Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-11-04 WT Study Review comments will be in black and parentheses ()
WT quotes
will be in red and quotes ""Quotes from other sources
will be in blueScripture Types
: (S) Snippet, (C) Citation, (Q) Quotation"TAKE EXQUISITE DELIGHT IN JEHOVAH"
"Take exquisite delight in Jehovah, and he will give you the requests of your hear."?PSALM 37:4
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart."?Psalm 37:4 (Amplified Bible)
www.biblegateway.com /cgi-bin/bible
Opening Comments
Once again the WTS is in the Old Testament focusing on Jehovah not Jesus. There are many buzzwords in this one or I may be more sensitive this week. Notice that while this purports to be a Bible discussion of a large passage of scripture, the WTS succeeds in making it snippets all the way. This is an eclectic article, focusing again on Doing More, Materialism, Trust the Organization, Don?t Listen to the Apostates, The End is Near.
START OF ARTICLE
"Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need?happy are the merciful?happy are the peaceable." Together with six other descriptions of those who are happy, these statements form the striking introduction to Jesus? famous Sermon on the Mount, as recorded by Gospel writer Matthew. (Matthew 5:3-11) (S) Jesus? words give assurance that happiness is without our reach.
A sacred song penned by King David of ancient Israel draws attention to the Source of true happiness, Jehovah (the WTS). "Take exquisite delight in Jehovah," David said, "and he will give you the requests of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) (Q) But what can make knowing Jehovah and the many facets of his personality an "exquisite delight"? How does a consideration of what he has done and will yet do in accomplishing his purpose offer you (why not us) the prospect of receiving "the requests of your heart"? An in-depth look at Psalm 37, verses 1 to 11, provides the answers.
"Do Not Be Envious"
We are living in "critical times hard to deal with," and wickedness abounds (is that true? Was there less crime before 1900?). We have see come true the apostle Paul?s words? "Wicked men and imposters will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled." (2 Timothy 3:1,13)(S) How easy it is to be affected by the apparent success and prosperity of wicked people! (is that
what the real problem is, WTS?) All of that can distract us, causing our spiritual vision to get out of focus. Note how the opening words of Psalm 37 alert us to this potential danger: "Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers. Do not be envious of those doing unrighteousness." (S)MATERIALISM
The world?s media daily bombard us with a list of injustices. Dishonest businessmen (women, can?t for get Martha Stewart) get away with fraud. Criminals exploit the vulnerable.
http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/fraud2b.htm
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
by The Associated Press
DEER LODGE (AP) - Two Jehovah's Witness church elders who fleeced a 100-year-old Deer Lodge woman out of her life savings and family ranch were sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison with 10 suspended?
.http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/fraud.htm
Murderers remain undetected or go unpunished.(Pedophiles are protected by a two-witness rule in the WTS. www.silentlambs.org )
All such examples of the perversion of justice can provoke anger and disturb our peace of mind. The seeming success of evildoers may even prompt feelings of envy. But will our being upset improve the situation? Does envy of the apparent advantages that the wicked enjoy alter the outcome for them? Most definitely not! And there is really no need for us to become "heated up." Why not?The psalmist answers: "For like grass they will speedily wither, and like green grass they will fade away." (Psalm 37:2) (Q) Green new grass may look pretty, but the blades soon shrivel and die. Likewise with evildoers. Their apparent propserity is not permanent. When they die, their ill-gotten gains help them no more. Justice finally catches up with everyone. "The wages sin pays is death," wrote Paul. (Romans 6:23) (S) Evildoers and all who are unrighteous will finally receive their "wages" and no more. What a profitless way of life!?Psalm 37:35,36; 49:16,17 (C)Should we, then, allow the fleeting prosperity of evildoers to disturb us?(should it disturb us that the pedophiles are rewarded and protected in the KH and the victims are punished for speaking out?)
