Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-27-10 WT Study (THE CHRIST)

4. (a) Peter’s exclamation found at 2 Peter 3:11, 12

Emphasizes what need? (b) Against what do we need

to be on guard?

4 Note this exclamation of the apostle Peter:

“What sort of persons ought you to be in

holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion,

awaiting and keeping close in mind

the presence of the day of Jehovah!” (2 Pet.

3:11, 12) Peter’s words emphasize the need

to keep close watch during these last days to

make sure that our life remains centered on

deeds of godly devotion. Such deeds include

the preaching of the good news. What a joy

it is, therefore, for us to observe the zeal with

which our brothers worldwide are carrying

out Christ’s preaching commission! At the

same time, we realize that we need to be

careful that the daily pressures from Satan’s

world and from our own inherited fleshly

tendencies do not diminish the zeal with

which we are carrying out God’s service. Let

us consider, therefore, how we can make

sure that we keep on following the Christ.

COMMENTS

Once again the WTS features “deeds” of preaching their message.  Would a jw be like the priest and the Levite that walked by the injured Jew as they were on the way to their “preaching” rather than help him like the Samaritan (non-jw)?

“Our brothers” worldwide, yet many if not most jws ignore the needs of their “brothers” in the same congregation.

Keep following the Christ = WTS/FDS/GB in reality

Are jws zealous in your neighborhood?  How often do they call in your area, once every 2 to 5 years?  What do they highlight:  the kingdom or the destruction of the wicked.  Where is the love in their message, or is it negative?

Embrace God-Given Responsibilities

5, 6. (a) For what did Paul commend his fellow

believers in Jerusalem, and against what did he

warn them? (b) Why should we not take our God-given

responsibilities lightly?

5 In his letter to the Christians in Jerusalem,

the apostle Paul commended his fellow

believers for their past record of faithful

endurance even under persecution. He

stated: “Keep on remembering the former

days in which, after you were enlightened,

you endured a great contest under sufferings.”

Yes, Jehovah remembered their faithful

course. (Heb. 6:10; 10:32-34) Paul’s warm

words of commendation must have encouraged

those Hebrew Christians greatly. However,

in that same letter, Paul also warned

against a human tendency that if not kept

under control, could diminish one’s zeal

for God’s service. He stated that Christians

should be careful not to “beg off,” or excuse

themselves, from following God’s commandments.—

Heb.12:25.

COMMENTS

Does the past record of jws count or only what they are doing right now?  If a person is an inactive jw now, does it matter that they pioneered for 30 years or brought 15 people into the WT organization?  Does this record count if they no longer support the WTS doctrine, for example the explanation of “generation” that has changed in 1995, 2008, and 2010?

Diminish one’s zeal—beg off—excuse themselves

Sounds like the rank and file are slowing down and even stopping?

6 That warning against the tendency to

“beg off” from embracing God-given responsibilities

also applies to Christians today. We

realize that we need to be determined never

to take our Christian responsibilities lightly

or to allow our zeal for God’s service to diminish.

(Heb. 10:39) After all, rendering sacred

service is a matter of life and death.

—1 Tim. 4:16.

COMMENTS

Tendency to “beg off”—zeal…to diminish

Life is dependent on preaching the WTS doctrine

7, 8. (a) What will help us to maintain our zeal for

God’s service? (b) If we have lost some of our initial

zeal, what should we remember about Jehovah and

Jesus?

7 What will help us to guard against excusing

ourselves from fulfilling our obligations

to God? One important way to fight that

tendency is by regularly meditating on the

meaning of our dedication vow. In essence,

we promised Jehovah that we would put the

doing of his will foremost in our lives, and

we want to keep that promise. (Read Matthew

16:24.) Therefore, at times we need to

pause and ask ourselves: ‘Do I still feel as determined

to live up to my dedication to God

as I did at the time of my baptism? Or have I

lost some of my initial zeal in the years since

then?’

COMMENTS

Excusing ourselves…doing the WTS will foremost…lost initial zeal

Does the WTS know about the fake hours, ineffective hours, socializing not preaching?

