If you obey him “in all
your ways,” as God’s Word tells us to
do, “he will make your paths straight.”
—Proverbs 3:6.
18. Explain why we can remain strong during
the great tribulation.
19. (a) How close was the relationship be-
tween Jehovah and Moses? (b) If you obey Jeho-
vah “in all your ways,” what blessings will you
have?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
No One Can Serve Two Masters
“No one can slave for two masters . . .
You cannot slave for God and for Riches.”—MATTHEW 6:24.

EVERY day Marilyn’s husband, James, returned home WHAT DO YOU THINK?
from work exhausted. (See footnote.) He barely earned ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

enough money to pay for their daily needs. Marilyn want- What Bible principles show
ed to make life easier for her husband and wanted their how Jehovah wants us to care
for family responsibilities?
son, Jimmy, to have some of the nice things his school-
mates had. She wanted to help their extended family and
also save some money for the future. Many of her friends
had moved to other countries so that they could earn
more money. But when Marilyn thought about moving
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

away from her family, she was not sure what she should How can our decisions show
do. Why? that we serve only Jehovah?
2 It upset Marilyn to think about what could happen if

she left her precious family. Worshipping Jehovah togeth-

er was a regular part of their family life. How would they
continue to do this if she was far away? At the same time,
she thought about others who had moved away from ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

their families, and they still seemed to be serving Jeho- In what ways does Jehovah
vah. Could she really raise her son over the Internet and bless our decisions when we
put him first?
Names have been changed.

1-3. (a) What problems do many families have with money, and how
do some try to solve them? (See opening picture.) (b) When parents
think about moving away from their family, what concerns do they have
about raising their children?

APRIL 15, 2014 15

SOME “No one can slave for two masters”:
This means that we cannot serve Jehovah and Riches at
EXPRESSIONS the same time. If we neglect our family or our worship
EXPLAINED so that we can earn more money or have nicer things, we
are slaves to Riches. In contrast, true Christians choose
to serve Jehovah as their one and only Master

teach him to serve Jehovah?—Ephe-
sians 6:4.
3 Marilyn asked for advice. Her hus-
band did not want her to leave, but he
said that he would not try to stop her if
she wanted to go. The elders and some
others in her congregation warned her
not to leave, but some sisters told her:
“If you love your family, you’ll go. You
can still serve Jehovah.” Even though
she had doubts, Marilyn said good-bye
to James and Jimmy and left for a job
in another country. “I won’t be gone
for long,” she promised.
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
AND BIBLE PRINCIPLES
4Jehovah does not want his ser-
vants to starve. (Psalm 37:25; Prov-
erbs 30:8) Throughout history, Jeho-
vah’s people have moved to get out
of poverty. To avoid starvation, Jacob
sent his sons to Egypt to buy food.
(See footnote.) (Genesis 42:1, 2) In
contrast, most who move today are
not starving, so why do they move?
Each time Jacob’s sons went to Egypt, they were
away from their families for three weeks or less. Lat-
er, when Jacob and his sons moved to Egypt, they
brought their wives and children with them.—Gene-
sis 46:6, 7.
4. Why do many people move far away from
their family? Who often raise the children of
parents who move away?
Many are deeply in debt. Others may
live in an area that has a poor econo-
my. Because they want to have nicer
things and live a more comfortable
life, they may move away from their
family to an area where it is easier to
earn money. Parents who move away
from home often leave their chil-
dren to be raised by others, such as
Real happiness and
security do not come
from the things we have
another parent, an older child, grand-
parents, other relatives, or friends.
Even though it is painful to leave their
family, many who move to work far
away from home feel that they have
no choice.
5In Jesus’ day, many people were
poor. They may have felt that if they
had more money, they would be hap-
pier and more secure. (Mark 14:7) But
Jesus did not want them to trust in
temporary things. He wanted them to
5, 6. (a) What did Jesus teach about happi-
ness and security? (b) What material things did
Jesus teach his followers to pray for? (c) How
does Jehovah bless us?

16 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
trust in Jehovah, whose blessings last
forever. In his Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus taught that real happiness and
security come from our friendship
with Jehovah, not from the things we
have or from our own efforts.
6 In his model prayer, Jesus did not

teach us to pray for a comfortable

life. Instead, he taught us to pray for
“our bread for this day.” Jesus clearly
taught his listeners: “Stop storing up
for yourselves treasures on the earth.”
He added: “Rather, store up for your-
selves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew
6:9, 11, 19, 20) We can trust that Je-
hovah will bless us as he promises.
God’s blessing includes more than
his approval. It is a guarantee that
he will give us everything we really
need. The only way to have real happi- You cannot hug your child over the Internet!
ness and security is to trust in our lov- (See paragraph 10)

ing Father, Jehovah, instead of money.