The lesson from the first two verses of Psalm 37 is this: Do not allow their success to cause you to deviate from your chosen course to serve Jehovah. Rather, keep your focus on spiritual blessings and goals.?Proverbs 23:17 (C ) "Trust in Jehovah and Do Good" "Trust in Jehovah and do good," the psalmist urges us (Psalm 37:3a)(S) When we are beset (now there?s a word you don?t read often) by anxieties or even by doubts (first step in becoming an apostate), our confidence needs to be firmly placed in Jehovah (the WTS). He is the One who offers complete spiritual security. "Anyone dwelling in the secret place of the Most High," wrote Moses, "will procure himself lodging under the very shadow of the Almighty One." (Psalm 91:1)(S) When unsettled by the increase of lawlessness in this system of things (buzzword)(in the congregation), we need all the more to lean on Jehovah (WTS?where is Jesus is the equation?). If we sprain an ankle, we are pleased to have the arm of a friend for support, likewise, when we endeavor to walk in faithfulness, we need Jehovah?s support?Isaiah 50:10 (C) Spiritual Security WTS StyleWT 11/15/01 p. 11 We enjoy spiritual security because, figuratively speaking, Jehovah is "a real dwelling" for us. He also provides "interior rooms"?likely linked closely with the congregations of his people?as spiritual havens, where loving shepherds contribute greatly to our sense of security. (Isaiah 26:20; 32:1, 2; Acts 20:28, 29) WT 11/15/01 p. 16 In any case, the 91st Psalm promises spiritual security to anointed Christians as a class and provides similar assurance for their dedicated companions as a group. WT 7/15/96 p. 21 Whenever a crisis occurs?whether it is serious illness, warfare, or natural disaster?where does each worshiper seek guidance and protection? In Jehovah?s organization, which offers spiritual security.One antidote to being disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked is to be busy searching out and helping sheeplike ones (buzzword) to come to an accurate knowledge (buzzword) of Jehovah?s purpose. In the face of increasing wickedness, we need to be fully occupied with helping others (by studying WTS publications rather than the Bible). "Do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others," (only JWs) said the apostle Paul, "for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (but the WTS wants you to DO MORE) The greatest "good" we can do is to share with others the glorious good news of God?s Kingdom. Our public preaching (note the adjective "public") truly is "a sacrifice of praise."?Hebrews 13:15,16; Galatians 6:10. (S) The Greatest Good: James 2:15,16 (Message Bible) 15 For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved 16 and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup--where does that get you? "Reside in the earth," David continues "and deal with faithfulness." (Psalm 37:b) (S) "The earth" of David?s day was the territory Jehovah had given to Israel, the Promised Land. During Solomon?s reign its boundaries reached from Dan in the north to Beer-sheba in the south. This was Israel?s residence. (1 Kings 4:25) (S) Paradise Alert Today, where we live on earth, we look forward to the time when the whole planet will become a paradise in the new world of righteousness. In the meantime, we reside in spiritual security (the organization).?Isaiah 65:13,14 (S)What will be the result when we "deal with faithfulness"? The inspired proverb reminds us: "A man of faithful acts will get many blessings." (Proverbs 28:20) Our faithfully perservering in preaching the good news wherever we live and to whomever we can certainly brings rewards from Jehovah (not Jesus). For example, Frank and his wife, Rose, took up a pioneer (not full-time minister?) assignment 40 years ago in a town in northern Scotland (Little Toe do they sound familiar?). The few who had show interest in the truth there had drifted away. Undeterred, this pioneer (sic) couple set about the work of preaching and making disciples. Now there is a flourishing congregation in that town. This couple?s faithfulness has truly had Jehovah?s blessing (no Jesus). "The greatest blessing," Frank humbly explains, "is simply that we are still in the truth and are useful to Jehovah." (useful to the WTS) Yes, when we "deal with faithfulness," we receive and appreciate many blessings.Translation: The WTS is telling the rank and file to get back out there and preach even if no one is listening. Preaching equals blessings. No preaching, no blessings.
"Take Exquisite Delight in Jehovah" To strengthen our relationship with Jehovah and maintain our trust in him (no Jesus in this equation), we must "take exquisite delight in Jehovah." (Psalm 37:4a) How do we do that? Rather than being preoccupied with our own situation, difficult though it may be, we make Jehovah (the WTS) our concern. One way is to do this is to take time to read his Word. (Psalm 1:1,2)Many JWs think reading the WTS selected scripture (not in context) constitutes "Bible reading." The larger portion of the Daily Text is the quote from the Watchtower, not the Bible. JWs are encouraged to look up the WT article to round out the material but not to read the whole chapter in the Bible.
Does your Bible reading bring you delight? It will when you read with the goal of learning more about Jehovah (not more about Jesus?). VOMIT ALERT Why not pause after reading a portion and ask yourself, ?What did this passage teach me about Jehovah (Jesus?)?? You may find it helpful to have a notebook or some paper handy when you read the Bible. Each time you stop to reflect on the meaning of what you have read, jot down a phrase that reminds you of one of God?s endearing attributes. In another psalm, David sang: "Let the sayings of my mouth and the meditation of my heart become pleasurable before you, O Jehovah my Rock and my Redeemer (isn?t Jesus our redeemer?)." (Psalm 19:14) This concentrated attention to God?s Word on our part is "pleasurable" to Jehovah and delightful to us.How can we drive happiness from our study and meditation? We can make it our aim to learn as much as we can about Jehovah and his ways (not Jesus?). Such publications as The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived and Draw Close to Jehovah* (published by Jehovah?s Witnesses (not WTS?)) furnish us much that we can reflect on with appreciation.Why all this emphasis on getting to know Jehovah when the NWT says this:
1 Corinthians 2:16 For "who has come to know the mind of Jehovah, that he may instruct him?" But we do have the mind of Christ.In turn, David assures the righteous, Jehovah "will give you the requests of your heart." (Psalm 37:4b)(S) It was this kind of confidence that must have prompted the apostle John to pen the words: "This is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us. Further, if we know he hears us respecting whatever we are asking, we know we are to have the things asked since we have asked them of him."?1 John 5:14,15.Translation: Your prayers will be answered if you ask him what the WTS tells you to ask for.
