Wt Study For June 21,2009

[James]

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[SWORDOFJAH]

Good morning. What a great study that shows the wisdom of our Creator!

Of Jehovah God, it is written: “With you is the source of life.”—Ps. 36:9.

The Ant
The ant’s natural course implies that humans should plan ahead and be hard workers. This applies in school, at work, and in spiritual activities.

The rock badger

This animal shows us that we should have spiritual vision to avoid and see the dangers of this system.Just as we can lose literal eyesight slowly and insidiously, we can lose an even more precious form of sight—our spiritual vision. Therefore, it is vital to keep spiritual matters in sharp focus in the center of our field of vision.

The locust
An invasion of locusts can transform a land from a paradiselike state into a wilderness, for their appetite is voracious. (Joe 2:3)

This is reflected in the remarkable unity of activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses the world over. Like the locust horde of Joel’s prophecy, the mighty army of Jehovah’s Witnesses, now 7,124,443
strong, continues to fill the earth with its witnessing.—Joel 1:1-4; 2:7, 9-11.

The gecko

At Proverbs 30:28, the “gecko lizard” is listed as one of the four small things that are instinctively wise, this lizard being able to take hold “with its own hands” and make its way even into a king’s palace, where it can take hold of any surface by means of its “hands”—its adhesive-padded feet. The adhesive disks, says Raymond Ditmars, “are strikingly like the magnified pads on the foot of a fly; and their method of adhesion is the same—not aided by a sticky secretion, but through actual suction produced by close-set, concave areas.”

Jehovah God will not allow his clean worship to be corrupted. Christian publications, meetings, assemblies, and conventions give us timely warnings against unrighteous conduct. We receive sound Scriptural help and like the gecko “cling to what is good” in God’s eyes. (Romans 12:9) As an organization, therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses are striving to be clean, virtuous.

Wow,so many things that we learn from Jah's creations. Take time and observe the wonders of Jehovah. Meditate and give thanks to Him.

[imjustaskin]

The gecko reminded me of E&E, always saying "hold on tight". You are so right!

[Eyes & Ears]

The gecko reminded me of E&E, always saying "hold on tight". You are so right![/b]


Hi IJA :)

:y: ;)

Isaiah 41:10

Do not be afraid for I am with you. Do not gaze about for I am your God. I will fortify you, I will really help you, I will really keep fast HOLD OF YOU WITH MY RIGHT HAND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Isaiah 41:13

For I, Jehovah your God am GRASPING YOUR RIGHT HAND, the one saying to you do not be afraid, I myself will help you.

Don't let go of Jehovah and he won't let go of us.

Well ALL RITEY THEN (LOL)


Later,

E & E

[James]

Good morning. What a great study that shows the wisdom of our Creator!

Of Jehovah God, it is written: "With you is the source of life."—Ps. 36:9.

Wow,so many things that we learn from Jah's creations. Take time and observe the wonders of Jehovah. Meditate and give thanks to Him.[/b]

Glory to God Almighty!


The Ant
The ant's natural course implies that humans should plan ahead and be hard workers. This applies in school, at work, and in spiritual activities.[/b]

Yes, yes, agreed!


The locust
An invasion of locusts can transform a land from a paradiselike state into a wilderness, for their appetite is voracious. (Joe 2:3)

This is reflected in the remarkable unity of activity of Jehovah's Witnesses the world over. Like the locust horde of Joel's prophecy, the mighty army of Jehovah's Witnesses, now 7,124,443
strong, continues to fill the earth with its witnessing.—Joel 1:1-4; 2:7, 9-11.[/b]

Huh?

First, you're saying locusts destroy everything in their path and then you're equating them with Jehovahs' Witnesses???


James

[SWORDOFJAH]

Yes we destroy false doctrines like the trinity,hellfire,inmortal soul, ect...:)

[James]

<div class='quotemain'>The locust
An invasion of locusts can transform a land from a paradiselike state into a wilderness, for their appetite is voracious. (Joe 2:3)

This is reflected in the remarkable unity of activity of Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses the world over. Like the locust horde of Joel&#39;s prophecy, the mighty army of Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses, now 7,124,443
strong, continues to fill the earth with its witnessing.—Joel 1:1-4; 2:7, 9-11.[/b]

Huh?

First, you&#39;re saying locusts destroy everything in their path and then you&#39;re equating them with Jehovahs&#39; Witnesses???