—Read Matthew 6:24, 25, 31-34.
7Doing God’s will includes taking
care of our family responsibilities
the way Jehovah wants us to. For ex-
ample, the Law of Moses command-
ed parents to train their own chil-
dren to serve Jehovah. Christians who
want to please Jehovah must also do
this. (Read Deuteronomy 6:6, 7.) God
has given this responsibility to par-
ents, not to grandparents or anyone
else. King Solomon said: “Listen, my
son, to the discipline of your father,
and do not forsake the instruction
of your mother.” (Proverbs 1:8) Jeho-
vah wants families to live together so
that both parents can teach and guide
7. (a) To whom has Jehovah given the respon-
sibility to raise children? (b) Why do both par-
ents need to help raise their children?
their children. (Proverbs 31:10, 27, 28)
When children hear their parents talk
about Jehovah and see how they serve
him every day, children can learn to
do the same.
UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES
8Many who are thinking of leaving
their family realize that their decision
may create some problems. But it is
impossible to know exactly how such a
decision will affect your family. (Prov-
erbs 22:3) (See footnote.) As soon as
Marilyn left, she began to suffer the
See “Immigration—Dreams and Realities” in the
February 2013 issue of Awake!
8, 9. (a) What changes often occur when a
parent lives apart from the family? (b) When
parents and children do not live together, how
can this damage a family?

APRIL 15, 2014 17

 emotional pain of being away from
her family. Her husband and son suf-
fered too. Young Jimmy kept asking
her, “Why did you leave me?” Mari-
lyn planned to be away for only a few
months, but as years went by, it scared
her to see how her family was chang-
ing. Jimmy was not the same boy she
used to know. He talked to her less
and less and was not willing to share
his feelings anymore. Marilyn says,
“His love for me went away.”
9 When parents and children do not

live together as a family, their emo-

tions and even their standards of
right and wrong can be affected.
(See footnote.) The younger the chil-
dren and the longer they are away
from their parents, the more damage
can be done. Marilyn explained to Jim-
my that she was making a sacrifice to
help him, but to Jimmy it seemed as
if his mother had stopped loving him.
In the beginning, he resented her ab-
sence. But later, when she visited him,
She was teaching
her son to love money
more than his family
or even Jehovah
he resented her presence. Similar to
many children who are separated from
their parents, Jimmy believed that
his mother no longer had the right to
Reports from many countries show that living
apart from a mate or children has led to serious prob-
lems. These include adultery, homosexuality, or in-
cest. Children may have problems at school. They
may be angry, anxious, depressed, or even suicidal.
While apart from your mate, what
danger could you face?
(See paragraph 11)
be loved and obeyed.—Read Proverbs
29:15.
10Because she was far away from
Jimmy, Marilyn tried to make things
better by sending him money and
gifts. But she realized that she was
pushing her son away. She was teach-
ing him to love money more than
his family or even Jehovah. (Prov-
erbs 22:6) Sadly, Jimmy told her not
to come back but to keep sending
gifts. Marilyn finally decided that she
could not raise her son through letters,
10. (a) When parents give gifts instead of their
time and attention, what can happen to their
children? (b) What does a family miss when a
parent is far away?

