1. What relationship can faithful human beings have with Jehovah?
We can come to have a close relationship with Jehovah, such as: Father and children. In fact, Jesus referred to Jehovah as “my father and your father,” indicating that if we dedicate ourselves to him and are baptized, we become part of “his loving family” along with our brothers and sisters.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
As the theme of this article says, it is our Father to whom we dedicate our lives in baptism. If we get close to him and get to know him, we see that this is so, and furthermore, we have the privilege of belonging to his loving spiritual family of brothers and sisters.
They can have a very close relationship with him, just like a father with his son, that is why Jesus in John 20:17 told his disciples that he was also their father. And although we may lose many family and friends in our attempt to draw closer to God, but Mark 10:29, 30 says that undoubtedly by becoming Jehovah's servants we will gain a huge and beautiful spiritual family.
2. What will we discuss in this article?
We will see how Jesus helps us to see Jehovah as a Father who loves us and whom we can draw close to. We will also see in what ways we can imitate Jehovah in treating our brothers.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We are going to be seeing how Jesus helps us so that we see Jehovah as a Father who loves us and that although we do not know him, we cannot draw near to him. Knowing him and thus imitating Jehovah's dealings with our brothers.
JEHOVAH WANTS US TO CLOSE TO HIM
3. Why does the Lord's Prayer bring us closer to Jehovah?
Jesus in teaching us the Lord's Prayer could have said that we could address Jehovah with any of the different sublime titles that he has such as: "Almighty," "Creator," but he chose to use an affectionate term "Father." Because, he wants us to approach the "Greatest Being in the Universe" with the same attitude with which a son approaches his dear father, with deep respect but at the same time, with total confidence.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he could have told them to address Jehovah as "The Almighty," "Creator," or "King of eternity," titles that we find in the Bible and are quite appropriate for addressing Jehovah but in Matthew 6: 9 we see that Jesus used a more affectionate term referring to Jehovah as "Our Father."
It brings us closer, because, for example, the mere fact of addressing him with the words "Our Father" gives us the idea that we can speak to him whenever we want and with great confidence just like a father, in addition Jesus could well teach that we should address ourselves to He is like the Almighty or the Creator, but he wanted us to see him in the most affectionate way.
4. Why do we know that Jehovah wants us to draw close to him?
We know this because he himself makes us that invitation, in his word the Bible says: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." This shows us that Jehovah longs for us to "draw near to him," because he loves us and tells us that he is the best father we can have.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If we have had a complicated childhood, it may be difficult for us to see Jehovah as a loving father and he understands our feelings that is why he wants us to feel close to him and in his word the Bible, in James 4: 8 invites us to draw closer to God and so he will draw near to us.
Because he has recorded it in his word, for example, James 4: 8 says that Jehovah wants us to draw near to him, and therefore he will draw near to us, thus also showing how much he loves us.
5. According to Luke 10:22, why can Jesus help us draw closer to Jehovah?
Because there is no one who knows Jehovah better than Jesus himself. So as this text says, Jesus, as an older brother, can “reveal to us what our Father Jehovah is like” and teach us to respect him, obey him and earn his approval. But above all, it can teach us that Jehovah is very good and loving.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In the text that we have just read, Jesus said that no one knows who the Father is except the Son, which means that he knows him very well and reflects his wonderful qualities perfectly, that is why he teaches us to respect and obey our father and please him and earn his approval.
Because he knows him very well and reflects the personality of God perfectly, so there is no one else indicated to help us, because Jesus can help us to respect, obey and please our heavenly father.
6. Why can we say that Jehovah paid attention to Jesus?
Because, for example, the Bible says in Luke 6: 12,13 that “Jesus spent the entire night praying to his Father, probably asking for his guidance and blessing, before making the important decision to choose his 12 apostles. We know that Jehovah "paid attention" to him because, the next day, Jesus chooses these men.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Also in times of trouble, Jehovah listened to Jesus, because in Luke 22: 41-44 it says that “when he begged him for help, just before Judas betrayed him and the other trials came, Jehovah, like a good father, listened to him and He sent an angel to strengthen him.
Because he heard the many prayers that Jesus made when he was on earth. For example, in Luke 6: 12,13 we see that Jesus prayed to Jehovah before choosing his 12 apostles to ask for their help and guidance.
Because the many times that Jesus prayed to him while he was on earth, he listened to him and what is more he offered his help, he also listened to him when Jesus was going through great moments of anguish, also the bible says he sent him an angel to strengthen him before he was betrayed by Judas.
