Category: Meetings

‘Keep Close in Mind the Awe inspiring Day’ is the #publictalk Speaker uncontrollably yawns toward end of talk. When he does it a second time—Ha! it is not ‘uncontrollable.’ It is a gimmick to convey not being lulled to sleep during perilous times.

Haven’t heard ‘Preachers Present Arms’ in a while, the sociologist Ray Abrams books of clergy support, even cheerleading, during the World Wars. “Clergy gave the war its passionate spirit and drive,” the speaker reads the quote.

 

#watchtowerstudy ‘Listen to the Voice of the Fine Shepherd’ Theme verse: “They will listen to my voice.”​—JOHN 10:16. “In this article, we will consider two outstanding teachings of Jesus, namely, to stop being anxious about material things and to stop judging others.”

Of course, Jesus’ phrasing ‘stop being anxious’ and ‘stop judging’ acknowledges that people were already doing it.

“In some parts of the world people are so poor” one sis says. “They don’t even have food stamps.”  Nor have they been called ‘food stamps’ for many a year.

Para 6: Lots of chatter on Peter starting to sink after doing it right for a time. One sis invokes “modern science” on how you can “structurally change” your brain by how you interact—what you focus upon. …1/2

Another bro opines that Jesus could have calmed those waters but didn’t to let the lesson [um—sorry—“sink in”]….2/2. (‘sink in’ mine)…2/2

Para 10: ‘I always worried about what would happen if we had nothing’ one bro quotes someone saying somewhere. ‘And then we have nothing. And you know what happened? Nothing.’ …1/2

‘When we give in to our fears & anxieties instead of trusting in Jehovah,’ one sis says,’ that’s when we have the most trouble…..2/2

Para 11: “Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged, and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you.” Matt 7:1,2….1/2

Yeah, it’s enough for me to keep my judging in check—save only for the bro wearing his used car salesman jacket. And the bro who follows me on Twitter so I reward him with the observation he is the worst speaker in the circuit and maybe the world….2/2

Para 12: Ha! One bro says how on a volunteer project he worked with a bro who was brusque & hard to get along with, but he pushed through it and ended up liking the guy a lot. “I may have worked with that bro too,” says the conductor, who was on the same project.

Review: The bro who says he was for a long time “an outsider looking in” expresses appreciation for the study. Look, you can only benefit by considering applications of scripture. Over time it makes one a better person, teaches one how to live.

 

#Midweekmeeting Bible reading: 1Samuel 1-3. I suppose it is considerate that Eli knows God is speaking to Samuel before the boy does. That way he knows it is not just some mouthy kid telling him off, besides giving Samuel the guts to do it. 1 Samuel 3:8-9

One bro made the point that if you strike a people with piles (hemorrhoids) he guesses it shows who’s boss. (1 Samuel 5:9)

In ‘I Don’t Know Why We Persecute Jehovah’s Witnesses: Searching for the Why’ I did play with the notion of piles striking those who took the Branch buildings, but it did not survive the final editing. (1 Samuel 5:9)

Ha! The sis doing the return visit said to her householder, ‘Turn on your mic.’

Re land apportionment of Ezekiel 45, the study conductor just happens to know—how, I have no idea—that for the Oklahoma Sooners sports teams (football, baseball, basketball), the ‘sooner’ comes because their forebears were sooner than others for land grab.

That bro pictured cleaning the sink: When heading a cleaning crew, I used to say ‘Privilege opening up soon in connection with cleaning a toilet!”

Para 14: Foreigner very much 2nd class in (Lev. 19:33, 34) —don’t mistreat them, even ‘love’ them, but in (Ezek. 47:22, 23) they fully have an equal share.

Para 15: I recall Mack saying that for Haggai 2:7 to be true (I will shake all the nations, and the precious things of all the nations will come in; and I will fill this house with glory,’ says Jehovah of armies.) there must be some ‘in’ for them to come into.

 

 

#publictalk ‘Overcoming Fear of the Future’ opens with discussion of Doomsday clock, 100 second to midnight, then cites an annual survey of common fears—fear of snakes, clowns, public speaking, serious illness, #1 of last 6 years: corrupt government officials.

Zeph 2:3– seek Jehovah….probably you will be concealed, he has proven he can save, trapped against Pharoeah’s army, destroyed at Red Sea, not a once saved-always saved kind of thing. A person’s faith and endurance matter.