As integrity keepers (buzzword), our greatest delight is to see the vindication of Jehovah?s sovereignty. (Proverbs 27:11)Translation: The real delight is everlasting life on a paradise earth.
Do our hearts not overflow with joy when we learn of the tremendous preaching work carried out by our brothers (and sisters) in lands that used to be under totalitarian or dictatorial rule? We eagerly look forward to seeing what further freedom may develop before the end of the system.Translation: But we don?t have to preach to every person before the end comes.
Many of Jehovah?s servants (Christians?) living in western countries have a vigorous share in preaching to students, refugees, and others who temporarily reside in the west and enjoy freedom of worship. It is our earnest wish that as these individuals return home, they continue to let the light of truth shine in even apparently impenetrable darkness.?Matthew 5:14-16 (C)"Roll Upon Jehovah Your Way" What a relief it is to know that our worries and what may seem to us to be oppressive weights can be lifted! (seem, meaning they probably aren?t really) How? "Roll upon Jehovah your way, and rely upon him," says David, adding, "and he himself will act." (Psalm 37:5) In our congregations, we have ample evidence that Jehovah is a reliable source. (Psalm 55:22)(C) Those in the full-time ministry, whether as pioneers, traveling overseers, missionaries or volunteers serving at Bethel (Bethelites), can all testify to the reliability of Jehovah?s care (and if not, then they are bad people and Jehovah was punishing them). Why not speak to ones you know and ask how Jehovah has helped them? (Yes ask those here on JWD) You will undoubtedly hear many experiences showing that even during difficult times, Jehovah?s hand is never short (major buzz phrase). He always provides life?s necessities.?Psallm 37:25; Matthew 6:25-34. (C)When we make Jehovah our confidence and trust in him implicitly (trust in the organization), we can experience the psalmist?s further words: "He will certainly bring forth your righteousness as the light itself, and your justice as the midday." (Psalm 37:6) WT 12/1/87 w87 p. 22 The first speaker was Martin Poetzinger, also a member of the Governing Body, who spent nine years in Nazi concentration camps. His theme was "In Whom Do You Trust?" based on Proverbs 3:5, 6. He stressed to the students the need of trusting fully in Jehovah and his visible organization, as well as individually proving trustworthy. As Jehovah?s Witnesses, we often find ourselves misrepresented. But Jehovah opens the eyes of honesthearted (buzzword) ones to help them realize that our public ministry is motivated by love for Jehovah (not Jesus?), and for neighbor. At the same time, our upright conduct, though misrepresented by many, cannot be hidden (that?s right, because it is being revealed). Jehovah sustains us through all manner of opposition and persecution. As a result, the righteousness of God?s people (only JWs are God?s people) shines forth like the sun at midday.?1 Peter 2:12"Keep Silent?Wait Longingly The psalmist?s next words are: "Keep silent before Jehovah and wait longingly for him. Do not show yourself heated up at anyone making his way successful, at the man carrying out his ideas." (Psalm 37:7) Here David stresses the need for us to wait patiently for Jehovah to act. Although the end of this system has not yet come, this is no cause for complaint.
Cause for complaint because his representatives have said the end was coming in 1914, 1925, 1975?.
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/1914.htm
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/1925.htm
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/1975.htm
Have we not see that Jehovah?s mercy and patience are far greater than we at first thought? Can we now show that we too wait patiently as we keep busy preaching the good news before the end comes? (Mark 13:10)(C) (personal salvation is the key point being emphasized) Now is the time to avoid rash acts that rob of us our joy and spiritual security. (what would those rash acts be? Posting on JWD?) Now is the time to resist every more strong the corrupting influence of Satan?s world (what about the corrupting influence of the Pharisaical elders/COs/DOs/WTS?) And now is the time to maintain moral purity and never jeopardize our righteous standing with Jehovah (the WTS). Let us continue to banish immoral thoughts and avoid unseemly acts toward those of the opposite or, indeed, the same sex.?Colossians 3:5.What about the pedophiles that are protected by the WTS policy?