ILLUSTRATION:
Because he is a loving Father, Jehovah strengthened his Son through an angel. (See paragraph 6.) *
7. How do you feel knowing that Jehovah hears your prayers?
I am happy, grateful that Jehovah hears my prayers and answers them. Perhaps on some occasions he does not respond immediately, but he always does, either through: a few words from a brother, an article in our magazine or Jw program, a Bible conference or the Bible itself. The important thing is that I am convinced and happy that Jehovah hears my prayers and answers them in a timely manner.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Today Jehovah also listens to us when we pray to him and answers us at the appropriate moment and this makes us see that he is aware of us as he was of his son Jesus and does not leave us alone at any time and knowing this helps us to strengthen our faith in Jehovah.
The same thing has happened to many of us as to the sister of the experience mentioned in the paragraph, because when we have needed it most and we have begged Jehovah for help, he has always responded to us either through the help of a brother, a speech or a Broadcasting program, and without a doubt this fills us with immense happiness knowing that we have a loving father ready to help us.
8. In what ways did Jehovah show his love for Jesus?
Jehovah demonstrated love for Jesus in words and actions. For example, when Jesus was baptized, Jehovah expressed his love and approval by saying, "He was his beloved son and he had his approval." Also in John 8:16 Jesus himself said: that "he never felt alone, because his Loving Father, who sent him, was always with him," so that Jesus, in fulfilling his ministry, felt the support and love of his Father, Jehovah
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
For Jehovah took care of all their needs, both spiritual and emotional and physical. In Matthew 3: 16,17 we see that when Jesus was baptized, Jehovah hesitated to express his approval and was always with him, which made Jesus never feel alone since he had the support of his father at all times.
In many ways, for example, he attended to all his needs, and always showed his love and approval, a sample of this was when Jesus was baptized and he from heaven said: "This is my son the beloved whom I have approved", so Jesus could always say that his father was with him.
9. What evidence do we have that Jehovah loves us?
A proof of the love that Jehovah has for us is: that he has drawn us towards the truth and allows us to be part of a great spiritual family full of love and unity. In addition, it gives us constant and abundant nourishing spiritual food. Another proof of his love is that every day, he covers the physical needs that we need.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The most obvious proof of this is that Jehovah attracted us to him and gifted us with a spiritual family that supports us at all times and makes us happy and constantly gives us spiritual food to strengthen our faith.
He also shows us every day by giving us what we need to live since as he says in Matthew 6:32 he knows we need these things and daily gives us what is necessary to meet these physical needs.
Many tests, such as the fact that he has attracted us to his town where we have a wonderful, very loving and united spiritual family where we are very happy, also gives us all the spiritual food we need and also helps us meet our physical needs.
LET US TREAT OUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY AS JEHOVAH DOES
10. How can we imitate Jehovah's love for our brothers?
In 1 John 4:19, John advises us to imitate Jehovah God in love, he said, "We love, because he first loved us." So if any of us find it difficult to feel, show or express our love for our brothers and sisters, we should strive to imitate Jehovah who loves all people regardless of their culture or past background, thus helping to achieve love in our spiritual family.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
It may not always be easy for us to feel love for our siblings and express it to them perhaps because we have different cultures or ways of thinking. Although we all make mistakes that can disappoint others, we can contribute to peace among our brothers by imitating Jehovah's example and loving our brothers.
Jehovah loves all his servants, that is why we must do the same, even if sometimes we are complicated by the fact that we are imperfect and we make mistakes, or by our way of raising, but still we strive to love our brothers and thus contribute to unity.
11. How did Jesus reflect Jehovah's “tender compassion”?
Jesus reflected the same compassion of his Father, he looked for a way to help and give comfort to people who were suffering. For example, Matthew 11: 28-30 says that he "invited all who are exhausted from hard work to accept his yoke which is easy to carry and would bring relief." In addition, he did not limit himself to giving comfort only by words, but went further, because "his tender compassion" moved him to heal those who were physically ill.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
A compassionate person worries when he sees others suffering and looks for ways to comfort and help them. Jesus was like that and we can see this in Matthew 9:36 where he says that, "When he saw the crowds, he was deeply moved, because they were mistreated and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd."
In many ways, for example, he was very moved when he saw people suffer for not having good spiritual guides and he did not limit himself to that, but did something for them because he healed the sick and gave relief to the that they needed it.
12. In what practical ways can we show compassion?
For example, perhaps a sister has a serious health problem and it is difficult for her to attend to the physical needs of her family, in this case a practical way to show compassion is to help her prepare a meal or clean the house. Or it may be the case that a sibling has lost his job, it would be compassionate and loving if we gave him some financial help, perhaps anonymously, to help him until he finds a job.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If we want to show compassion and concern for our brothers, we must think about the problems they are going through. For example, a sister may have a serious health problem and perhaps we could take care of the physical needs of her family by helping her clean the house or making food for her. We may know of a brother who has lost his job and we could give him financial aid to help him until he finds a job or make a purchase for him so that he has the basics.