Mt Everest, a dangerous place, 200 climbers are died, their corpses are markers, people of God’s mountain invite others, not intimidating, this mountains symbol of people ascending mountain of pure worship, equips with knowledge, fear replaced with love, global brotherhood at peace with each other’

 

#watchtowerstudy: ‘What Leviticus Teaches Us About How to Treat Others’   Theme verse: “You must love your fellow man as yourself.”​—LEV. 19:18   “What a bunch of nice lessons” to be found in Lev 19, the conductor impromptu says.

Para 5: that pic of the sign language interpreter—the bro who is one of those tells of how the deaf have their own language & culture of which they are very proud, and if you lead off with ‘God is going to fix you’ you have just insulted them.

Para 7 about dishonest business practices. One sis whose son worked in concrete said often the stuff would be watered down—creating possible havoc many years away. Another sis updates ‘dishonest’ to include bait-and-switch ads.

Para 8  Ha! The sis whose late husband was a boat-canvas maker told of how some guy argued with him at great length to work a cash deal so as to avoid sales tax. “How do I know you are not the state inspector come to check on me?’ the bro said, whereupon he shut up & paid up.

Para 13 On grudges (You must not … hold a grudge against … your people, and you must love your fellow man as yourself. I am Jehovah—Lev 19:18)   I like how the words of Joseph are quoted (Genesis 50) when he did not hold one toward his brothers: “Am I in the place of God?”

Para 16: “If a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not mistreat him. The foreigner who resides with you should become to you like a native among you; and you must love him as yourself, for you were foreign residents in the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.”

 

Why did I not know that Hannah had 5 children after Samuel? #midweekmeeting “Jehovah turned his attention to Hanʹnah, so that she could conceive; and she gave birth to three more sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel continued growing up before Jehovah.” (2:21) #midweekmeeting

Whatever became of those hoodlum kids of Penninah? one bro wants to know.

The counsel point “practical value made clear” is essentially ‘what’s in it for me?’ says the chairman.

The Iraqi man at the assembly said Babylon is the site of a festival each year, with music and food. Also that there is the slogan everyone knows: 'Babylon will rise again.'  Not going to happen, says Isaiah 13:19-20

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publictalk “Imitate the Father of Tender Mercies” Speaker begins with account of how his dad ‘showed him mercy’ when he broke a window. This wasn’t my experience when dad parked his brand new Rambler in the garage …1/2

and almost immediately I dropped a plank on the hood from my overhead fort. Of course, I suppose it didn’t help that I lied my head off—that I had nothing to do with that new dent on his hood…..2/2

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Maybe Jehovah’s forgiveness of David had something to do with David’s mercy toward Saul.

“For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Jas 2:1

 

#watchtowerstudy today is entitled “You Must Be Holy”“

Theme verse: “Become holy yourselves in all your conduct.”​—1 PET. 1:15. ‘Is that something humans can even do?’ conductor asks. “You must be holy because I am holy,” says God. Easy for HIM to say. Will explore word meaning.

Para 5–Many of the friends have a no-shoes policy in their home, says one bro, and the purpose of it is to keep the home clean.  This thought he applies to the Bible’s requirement of ‘holiness’ for worshippers.

Para 6– One sis says how God describes self as holy just after emerging from Red Sea. “You must not behave as they do in the land of Egypt, where you were dwelling, and you must not do what they do in the land of Caʹnaan, where I am bringing you.” Lev 18:3 There’s a #newkidintown

Para 9 “Hebrew scholar Marcus Kalisch wrote: ‘This remarkable chapter [19] is perhaps the most comprehensive, the most varied, and in some respects the most important section of Leviticus, if not of the Pentateuch.’”    That being the case, it’s good this #watchtowerstudy covers it

Para 10 One bro says how one may balk at ‘you must be holy because I am holy.’ Forget it. That’s impossible. But then the first item on the list, “Each of you should respect his mother and his father . . . I am Jehovah your God.”​—Lev. 19:2, 3” says ‘Oh, OK I can do that.’

Para 11 One sis how this verse can help adjust one, as it did her—“Each of you should respect his mother and his father . . . I am Jehovah your God” even when you are one who “didn’t have the best upbringing.”

Para 16 “Consider an interesting principle found at Leviticus 19:19, which says in part: You must not wear a garment made with two sorts of thread mixed together.   No Tommy, this is NOT the time to debut with acomment on a certain bro’s hideous tie. (Gotta think of something, tho)

 

Naomi to Ruth at 3:4—“When he lies down, take note of the place where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you should do.” #midweekmeeting.  the idea is if you uncover his feet they’ll get cold & he’ll wake up.