18 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
phone calls, or video chats. She ex-
plains, “You cannot hug your child or
kiss him good-night over the Internet.”
11Marilyn’s relationship with Jeho-
vah also suffered. She spent time with
her congregation only one day a week
or less. Her relationship with her hus-
band suffered too. She had to fight
off her boss who wanted to have sex
with her. And because James and Mar-
ilyn could not talk about their prob-
lems with each other, they talked to
others about their feelings and almost
committed adultery. Marilyn realized
that even though they did not commit
adultery, their marriage was in danger.
The Bible instructs married couples to
care for each other’s emotional and
sexual needs. Because Marilyn and
James were so far apart, they could not
give each other the private time and at-
tention that a married couple should
enjoy. (Song of Solomon 1:2; 1 Co-
rinthians 7:3, 5) And they could not
worship Jehovah together with their
son. Marilyn says, “When I learned at
a convention that regular family wor-
ship is vital for us to survive Jehovah’s
great day, I understood that I needed
to go home.” She had to rebuild her re-
lationship with her family and with Je-
hovah.
GOOD ADVICE AND BAD ADVICE
12 When Marilyn decided to return
home, some gave her good advice and
others gave her bad advice. The elders
in her congregation commended her.
11. (a) How does living apart for work affect
a marriage? (b) When did Marilyn realize that
she needed to be with her family?
12. What advice from the Bible can help those
who are living apart from their family?
APRIL 15, 2014
Others tried to convince her to stay
and told her that she could not earn
enough money back home. “You’ll be
back here in a short time,” they said.
Instead of making such discouraging
comments, Christians should “advise
A Christian needs
strong faith to go against
his family’s wishes
the younger women to love their
husbands, to love their children,” and
to be “working at home,” or taking
care of their own family. In this way,
Christians will not bring shame on
God’s name.—Read Titus 2:3-5.
13Many who leave their family to
work far away have grown up in cul-
tures that honor traditions and rel-
atives, especially parents, more than
all else. A Christian needs strong faith
to go against his family’s wishes when
these wishes do not please Jehovah.
14Consider Carin’s story: “When
my son Don was born, my husband
and I were working abroad, and I had
recently begun to study the Bible.”
Everyone in the family expected Car-
in to send Don to her parents until
she and her husband could earn more
money. When Carin said that she was
going to raise Don herself, her rela-
tives, including her husband, called
her lazy and laughed at her. Carin said:
“At the time, I could not fully under-
stand what was wrong with leaving
13, 14. Why do we need faith to go against
family wishes? Give an example.
19
Don with my parents for a few years.
But I knew that Jehovah gave the job
of raising our son to us—his parents.”
When she became pregnant again, her
unbelieving husband demanded that
she have an abortion. The good deci-
sion Carin made earlier had prepared
her well, so she was able to make an-
other decision that would please Je-
hovah. Today, she, her husband, and
their children are all happy that they
stayed together. If Carin had sent away
one or both of her children to be raised
by others, the result could have been
very different.
15A Witness named Vicky says:
“For a few years, I was raised by my
grandmother, while my parents kept
my younger sister with them. By the
time I rejoined my parents, my feel-
ings for them had changed. My sister
felt free to express herself to them, to
hug them, and to enjoy a close rela-
tionship with them. I felt distant from
my parents, and even into adulthood,
I found it hard to show them my true
feelings. My sister and I have assured
our parents that we will take care of
them in their old age. But I will do so
more out of duty, while my sister will
care for them more out of love.
16“Now my mother wants me to
send my daughter to her for her to
raise, just as she sent me back to her
mother.” Vicky kindly refused. She
and her husband want to raise their
own child to love Jehovah. “I do not
want to damage my future relation-
ship with my daughter,” says Vicky.
15, 16. (a) How was Vicky raised as a child?
(b) Why did she choose not to raise her daugh-
ter in the same way?
20
She has learned that the only way to
be successful is to love Jehovah and
his principles more than things and
even family. Jesus plainly said: “No
one can slave for two masters,” for
God and for Riches.—Matthew 6:24;
Exodus 23:2.
We always have a choice
JEHOVAH CAN MAKE OUR
EFFORTS “SUCCESSFUL”
17Our Father, Jehovah, has prom-
ised to give us everything we really
need if we put the Kingdom and his
righteousness first in our lives. (Mat-
thew 6:33) Because of this promise,
true Christians always have a choice.
Even when we face the most difficult
problems, there is always a way to
please Jehovah and follow Bible prin-
ciples. Jehovah promises to give us
a “way out.” (Read 1 Corinthians 10:
13.) Our prayers and obedience show
Jehovah that we are trusting in him.
(Psalm 37:5, 7) Jehovah will see our ef-
forts and give us everything we need.
He will make our lives “successful.”
—Compare Genesis 39:3.
18 But what can we do to repair the
damage caused by separation? How
can we take care of our family’s ma-
terial needs without living far away
from them? And how can we loving-
ly help others to stay with their fami-
lies? The following article will consid-
er these questions.
17, 18. (a) What choice do Christians always
have? (b) What questions will we consider in
the next article?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Be of Good Courage
Jehovah Is Your Helper!
“Be of good courage and say:
‘Jehovah is my helper.’”—HEBREWS 13:6.

EDUARDO had a good job and made a lot of money when HOW WOULD
he was working in a country far from his family. (See YOU ANSWER?
footnote.) But when he learned the truth, he realized that ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

his family needed more than money. They needed him at What must parents do to
home to care for them. So he went back home.—Ephesians help their families stay
6:4. close to Jehovah?
2 Eduardo knew that Jehovah wanted him to go back to

his family. But it was not going to be easy. He had to re- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

store his relationship with his wife and children, and he How can family heads
had to earn enough money to care for them. How would care for their family’s needs
he do that? Would the congregation help them? without moving away for
work?
REPAIRING YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH JEHOVAH AND WITH YOUR FAMILY
3Eduardo admits: “I had neglected my children when ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

they most needed my guidance and affection. I had not What can a Christian do
if his relatives want him
Names have been changed. to move far away to make
money?
1, 2. Why can it be difficult for those who work far away from home to
return? (See opening picture.)
3. How are children affected when parents live far away?