James
[/b][/quote]



Yes we destroy false doctrines like the trinity,hellfire,inmortal soul, ect... :)[/b]


<div align="center"> Joel: Day of the Locusts Attack (http://www.e-watchman.com/essays/watchtower-day-locust-attack.html)


Swarming insects can be one of the most devastating natural forces on earth. A flying army of locusts as thick as a thundercloud can darken the sky and descend upon a ripened field, reducing it to mere stubble in a matter of minutes. In ancient times, and even today, the locust plague is one of the farmer&#39;s most dreaded natural phenomenon.

The Bible book of Joel presages not only a locust plague, but also an onslaught by an array of bothersome pests; including the voracious creeping caterpillar, the unwinged locust, and the loathsome cockroach. However, even more disconcerting is that these are not ordinary swarming insects but are a mere representation of a mighty contingent of warriors, resembling lions in their ferocity. The prophecy of Joel foretells that this irresistible military force will sweep the globe, bringing devastation to the entire earth! That is no ordinary insect infestation!

The horrific, unstoppable, insect-like assault is a precursor to the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah and initiates the beginning of Judgment Day for the house of God. What, then, does this peculiar insect plague signify?

But first, what do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the locusts and other creeping creatures of Joel represent?

As far back as the 1930’s, the Watchtower has taught that the pestiferous invaders of Joel represent Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. Even as recently as 1998, the May 1st, Watchtower stated:

<blockquote> “The modern-day locust army is none other than the military force of Jehovah’s anointed locusts, now joined by some 5,600,000 of Jesus’ “other sheep.” Are you not glad to be part of this great throng of Jehovah’s worshipers?”

</blockquote> How does the Watchtower arrive at that conclusion? Professedly, Jehovah’s Witnesses are depicted in the prophecy as an advancing army of locusts because Jehovah’s Witnesses have been unstoppable as they go about bringing devastation upon Christendom&#39;s fertile "fields" of operation. True, many of the people Jehovah’s Witnesses meet in the "field ministry” consider us to be little more than irritating pests; but realistically, how can it be said that Christendom has been devastated as a result of the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses? ....




...But have Jehovah’s Witnesses really set fire to Christendom’s supposed Eden-like, prosperous condition – turning it into a desolate waste? No, not really. Christendom is just as viable today (if not more so) as when Judge Rutherford so taunted and infuriated the clergy by his vitriolic denunciations many decades ago....





James


</div>

[SWORDOFJAH]

JW&#39;S are having a global public preaching much to the dismay of the religions entities worldwide.

*** w89 3/15 p. 31 Call on Jehovah’s Name and Get Away Safe! ***

Joel’s prophecy gives us even more food for thought. Why, “the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah” is imminent! Mankind must be warned. Like the locusts in Joel’s prophecy, Jehovah’s Witnesses devastate Christendom by relentlessly exposing her spiritually barren state. This arouses the fury and opposition of her leaders, but any wall-like obstacles they try to set in the path of the symbolic locusts prove ineffective. Jehovah has poured out his spirit upon his people, equipping them to announce his judgments. Therefore, in the short time remaining before God’s fear-inspiring day, let us have a full share in helping others to ‘call on the name of Jehovah so as to get away safe.’

[FutureMan]

Therefore, in the short time remaining before God&#39;s fear-inspiring day, let us have a full share in helping others to &#39;call on the name of Jehovah so as to get away safe.&#39;[/b]

I agree with you on this particular part of your post, SWORDOFJAH, but may I further add that we all need to be helping each other as well to get away safe, those who would call ourselves "God&#39;s people" , and to call on the name of Jehovah in the correct way as none of us are above God&#39;s judgments!

From FutureMan

[billy2]

Im glad this subject on the locusts has come up - when the locusts were being discussed in the wt study I read the scriptures in Joel and came to a very different conclusion to the wt - I cant see how they apply to God&#39;s people - as the scipture in Joel shows they were devastating God&#39;s people because of their unrighteousness


Joel 1 (New International Version)



Joel 1


¹ The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel.
An Invasion of Locusts
² Hear this, you elders;
listen, all who live in the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your days
or in the days of your forefathers?

³ Tell it to your children,
and let your children tell it to their children,
and their children to the next generation.

⁴ What the locust swarm has left
the great locusts have eaten;
what the great locusts have left
the young locusts have eaten;
what the young locusts have left
other locusts ^{[a (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel;&version=31;#fen-NIV-22296a)]} have eaten.

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
Wail, all you drinkers of wine;
wail because of the new wine,
for it has been snatched from your lips.