“Ruth is one of five women the Bible lists in the ancestry of Jesus. Another one is Rahab, who was the mother of Boaz. (Matt 1:3-16) Like Ruth, she was not an Israelite.”  I did not know that.

Ruth 4:4 “He replied: “I am willing to repurchase it.””  Oh yeah! He’s all in! Then he learns more responsibility is involved, and says, “I am unable to repurchase it, for I may ruin my own inheritance. No wonder he’s called so-and-so.

What about BibleGateway translations of Ruth 4:1? How do they render ‘so and so?’ ‘Such-a-one’ (one says ‘what’s-your-name’) is the most common. Runner up is ‘friend’ with the occasional ‘dear friend.’ But I think this is overly chummy. …1/2

EXP says in footnote, “the man is not named, perhaps ironically because he refused to preserve Naomi’s family name.” The creep….2/2

May Jehovah grant the wife who is entering your house to be like Rachel and like Leʹah, both of whom built the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephʹra·thah and make a good name in Bethʹle·hem.  May your house become like the house of Peʹrez…1/2

whom Taʹmar bore to Judah, through the offspring that Jehovah will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:11-12)  You don’t think that sounds a lot like the Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Ruth?…2/2

Jade pretty much did at the first meeting what everyone does. She barely paid attention to the parts and instead took in the atmosphere. Didn’t matter at all that she was late. Probably even for the best, as she could see how no one harrumphed over it.

“No more diseases, doctors, nurses, hospitals, health insurance! That water of life will flow…”Look, if the health care system was bad before, it’s totally disfunctional now. And don’t get me going about insurance ‘surprises.’

John 5:29: “those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.”

Para 19. New scrolls opened & that is the sense of ‘judgement’—a time of evaluation (like BookofJudges)  What will be their response 2new scrolls?

No John, it was not ‘Elimelech elimelech elimelech Elimelech’ in ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight.’ #midweekmeeting  (Bible reading this week: Ruth 102)

“She would say to the women: “Do not call me Na·oʹmi. Call me Maʹra, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.” (Ruth 1:20)

I this how Nabal (the name MEANS senseless, stupid) got to be named Nabal? Names were gained by experiences or reputation.

I have commanded the young men not to touch you: 2:9

Do not mistreat her 2:15

It is better, my daughter, for you to go out with his young women than to be harassed in another field.” 2;22

Today’s harassment lawyers would have had a field day back then.

“But Ruth said: “Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I will go, and where you spend the night, I will spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. …1/2

Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should separate me from you.” (Ruth 1:16-17) Favorite verses….2/2

 

“A heartwarming Bible reading tonight,” says the chairman.

To be fair, those final chapters of Judges have set the bar kinda low. No Sean, Ruth is not too mushy. Yes, Judges is more of a guy’s book—hits like a Marvel Avengers movie, but it’s time to move on.

Ps 63:3 “Because your loyal love is better than life.” The CO has illustrated this verse with a hypothetical from God. “I’ll let you into the new system, but I DON’T APPROVE of you!” and then he returns to, “your loyal love is better than life.”

“For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive…they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them.” (Matt 13:15) Any future application of Jesus’ words?

 

Para 13, It would be tragic to remain unhealed, like so many in this sick world. (Matt. 13:15) Who can’t appreciate the image of a river lined with trees that have leaves for healing & where it empties, the destination is healed? Ezekiel 47

 

‘What you sow is what you will reap’ is the  #publictalk title. All centered around Galatians 6:7.

“Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap.”  (1)

good background summary. Galatians freed from the Law wanted to go back to it, “choosing certain defeat” since no one could live up to a perfect law. Embrace those freedoms of the Christ, Paul encourages, but then a cautionary note that ‘you will reap what you sow,’ (2)

“because the one sowing with a view to his flesh [playing into our imperfection] will reap corruption from his flesh, but the one sowing with a view to the spirit [imposing reasonable self-discipline] will reap everlasting life from the spirit.” Gal 6:8  (3)

That Gal 6:8 verse empowers us, says the speaker. Plant a seed and you know what you will get.  (4)

Use, don’t abuse those freedoms, speaker says, then illustrates how teen with a new license has greater freedom but also greater responsibility. Will balanced Christians all make the same choices? No, he says. Balance allows some room for movement. (5)

An illustration: Golden Gate Bridge—the road can swing 21 feet in either direction, 40 feet of flexibility, flexibility keeps it there. So the Scriptures are flexible to cover the times spans, cultures it must span. Flexibility of scripture keeps it alive and useful to us. (6)

Now a reference to ‘unified—not uniform’ as some balanced Christians will lean more conservative, some more relaxed. It’s okay, and will characterize even bodies of people—what a drudgery is everyone is the same. (7)

Alas, people are given to extremes. You ‘don’t want to be with someone who is always digging up the rules’ as though he thinks “Jehovah forgot something.” Such harping not only not necessary, but is harmful, the speaker says. (8)

Other extreme: persons too loose, and now speaker reads cautionary list of Gal 5:19: “Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, (9)

dissensions, divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these.”

