Scripture of the Day:

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You must not desire . . . anything that belongs to your fellowman.—Exodus 20:17.

All who want to please God must avoid idolatry, in harmony with God’s statement: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isa. 42:8) God’s Word also exposes subtle forms of idolatry. For example, it calls covetousness “idolatry.” (Col. 3:5) To covet means to desire what is forbidden, such as another person’s possessions. The angel who became Satan the Devil developed a covetous desire to resemble the Most High and to be worshipped. (Luke 4:5-7) This led him to rebel against Jehovah and to seduce Eve into coveting something God had forbidden. In a sense, Adam also committed idolatry by allowing his selfish desire for his wife’s companionship to be more important than obedience to his loving heavenly Father. In contrast, all who want to flee God’s day of wrath must resist any such covetousness.

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All of [the stars] he calls by their names.—Psalms 147:4.

Consider the Milky Way galaxy. In this vast ocean of stars, planets, and solar systems, planet Earth appears as insignificant in size as one grain of sand on an endless beach. Why, this one galaxy alone contains over 100 billion stars! If you could count one star each second nonstop for 24 hours a day, it would take you over 3,000 years to reach 100 billion. If the Milky Way galaxy alone contains 100 billion stars, what about the rest of the universe? Astronomers estimate that the Milky Way may be one of anywhere from 50 billion to as many as 125 billion galaxies. How many stars are there in the entire universe? The answer surely is mind-boggling. Yet, Jehovah calls all of them “by their names.” Upon seeing Jehovah clothed in such dignity and splendor, are you not moved to extol his great name?

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The ones that were sown on the fine soil are those who listen to the word and favorably receive it.—Mark 4:20.
Is the response of the ones hearing the word predetermined? No. Whether they resemble fine soil or not is up to them. Indeed, a person’s heart condition can change for good or for bad. (Rom. 6:17) In his illustration, Jesus said that “as soon as [some] have heard” the word, Satan comes and takes it away. (Mark 4:15) But this does not have to happen. At James 4:7, Christians are encouraged to “oppose the Devil,” and then he will flee from them. Jesus describes others as accepting the word initially with joy but then being stumbled because of having “no root in themselves.” (Mark 4:17) But servants of God are admonished to “be rooted and established on the foundation” so that they may be able to grasp mentally “what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge.”—Eph. 3:17-19; Col. 2:6, 7.

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I did not hold back from . . . teaching you publicly and from house to house.—Acts 20:20.

By Paul’s preaching in public locations and from house to house, many heard his message. Do you think it likely that all those who did hear stayed in Ephesus, none moving elsewhere to do business, to be near relatives, or to escape the hustle and bustle of big-city life? Hardly. Many today have moved for such reasons; possibly you have. Also, back then, people from other parts visited Ephesus for social or commercial reasons. While there, they may have met Paul or heard him witness. What would happen when they returned home? Those who had accepted the truth would bear witness. Others might not have become believers, yet they likely talked of what they had heard while in Ephesus. Hence, relatives, neighbors, or clients heard the truth, and some may have accepted it. (Compare Mark 5:14.) What does this suggest about the effect that your bearing thorough witness might have?

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Keep living.—Genesis 20:7.

Because Jehovah examines the heart, he has shown consideration even toward unbelievers. Consider his dealings with Abimelech, king of the Philistine city of Gerar. Abimelech, not realizing that Abraham and Sarah were married, took Sarah to become his own wife. However, before Abimelech could go any further, Jehovah said to him in a dream: “I too have known that in the honesty of your heart you have done this, and I was also holding you back from sinning against me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. But now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will make supplication for you. So keep living.” (Gen. 20:1-7) Jehovah could have dealt harshly with Abimelech, a worshipper of false deities. But God saw that the man acted honestly on this occasion. So, Jehovah told the king how to gain forgiveness and “keep living.” Is that not the kind of God that you want to worship?

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There are many, I used to mention them often but now I mention them also with weeping, who are walking as the enemies of the torture stake of the Christ, and their finish is destruction, and their god is their belly.—Philippians 3:18, 19.

In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul spoke of some who used to be fellow worshippers. How, though, can a person’s stomach, or belly, be a god? It appears that for those acquaintances of Paul, a desire to indulge in fleshly desires became more important than serving Jehovah along with Paul. Some may literally have overindulged in food or drink to the point of gluttony or drunkenness. (Prov. 23:20, 21) Others may have chosen to make the most of the opportunities available in the first-century world and were thus distracted from serving Jehovah. May we never allow a desire for the so-called good life to cause us to slow down in our whole-souled service to Jehovah.—Col. 3:23, 24.

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He himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.—Psalms 103:14.

Jehovah does not expect us to be perfect in the absolute sense. He never expects more of us than we can do. (Jas. 3:2) Still, he does expect us to keep integrity. Is there a difference, then, between perfection and integrity? Yes. To illustrate: A young man loves a young woman whom he is going to marry. He would be foolish to expect her to be perfect. Yet, he would be wise to expect her to be wholehearted in her love for him, that is, to have romantic love for him alone. In a comparable way, Jehovah is “a God exacting exclusive devotion.” (Ex. 20:5) He expects us, not to be perfect, but to love him wholeheartedly, giving worship to him alone. Jesus did say: “You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48) He evidently understood that even imperfect humans can be complete, or perfect, in a relative sense.

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Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. . . . Safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability, and they will prove to be life to your soul.—Proverbs 3:5, 21, 22.