"Let anger alone and leave rage," David counsels us. "Do not show yourself heated up only to do evil. For evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the very ones that will possess the earth." (Psalm 37:8,9) Yes, we can confidently look forward to the time ?NOW SO NEAR?when Jehovah will eradicate (To destroy all traces of: abolish, annihilate, blot out, clear, erase, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, kill1, liquidate, obliterate, remove) from the earth all corruption and those who are responsible for it (babies with non-JW parents). "Just a Little While Longer" "Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be." (Psalm 37:10) How those words encourage us as we approach the end of this system and the culmination of disastrous independence from Jehovah (the WTS). Whatever kind of government or authority has been devised by man has failed miserably (including the WTS). And now we are NEARING the time for a return to rule by God (the WTS), true theocracy, the Kingdom of Jehovah in the hands of Jesus Christ. It will take complete control of the world?s affairs and remove all opposers of God?s Kingdom (including their young children).?Daniel 2:44.In the new world (current buzzword now in favor, once "new order") under God?s Kingdom, search as you may, you will not be able to find a "wicked one." Indeed, anyone who rebels against Jehovah (the WTS) will quickly be removed. No one who attacks his sovereignty or who refuses to submit to godly authority (through the WTS) will be there. All your neighbors will be like-minded (because the old ones are rotting in their houses which you will inherit) in their desire to please Jehovah. What security that will bring?no locks, no bars (no pedophiles?), nothing that will mar complete trust and happiness! (Just like the security in the WTS now for children, protection from pedophiles?)?Isaiah 65:20; Micah 4:4; 2 Peter 3:13 (C)An Armageddon Survivorhttp://www.macgregorministries.org/jehovahs_witnesses/armagsurv.html
Then, "the meek ones themselves will possess the earth." (Psalm 37:11a) But who are these "meek ones"? The word translated "meek" comes from a root word meaning "afflict, humble, humiliate." Yes, "the meek ones" are those who humbly wait on Jehovah to right all the injustices inflicted upon them (what about the ones they inflict on others?). "They will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace," (Psalm 37:11b) VOMIT ALERT Even now we find an abundance of peace in the spiritual paradise (a phrase first used by Knorr in 1958) associated with the true Christian congregation (not the WTS by this description).Although not yet relieved of afflictions, we support one another and comfort those who are depressed. As a result, true inner contentment is promoted among Jehovah?s people (Christians?). Brothers appointed as shepherds lovingly minister to our spiritual?and at times physical?needs (that?s right, the elders show up with food and money for the poor in the congregation, no instead?WT 10/15/86 p. 18 Do More Than Say: "Keep Warm and Well Fed"most lands now have tax-supported programs for the aged, infirm, or those willing but unable to find work. Christian elders may want to help in another way though. Some who are in genuine need and who fully qualify for public benefits are not receiving such because they do not know how to apply or are too timid to ask. Thus elders may inquire of governmental agencies or contact Witnesses who are experienced in these matters. They then may arrange for a capable brother or sister to help the needy person to receive the available benefits.enabling us to endure affliction for righteousness? sake. (1 Thessalonians 2:7,11; 1 Peter 5:2,3) What a valuable possession this peace is! We also have the hope of everlasting life in the peaceful Paradise AT HAND. May we, then imitate the Greater David (a Fred Franz throwback), Jesus Christ (finally a real mention, whose zeal for Jehovah motivated him to serve faithfully to the END. (1 Peter 2:21) By doing so, we will continue to be happy, praising the one in whom we take exquisite delight, our God, Jehovah. Concluding CommentsNothing new here except the continuing impression that the WTS is on the run. The faithful are not so "faithful" in attendance at meetings, preaching, or donating to the organization. Many JWs this summer will find themselves traveling farther or maybe traveling for the first time to facilities they never heard of. Some are going from 15 minutes down the road to 3 hours up the pike. Are the numbers going down so they are consolidating or having to choose cheaper facilities. Is it materialism, discouragement over the end not coming, listening to bad reports about the WTS, or is it the lack of love in the congregations that is shoving people out, making them slow down?
BlondiePsalm 37:1-11 (NWT)
Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers.
Do not be envious of those doing unrighteousness.
2 For like grass they will speedily wither,
And like green new grass they will fade away.
3 Trust in Jehovah and do good;
Reside in the earth, and deal with faithfulness.
4 Also take exquisite delight in Jehovah,
And he will give you the requests of your heart.
5 Roll upon Jehovah your way,
And rely upon him, and he himself will act.
6 And he will certainly bring forth your righteousness as the light itself,
And your justice as the midday.
7 Keep silent before Jehovah
And wait longingly for him.
Do not show yourself heated up at anyone making his way successful,
At the man carrying out [his] ideas.
8 Let anger alone and leave rage;
Do not show yourself heated up only to do evil.
9 For evildoers themselves will be cut off,
But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.
10 And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more;
And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be.
11 But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth,
And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.