“Would you say that much of what the world offers today fit into this list?” speaker asks. “Yeah” (10)

Heard people say, “until you can show me this scripture that says….I don’t see anything wrong with it?” It is going back to Galatians—people who want a bunch of rules. (11)

Principles are fundamental statements of truth. “Bad association spoil useful habits”—not a rule, it is a principle. (12)

vs 19… “and things like these”….is this list all inclusive? No. “God dignifies us that we can apply principles to these new developments [that crop up in the modern age of “TV, Hollywood, video games” etc. Re vs 22 (reads list)….. “against such things there is no law.” (13)

‘A lot of this is a matter between us and Jehovah, the elders are not going to come and police us,’ says the speaker, “but we will reap what we sow.” (14)

Adds: ‘Like children in schoolyard, we are free to pursue own interests on earth. But 1) all have to get along, 2) must stay within boundaries. Upon observing the preceding two points, “have a blast” is how the speaker puts it. (15)

Everlasting life or corruption of Galatians 6:8. We make that choice for everlasting life every single day through the other choices we make. (16)

 

#watchtowerstudy, ‘How Strong Will Your Faith Be?’  Theme scripture: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Exercise faith.”​—JOHN 14:1  Para 1: “Strong faith will help us to face the future with confidence.”

Para 4: “The father, Miguel, …begin[s]  every day by asking Jehovah to provide what we need for that day.”  I recall one bro in a developing land saying this verse (give us each day our dailyneeds) was easy for them to grasp but those in dev’d lands found it much more difficult.

Para 6: “Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are?” (Matthew 5:26)….1/2

I recall a speaker, himself thin, wiry and birdlike, saying of this verse that birds ARE busy, they are just not anxious. They are always pecking for seeds—and then made the point by rapid pecking at the speaker stand with his oversized nose…2/2 #favoritegesture

Para 8 “The test began in 2017 when Hurricane Maria destroyed Anel’s home [in Puerto Rico]. As a result…she lost her job. “During those difficult days, I felt anxious,”  Will the bro who spent time volunteering on Puerto Rico relief & who speaks of it often comment here? You know he will….1/2

He didn’t! But only because he is away this week.   2/2

My wife’s Bible student is present at this Zoom meeting. She has balloons hanging from her ceiling. She just likes balloons.

Para 10: “I will remember the works of Jah; I will remember your marvelous deeds of long ago.And I will meditate on all your activity And ponder over your dealings.” Okay. So the point is, dwelling on this Ps 77:11-12 can aid us through many a scrape.

Para 11 The “direction that does not make sense to us” remark is given in the context of prior battle tactics that did not make sense—at shore of Red Sea & facing down the Ammonites & crew. (Ex. 14:1-4; 2 Chron. 20:17)

Ha! I temporarily alarmed my wife by saying “You’re not muted!!!” after a certain remark she made to me. She should not concern herself with what I may be full of. (What’s so terrible about baloney?)

Para 18-19 “Make the same request as did Jesus’ apostles, who said: “Give us more faith.” (Luke 17:5) …

“Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction, but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.” (Hebrews 10:39)

#midweekmeeting Pumping up for the Bible reading this week, Judges 17-19. Sigh—the sooner we leave behind Judges the better. 

Checking the schedule now to see who is the bro who gets stuck putting lipstick on this one. Look, it’s ancient, crazy different customs and underpinnings. I get it. Underlying value there somewhere, I am sure. I just like when other people are assigned to find it, not me.

Only relatively recently did I learn what a ‘wifebeater shirt’ is. (No, not from experience, nor do I wear them) My goodness, what a loser is that guy in the picture! Yes, she should have stayed where she was. I admit that counsel is being laid on with a trowel…1/2

Still, I know someone in roughly those circumstances….2/2

My spiritual gem from Judges 19 is that I will not be begging my son-in-law to stay with me, as the fellow there repeatedly does (vs 4, 6. 9) The standing joke is that my son-in-law exists to clean out my fridge, just as I cleaned out the fridges of others long ago.

