Pr 24:27 How should we understand this proverb? (w09 10/15 12 _1) In giving advice to a young man, the writer of Proverbs states: Prepare your work

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1 Proverbs Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.) Pr 24:16 How does this proverb encourage us to endure in the race for life? (w13 3/ _5-8) 5 Perhaps you have used the words stumble and fall interchangeably to describe a spiritual condition. These Bible expressions can, but do not always, have the same sense. For instance, notice the wording of Proverbs 24:16: The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up; but the wicked ones will be made to stumble by calamity. 6 Jehovah will not allow those trusting in him to stumble or to experience a fall an adversity or a setback in their worship from which they cannot recover. We are assured that Jehovah will help us get up so that we can continue giving him our utmost devotion. How comforting that is for all who love Jehovah deeply from the heart! The wicked do not have the same desire to get up. They do not seek the help of God s holy spirit and his people, or they refuse such help when offered to them. In contrast, for those loving Jehovah s law, no stumbling block exists that can permanently knock them out of the race for life. Read Psalm 119: Some lapse into minor sin even repeatedly because of some weakness. But they are still righteous in Jehovah s eyes if they continue to get up, that is, sincerely repent and strive to resume a course of loyal service. We can see that from the way God dealt with ancient Israel. (Isa. 41:9, 10) Proverbs 24:16, quoted earlier, rather than emphasizing the negative our falling focuses on the positive, our getting up with the help of our merciful God. (Read Isaiah 55:7.) Expressing their confidence in us, Jehovah God and Jesus Christ kindly encourage us to get up. Ps. 86:5; John 5:19. 8 Even if a runner stumbles or falls in a marathon, he may have time to recover and finish the course if he acts with urgency. In our race for everlasting life, we do not know the day and hour when the end of the race will come. (Matt. 24:36) Still, the less we stumble, the more likely we are to keep a steady pace, stay in the race, and finish it successfully. So how can we avoid stumbling?

2 Pr 24:27 How should we understand this proverb? (w09 10/15 12 _1) In giving advice to a young man, the writer of Proverbs states: Prepare your work out of doors, and make it ready for yourself in the field. Afterward you must also build up your household. What point is being made in this inspired proverb? That a man should prepare properly before he gets married and starts his own family, recognizing the responsibilities that come with such a commitment.

3 What does this week s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah? *** w14 7/1 p. 12 How Should You Discipline Your Children? *** If you imitate Jehovah s loving, reasonable, and consistent discipline, you can be certain that your efforts will benefit your children. Your loving direction may help your children to develop into mature, responsible, and balanced adults. As the Bible says: Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he grows old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6. *** w14 8/15 p. 22 par. 5 Hear Jehovah s Voice Wherever You Are *** God s written Word contains essential guidance that enables us to distinguish truthful information from deceptive propaganda. (Prov. 23:23) *** w13 2/15 p. 25 par. 2 Let Nothing Hinder You From Taking Hold of Glory *** 2 While we may be impressed with the power, position, or reputation of another person, what does God look for in humans? The Scriptures actually speak of a glory that God confers on humans. For example, Proverbs 22:4 states: The result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life. *** w12 8/15 p. 24 par. 17 Beware of the Devil s Snares! *** 17 Jehovah will forgive and forget your past errors if you are truly repentant and accept his mercy. Never feel that Jesus ransom sacrifice cannot cover your sins. To do so would be to fall victim to one of Satan s snares. Despite what the Devil wants you to believe, the ransom can cover the sins of all who have fallen into sin and have repented. (Prov. 24:16) Faith in the ransom can lift the burden of excessive guilt from your shoulders and can give you strength to serve God with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Matt. 22:37. *** w11 7/15 p. 14 par. 16 Will You Follow Jehovah s Loving Guidance? *** If we look to material things to fill spiritual needs, we will be disappointed. Material possessions do not deliver; they are unrealities. In the long run, they cannot even provide physical security, for they have no lasting effect on the present brevity of human life or the likelihood of sickness and death. (Prov. 23:4, 5) How much more real, then, is our God, Jehovah! Only in a strong relationship with him can we find genuine security. What a precious blessing that is! Let us never forsake him in the pursuit of unrealities.