APRIL 15, 2014 21

 SOME Family head:
Jehovah wants parents to
EXPRESSIONS take care of their children
EXPLAINED and to take the lead in wor-
ship. Their first responsibility
is their own children
A budget:
A plan for how you will
spend your money so that
you will not go into debt

been there to read them Bible stories,
to pray with them, to cuddle them,
and to play with them.” (Deuteronomy
6:7) His oldest daughter, Anna, re-
members: “I felt emotionally insecure
not having our father at home with us.
When he returned, we knew him only
by his face and voice. It didn’t feel nat-
ural when he hugged me.”
4 The longer a father lives away from
home, the more difficult it is for him
to be a family head. Eduardo’s wife,
Ruby, explains: “I had to play two roles
The longer a father lives
away from home, the
more difficult it is for him
to be a family head
—Mom and Dad—and I got used to
making most of the family decisions.
When Eduardo came home, I had to
learn what Christian subjection real-
ly means. Even now, I sometimes have
to remind myself that my husband is
here.” (Ephesians 5:22, 23) “The girls
were used to going to their mother for
4. Why is it difficult for a father to be a good
family head when he lives away from his fam-
ily?
permission to do things,” says Eduar-
do. “I had to learn to take the lead in a
Christian way.” Eduardo and Ruby re-
alized that their children needed to see
that their parents make decisions to-
gether.
5Eduardo did all he could to repair
his relationship with his family and
to help them build their relationship
with Jehovah. He wanted to teach his
children the truth by word and exam-
ple, not just to say that he loves Jeho-
vah but to show it. (1 John 3:18) Did Je-
hovah bless Eduardo’s efforts? “Seeing
all his efforts to be a good father and
to draw close to us again made a big
difference,” answers Anna. “When we
saw him reaching out in the congre-
gation, we felt proud. The world was
trying to pull us away from Jehovah.
But we saw our parents focused on
the truth, so we tried to do the same.
Papa promised never to leave us again,
and he didn’t. If he had, I probably
wouldn’t be in Jehovah’s organization
today.”
ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY
6Children want their parents to be
5. What did Eduardo do to repair his relation-
ship with his family when he returned home?
What was the result?
6. What lesson did many parents learn during
a war in the Balkans?