The proper answer to that householder who says he recently found work IS NOT, “Great. Can I borrow five dollars?”

The Dead Sea Scrolls predates the Masoretic text and includes 5 instances of God’s name that the latter work does not. Got it. Good work. But the footnote makes it not entirely clear the rationale for Judges 19:18, “restored as a result of further study of ancient manuscripts.”

I dunno. How much ‘local needs’ can you cover in five minutes? I know one bro who takes five minutes just to unmute himself. Our bro covered quite a bit, though. (I think he went overtime)

I told that elder I love to tease that, while I would be scared to deliver a hard-hitting message of doom, maybe I could overcome my fears if I had some practice. Therefore, would he mind if I was the one to announce when he was to give the public talk?

Even today it fits as Jesus foretold, “people will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth,” (Luke 21:25-27) contrasted with others who see it but reach different conclusions (vs 28), but it becomes more so in time.

 

Today’s #publictalk is entitled ‘How to Cultivate Peace in an Angry World.’

He begins with the story of a lynching—the kind of thing you would expect from an angry world

‘First you will evict the ruinous tenants from your home. Then you will let it out to better ones.’ The speaker uses this well-worn but always a favorite illustration in telling how God will cleanse the earth.

“When we want to cultivate a garden, is it something that just comes together on its own?” the speaker says, as he displays a photo of (I presume) his own meticulously manicured vegetable garden. The same effort must go into ‘cultivating peace’

Break the cycle of violence. Upper rising star, in elite military unit, bro and 2 sisters killed, he knew where the village will, waiting for a train.

‘Who Really Rules the World?’ The speaker displays a photo of that tract handed to someone at the train station, traveling to exact deadly violence upon someone who had done him wrong—and he abandoned that course.

Is this #publicspeaker bro in real estate? He illustrates (and contrasts) the ransom with a ‘short sale.’ Yes, there is ‘forgiveness’ but it is not unconditional. You’ll pay taxes on the forgiven amount & your credit will be ruined.

2 Cor 4:4-5 weapons powerful for overturning reasonings. God’s Holy Spirit can overcome strongly entrenched things. Ask Jehovah God to replace thoughts of anger with compassion and peace, Eph 4:25, be made new in dominant mental attitude.

“Sharing the Bible’s upbuilding message was far more refreshing than sharing in demonstrations and (a frequent result) riots,” the speaker quotes a bro from Timor, and then goes on to comment s on the horrendous suffering inflicted on some & how to overcome.

Seriously—if I leave the scene, our Zoom screen dramatically darkens. I my wife leaves the scene, the same thing happens. Only if we are both onscreen is the lighting bright. No idea why, and no—I don’t read any metaphysical divine approval of marriage into it. But its strange.

 

#WatchtowerStudy is entitled “Continue Showing Loyal Love to One Another.  “Deal with one another in loyal love and mercy.”​—ZECH. 7:9 is the theme verse

The conductor says of the Watchtower Study, that it fits in exactly with our Public Talk. Fair game. It did. Planning or happy coincidence? Never have I heard (tho I would sometimes say it for a laugh) ‘for a change, this study has nothing whatsoever to do with the public talk.’

Let us leave untouched (for now) how today BOTH the Watchtower conductor and the reader, a father-son combo, are ‘the elder[s] I love to tease’—two guys not wound up too tight with fantastic senses of humor.

Para 6- on loyalty to an employer. One bro comments on Kodak, once the area’s premiere employer. Many bros worked there their entire lives (some would say ‘Jehovah provides’). Company commanded intense loyalty—though it went belly-up.

Para 9: Alas!—Naomi figured God had it in for her: “The hand of Jehovah has turned against me….The Almighty has made life very bitter for me…..It is Jehovah who opposed me and the Almighty who caused me calamity.”​—Ruth 1:13, 20, 21.10.

Para 11: “Speak consolingly to those who are depressed, support the weak, be patient toward all.”​—1 Thess. 5:14.

Ha! The conductor (the bro I love to tease) indulged his occasional quirk of asking a ‘bonus question’—and it was the very next printed question!

