Friday, June 26 O God, who may be a guest in your tent? Ps. 15:1. For God to be our Friend, we must meet certain conditions. As recorded in Psalm 15, David sang about what is required for us to be ‘a guest in God’s tent,’ that is, to be a friend of God. Two of these requirements are avoiding slander and acting honestly in all our dealings. David said of such a guest: “He does not slander with his tongue .*.*. He does not accept a bribe against the innocent.” (Ps. 15:3, 5) In another psalm, David warned: “Guard your tongue from what is bad.” (Ps. 34:13) Failure to heed this inspired counsel would create a gap between us and our righteous heavenly Father. In fact, slander is a characteristic of God's great enemy, Satan. The term “Devil” is derived from a Greek word meaning “slanderer.” Controlling what we say about others helps preserve closeness with God.*
Saturday, June 27 He went out conquering and to complete his conquest. Rev. 6:2. The descriptive prophecy in Revelation chapter 6 gave reason to expect that after God’s Kingdom was established, there would be a rapid deterioration of world conditions—war, food shortage, pestilence, and other causes of death. These developments are depicted by the ride of three horsemen closely following Jesus Christ. (Rev. 6:3-8) As foretold, peace was ‘taken away from the earth.’ World War I can be viewed as just the beginning of significant wars, as is proved by recent world developments. And despite many economic and scientific advances since 1914, food shortages continue to threaten world security. Furthermore, who can deny that all kinds of pestilences, natural disasters, and other ‘deadly plagues’ continue to cut down millions of victims each year? The scope, frequency, and severity of these events are unprecedented in human history. What do you think the meaning of that is?
Sunday, June 28 The spirit and the bride keep on saying: “Come!” And let anyone hearing say: “Come!” And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free. Rev. 22:17. Many People in the world have no reliable guidance to help them achieve success and happiness. Most worry about the future and have no hope. They search for the meaning of life. Even most who are religious have little knowledge of the Scriptures. They are much like the people of ancient Nineveh. (Jonah 4:11) When we have an increased knowledge of the scriptures, we see more clearly the contrast between the spiritual condition of those who are true Christians and those who are not. (Isa. 65:13) We are reminded of God's goodness in that he does more than provide for our spiritual needs; he invites all to receive spiritual refreshment and a real hope.
Monday, June 29 They were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd. Matt. 9:36. Why were the crowds in such a sad condition? Because those who had the responsibility of teaching the people God’s Law were harsh, demanding, and hypocritical. Rather than helping and nurturing members of their flock, Israel’s spiritual leaders put “heavy loads” on their shoulders. (Matt. 23:4) Present-day Christian shepherds thus have a serious responsibility. The sheep in the flock they tend belong to God and to Jesus, who identified himself as “the fine shepherd.” (John 10:11) The sheep have been “bought with a price” that Jesus paid with his own “precious blood.” (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19) He loves the sheep so much that he willingly sacrificed his life for them. Congregation shepherds should always remember that they are undershepherds, subject to the oversight of God’s loving Son, Jesus Christ, “the great shepherd of the sheep.”
Tuesday, June 30 [The years of our life] quickly pass by, and away we fly. Ps. 90:10. As you begin caregiving, take time to learn as much as you can about your parent’s condition. If he or she is confronted with a degenerative illness, learn what future developments you can expect. (Prov. 1:5) The approaching change in family circumstances may cause you to experience unsettling emotions—feelings of loss, shock, or confusion. Share your thoughts with a trusted friend. Above all, pour out your heart to God. He can give you the peace of mind you need to deal with any situation. (Ps. 55:22; Prov. 24:10; Phil. 4:6, 7) Some older ones and their families wisely collect information ahead of time about care options—such as the practicality of a parent living with a son or a daughter, making use of assisted living facilities, or taking advantage of other possibilities available locally. They have seen potential “trouble and sorrow” from afar and prepare for them.
Wednesday July 1 “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) Does God's readiness to forgive mean that a repentant sinner is exempted from all consequences of his wrong course? Not at all. We cannot sin with impunity. We may face certain consequences of our actions. This does not mean that after extending forgiveness God causes adversity to befall us. When troubles arise, a Christian should not feel, ‘Perhaps God is punishing me for past sins.’ (James 1:13) On the other hand, God does not shield us from all the effects of our wrong actions. Divorce, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, loss of trust or respect—all of these may be the sad, unavoidable consequences of sin. Recall that even after forgiving David for his sins in connection with Bath-sheba and Uriah, God did not protect David from the disastrous consequences that followed.—2 Samuel 12:9-12.
Thursday July 2 Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for the man to continue to be alone. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.” God created men and women to fill complementary roles in marriage. (Genesis 2:18) As family head, a husband should take the lead in providing materially for his family and in teaching them about God. He should be self-sacrificing in his love for his wife. Husbands and wives should love and respect each other. Since all husbands and wives are imperfect, learning to forgive is a key to happiness in marriage. Ephesians 4:31, 32; 5:22-25, 33;1 Peter 3:7.
Great post, great thoughts. Most people don't want to think about this side of the equation whether it's on a personal or even a national level.