8 If an honest self-examination proves

that we have slackened the hand somewhat,

we do well to recall the invigorating words

spoken by the prophet Zephaniah. He stated:

“May your hands not drop down. Jehovah

your God is in the midst of you. As a

mighty One, he will save. He will exult over

you with rejoicing.” (Zeph. 3:16, 17) These

reassuring words first applied to the Israelites

of old who returned to Jerusalem from

captivity in Babylon. However, this assurance

still holds true for God’s people today.

Since the work we do is Jehovah’s work, we

should keep in mind that both Jehovah and

his Son back us up and strengthen us to discharge

fully our God-given responsibilities.

(Matt. 28:20; Phil. 4:13) If we strive to continue

to do God’s work with zeal, he will

bless us and help us to go on prospering spiritually.

COMMENTS

Honest SELF-examination?  Or will the individual jw be judged by the elders, the CO, the elders’ wives, and other self-righteous jws?

Slackened the hand…with zeal…hands dropped down

God’s people today – only jws

God-given responsibilities—how many times is this phrase in the article?  Given by God or the WTS?

What are these responsibilities that the WTS feels have slackened?

Zealously “Seeking First the Kingdom”

9, 10. What is the point of Jesus’ parable of the

grand evening meal, and what lesson can we draw

from it?

9 While eating a meal in the home of a

ruler of the Pharisees, Jesus gave an illustration

about a grand evening meal. In that illustration,

he described the opportunity extended

to different ones to come in line for

the Kingdom of the heavens. He also illustrated

what it means to “beg off.” (Read Luke

14:16-21.) The invited guests in Jesus’ illustration

gave excuses for not attending the

feast. One said that he needed to go and examine

a field he had just bought. Another

said that he bought some cattle and wanted

to examine them. Still another said: ‘I cannot

come. I just got married.’ These were

poor excuses. One who buys a field or livestock

normally examines them beforehand,

so there is no great urgency to examine

them afterward. And why should a recent

marriage prevent one from accepting such

an important invitation? No wonder the

host in the illustration was incensed!

COMMENTS

Beg off…gave excuses…no great urgency

Think about this, was Jesus talking about his followers?  Or was he talking about the Jews who did NOT accept the invitation to follow Jesus? 

Does the WTS apply this to its members by making comparisons to unknown and unnamed jws who cross through crocodile infested waters, or who are carried by a brother to the meetings in a wheelbarrow, or who walk 60 miles one way to the KH, or who regular pioneer although having 6 children and an opposed husband?  What jw could come up with any excuse saying they could not regular pioneer, including the elders?

Would the jws in your congregation do this?

***yb97 pp. 235-236 Micronesia***Missionaries throughout Micronesia routinely use their cars or pickup trucks to help people get to meetings, but there is a form of transportation that perhaps only Barak Bowman has tried. When the failing health of a heavyset 70-year-old sister prevented her from walking the two miles [3km] to the Kingdom Hall, Barak tried to figure out a way to help her. “I would like to pick you up for the meeting,” he said, “but I only have a wheelbarrow that I can use.” To his surprise, she replied, “OK, I don’t mind.”  You can imagine the sight as they rolled along the trail en route to the meeting—also the effort that was required on Barak’s part. He would leave home at 7:00 a.m. with an empty wheelbarrow and arrive back at the hall with our sister aboard just in time for the 9:30 a.m. program.

***w62 6/1 p. 341 par. 20What will this brother say about the African witnesses in Nyasaland who, in order to attend the congregational meetings, have to ‘walk seven to fifteen miles in the rain and swim a river or two infested with crocodiles’? The flimsy argument, ‘I am tired,’ will not help him.

***w98 3/1 p. 19 par. 18In Mozambique it took a district overseer, Orlando, and his wife, Amélia, 45 hours to walk some 55 miles [90km] over a high mountain to serve an assembly. Then they had to make the same trip back to serve the next assembly. Orlando modestly reported: “We felt that we had done nothing when we met up with the brothers from the Bawa Congregation. To attend the assembly and return to their homes involved a six-day journey of about 250 miles [400km] on foot, and among them was a brother 60 years old!”

***km 2/87 p. 5 par. 9 Auxiliary Pioneering—Have YouTriedI t?***One sister was able to auxiliary pioneer even though she has five children, works secularly, and has an unbaptized husband.