Para 18: “Jehovah made me return empty-handed.” With those words, Naomi did not even acknowledge the support of Ruth, who was standing next to her. How painful that must have been for Ruth!” ….1/2

Yes, She’d suffered huge loss, but didn’t really have ‘nothing’ & it must have pained Ruth to be dismissed as ‘nothing.’ She hung in there nonetheless, helping a loved one to regain emotional & spiritual balance…..2/2

Samson’s choice of women was his ‘Achilles heel,’ the #midweekmeeting speaker says. ‘Terrible terrible choices’…’how could he be so dumb?’ The theme from that lead-off talk: ‘Betrayal—How Contemptible.’…1/2 #midweekmeeting

He did not say ‘fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me’ but he said as much in other words. …Delilah nagged Samson until he revealed his secret….2/2

Lug those city gates for 37 miles? The bro covering the review picks a town 37 miles from our #KingdomHall for illustration.

‘Zeroing in on the flaws of others may distract us from who the real enemy is,’ one sis says.

It’s one thing for Delilah to say ‘the Phillistines are upon you!’ three times but Samson never actually sees them because they are waiting in the wings than for him to chase them off three times, yet still tell his secret….1/2

I mean, that is some kind of stupid, and Judges 16 doesn’t actually say they fell upon him three times, only that he was told they were….2/2

And what about that old joke I once read in Mad Magazine: Samson gives final performance—brings down the house….Did young Johnny really used to bring in Mad Magazine encased in the Watchtower? Nonetheless, he grew up to be a fine bro.

One sis phrases her ‘Initial Call’ talk that ‘the Bible is a book of promises made and promises kept, as she introduces the video ‘Why Study the Bible.’   

Next is introduction to the video, ‘The Bible Saved Our Marriage.’ Worth doing whenever possible.  ‘We couldn’t communicate without it being an argument,’ the sis recalls. ‘It took a long time before things got better.’

God taking wheels off the chariots—I love that image at Exodus 14:25

“The apostle Paul expressed our conviction with these inspired words: “If God is for us, who will be against us?”​—Rom. 8:31.

A lasting image at Zechariah 2:8–‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye.’   ‘Something gets in your eye—you don’t wait a couple hours to deal with it,’ one bro says.

PETER: “Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, . . . and earth and the works in it will be exposed.”​—2 Pet. 3:10.    I like the expression ‘will be exposed.’ It is exposed now as not having a clue on anything. Will be exposed as utterly powerless.

The chairman reads off next week’s assignments, and then: “oh—sorry. I think I have it one week off—give everyone heart failure.”

So many times in history have villains gone down by turning on each other.   “I will call for a sword against him on all my mountains,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Every man’s sword will be against his own brother” (Ezekiel 38:21). Can foreglimmerings not be seen today?

 

#Publictalk today is Do You have the Evangleizing Spirit?

The speaker today is a descendant of that great drywall family empire. I don’t think he is himself though. Let it never be said that the JW membership doesn’t include scads of builders—which does come in handy sometimes…1/2

I think it has always been that way. 2 timothy 2:15,   Do your it utmost as….a “workman” with nothing to be ashamed of. Christianity is at its core a ‘blue collar religion’ and branches out from there, never dishonoring its roots…2/2

“If storm approaching, the speaker says, how many times does news report it?” Are you kidding me? It’s the only thing TV news is good at—reporting weather. That and shootings on an endless repeat loop. #IfItBleedsItLeads

 

#WatchtowerStudy: “What Does Jehovah’s Loyal Love Mean to You?”   theme scripture: “[Jehovah’s] loyal love endures forever.”​—PS. 136:1

Ha! That toddler chooses to REALLY SQUAWK while his mom is giving a comment. In a panic, his dad reaches for the mute button but them remembers his wife is speaking!

Para 4: “That description [loyal love] is mentioned six more times in the Bible. (Num. 14:18; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2)”

What I notice is how often occasions arose that if he DIDN’T have loyal love he might have said, ‘Alright! I’m done! I’m outta here!’

Para 9: “Know that Jehovah will treat his loyal one in a special way; Jehovah will hear when I call to him.” Ps 4:3   Love the unworded music video for this one. I recall inviting a certain unknowing return visit to write a screenplay for it.

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/pub-jwbcov_201605_11_VIDEO

Para 10: “The refrain [of Ps 136] “for his loyal love endures forever” assures us that God’s love for his people is not fickle.”   Yes. A repeating refrain would do that, wouldn’t it? Repeated 26 times!…1/2

There must be hundreds of songs from my childhood I used to hear on the radio. Few of them can I recall word for word. Yet none of them have I forgotten the refrain…..2/2

Para 12 reminds me of an Isaac Bashevis Singer short story of a Jewish priest so merciful that he could not bring himself to kill the sacrificial animals. Town life ground to a halt. Finally someone told him he didn’t have to be more merciful than God.