⁶ A nation has invaded my land,
powerful and without number;
it has the teeth of a lion,
the fangs of a lioness.

⁷ It has laid waste my vines
and ruined my fig trees.
It has stripped off their bark
and thrown it away,
leaving their branches white.

⁸ Mourn like a virgin  in sackcloth
grieving for the husband ^{[c (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel;&version=31;#fen-NIV-22300c)]} of her youth.

^[b]9 Grain offerings and drink offerings
are cut off from the house of the LORD.
The priests are in mourning,
those who minister before the LORD.

¹⁰ The fields are ruined,
the ground is dried up ^{[d (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel;&version=31;#fen-NIV-22302d)]} ;
the grain is destroyed,
the new wine is dried up,
the oil fails.

¹¹ Despair, you farmers,
wail, you vine growers;
grieve for the wheat and the barley,
because the harvest of the field is destroyed.

¹² The vine is dried up
and the fig tree is withered;
the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—
all the trees of the field—are dried up.
Surely the joy of mankind
is withered away.
A Call to Repentance
¹³ Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn;
wail, you who minister before the altar.
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
you who minister before my God;
for the grain offerings and drink offerings
are withheld from the house of your God.

¹⁴ Declare a holy fast;
call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
and all who live in the land
to the house of the LORD your God,
and cry out to the LORD.

¹⁵ Alas for that day!
For the day of the LORD is near;
it will come like destruction from the Almighty. ^{[e (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel;&version=31;#fen-NIV-22307e)]}

¹⁶ Has not the food been cut off
before our very eyes—
joy and gladness
from the house of our God?

¹⁷ The seeds are shriveled
beneath the clods. ^{[f (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel;&version=31;#fen-NIV-22309f)]}
The storehouses are in ruins,
the granaries have been broken down,
for the grain has dried up.

¹⁸ How the cattle moan!
The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;
even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

¹⁹ To you, O LORD, I call,
for fire has devoured the open pastures
and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. ²⁰ Even the wild animals pant for you;
the streams of water have dried up
and fire has devoured the open pastures.

[SWORDOFJAH]

<div class='quotemain'>Therefore, in the short time remaining before God&#39;s fear-inspiring day, let us have a full share in helping others to &#39;call on the name of Jehovah so as to get away safe.&#39;[/b]

I agree with you on this particular part of your post, SWORDOFJAH, but may I further add that we all need to be helping each other as well to get away safe, those who would call ourselves "God&#39;s people" , and to call on the name of Jehovah in the correct way as none of us are above God&#39;s judgments!

From FutureMan
[/b][/quote]


True my friend. And what better way to be close with our brothers and sisters as this system of things keep collapsing. Also I agree that none of us are above Jehovah&#39;s judgement.
Keeep strong my friend. My advice... work your way back to the congregation and serve with the loyal servants of the Almighty.

[FutureMan]

<div class='quotemain'><div class='quotemain'>Therefore, in the short time remaining before God&#39;s fear-inspiring day, let us have a full share in helping others to &#39;call on the name of Jehovah so as to get away safe.&#39;[/b]

Believe you me SWORDOFJAH, I would like nothing more than to be with my brothers and sisters in the flesh as well as with my external family, but please remember that I did not leave the organization, they my loving elders showed me there great shepherding skills by booting me out of the organization without much a do.

They the elders clearly showed me that they did not want me in their congregation.
I simply did not fit in as a corporate type of publisher that this organization seems to require.

Also it requires exclusive obedience, without question and uses it&#39;s arms, the ELDERS to enforce their rules or policies.

Also I was not one to follow the dictates of the organization, but rather I aimed to follow what God&#39;s Word expounds to us.

One of these elders was in regular contact with the branch office as he was also a substitute circuit overseer as well at the time.

He knew full well what he was doing, and I&#39;m almost positive that he had the Branch Office&#39;s blessing on this.

Now if an organization or a religion, dictates that you must think a certain way and act a certain way even though it is not clearly supported by God&#39;s word, then this amounts to nothing more than the same control that the Catholic church has over it&#39;s members and still does to this day.

Therefore I could not go back in principle.
And what would I repent from?
Standing up for what I believe is truth?

How do you repent from that, you tell me?

Do you think that I have not been asking serious questions, before I came to any of these sites?

I saw the hypocrisy of those in the organization that were saying they had love, but in reality this was all a respectable veneer.

The Elders are not concerned about being shepherds anymore and probably not for a long time now.

