Scripture of the Day:

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From house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news.—Acts 5:42.

The method of preaching from house to house has its basis in the Scriptures. When Jesus sent forth the apostles to preach, he instructed them: “Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving.” How were they to search for deserving ones? Jesus told them to go to people’s homes, saying: “When you are entering into the house, greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it.” Were they to visit without a prior invitation? Note Jesus’ further words: “Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet.” (Matt. 10:11-14) These instructions make clear that as the apostles “went through the territory from village to village, declaring the good news,” they were to take the initiative to visit people in their homes.—Luke 9:6.

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How are you to flee from the judgment of Gehenna?—Matthew 23:33.

Gehenna was a valley area outside the walls of Jerusalem where rubbish and the carcasses of dead animals were burned. Jesus used Gehenna as a symbol of eternal death. His question about escaping from Gehenna showed that those religious leaders as a class were fit for everlasting destruction. (Matt. 5:22, 29) The Jewish leaders compounded their sins by persecuting Jesus and his followers. Later, as John and Jesus had warned, God’s day of wrath came. In that case, “the coming wrath” was centered on one particular locale, Jerusalem and Judea, so it could have been possible to flee in a literal way. (Matt. 3:7; Luke 21:20) The wrath was expressed when Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed by Roman armies in 70 C.E. Many of the city’s inhabitants were killed or taken captive. This pointed to a greater destruction that awaits many professed Christians and those of other religions.—Matt. 24:21.

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The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate.—Jeremiah 17:9.

The selfish inclination of our heart is prone to misguide us. To remain loyal to Jehovah, we must continue to work hard to strip off the old personality with its tendency toward presumptuousness and self-reliance. And we must put on the new personality, “which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Eph. 4:22-24) “Wisdom is with the modest ones,” states Proverbs 11:2. Modestly relying on Jehovah helps us to avoid making costly mistakes. Each day, we are confronted with choices and decisions that test our loyalty. We too can prove ourselves faithful. Let us always remain loyal to Jehovah as we unify our heart, fully confident that he will continue to bless his loyal ones.—2 Sam. 22:26.

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The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things.—1 Timothy 6:10.
In Jesus’ illustration of the sower, some who heard the word are described as allowing “the anxieties of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches” to make inroads and choke the word. (Mark 4:14-20) How can they avoid this? The apostle Paul answers: “Let your manner of life be free of the love of money, while you are content with the present things. For he has said: ‘I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.’” (Heb. 13:5) Even though some who respond to the word have a good heart condition and bear fruit, what they are able to do in proclaiming the good news varies according to their circumstances. For example, advanced age or enfeebling illness may limit the share that some have in the preaching work. (Compare Mark 12:43, 44.) The sower may have little or no control over this, but he rejoices when he sees that Jehovah has made it grow.—Ps. 126:5, 6.

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Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. – 1 Timothy 4:1.

Prior to writing those words, the Apostle Paul had journeyed to Macedonia but had asked Timothy to remain in Ephesus. Why? Some in that city were becoming a divisive influence in the congregation by introducing false teachings. Timothy was to protect the spiritual purity of the congregation. How was he to accomplish this? In part, by setting a good example for others to imitate.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy at 1 Timothy 12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” This advancement had to do with Timothy’s spiritual qualities rather than with any position of authority. This is the kind of advancement that every genuine Christian should want to manifest. (1 Timothy 4:11-16).

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Jesus (Yeshua) aptly noted, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34.

One of the areas in which Timothy was to set an example was in his speaking. How can be make our advancement manifest in that area? Our speech says much about us.

Jesus’ half brother James also recognized the impact that our speech can have on our worship. He wrote, at James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

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Continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe.—2 Timothy 3:14.

The sacred service of young people is so important to Jehovah that he inspired a prophecy regarding them. “Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force,” sang the psalmist. “In the splendors of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, you have your company of young men just like dewdrops.” (Ps. 110:3) Yes, Jehovah holds in high esteem youths who are willing to serve him. You young ones in the Christian congregation, have you made a dedication to Jehovah? Many may find the choice to serve the true God difficult to make. Business leaders, educators, and sometimes family members and friends point youths toward materialistic goals. When young people pursue spiritual goals, the world often scorns them. But the fact is that serving the true God is the best way of life you can pursue.—Ps. 27:4.

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I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God.—Acts 20:27.

The success of the house-to-house ministry does not depend solely on the response of people in the territory. True, the preaching work plays a vital role in the salvation of honesthearted ones, but it also serves other important purposes. The Christian ministry gives us an opportunity to demonstrate our love for Jehovah. (1 John 5:3) It enables us to avoid bloodguilt. It warns the ungodly that “the hour of the judgment by [God] has arrived.” (Rev. 14:6, 7) Above all, through the preaching of the good news, Jehovah’s name is being praised in all the earth. (Ps. 113:3) Hence, whether people listen or not, we must keep sounding forth the Kingdom message. Indeed, all our efforts to proclaim the good news are beautiful in Jehovah’s eyes. (Rom. 10:13-15) What a privilege we have to bear his name and declare his message in these momentous times!