Para 13: “As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions.” (Ps. 103:11, 12).  This is my son’s first Bible reading, deliverer eons ago. I can still see him working on the obvious gestures called for.

Para 17: “The prophet Jeremiah stated: “It is because of Jehovah’s loyal love that we have not come to our finish, for his mercies never end.” (Lam. 3:22)”

#Publictalk: Why Fear the True God?  Everything is vanity—“has no lasting value” is Solomon’s conclusion of ordinary life, Eccles 12:13-14,

“The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole obligation of man.  For the true God will judge every deed, including every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.” Eccles 12:13-14

“The words of the wise are like oxgoads….like…embedded nails…As for anything besides these,…be warned: To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.” Eccles 12:10….Surely this doesn’t mean MY books, which have many nails.

I well know that some are doing secret sin here on Zoom, sipping coffee. Would they do it at the Kingdom Hall? Well, maybe not SECRET sin, for they do it onscreen. It is only me who does it offscreen, like a whale sounding. One student was troubled by this. She may have a point…1/2

“Do you not have houses for eating and drinking?” says Paul. Yeah, and I’m in it. But I still begin to feel she has a point. Formal pants will be next….2/2

 

Do Not Give Up! is title of #watchtowerstudy

Theme verse: “Let us not give up in doing what is fine.”​—GAL. 6:9

Para 5: “Further, opposers may temporarily succeed in interfering with our efforts to carry out our ministry in the usual way.” (1 Cor. 16:9; 10)

Yeah. Especially if they are spiked opposers.

Para 6: the ‘work’ remembered, (Heb. 6:10) , ‘your labor’ not in vain (1 Cor 15:58), independent of results.

Para 11: God said: “You must go into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” (Gen. 6:18)

No instructions for building guest rooms.

There you go sir. You’re room is #143, just down the hall past the hippo quarters.”  Nope. Noah didn’t have to say it. #NoGuestRoomsOnTheArk

Huh. One sis relates how she was the teen sent to the door to get rid of the Witnesses & how she read the materials offered, they made sense to her, and she eventually become one

Para 14: Imagine that sis persevering in 1940s tough Quebec. “Over time, I was arrested 15 times. When we went out in field service, we made sure to carry our toothbrush and comb with us in case we had to spend the night in jail.”

Para 16: Yikes. The guys that dealt with the baggage:

“However, every bad and worthless man among those who had gone with David said: “Since they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we recovered…” (1 Samuel 30:22) Overruled, you #badandworthless men.

 

Not exactly a good start to this week’s #midweekmeeting’s Bible reading is it?

“Again the Israelites did what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes…”.  (Judges 13:1)

Frequent references to Samson this week due to our Bible reading. The dog, also named Samson, looks up quizzically from time to time. Our Samson is not the one who pushes apart the pillars. Our Samson pees on them.

The Philistines were the bad boys of the Hebrew Scriptures, says one bro,

 

These guys apparently do riddles like people today do Wheel of Fortune.…“Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.” (Judges 14:14)

Often looking into ancient culture reveals something that reads weird as all get out actually did happen back in the day.

Ha! Here is Jade thinking that meditation is ‘ooommmmmm.’ Not no more.

One local sis framed how some feel: ‘It’s not a cake until you mix the ingredients.’

Is the bro wearing a tie that suggests great rage is flaring up?

 

‘I’ve always wondered how these two came together—Abigail and Nabel,’ one bro says.

 

‘Who would want to make God angry?’ one sis says. ‘Not me.’

How to Conquer Evil with Good was the title of the #publictalk. Strange how not too long after I heard it I encountered someone who I wish had heard it as well, for he was about 2 embark on a (nonviolent) Rambo mission to avenge some wrongs that is likely to get him steamrollered

The speaker considers words translated as ‘evil’ and how they allow for God himself to do evil, in the sense of ‘bringing calamity’ upon ones deserving of it.

Rom 12:21 –  Do not let yourself be conquered by evil but keep conquering with good. Of course, this is the theme scripture of the talk.

“Never again will I curse the ground ‘call down evil upon’ inclination of teh heart of man is bad from his youth up.” (Gen 8:21) So much for the ‘man is natural good’ philosophy of moderns. It is enough that they have the capacity of good, being made in God’s image.