4 *** w11 11/1 p. 16 How Do God s Laws Benefit Us? *** 2. How do God s laws benefit our health? God s law against drunkenness protects us from deadly disease and accidents. Overdrinking is addictive and leads to foolish conduct. (Proverbs 23:20, 29, 30) Jehovah allows us to drink alcohol but only in moderation. Read Psalm 104:15; 1 Corinthians 6:10. Jehovah also warns us against jealousy, uncontrolled anger, and other destructive attitudes. To the extent that we apply his advice, our health will benefit. Read Proverbs 14:30; 22:24, 25. *** w10 11/15 p. 31 par. 15 We Shall Walk in Our Integrity! *** A later proverb warns: When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful, that Jehovah may not see and it be bad in his eyes and he certainly turn back his anger from against him. (Prov. 24:17, 18) Since Jehovah can read the heart, he knows if we are secretly rejoicing over another person s calamity and surely does not approve of such an attitude. (Prov. 17:5) God may deal with us accordingly, for he says: Vengeance is mine, and retribution. Deut. 32:35. *** w09 2/1 p. 15 What Is in a Name? *** This question deserves serious thought. Why? A name is to be chosen rather than abundant riches, wrote wise King Solomon. (Proverbs 22:1) Certainly, if we gain a good name, or reputation, in the community, we have a valuable asset. More important, though, if we make a good name with God, we will acquire a lasting treasure. How so? God promises that he will write in his book of remembrance the names of those who fear him, and he will grant them the prospect of everlasting life. Malachi 3:16; Revelation 3:5; 20: *** w09 9/1 p. 7 Riches That Come From God *** Jehovah God is very much interested in people who come to him: O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:18) And he promises that those who come to him with the right motive and attitude will be richly rewarded: The result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life. Proverbs 22:4.

5 *** w09 9/15 p. 15 par. 19 Be Obedient and Courageous as Christ Was *** Having real faith means more than merely believing that God exists. It involves developing a deep, trusting relationship with Jehovah, not unlike the relationship a small child has with a kind and loving father. Under inspiration, Solomon wrote: My son, if your heart has become wise, my heart will rejoice, even mine. And my kidneys will exult when your lips speak uprightness. (Prov. 23:15, 16) In the same way, our courageously standing up for righteous principles brings Jehovah delight, and knowing that increases our courage. Therefore, let us always imitate Jesus example, taking a courageous stand for righteousness! *** w08 1/15 p. 4 par. 1 Keep Watching the Ministry Which You Accepted in the Lord *** WE HAVE a serious responsibility toward the people who live around us. The decisions they make now will mean life or death during the great tribulation. (Rev. 7:14) The inspired writer of the book of Proverbs said: Deliver those who are being taken away to death; and those staggering to the slaughter, O may you hold them back. Striking words indeed! Failure to assume the responsibility of warning people of the choice that lies before them could result in our incurring bloodguilt. In fact, the same passage continues: In case you should say: Look! We did not know of this, will not he himself that is making an estimate of hearts discern it, and he himself that is observing your soul know and certainly pay back to earthling man according to his activity? Clearly, Jehovah s servants cannot say that they do not know of the danger that people are facing. Prov. 24:11, 12.

6 What points from this week s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry? *** w15 5/15 p. 27 par. 11 Imitate the One Who Promises Everlasting Life *** 11 To imitate God s wisdom, we would do well to think about or even visualize the likely consequences of our actions. If we are courting, for example, we need to recognize the power of sexual attraction. Never would we make plans or do anything that could endanger our precious relationship with Jehovah! Instead, let us act in harmony with these inspired words: The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, but the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences. Prov. 22:3. *** w15 6/1 p. 8 How to Age Gracefully *** Being modest, however, in no way means adopting the defeatist attitude I am old, and there is nothing more for me. Such an attitude can sap one of enthusiasm. If you become discouraged in the day of distress, your strength will be meager, says Proverbs 24:10. Instead, a modest person shows wisdom, making the best of a situation. *** w15 7/1 p. 4 Anxiety About Money *** Tragically, God s great enemy, Satan, has tricked most of the world into centering their lives around physical concerns. People worry desperately about their needs, real and imagined, and strive anxiously to obtain things they do not really need. Many go into debt, learning the hard way that the borrower is a slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7. *** w15 11/15 p. 9 par. 6 Train Your Teenager to Serve Jehovah *** To illustrate: You insist that your children be educated because their education is important and you hope to instill in them a love for learning. Loving parents likewise insist that their children benefit from the admonition of Jehovah at congregation meetings and through other spiritual programs. Because divine education is vital, you try to instill in your children love for spiritual things and appreciation for wisdom. (Prov. 24:14)