Their priority which has been expounded by the so called "faithful and discreet slave" who are very eager to rule over us it seems, is the door to door preaching work.
Where as most of them have forgotten that as Elders their main ministry and duty is caring for their own congregation members.
Yes that should be their utmost concerned the shepherding of "Christ&#39;s sheep".

SWORDOFJAH, I had being with the organization for 43 years, since I was a small child and I tell you right now I have seen a lot of goings on and changes.
In fact in this time I have not seen the light getting brighter and brighter, when it comes to how some of the members of the organization treats each other and particularly how the organization itself has shown a lack of loyalty to it&#39;s own members.

The faithful and discreet slave say that we should be loyal to them, but are they really loyal to there "subjects"?

Tell me would one of these so called governing body members who claim to represent the "faithful and discreet slave"come to my house and wash my feet?

I know some of our anointed brothers that would do this.

Now tell me SWORDOFJAH, if the organization cannot be loyal to it&#39;s own members, then how as a whole can it be loyal to God?

From FutureMan.

[SWORDOFJAH]

You made your dedication to Jehovah. Serve with your brothers and sisters. Take a closer look to Jehovah&#39;s people. You will find that despite the wrongdoing of few no one leave the rest of loyal ones. Jehovah has his people and they are the worldwide brotherhood in the congregations not people from different religious entities. Go back my brother leave the wrongdoers to Jehovah and his appointed judge Jesus. Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. I really love my brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Jehovah knows everything. But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people or replace us for another.

[Desert Blossom]

You made your dedication to Jehovah. Serve with your brothers and sisters. Take a closer look to Jehovah&#39;s people. You will find that despite the wrongdoing of few no one leave the rest of loyal ones. Jehovah has his people and they are the worldwide brotherhood in the congregations not people from different religious entities. Go back my brother leave the wrongdoers to Jehovah and his appointed judge Jesus. Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. I really love my brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Jehovah knows everything. But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people or replace us for another.[/b]

I can appreciate where FutureMan is coming from. The only way he can get reinstated is if he repents. How do you repent when you did nothing wrong? There are many brothers and sisters in that same position. They were ousted from the congregation, not because they sinned, but because they spoke truth, and they were kicked out in an effort to silence them.

I&#39;m finding more and more brothers and sisters outside of the organization. I happened to hit the jackpot today when someone found me on a social networking site and sent me a friend request. I responded to the sister (haven&#39;t seen or heard from her in almost ten years) and through her profile found other brothers and sisters I haven&#39;t heard from in many years.

I still call them my brothers and sisters even though most of them are not active Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. They all have their own stories to tell of how they left the org. because of hypocrisy and whatnot. These people are sheep that have really been skinned and thrown about, smoldering wicks that need some attention.

I don&#39;t think it was an accident that the sister found me. It looks like Jehovah and Jesus are helping me to find those on the outside who need comfort and hope. I&#39;ve tried and tried to assist those still on the inside, but they shut their eyes tight and cover their ears. They do not want their world disturbed. Sad thing is, it&#39;s going to be disturbed in a great way when Jehovah&#39;s judgments against the org. are executed. I hope they wake up before it&#39;s too late.

The brothers and sisters on the outside are actually in a more favorable position because they no longer are under the yoke of the WT Society. They have the freedom to listen and the freedom to discuss....freedoms which those on the inside do not have because they are worried about their loyalty to the Governing Body.

Stop and think about that, does the Governing Body deserve this loyalty?

(Hebrews 13:7) . . .Remember those who are taking the lead among YOU, who have spoken the word of God to YOU, and as YOU contemplate how [their] conduct turns out imitate [their] faith.

One of the ways we can determine if we should imitate the members of the Governing Body is to examine the alliance they had with the United Nations:

http://www.e-watchman.com/watchtower-jehov...-ngo-truth.html (http://www.e-watchman.com/watchtower-jehovahs-witnesses-un-ngo-truth.html)

I&#39;m finding that there are plenty of scattered sheep to associate with, and they seem to have a much greater appreciation for spiritual things than most of those I know on the inside. Jesus was sent to help the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and it sure looks like that&#39;s where his attention is focused today. Technically, I guess you could call me a lost sheep, and it has been since becoming a lost sheep that I found all kinds of spiritual provisions from Jehovah through people like Bro. King.