Friday, July 3 I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language. Zeph. 3:9. Parents, ask yourselves, ‘How well do my children speak the “pure language” of Scriptural truth? Does my children’s conversation reflect the influence of God’s spirit or that of the world?’ Your children are facing tremendous pressures to compromise. Therefore, patiently use your Worship sessions and other opportunities to help your children to develop a close relationship with God. (Deut. 6:6-9) Highlight the benefits of being different from Satan’s world. (John 17:15-17) And work to reach the heart. Ultimately, each child will make his or her own decision about serving God. Yet, there is much that parents can do. This includes setting a proper example, specifying clear boundaries, and discussing with your children the consequences of decisions. Parents, no one is in a better position than you are to prepare your children for making a dedication to God.
Amen. I feel that it's my job as a parent to lead my children along the path of righteousness. Proverbs 22:6 reads "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Unfortunately we are in the minority. It is troubling to see that many parents who are church goers do so out of routine and their kids are not learning to develop a personal relationship with God. The current generation as a whole has no respect for God or religion.
I believe that all it takes is one spark to make a change. I can see some changes within my own congregation based on things I've brought up in a Sunday school class. Being an example doesn't just apply to our kids, either. I've got a friend that I've been witnessing to that has started coming to church. The messages that are preached on the days he comes are clearly God talking to him, and he's staying to pick up on it. One other point along these lines is one we've been saved by amazing grace, it's no longer about our salvation, but the salvation of others. And our friends and families are the groups of people whom we interact with most. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Saturday, July 4 They will gather his chosen ones together. Matt. 24:31. One of Jesus’ Kingdom illustrations describes a farmer who sows fine seed of wheat and an enemy who sows weeds among the fine seed. The weeds overgrow the wheat, but the farmer orders his slaves to “let both grow together until the harvest.” During harvest season, the weeds are destroyed and the wheat is gathered. (Matt. 13:24-30) The events taking place in that farmer’s field illustrate how and when Jesus would gather out of mankind the entire wheat class—anointed Christians who will rule with him in his Kingdom. The sowing began at Pentecost 33 C.E. The gathering will be complete when the anointed who are alive at the end of this system of things receive their final sealing and then are taken to heaven. (Rev. 7:1-4) This parable gives us a panoramic view of developments that would occur during a period of some 2,000 years. The parable describes a time of sowing, growth, and harvesting.
I would go one step farther and say that they have a lack of respect for past generations or as we like to say "their elders".
Sunday, July 5 God is not partial. Acts 10:34. As Christians, we express our desire to imitate God's impartiality by treating all our brothers and sisters with dignity and loving-kindness. For instance, when it comes to showing hospitality, we want to invite all sorts of fellow believers, including those whose background differs from ours as well as those who are poor, orphaned, or widowed. (Gal. 2 :10; Jas. 1:27) As we take time to reflect on how approachable and impartial God is, our appreciation for him deepens. Deepened appreciation, in turn, ought to move us to imitate God's qualities to the full, demonstrating them in all our dealings.
Monday July 6 Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever, What is God's kingdom?The Kingdom of God is a heavenly government. It will replace all other governments and will cause God’s will to be done in heaven and on earth. The news about God’s Kingdom is good. Soon God’s Kingdom will satisfy man’s need for good government. It will unite everyone living on earth. Read Matthew 6:9,10;24:14. A kingdom must have a king. God appointed his Son, Jesus Christ, to be King of His Kingdom. Read Revelation 11:15.
Tuesday July 7 Ps 65:2 "O Hearer of prayer, to you people of all sorts will come." God invites people of all sorts to draw close to him in prayer. Yet, he does not listen to, or accept, "all" prayers. For example, the prayers of a man who mistreats his wife can be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7) Also, when the Israelites persisted in badness, God refused to hear their prayers. Clearly, prayer is a privilege. Nevertheless, God will accept the prayers of even gross sinners if they repent. Read Isaiah 1:15, 55:7. Prayer is part of our worship, so we should pray only to our Creator. (Matthew 4:10; 6:9) Also, since we are imperfect, we should pray in the name of his son Jesus because he died for our sins. (John 14:6) Jehovah does not want us to repeat memorized or written prayers. He wants us to pray from our heart. Read Matthew 6:7; Philippians 4:6, 7. Our Creator can hear even silent prayers. (1 Samuel 1:12, 13) He invites us to pray on every occasion, such as at the beginning and the end of the day, at mealtimes, and when we face problems. Read Psalm 55:22; Matthew 15:36.
Wednesday, July 8 Although all the others are stumbled in connection with you, I will never be stumbled! Matt. 26:33. Peter’s self-assurance was unfounded, for that very night he failed to show a spirit of self-sacrifice. In what amounted to an effort to protect himself, Peter disowned Jesus three times. (Matt. 26:69-75) Despite his struggles and failures, Peter’s life is a heartening example. With personal effort and the help of God’s holy spirit, Peter was able to overcome his misguided tendencies and display self-control and self-sacrificing love. (Gal. 5:22, 23) He endured trials that could be viewed as more severe than the ones he stumbled over earlier. He showed humility by how he reacted to a public rebuke from the apostle Paul. (Gal. 2:11-14) And after being rebuked, Peter did not hold a grudge, feeling that his status had been damaged by Paul’s reprimand. Peter continued to express love for Paul. (2 Pet. 3:15) Peter’s example can help us to cultivate a spirit of self-sacrifice.