The speaker now veers into material on how to survive in a dangerous neighborhood. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1995601?q=Survive+in+a+dangerous+neighborhood&p=doc

“Don’t you pray to God to forgive your mistakes every day? I know I do,” says the speaker. Yeah. Who doesn’t regret some things they have done in the past?

The speaker quotes Proverb 28:20 on how “the one hastening to get rich will not remain innocent.” as he speaks of ‘sharklike’ business practices and pits we can dig for ourselves.

 

#WatchtowerStudy today is ‘Hold Fast to the Truth With Strong Conviction.’   Theme scripture is: “Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.”​—1 THESS. 5:21

Para 3: Since there are all those verses that all there is about God will never be known, Psalm 40:5, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Isaiah 55:9, Romans 11:33) it’s not a little silly to take a pass on him based upon, ‘We don’t know everything?’…1/3

Eccles 3:11. “He has even put eternity in their heart [yeah, we’ll need all that time and them some]; yet mankind will never find out the work that the true God has made from start to finish.”…2/3

Isaiah 55:9: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Is he meant to learn from us, or are we meant to learn from him?…3/3

The bro in the all-purpose room with the washing machine and slop sink behind him is the reader today.

Para 5: The sis who has come into her own with Zoom just commented on how can be make an image to God since what could one possibly compare to him?

Para 7: Unusual bit of sarcasm here of unnamed ‘superstar’ preachers. ‘Some individuals hang on to their every word. It is hard to imagine that these churchgoers could be more excited if Jesus himself were to appear to them!’ Maybe that guy with the jet who insists …1/2

the Lord says he needs yet one more is an example…..2/2

Para 10: a very strange situation commented upon: “Today many religious leaders have done everything in their power to conceal the fact that God has a personal name.” Why would that be?

Para 12: Acknowledgment that ‘God’s people today do not claim to have perfect or complete knowledge of the truth. At times, they have made mistakes in doctrinal matters and in organizational direction.’ Contrasted with church denominations making changes …1/2

that call to my mind Mark Smith’s [Secular Faith] remark that most Christians have more in common with atheists than that do with their own denominations of a century past. [he does not disapprove of this] …2/2

Para 15: Key is to produce worship structure that “mirrors the arrangement established by the apostles in the first century.” It took me a long time to realize that much of the religious world does not think this a virtue, but considers that religion should ‘evolve.’

Para 16: Love this verse & how it runs so contrary to how Jesus is often presented—as so mild and wimpy that it’s almost impossible to get him riled”

Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom….1/2

Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’ Matt 7:21-23…2/2

And to think that ages ago, at my wedding reception, my Dad said to my uncle, “come on, let’s for outside for a break. These people are so nice I can’t stand it.”

 

This #midweekmeeting point makes perfect sense to me from Judges 10:11. I mean, how long are you going to be a soft touch? “Jehovah said to the Israelites: “Did I not save you from Egypt and from the Amʹor·ites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, Amalek, and Midian…1/3

When you cried out to me, I saved you out of their hand. But you abandoned me and served other gods. That is why I will not save you again. Go to the gods whom you have chosen and call for help. Let them save you in your time of distress.” …2/3

Nonetheless, he does cave and does it one more time. Let no one say he won’t help a guy out….3/3

Save us! they say to Jephthah & he says ‘Buzz off!’ but then relents.(Judges 11:6).   What an odd parallel with Judges 10:11, where they ask the same of God and he responds the same way. Good thing we don’t do antitypes these days.

They would say to him, “Please say Shibʹbo·leth.” But he would say, “Sibʹbo·leth,” as he was unable to say the word correctly. Then they would seize him and slay him at the fords of the Jordan. (Jug 12:6) Hmm. I used to say to Tom Irregardless, ‘Please say regardless.’ …1/2

But he was unable to say the word correctly and would say irregardless. I never said he should be slain for that, though….2/2

There’s more than meets the eye with numbers in Judges. 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys, [with] 30 cities (10:4). 30 sons and 30 daughters…and he brought in 30 women to marry his sons (12:9) 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys (12:14)…1/2

I mean, who has stats like these. Symbolism at work, methinks. And what of these 6 things that God hates that miraculously becomes 7? (Prov 6:16)…2/2

Pure Worship para 18: There’s at least two dozen Bible verses that directly state real Christianity is hated by the world. The Gog scenario is like a red flag before the bull. No one has to get behind the bull and push.

Hm. Apparently a vote next week on changing the midweek mtg night. It matters not to me. I won’t make a choice. But back when I was working eves, it was a move that had huge repercussions & I was always a little nettled when some would choose just on a whim.