7 *** w15 12/15 p. 19 par. 6 Use the Power of Your Tongue for Good *** 6 The words of Proverbs 25:11 illustrate the importance of choosing the right time to speak: Like apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time. Golden apples by themselves would be beautiful. Placing them against the background of silver carvings would enhance their beauty. Similarly, carefully picking a suitable time to speak can make our speech more appealing and effective. *** w14 5/15 pp par. 14 How Should We Answer Each Person? *** 14 Consider another example. Some believe that Satan is in charge of hellfire. An illustration may help a parent to see how illogical it would be for God to have the Devil torment people in hellfire. We could say something like this: Imagine that your child has become very rebellious and is doing many bad things. How would you react? Likely, the parent would say that he would correct his child. He might repeatedly try to help the child stop doing what is bad. (Prov. 22:15) At this point, we might ask the parent what he would do if the child rejected all efforts to help him. Most parents would say that eventually they would have no choice but to punish the child. We could then ask, What if you found out that an evil person had influenced your child to become so rebellious? No doubt, the parent would be angry with such a person. Driving home the point of the illustration, we might ask the parent, Knowing that an evil individual had influenced your child, would you ask that person to punish your child for you? The answer, of course, would be no. Clearly, then, God would not use Satan to punish the very same people who have been influenced by the Devil himself to do bad things! *** w14 12/1 p. 14 Should I Borrow Money? *** Borrowing money can also endanger a person s relationship with God. How? First of all, the Bible says that it is a wicked person who deliberately and knowingly refuses to repay his debts. (Psalm 37:21) It also makes clear that the borrower is a slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7) The borrower must realize that until the money is paid back, he is under obligation to the lender. True is another African saying: If you borrow a man s legs, you will go where he directs you. The idea is that one who is heavily in debt is no longer at liberty to do what he would like.

8 *** w14 12/1 p. 16 Bible Questions Answered *** How can children learn to love God? Your children can learn to love God only if they have evidence that he exists and that he loves them. To love God, they need to know him. (1 John 4:8) For example, they need to know: What was God s purpose for creating man? Why does God allow suffering? What will God do for mankind in the future? Read Philippians 1:9. To help your children to love God, you must show them that you love him yourself. When they see that, they will likely follow your example. Read Deuteronomy 6:5-7; Proverbs 22:6. *** w12 5/1 p. 26 You Can Choose a Successful Future How? *** When facing a decision, envision the results as realistically as possible. The Bible advises: Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself. (Proverbs 22:3) If you take an honest look at the consequences, you will likely feel motivated to avoid a course that is potentially harmful. On the other hand, when you visualize the long-term benefits of a wise decision, you can strengthen your resolve to act. *** w12 6/1 p. 22 How to Survive on a Reduced Income *** Faced with decreased or lost income, we can easily be overwhelmed by negative thoughts. Granted, a person cannot totally avoid some measure of apprehension. However, a wise man once said: Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty. (Proverbs 24:10) Rather than panicking in the face of economic downturns, we need to do as God s Word urges us: Treasure up practical wisdom. Proverbs 2:7. *** w12 6/15 p. 31 Be Wise Seek Skillful Direction *** Interestingly, the term rendered skillful direction is also used with reference to warfare. We read: By skillful direction [ by skillful strategy, The Revised English Bible] you will carry on your war, and in the multitude of counselors there is salvation. Prov. 20:18; 24:6. Like a strategist organizing a battle, we do well to anticipate potential dangers to our spirituality. (Prov. 22:3) For example, you may have to decide whether to accept a new job or a promotion at work. You would logically consider pay, travel time to and from work, and other details. However, there are other points to keep in mind: Will the type of work be compatible with Bible principles? How might the hours, such as with shift work, affect my Christian activities? Luke 14:28-30.