If we have doubts about some diagnostic or therapeutic procedure, we would be wise to reject it. Of course, the mere fact that we personally are unable to explain how a health technique works does not in itself mean that it involves some form of spiritism. Keeping a Scriptural view of health care requires divine wisdom and calls for good judgment on our part. While endeavoring to stay as healthy as possible, then, we must be careful not to lose God’s favor as we try to cope with sickness or the aging process. In health care, as in other matters, we should ‘let our reasonableness become known to all men’ by living in accord with Bible principles.—Phil. 4:5.

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Give them more than extraordinary consideration in love because of their work.—1 Thessalonians 5:13.

Traveling overseers are certainly to be counted among “those who are working hard.” (1 Thess. 5:12) Therefore, let us give them “more than extraordinary consideration.” One way to do so is by responding wholeheartedly to their counsel and encouragement. When such an overseer conveys to us direction from the faithful slave class, the “wisdom from above” will move us to be “ready to obey.” (Jas. 3:17) Keeping closely in mind that the congregation belongs to Jehovah and that Jesus is its Head will help us to comply. When direction from a traveling overseer is received with joy and is implemented by the congregation, it is evidence of heartfelt respect. The willingness with which we apply the guidance received from traveling overseers contributes greatly to the joy we experience in our preaching work.—2 Cor. 13:11.

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Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.—Proverbs 3:5.

The finest example of one who trusted in God was, of course, Jesus Christ. Shortly after his baptism, Jesus was approached by Satan, who tried to tempt him to accept worldly power and glory. (Luke 4:3-13) Jesus was not misled. He knew that true “riches and glory and life” are “the result of humility and the fear of Jehovah.” (Prov. 22:4) Today’s world is ruled by greed and selfishness. In such an environment, we are wise to follow Jesus’ example. Keep in mind, too, that Satan will do anything to lure Jehovah’s servants off the cramped road leading to life. He wants to see everyone travel on the broad road that leads off to destruction. Do not be deceived by him! Instead, be resolved to remember your Grand Creator. Trust in him completely, and get a firm hold on “the real life,” which is both sure and near.—1 Tim. 6:19.

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Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more.—Psalms 37:10.

When Satan, Adam, and Eve rebelled against God, wanting to decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong, the human family was set on a disastrous course. Before the global Flood, over 1,600 years later, “the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.” (Gen. 6:5) About 1,300 years thereafter, Solomon found conditions to be so bad that he wrote: “I congratulated the dead who had already died rather than the living who were still alive. So better than both of them is the one who has not yet come to be, who has not seen the calamitous work that is being done under the sun.” (Eccl. 4:2, 3) Some 3,000 years more brings us to our day, when badness continues to flourish. While it is true that badness has been around for a long time, there is a greater need for deliverance by God’s Kingdom now than at any other time.

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If you are a son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.—Matthew 4:3.

Jesus is not just “a son of God.” Jesus is rightly called “the only-begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16, 18) The Greek word translated “only-begotten” has been defined as “single of its kind, only,” “the only member of a kin or kind,” or “unique.” Jesus is unique in that he is the sole direct creation of his Father. He is the firstborn Son. In fact, he is “the firstborn of all creation.” (Col. 1:15) He is “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Rev. 3:14) The only-begotten Son’s role in creation is also unique. He was not the Creator, or Originator, of creation. But Jehovah used him as the agent, or means, to create all other things. (John 1:3) The apostle Paul wrote: “There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.”—1 Cor. 8:6.

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My son was dead and came to life again; he was lost and was found.—Luke 15:24.

Reflecting on the illustration of the prodigal son may motivate one who has drifted away to return to the fold. Since this system of things will soon be destroyed, he should ‘come home’ without delay. Most who drift away from the congregation are not exactly like the prodigal son. With some, drifting takes place gradually, just as a boat that is adrift slowly floats farther from land. Others become so weighed down with anxieties that they lose sight of spiritual things. Still others allow themselves to be stumbled by someone associated with the congregation, or they leave because they do not agree with a certain Scriptural teaching. A few become involved in unscriptural conduct. However, by your skillful use of the Scriptures and by your following the advice given by the faithful slave class, you may be able to assist those who have left the fold to return before it is too late.—Matt. 24:45.

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A capable wife is a crown to her owner, but as rottenness in his bones is she that acts shamefully.—Proverbs 12:4.

Christian wives who seek to keep Jehovah in their marriage must also measure up to God’s requirements. The apostle Paul wrote: “Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation.” (Eph. 5:22, 23) Satan deceived Eve, promoting the lie that independence from God would bring lasting happiness. Clearly, the spirit of independence is now seen in many marriages. For godly women, however, submission to their loving head is not distasteful. They remember that Jehovah appointed Eve to be “a complement” of her husband, which God obviously considered to be an honorable position. (Gen. 2:18) A Christian wife who willingly cooperates with that arrangement is truly “a crown” to her husband.

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You keep seeking great things for yourself. Do not keep on seeking.—Jeremiah 45:5.

Baruch was a professional scribe who faithfully served alongside Jeremiah in what became a difficult assignment—proclaiming Jehovah’s judgments to Judah. (Jer. 1:18, 19) Jehovah saw that dangerous thinking was developing in Baruch’s heart. Speaking through Jeremiah, Jehovah promptly addressed the matter. Although he was firm with Baruch, Jehovah reacted, not with anger, but with genuine fatherly concern. Evidently, God saw that the man’s desires did not reflect a wicked or devious heart. Jehovah did not want Baruch to stumble at that critical time. Hence, to bring his servant back to reality, God reminded him that He was “bringing in a calamity upon all flesh,” adding that if Baruch acted wisely, he would live. (Jer. 45:5) Jehovah evidently reached Baruch’s heart, for he responded positively and survived the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred 17 years later.