Why Not Before Now?
1
Why has not the "great tribulation" come before now? Is it because the world is not bad enough? No! Is it because Jehovah is slow? No, rather, he is most patient. (2 Pet. 3:9) He knows the day and hour and will not postpone it. (Matt. 24:36) Why, then, has the "great tribulation" not come before now? Because Jehovah, in setting the time for it to break, has foreseen the need for time in which to preach the good news "in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." "Then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14) That day and hour is near! 2006-1970=36years. What a lie!
2
In the time that remains we want to share as fully as we can in the ministry to aid others of honest heart to learn of Jehovah and his loving provisions for salvation. This month we will enjoy offering the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and Is the Bible Really the Word of God? on a contribution of $1.25. If a householder has the Bible, we can offer the book, or if one has the book, we will offer the Bible. This Kingdom Ministry has a variety of suggestions for making the offer and starting home Bible studies. Feel free to use what is most effective for you in helping people in the territory.
3
More daylight hours are with us during summer months. Many find evenings an excellent time to make the offer and return calls. In many territories people are home evenings more than during the day and generally are less hurried and more relaxed so we can talk with them. One publisher making evening calls contacted 13 out of 15 householders (literature was placed with 11) in a territory where few were contacted during the day or on weekends. If you can, why not share in evening witnessing?
4
Many business people are seldom contacted at home. They need to be warned of the tribulation’s fast approach, don’t they? Have you witnessed in the congregation’s business territory? A pioneer overseer in Nebraska placed 200 Bibles with motel managers, and a publisher in California placed 43 with managers. An interested person wrote (as a result of reading the New World Translation while staying at a motel): ‘I was very interested in it and would like to have a copy if they are for sale. How much do they cost and where can I obtain one?’ If motels, hotels and other business territory has not been covered, magazine territory servants, why not arrange this month for mature, experienced publishers who can effectively handle these calls to work it?
5
Have you recently considered the condition of the Bible you use in field service? Why this question? A circuit servant wrote: ‘I have gone from house to house with publishers using Bibles whose pages were falling out, covers partially torn off, and otherwise mutilated or unkempt. I have often seen a sort of surprise on the face of some householders when they see the Bible, a book many of them hold to be sacred, in such a condition.’ While all of us get used to the ‘feel’ of a Bible we have long used and perhaps feel comfortable with it, it would be good for us to determine if the Bible we use in the field service would offend the ones we are desirous of assisting.
6
The Bible-and-book offer opens the way for many new Bible studies. When it comes to the Bible-study work none of us ask, Why is it so important? For, almost without exception, as the result of someone’s conducting a study with us we learned the truth. Each time when engaging in field service we ask for Jehovah’s blessing to be with us. Do we also pray for the privilege of conducting a Bible study? First John 5:14 tells us, "No matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us." Always we want to have a positive attitude and not only pray to Jehovah that he will help us to find those of honest heart in the territory but make advance preparation so we can share in the Bible-study work. As we continue asking and doing our part, we may be assured that Jehovah’s spirit will back us up in our efforts to find those who lean toward righteousness. (Matt. 7:7) If you are not sharing in the Bible-study service, or are in position to have a fuller share, why not make it your goal to begin doing so this month?
7
With ever greater momentum "this good news of the kingdom" is being "preached in all the inhabited earth." In the near future Jehovah’s set time for the "great tribulation" to start will be here and "then the end will come." These things we know, and that is why it is our determination to continue preaching and teaching just as long as Jehovah wishes us to do so, to help those of honest heart to survive the "great tribulation."
1970 KM