22 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
with them. For example, when there
was a war in the Balkans, many Wit-
ness parents were not able to go to
work. As a result, they spent most of
their time with their children at home.
They played with them, talked with
them, and studied with them. The chil-
dren loved it, and they were happy
even though life was very difficult dur-
ing the war. The lesson? More than
money or gifts, children really want
their parents. As the Bible says, chil-
dren will benefit when their parents
spend time with them and train them.
—Proverbs 22:6.
7Some parents may be shocked
when they return to their family. Their
children may act as if they do not even
care that they are back or as if they
do not trust them anymore. The parent
may say, “How can you be so ungrate-
ful after all I have done for you?” But
the truth is, the child is hurt because
his parent left him. How can the par-
ent fix the problem?
8 Ask Jehovah to help you to under-
stand how your family really feels, and
show them that you care. You also
need to speak to your family and ad-
mit that you are part of the problem. A
genuine apology may help. When your
family sees that you keep trying to
make things better, they will know
that you are sincere. If you are patient
and do not give up, your family may
begin to love and respect you again.
PROVIDING FOR YOUR FAMILY
9The apostle Paul wrote that when
7, 8. (a) What may shock parents when they
return home? (b) How can parents repair their
relationship with their children?
9. Why should we be content with our stan-
dard of living?
APRIL 15, 2014
older Christians cannot care for their
own needs, their children and grand-
children should help them. According
to Paul, all we really need to be content
with our standard of living are food,
clothing, and shelter. (Read 1 Timo-
thy 5:4, 8; 6:6-10.) To provide for his
Money cannot
help and protect
us as wisdom from
Jehovah can
family, a Christian does not need to be-
come rich in this world that is “pass-
ing away.” (1 John 2:15-17) We must
not think that money can solve all our
problems or let the “anxieties of life”
cause our family to lose their “firm
hold on the real life” in God’s new
world!—Luke 21:34-36; 1 Timothy 6:19;
Mark 4:19.
10Jehovah knows that we need
some money. But money cannot help
and protect us as wisdom from Jeho-
vah can. (Ecclesiastes 7:12; Luke 12:
15) Many times, people do not realize
how much it will cost to move to anoth-
er country. And there is no guarantee
that they will make money once they
get there. In fact, such a move can be
dangerous. Many who leave their fam-
ily return home with even more debt.
Instead of being able to serve God
more freely, they have to serve the peo-
ple to whom they owe money. (Read
Proverbs 22:7.) It is always wise to
avoid debt in the first place.
10. Why is it wise to avoid debt?
23
 11Eduardo knew that to care suc-
cessfully for his family after moving
home, he would have to be careful how
they spent money. He and his wife
made a budget based on what they
really needed. (See footnote.) To fol-
low their budget, they could not buy
as much as they did when they had
more money. But all in the family co-
operated, and they did not spend mon-
ey on unnecessary things. “For exam-
ple,” Eduardo says, “I took my children
out of private schools and found good
public schools for them.” He and his
family prayed for him to find work that
“The hand of Jehovah
is not short”
would not get in the way of their rou-
tine of worship. How did Jehovah an-
swer their prayers?
12For the first two years, Eduardo
barely made enough money for his
family to live, they had to use their
savings, and he was very tired. But
Eduardo says, “We could attend all the
meetings and go in service together.”
He decided that he would not even
think about taking a job that would
keep him away from his family. “In-
stead,” he says, “I learned to do vari-
ous jobs so that when one type of work
was not available, I could do another.”
See the series “How to Manage Money” in the
September 2011 issue of Awake!
11. How can using a budget help families?
12, 13. What did Eduardo do to support his
family, and how did Jehovah bless his decision
to keep life simple?
24
13Because it took a long time for
Eduardo to pay off his debts, he had
to pay a lot of interest on the money
he had borrowed. However, Eduardo
was willing to do this so that he could
serve Jehovah with his family. “I now
make less than 10 percent of what I
made overseas,” Eduardo says, “but we
don’t go hungry. ‘The hand of Jeho-
vah is not short.’ In fact, we decided to
pioneer.” Soon after that, the economy
improved, and it became much easier
for him to take care of his family.—Isa-
iah 59:1.
PRESSURE FROM RELATIVES
14Some people feel that they must
give money and gifts to relatives and
friends. “It is part of our culture, and
we enjoy giving,” says Eduardo. But
he adds, “There is a limit.” He kind-
ly explains to his relatives that he will
give them as much as he can, but he
will not neglect his immediate family’s
needs or their worship to Jehovah.
15Some relatives may be dis-
appointed in a person who chooses
to stay with his family or who choos-
es to return home. They may even
call him unloving or selfish. Why? Be-
cause these relatives expect money
from him. (Proverbs 19:6, 7) Eduardo’s
daughter Anna says that if their family
chooses worship of Jehovah over mon-
ey, their relatives may understand how
important Jehovah is. If they do not
make that choice, their relatives may
never be able to understand.—Com-
pare 1 Peter 3:1, 2.
14, 15. What can families do if their relatives
want them to choose money over worship of Je-
hovah? What may happen when we set a good
example?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 Can you learn to do a variety of jobs to support your family?
(See paragraph 12)
EXERCISING FAITH IN GOD
16 One sister who left her family to
work in another country told the el-
ders: “We had to make great sacri-
fices for me to come here. My hus-
band even had to stop serving as an
elder. So I really hope that Jehovah
will bless this move.” If we have faith
and make decisions according to Jeho-
vah’s will, we can be sure that he will
bless us. He will not bless decisions
that go against his will. And he will
not be pleased if we give up a privi-
lege of service for the wrong reasons.
—Read Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 5:13-15.
17Seek Jehovah’s direction before
you make a decision so that you will
not have regrets later. Pray for holy
spirit, wisdom, and guidance. (2 Tim-
othy 1:7) Ask yourself: ‘How much am
16. (a) What wrong thinking could a person
have? (James 1:22) (b) What decisions does Je-
hovah bless?
17. Why should we look for Jehovah’s direction
before making decisions, and how can we do
this?
APRIL 15, 2014
I willing to sacrifice in order to serve
Jehovah? Will I listen to his direction
to stay with my family, even if that
means we will have a less comfortable
life?’ (Luke 14:33) Ask the elders for
help, and follow their Bible-based ad-
vice. If you do this, you show that you
trust in Jehovah’s promise to help you.
The elders will not tell you what to do,
but they will help you to make wise
choices that will lead to a happy life.
—2 Corinthians 1:24.
18Jehovah expects that family
heads support their families all the
time. We should pray for and com-
mend those who care for that respon-
sibility without leaving their fami-
lies, even when they are tempted to
go away or others tell them to do so.
In addition to our prayers, we have an
opportunity to prove our love for these
faithful brothers when disasters strike
or some medical emergency happens.
18. Who is responsible for supporting a fami-
ly? What can we do to help?
25