***km  2/73 p. 3 “Clean from the Blood of All Men”***A sister from Hawaii relates how she is able to pioneer although having three children and an unbelieving, husband:

10 All of God’s people can learn a lesson

from Jesus’ parable. What is it? We should

never allow personal matters, such as those

mentioned in Jesus’ illustration, to become

so important to us that they push aside our

service to God. If a Christian does not keep

personal affairs in their proper place, his

zeal in the ministry will gradually diminish.

(Read Luke 8:14.) To prevent that from happening,

we live by Jesus’ admonition: “Keep

on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his

righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33) How encouraging

it is to observe that God’s servants

—young and old alike—are applying that vital

counsel! In fact, many have taken steps

to simplify their lifestyle so that they can

give more time to the ministry. They learn

firsthand that zealously seeking first the

Kingdom brings true happiness and great

satisfaction.

COMMENTS

God’s people = only jws

A Christian = only a jw

God’s servants = only jws

Simplify their lifestyle = would jws get rid of their vehicles and bike or walk to the meetings, some who only live 5 miles away?

Zeal…diminish…zealously seeking

So what personal affairs would allow one to miss meetings or door to door?  Being in the hospital in a coma? 

11. What Bible account illustrates the importance

of being zealous and wholehearted in serving God?

11 To illustrate the importance of being

zealous in God’s service, note an event that

took place in the life of King Jehoash of Israel.

Concerned over the apparent fate of Israel

at the hands of Syria, Jehoash came weeping

to Elisha. The prophet instructed him to

shoot an arrow out the window toward Syria,

indicating victory by Jehovah’s hand

against that nation. This certainly should

have invigorated the king. Elisha next told

Jehoash to take his arrows and strike the

earth with them. Jehoash struck the earth

three times. Elisha was incensed at this, for

striking the earth five or six times would

have indicated “striking down Syria to the

finishing point.” Now Jehoash would enjoy

only three partial victories. Because he acted

with a lack of zeal, Jehoash experienced limited

success. (2 Kings 13:14-19) What lesson can we learn

from that account? Jehovah will abundantly bless us only if

we do his work wholeheartedly and with zeal.

COMMENTS

OT—Jehoash

So how would he have known that 3 was not as good as 5 or 6 or perhaps 7 or 9?

Lack of zeal – at least the WTS sets the “national average” of 10 hours as a goal to shoot for.

Does this mean that if an individual jw never has a bible study or have someone get baptized that they were not wholehearted or zealous?

12. (a) What will help us to maintain our zeal in

God’s service while coping with life’s challenges?

(b) Relate how you are benefiting from keeping busy

in the ministry.

12 Life’s challenges test our

zeal and devotion to God’s service.

Many brothers and sisters

are coping with trying economic

circumstances. Others

are frustrated because a serious

illness limits what they are able

to do in Jehovah’s service. Still,

each of us can take steps to

ensure that we maintain our

zeal and continue to follow the

Christ fully. Please note some

of the suggestions and scriptures

listed in the box “What

Will Help You to Keep Following

the Christ?” Consider how

you can apply them to the full.

If you do, you will reap real

benefits. Keeping busy in the ministry has a

stabilizing effect on us, enriches our life,

and brings us greater peace and happiness.

(1 Cor. 15:58) Moreover, being whole-souled

in our service to God helps us in

“keeping close in mind the presence of the

day of Jehovah.”—2 Pet. 3:12.

COMMENTS

Barriers to making WT hourly goals:

Economic circumstances

Serious illness

Maintain zeal…fully

See box below:

So are jws to judge others zeal…how…by the amount of time they spend, or the preparation they put into, or the unselfish reasons they do it?

How do jws appreciate the urgency when the WTS has put forth dates of 1914, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, end of 1914 generation (1984, 1994), which have failed to be fulfilled.  Soon, very soon now.  Urgency for who, the people they talk to or their own lives.  Are jws really concerned about non-jws living or are they looking forward to their destruction so Paradise can begin?

Make a Frank Appraisal

13. How can we determine what whole-souled service

means for us personally?