9 *** w11 4/15 p. 16 par. 14 Make Decisions That Honor God *** 14 Make the decision. Do not rush straight to this step before doing research and praying for wisdom. A wise person takes time to consider his steps. (Prov. 14:15) On the other hand, do not procrastinate. A procrastinator may come up with outlandish excuses for not taking action. (Prov. 22:13) But he still makes a decision he decides, in effect, to let others control his life. *** w11 4/15 p. 27 par. 18 Are You Allowing God s Spirit to Lead You? *** 18 Of course, we can and should exercise self-control by taking immediate action if we are confronted with a provocative image. But how much better if we avoid the situation in the first place! (Prov. 22:3) Setting appropriate safeguards and adhering to them involve the exercise of self-control. For example, keeping the computer in an open area can serve as a protection. Some find it best to use the computer or watch television only when others are present. Others have decided not to have access to the Internet. (Read Matthew 5:27-30.) May we take whatever measures are necessary to protect ourselves and our family so that we can worship Jehovah out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy. 1 Tim. 1:5. *** w11 12/1 p. 6 Coping With Natural Disasters *** things. Keep out of the path of calamity. Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty, says the Bible. (Proverbs 22:3) This is wise counsel that can apply to disasters. If a warning is given about an impending volcanic eruption, probable flooding, or an approaching hurricane or typhoon, wisdom dictates that those in the affected area evacuate and get to safer ground. Life is more valuable than a house or other material *** w10 11/15 pp par. 11 Young Ones Resist Peer Pressure *** 11 Another important step in resisting peer pressure is preparation. (Read Proverbs 15:28.) Being prepared means thinking in advance about what situations are likely to arise. Sometimes a little forethought can help you to prevent a big confrontation. For example, suppose you see a group of your schoolmates up ahead and they are smoking. How likely is it that they will offer you a cigarette? Anticipating a problem, what can you do? Proverbs 22:3 states: Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself. By taking a different route, you may be able to avoid the encounter altogether. That is not a matter of being fearful; it is the course of wisdom.

10 *** w08 4/15 p. 5 par. 12 Repudiate Valueless Things *** 12 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; compare Deuteronomy 21:18-21.) 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. *** w08 5/15 pp par. 9 While You Are Young, Choose to Serve Jehovah *** 9 If you get baptized, this will be an excellent start in serving the true God. By taking this step, you enter a long-distance footrace in which the rewards are everlasting life and the joy that comes now from doing God s will. (Heb. 12:2, 3) You will also bring joy to your family members who are already in the race and to your friends in the Christian congregation. Most important of all, you will make Jehovah s heart rejoice. (Read Proverbs 23:15.) True, others may not understand why you have chosen to worship Jehovah, and they may question your decision. They may even oppose you. But you can successfully meet these challenges. *** w07 5/15 p. 22 pars. 4-5 Why All Suffering Is Soon to End *** 4 When someone asks why God allows suffering, how do we respond? We may be inclined to launch right into a detailed explanation, starting with what happened in the garden of Eden. In some cases, that may be fine. A word of caution is in order, though. Some groundwork may be needed. (Proverbs 25:11; Colossians 4:6) Let us consider three Scriptural points that we may want to establish briefly before delving into the answer to the question. 5 First, if the person is particularly disturbed about the prevalence of evil in the world, it is likely that evil has touched him or his loved ones personally. It may be wise, then, to start by showing genuine empathy. The apostle Paul counseled Christians: Weep with people who weep. (Romans 12:15) Showing empathy, or fellow feeling, may touch the person. (1 Peter 3:8) If he understands that we care about him, he is more likely to listen to what we have to say.