When we obey
Jehovah’s
commandments,
we show that we
love him and
trust in him
(Galatians 6:2, 5; 1 Peter 3:8) Could
you help them to find work nearby or
give them something else that they ur-
gently need, such as money or food? If
so, they may not need to leave their
family to find work in another area.
—Proverbs 3:27, 28; 1 John 3:17.
REMEMBER THAT
JEHOVAH IS YOUR HELPER!
19Jehovah assures us: “Let your
way of life be free of the love of mon-
ey, while you are content with the
present things. For [God] has said: ‘I
will never leave you, and I will never
abandon you.’ So that we may be of
good courage and say: ‘Jehovah is my
helper; I will not be afraid. What can
man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5, 6)
How do we do this in real life?
20An elder in a poor country says
that people often comment about
how happy Jehovah’s Witnesses
are. He says that they also notice
that even poor Witnesses are always
nicely dressed and have the things
they need. This is exactly what Jesus
promised. (Matthew 6:28-30) Jeho-
vah loves us and does what is best
19, 20. Why can Christians be sure that Jeho-
vah will help them?
26
for us. He is very interested in all
of his servants and is always ready
to “show his strength” in order to
help us. (2 Chronicles 16:9) That is
why he has given us commandments
about family life and how to care for
our needs. When we obey these com-
mandments, we show Jehovah that
we love him and trust in him. “This is
what the love of God means, that we
observe his commandments; and yet
his commandments are not burden-
some.”—1 John 5:3.
21 Eduardo says that he knows that
the time he was apart from his wife
and children can never be regained.
But he does not dwell on his regrets.
Many of those he worked with be-
fore are rich but unhappy. Their fami-
lies have serious problems. However,
Be courageous!
Choose to obey
Jehovah
his family is very happy! Even though
they are poor, Eduardo’s family and
other families in his country trust that
Jehovah will help them. He says, “We
all are experiencing the truth of Jesus’
promise.”—Read Matthew 6:33.
22Be courageous! Choose to obey
Jehovah and trust in him. You can be a
good family head if you love Jehovah,
your mate, and your children. You will
be able to experience Jehovah as your
Helper.
21, 22. Why have you decided to trust in
Jehovah?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Do You Appreciate
Jehovah’s Watchful Care?
“The eyes of Jehovah are everywhere, watching
both the bad and the good.”—PROVERBS 15:3.

IN MANY countries, the authorities have put up cam- MAIN POINTS

eras to check the traffic and make recordings of accidents. TO REMEMBER
They also record drivers who hit people walking on the ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

road and who try to escape instead of helping the vic- Why does Jehovah watch us?
tims. The recordings help the authorities to find and ar-
rest these ones. Because of all these cameras, it is becom-
ing more difficult for criminals to get away with doing
wrong. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2The Bible says that Jehovah’s eyes “are everywhere.” In what ways can you
(Proverbs 15:3) Does this mean that he constantly watch- receive Jehovah’s warnings,
correction, and guidance?
es us only to see if we break his laws? Is he just waiting
to punish us as soon as we make mistakes? Not at all! (Jer-
emiah 16:17; Hebrews 4:13) Jehovah watches us because
he loves us and wants us to be safe and happy.—1 Peter
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3:12.
3How can we get a deeper understanding of God’s Why does Jehovah sometimes
allow us to suffer?
love for us? We will discuss five ways in which Jehovah
1, 2. How is the way Jehovah watches us different from the way traffic
cameras do?
3. In what five ways does Jehovah look after us?

APRIL 15, 2014 27

SOME Jehovah watches over us:
Jehovah can see more than
EXPRESSIONS what we are on the outside;
EXPLAINED he can see who we are on
the inside. He looks after us
because he loves us and
wants what is best for us
Jehovah corrects us:
Jehovah does not punish
us for every little mistake,
but he helps us to make
good decisions and go the
right way

looks after us. (1) He warns us before
we do what is bad. (2) He corrects us
when we go the wrong way. (3) He
guides us with Bible principles. (4) He
helps us when we face trials. (5) He
rewards us for doing what is right.
All the warnings in
the Bible really show
that Jehovah loves
each one of us
JEHOVAH WARNS US
4 First, we will discuss the ways that
Jehovah warns us before we do some-
thing bad. (1 Chronicles 28:9) For ex-
ample, Cain “grew hot with anger”
when Jehovah did not approve of him.
(Read Genesis 4:3-7.) Jehovah warned
Cain that if he did not “turn to doing
good,” he was going to sin. It was as if
sin were “crouching at the door,” wait-
ing to catch him. Jehovah asked him:
“Will you get the mastery over it?” Je-
hovah wanted Cain to “be restored to
favor.” If Cain listened to the warning,
4. Why did God give Cain a warning before he
sinned?
he would continue to have a good re-
lationship with God.
5The same is true with us today.
Jehovah is able to see who we tru-
ly are on the inside. He knows our
thoughts and desires, and we cannot
hide anything from him. He loves us
and wants us to do what is right, but
he does not force us. So if he sees
something bad in us, he warns us.
How? When we read the Bible regu-
larly, when we read our publications,
and when we attend meetings, we are
able to hear God’s warnings. Have
you ever read or heard something
that helped you overcome a problem
that only Jehovah knew about? These
warnings from Jehovah come exactly
when we need them.
6 All the warnings in the Bible real-
ly show that Jehovah loves each one of
us. It is true that the Bible, our publi-
cations, and our meetings benefit mil-
lions of people. But Jehovah asks you
to pay attention to his warnings in the
Bible so that you can do what is right.
This shows that he cares for you per-
sonally.
5. In what ways does Jehovah warn us?
6, 7. (a) What proof do we have that Jehovah
cares for each one of his servants? (b) How can
you benefit from Jehovah’s personal attention?