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When anyone wicked bears rule, the people sigh.—Proverbs 29:2.

Under the reign of King David of ancient Israel, people did not sigh. David was not perfect, but he was loyal to God and trusted in him. David’s rulership was not oppressive. Jehovah made a covenant with David, saying: “Your very throne will become one firmly established to time indefinite.” (2 Sam. 7:16) The rulership of David’s son Solomon was initially so peaceful and prosperous that it could rightly foreshadow the future Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus. (Ps. 72:1, 17) Not one of the 12 tribes of Israel back then had reason to revolt. However, the blessings that Solomon and his subjects enjoyed were conditional. Jehovah had told Solomon: “If you will walk in my statutes and perform my judicial decisions and actually keep all my commandments by walking in them, . . . I shall indeed reside in the middle of the sons of Israel, and I shall not leave my people Israel.”—1 Ki. 6:11-13.

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We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. 1 John 5:19.

Those words contain a warning for all true followers of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Since Satan has already devoured the entire ungodly world of mankind, he can now focus on and intensify his attacks on those who have so far eluded him, Almighty God's (YHWH's) people. (Micah 4:1; John 15:19: Revelation 12:12, 17). He has great anger because he well knows his time is short. So he has stepped up the pressure. Today, we face his final rampage of savagery and destruction. Hence, now more than ever, we need to "discern the times to know what [we] ought to do." - 1 Chronicles 12:32.

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Keep your eye on those who cause divisions . . . and avoid them.—Romans 16:17.

God’s loyal ones today are not deceived by apostate ideas. Anointed ones and their Christian associates are quick to avoid and reject apostate ideas. While we gladly submit to governmental authorities in secular matters and remain neutral in worldly conflicts, our loyalty goes to God’s Kingdom. (John 18:36; Rom. 13:1-8) With hearts full of gratitude, we stay close to “the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time.” Christ has appointed this slave “over all his belongings.” (Matt. 24:45-47) Therefore, even if we as individuals do not fully understand a certain position taken by the slave class, that is no reason for us to reject it or return to Satan’s world. Instead, loyalty will move us to act humbly and wait on Jehovah to clarify matters.

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All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.—Matthew 7:12.

Only if we treat fellow humans in this way can we prove that we are true followers of Jesus Christ. After saying that we should treat others as we want them to treat us, Jesus added: “This, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.” When we treat others in the way that Jesus specified, we are acting in harmony with the spirit behind “the Law”—the writings that make up the Bible books of Genesis through Deuteronomy. Besides revealing Jehovah’s purpose to produce a seed that would do away with evil, these books set out the Law given by God to the nation of Israel through Moses in 1513 B.C.E. (Gen. 3:15) Among other things, the Law made it clear that the Israelites were to be just, were not to show partiality, and were to do good to the afflicted and to alien residents in the land.—Lev. 19:9, 10, 15, 34.

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I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ.—Philippians 3:8.

To help us along the path to life, God’s Word provides us with many fine role models. Jesus, for example, was the most gifted human who ever lived, yet he focused on that which would help people forever—“the good news of the kingdom.” (Luke 4:43) In order to give Almighty God (YHWH) his best, the apostle Paul abandoned a promising career and used his time and energy to preach the good news. Timothy, “a genuine child in the faith,” imitated Paul’s fine example. (1 Tim. 1:2) Did Jesus, Paul, and Timothy regret their course in life? By no means! In fact, Paul said that he regarded what the world has to offer as “a lot of refuse” compared with the privilege of serving God. Do not become envious of those who are making the most of this world. Storing up “treasures in heaven” is the most secure investment you can make and the only one with everlasting benefits.—Matt. 6:19, 20; 1 John 2:15-17.

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John 8:42 Jesus (Yeshua) said to them, " Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

Jesus (Yeshua) said he comes from God. The flesh cannot be speaking for the flesh was created. So Jesus (Yeshua)'s spiritual being came from God. Jesus (Yeshua) did not send himself, he did not come on his own, but before he was on earth, God sent him. Jesus (Yeshua) was sent by God into the world, so Jesus (Yeshua) is before the world with God.

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The one pursuing valueless things is in want of heart.—Proverbs 12:11.

A Christian who is distracted by valueless things puts his relationship with Jehovah and his prospects for everlasting life in danger. (Titus 2:11, 12) What are valueless things? In a general sense, they can be anything that distracts us from serving Jehovah whole-souled. They could, for example, include various forms of relaxation. Of course, relaxation has its place. But when we spend too much time on “fun” things at the expense of activities connected with our worship, relaxation becomes a valueless thing, adversely affecting our spiritual well-being. (Eccl. 2:24; 4:6) To avoid that, a Christian cultivates balance, carefully watching how he spends his valuable time. (Col. 4:5) There are, though, valueless things that are much more dangerous than relaxation. Among these are false gods.