[billy2]

I hear those expressions often - if you come to the meetings and go out witnessing and put yourself right in the middle of the congregation so to speak - then every thing will be fine - i did all that and unless your the right type of person they pretty much dont want to know about you and if you speak your truth and raise questions they avoid you like the plaque - the lack of love is appaling - theres no loyalty to the individual - and so many times ive asked for help and no one could care less - they are so mezmerized by their "knowledge"and puffed up with pride and self righteousness - that now they are asking the b&s to be baptized in their name

the love they talk about is stingy and conditional -

[gertie]

Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. Jehovah knows everything.[/b]

The following is said with love :Love:

Why is it necessary to work toward "reinstallation?" The prodigal son certainly didn&#39;t.
Luke 15:11 - 32
verse 17 says "when he came to his senses" he thought of returning home.
verse 20 tells us "while he was yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him"
The prodigal son was accepted straight away. No working back to anything.
To be accepted back into the org., it means;
Repenting (that&#39;s fine if you are actually guilty of wrong doing).
Then you have the humiliation of sitting at the back, still being ignored of course.
You have to show the right attitude :huilen: .
Attend all meetings.
Eventually put a letter of reinstatement in.
Wait for the elders to have a meeting to discuss whether they think you are ready....
on and on it goes.
I have seen the pain this process causes for all concerned, because lets face it according to the org., you will die at armageddon if you are still on the outside.
You may be thrown out of the WT but they can never separate you from Jehovah and His Son.

I love the illustration of the prodigal son, I know there is a deeper information involved but just on a basic level it tells us so much.

It is best to accept that some of us can never go back to the WT, it&#39;s just way too difficult.

Again with love... Gertie xx

[billy2]

I wonder SwordofJah if the wto found out you were commenting on this site

that you may find yourself in the same boat as Futureman

[FutureMan]

You made your dedication to Jehovah. Serve with your brothers and sisters. Take a closer look to Jehovah&#39;s people. You will find that despite the wrongdoing of few no one leave the rest of loyal ones. Jehovah has his people and they are the worldwide brotherhood in the congregations not people from different religious entities. Go back my brother leave the wrongdoers to Jehovah and his appointed judge Jesus. Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. I really love my brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Jehovah knows everything. But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people or replace us for another.[/b]

I certainly did make a dedication to Jehovah, but I did not make a dedication to this organization.
I did not get baptized in association with God&#39;s spirit directed organization as my baptism was under the old baptismal vows, which from my standpoint were the correct vows to answer yes to.
These vows were changed later in 1985 to suggest that you were now saying yes to the effect that you agreed to all the organization&#39;s teachings, as after all it is suppose to be a SPIRIT DIRECTED ORGANIZATION.

This was also to stop litigation, if one was disfellowshiped and the fallout thereafter. Nothing more than a control device.

The inference is, that the very fact that you disagree with what the organization teaches, would put you in a situation of actually denying God&#39;s Holy Spirit.

I&#39;m now doing my best to worship Jehovah with Spirit and Truth.
Also to try and be a close follower of Christ.

And yes I do know that there are a lot of sincere witnesses, but then again I have also met a lot of sincere Christians who are not witnesses as well, who try their best to have love for their fellow man as a Christian should.

Do they have a proper understanding of Bible truths?

Perhaps not, but they do understand about love for their fellow man and respond accordingly.

I still give a greeting to my follow brothers and sisters even if they respond by ignoring me, as they are taught to do by the organization&#39;s teachings.

This is after all the Christian way to treat everyone the way I would like to be treated.

From FutureMan

[SWORDOFJAH]

Ok. Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. Love your brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Jehovah knows everything. But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people or replace us for another.

[Desert Blossom]

Ok. Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah. Love your brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Jehovah knows everything. But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people or replace us for another.[/b]

Work toward reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah.

Do you realize what you are implying?

Love your brothers and sisters who are doing their best.

And we are also commanded to love not only those who are doing their best, but even our enemies.

But one thing is for sure,He hasn&#39;t reject his people

Yet. Just wait. What happened to the nation of Israel is going to happen to Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. True worshipers are being called out of the apostate and corrupt organization to join their brothers and sisters in pure worship, to worship in spirit and truth.

We haven&#39;t gotten there yet, even though the WT Society claims we have. They glorify themselves boasting that only Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses have the truth, when the truth is, none of us have 100% truth yet.

Jehovah and Jesus are preparing us right now for the cataclysmic shake up that is going to rock the organization to its very foundations. If anyone thinks being in the org. is going to be a protection for them, than all I can say is, read your Bible again.

(John 4:24) . . .God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.. . .