28 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 7How do we benefit from God’s
warnings? We must first believe that
he really cares about us and then ap-
ply his Word to ourselves. So if we
have any thought that displeases God,
we must crush it immediately. (Read
Isaiah 55:6, 7.) If we are quick to lis-
ten, we will avoid a lot of heartache.
But what if we do not listen? Does Je-
hovah still care for us?
OUR LOVING FATHER
CORRECTS US
8When Jehovah corrects us, we
know that he cares for us. (Read He-
brews 12:5, 6.) It is true that we do not

We respect counsel from

the Bible because the
Source is Jehovah

enjoy receiving counsel, discipline, or

correction. (Hebrews 12:11) But when
someone gives us counsel from the
Bible, it is very important to under-
stand why he does this. He does not
do so because he wants to hurt our
feelings but because he sees that our
relationship with Jehovah is in dan-
ger. He is willing to take the time and
to make the effort to show us from
the Bible how we can return to Jeho-
vah. We respect this counsel because
its Source is Jehovah.
9 For example, one brother was ad-
dicted to pornography before he
came into the truth. When he learned
8, 9. When someone gives us counsel from
the Bible, how does this prove that Jehovah
cares for us? Give an example.
Our Bible-trained conscience helps us
to avoid the dangers around us
(See paragraphs 6, 7)
the truth, he broke the habit. Later,
he bought a new cell phone, and he
went back to his old habit and start-
ed to watch pornography on Internet
sites. (James 1:14, 15) It became evi-
dent that the old desire for pornogra-
phy was still burning within him, like
the coals of a fire. One day, he lent
his phone to an elder, and the porno-
graphic sites appeared on the phone.
The elder immediately counseled the
brother. The brother listened to the
counsel and eventually overcame this