13 It is good to remember, though, that being

whole-souled is not a matter of how

much time we spend in the ministry. Individual

circumstances vary. A person who

spends just an hour or two in field service

each month may be very pleasing to Jehovah

if that really is all his health allows him

to do. (Compare Mark 12:41-44.) Hence,

to determine what whole-souled service to

God means for us personally, we need to

make a frank appraisal of our abilities and

circumstances. As followers of Christ, we

also want to harmonize our viewpoint with

his. (Read Romans 15:5; 1 Cor. 2:16) What

did Jesus put foremost in his life? He told

the crowds from Capernaum: “I must declare

the good news of the kingdom of God,

because for this I was sent forth.” (Luke 4:

43; John 18:37) With Jesus’ zeal for his ministry

in mind, evaluate your circumstances

to see if you could further expand you ministry.—

1 Cor.11:1.

COMMENTS

The WTS says being whole-souled is not a matter of how much time is spent preaching the WTS doctrine…..circumstances vary….but who judges your circumstances?  Who judges if you are sick enough to get only one or 2 hours?

“If that REALLY is all his health allows him to do”?  Do you see the judgmental aspect to this phrase?

Are jws really making frank appraisals of themselves or are others in the congregation helping them make a frank appraisal?

Shall they compare themselves to this woman as the WTS does?

***g93 9/22 p. 9 Loneliness—AreYou Determined to Fight It and Win?***Take the case of Laurel Nisbet. She contracted polio and at 36 years of age was placed in an iron lung, where she lay flat on her back for 37 years. Totally paralyzed from the neck down, she could move her head, but that was all. At first she was sad beyond despair. Then, after about a day of self-pity, she decided, ‘Enough of that!’ She had two children to raise and a husband to care for. She began to rebuild her life; she learned to manage her home from an iron lung. Laurel slept very little. How did she pass the long nighttime hours? Giving in to loneliness? No. She prayed to her heavenly Father, Jehovah. Prayed for strength for herself, prayed for her Christian brothers and sisters, and prayed for opportunities to witness to others about God’s Kingdom. She devised ways to preach and impressed many by her witnessing for Jehovah’s name. She allowed no thistles of loneliness to grow; she was too busy tending the roses.

***km 6/03 p. 7 par. 4 Disabled—Yet Fruitful***Were you not encouraged by the life story of Laurel Nisbet, who was confined to an iron lung for 37 years yet helped 17 individuals to come to an accurate knowledge of Bible truth? In like manner, your example can inspire fellow believers to exert themselves in Jehovah’s service.—g93 1/22 pp. 18-21.

***km 8/96 p. 1 par. 3  One sister, a victim of polio, was confined to an iron lung. She was not able to go to the Kingdom Hall or attend an assembly. But she was intensely occupied with declaring the good news. During her 37-year confinement, she was able to help 17 people learn the truth! How did she do it? Although unable to go from door to door, she found a way each day to witness informally to those who came in contact with her.

BOX What Will Help You to Keep Following the Christ?

? Read God’s Word daily, and meditate

on what you read.—Ps. 1:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:15.

? Pray often for the support and guidance

of God’s spirit.—Zech. 4:6; Luke 11:9, 13.

? Associate with those who demonstrate

heartfelt zeal for the ministry.—Prov.13:

20; Heb.10:24, 25.

? Appreciate the urgency of the times in

which we are living.—Eph. 5:15,16.

? Be conscious of the serious consequences

of ‘begging off.’—Luke 9:59-62.

? Reflect regularly on your dedication vow

and the abundant blessings that result

from serving Jehovah and following the

Christ wholeheartedly.—Ps. 116:12-14;

133:3; Prov.10:22.

14. In what ways could we further expand our ministry?

14 A careful consideration of our circumstances

may lead us to conclude that we

could increase the amount of time we spend

in the ministry. (Matt. 9:37, 38) For instance,

many thousands of our young people who

recently graduated from school have expanded

their ministry and are now experiencing

the joy that comes from zealously

serving as pioneers. Would you like to taste

that joy as well? Some brothers and sisters

have considered their circumstances and

decided that they could move to an area in

their country, or even abroad, where there

is a greater need for Kingdom publishers.

Still others have learned another language

to help foreign-speaking people. While expanding

our ministry can be challenging, it

brings rich blessings, and we may help

many others to “come to an accurate knowledge

of truth.”—1 Tim. 2:3, 4; 2 Cor. 9:6.

COMMENTS