APRIL 15, 2014 29

bad habit. Jehovah sees our hidden
sins and can correct us before we
damage our relationship with him.
We are grateful that Jehovah cares
for us.
HOW BIBLE PRINCIPLES
GUIDE US
10The psalmist sang to Jehovah:
“You guide me with your advice.”
(Psalm 73:24) We can “take notice
of” Jehovah’s advice by searching his
Word. In this way, we can find out
how he thinks, follow his guidance,
and continue to have a good relation-
ship with him. Jehovah’s advice also
helps us to provide for ourselves and
our family.—Proverbs 3:6.
11For example, a farmer, his wife,
and their large family lived on a rent-
ed farm in the Philippines. Both he
and his wife were regular pioneers.
We can find out how
Jehovah thinks,
follow his guidance,
and have a good
relationship with him
Then suddenly, the owner of the
farm sent them a note telling them
that they could no longer live there.
They were shocked and later found
out that someone had falsely accused
them of dishonesty. The brother was
10, 11. (a) How do we “take notice of” God’s
guidance? (b) Tell the experience of a family
who wisely followed Jehovah’s guidance.
30
worried about where they would live.
But he had confidence in Jehovah and
said: “Jehovah will provide. He al-
ways cares for our needs, no matter
what happens.” The family followed
Jehovah always cares
for our needs
Bible principles, and they were re-
spectful and peaceful despite the ac-
cusations. A few days later, the own-
er of the farm told them that they
could stay. The owner was so im-
pressed with the way they reacted to
the accusations that he changed his
mind and even gave them more land
to cultivate. (Read 1 Peter 2:12.) It is
clear that if we follow Bible princi-
ples, Jehovah will guide us through
difficult times.
A FRIEND WHO HELPS
US ENDURE TRIALS
12As servants of Jehovah, we face
many trials, and some of them may
seem to last for a long time, such
as illness, persecution, or opposition
from family members. One of the
most difficult things to endure is a se-
rious disagreement with someone in
the congregation because of person-
ality differences.
13 For example, what a brother says
may really hurt you. You might think:
‘This should not happen in God’s or-
ganization!’ Yet the brother who hurt
you is given more responsibilities in
12, 13. When might it be difficult to believe
that God cares about us?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
the congregation, and others think
that he is wonderful. You might ask:
‘How can this be? Does Jehovah not
see? Will he not act?’—Psalm 13:1, 2;
Habakkuk 1:2, 3.
14Jehovah sees much more than
we see, and he may allow a situation
for important reasons. For example,
someone may give us counsel that
we do not feel we deserve, and our
feelings are hurt. But God may see
the situation differently. Is it possible
that we did deserve the counsel af-
ter all? In his life story, Brother Karl
Klein said that Brother Rutherford
once gave him strong counsel. Some
time later, when Brother Rutherford
greeted him cheerfully, Brother Klein
barely responded. Brother Ruther-
ford saw that Brother Klein was still
hurting from the counsel. Broth-
er Rutherford warned Brother Klein:
“Just watch out. The Devil’s after
you.” This advice really helped Broth-
er Klein. When he later became a
member of the Governing Body, he
said that he had learned that our
brothers have the right to counsel us
and that if we hate them for this, the
Devil will catch us.—See footnote.
15We want trials to end quickly.
But it is important that we learn to
be patient. Trials can be compared to
being stuck in traffic when you are
driving on a busy road. You could pa-
tiently stay on the road until the traf-
Brother Klein’s life story was published in the
October 1, 1984, issue of The Watchtower.
14. Why might Jehovah allow our brothers to
give us strong counsel?
15. What must we keep in mind when we face
trials?
APRIL 15, 2014
fic starts to move. Instead, you be-
come impatient and decide to find
another road. But then you get lost
and arrive late at your destination. If
you had been patient and had stuck
It is important that we
learn to be patient
to your original route, you probably
would have arrived on time. It is sim-
ilar when we face trials. If we are pa-
tient and follow Bible principles, Je-
hovah will help us endure.
16Jehovah may allow trials be-
cause he wants us to be trained by
them. (Read 1 Peter 5:6-10.) We must
never think that God causes our
trials. (James 1:13) It is “your adver-
sary, the Devil,” who causes most of
the suffering. However, it is impor-
tant to know that Jehovah sees our
suffering and that he loves us. He will
make sure that our trials do not last
forever. They will continue for only
“a little while.” Be confident that Je-
hovah cares for you and will provide
you with the strength to endure to the
end.—2 Corinthians 4:7-9.
THE REWARD FROM JEHOVAH
17Jehovah searches the hearts of
all people to see who really loves him.
The prophet Hanani told King Asa:
“The eyes of Jehovah are roving
about through all the earth to show
16. Why might Jehovah allow us to suffer
trials?
17. Why does Jehovah search the hearts of all
people?
31
his strength in behalf of those whose
heart is complete toward him.”
(2 Chronicles 16:9) Jehovah will
“show his strength” toward you,
which means that he will protect and
reward you.
Jehovah sees
every good deed
we have done
18Jehovah wants to “show favor”
to us, that is, he wants to reward
us. If we want his blessing, we need
to “search for what is good,” “love
what is good,” and “do what is good.”
(Amos 5:14, 15; 1 Peter 3:11, 12) Jeho-
vah rewards the righteous ones, even
if nobody else sees their good deeds.
(Psalm 34:15) We can see this from
the example of two Israelite mid-
wives, Shiphrah and Puah. Pharaoh
ordered them to kill all the Israel-
ite baby boys at birth. These wom-
en obeyed God rather than Pharaoh,
and they saved the babies. Jehovah
saw Shiphrah and Puah’s good deeds
and rewarded them with children of
their own. (Exodus 1:15-17, 20, 21)
Sometimes we may feel that no one
sees the good that we do, but Jehovah
sees every good deed we have done.
18. Why should we be confident that Jehovah
will reward us if we do what is good? (See open-
ing picture.)
Free downloads of this
magazine and other
publications are
available on www.jw.org
He will reward us.—Matthew 6:4, 6;
1 Timothy 5:25; Hebrews 6:10.
19We may at times feel that Jeho-
vah does not notice our efforts in the
preaching work, but he does. A Hun-
garian sister in Austria received the
address of a woman who spoke Hun-
garian. The sister immediately went
to that address, but no one was at
home. She went back again and
again for a year and a half and left
literature, letters, and her telephone
number. Sometimes she felt that
someone was at home, but no one
opened the door. One day when
she went to the house, a friendly
woman opened the door and said:
“Please come in. I read everything
you brought and have been waiting
for you.” This woman had been re-
ceiving chemotherapy treatments
and had not felt like talking to peo-
ple. She accepted a Bible study. The
sister felt that Jehovah had noticed
and rewarded her efforts.
20As we learned in this article, Je-
hovah sees whatever we do and
searches the hearts of everyone. We
do not feel that he is trying to find
fault with us or to record our every
mistake. Rather, we are drawn to
Jehovah because we know that he
cares for us and that he really wants
to help and reward us for the good
we do.
19. What experience did one sister have?
20. How do you feel about Jehovah’s personal
interest in you?
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