For example, if a sister is going through a health problem and even if she does not seek help, we can provide it, perhaps helping her to prepare meals or clean the house, or if a brother is unemployed, we can give him some small financial help anonymously.
13, 14. How can we follow Jehovah's example of generosity?
Jehovah takes the initiative to be generous, in Matthew 5:45 it says that "He makes his sun rise on the wicked and the good and makes it rain on the just and the unjust" without our having to ask him, so if we want to imitate him we should not expect our brothers ask us for help, but take the initiative and give it to them when we see that they need it. This pandemic has been an opportunity to show compassion and generosity among us, many of us have taken the initiative to share food or basic necessities. When we are ready to help we demonstrate "the true love that exists in our spiritual family."
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We demonstrate this by not waiting for our brothers to ask us for help but by taking the initiative just as Jehovah gives us what we need every day without our asking, for example, every day he makes the sun rise without our asking for it. that we can benefit from the heat it gives off.
We can follow their example if we take the initiative when it comes to being generous, for example we are given the experience of when a natural disaster occurred in the Philippines in 2013, many brothers lost their homes and all their property, but many brothers came to their aid. and in less than a year they rebuilt 750 houses, and recently with the pandemic we have seen how many brothers have made an effort to help those who need it most in the congregation.
ILLUSTRATION:
Series of images: 1. Brothers prepare boxes of food in a pantry. 2. A brother gives one of the boxes to a family.
Let us copy Jehovah's example and be compassionate and generous to our brothers. (See paragraphs 12-14). *
15, 16. In harmony with Luke 6:36, what should we do if we want to imitate our heavenly Father?
As this text says, we must be "merciful" and forgive as Jehovah does. It is true, that it is not easy to forgive, but as one sister says, “forgiving someone does not mean approving of their bad behavior or downplaying the damage it causes, rather, it means banishing resentment for the bad actions of that person and not to lose peace ». So if we generously forgive our brothers, we imitate Jehovah and the love in our spiritual family is strengthened.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We should be merciful and forgive our brothers as Jehovah does to us. In Psalm 103: 10-14 we see that Jehovah has not treated us according to our sins or given us what we deserve for our mistakes but has put them as far as the east is from the west and that is what we must to do with our brothers.
If we want to imitate Jehovah, we must forgive generously, although it will not be easy but we have to make an effort, for example a sister comments that an article from the watchtower helped her a lot, where it was explained that being willing to forgive does not mean agree with the wrongdoing of the person but rather eliminate resentment for the wrongdoing he has committed.
WE VALUE OUR PLACE IN THIS FAMILY
ILLUSTRATION:
Series of images: 1. A mother helps her little daughter to draw a picture that encourages a brother who is in prison. 2. The brother in prison smiles when he sees the drawing and the letter that they have sent him.
Young and old have shown interest and affection to their siblings. (See paragraph 17) *
17. As Matthew 5:16 shows, how can we honor our heavenly Father?
We can do it "by shining our light and doing good works in the sight of the people", so our behavior should be appropriate, that way people will be attracted to the message of good news and above all "we will give glory and honor Jehovah".
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We want as many people as possible to worship Jehovah, so we do not want to do anything to tarnish Jehovah's name and we always try to behave in a way that attracts people to the good news message that we carry.
As this text says we can honor our God if we shine our light in the sight of others, that is, we must behave in a way in which people are drawn to the truth.
18. What will help us to preach with courage?
What will help us to be present in what Jesus said in Matthew 10: 19,20, there he said: that we should not worry about thinking about what we were going to say or how we were going to say it. He explained: "When the time comes, the spirit of our father Jehovah would speak for us." So when we preach we are not alone, we have the help of Jehovah, Jesus and the holy spirit.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Remembering that Jehovah and Jesus will help us. Jesus told his disciples not to be anxious about what they were going to say or how to say it and in Matthew 10: 19,29 he explained that it would be Jehovah's spirit who would speak for them and that when the time came he would tell them what what they should say.
Remembering that we have the help of Jehovah and Jesus, because Jesus promised that through the holy spirit he would give us the precise words to reach the hearts of the people.
19. How did a student of the Bible courageously witness?
He did so when he had to appear in front of a military court in South Africa. There he explained that out of love for his brothers he would not serve in the army. But suddenly, one of the judges asked him: "Who were your brothers?" He did not expect that question, but immediately remembered the text of that day. It was Matthew 12:50 which says: "Everyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother." So Jehovah's spirit helped him answer these and other unexpected questions. His example shows us that we can preach courageously in difficult situations.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
When he was just beginning to study the Bible and had very little knowledge, Robert had to appear before a military court in South Africa. He explained that he did not serve in the army out of love for his brothers. When a judge asked him who his brothers were, he remembered the text of Matthew 12:50 and quoted it to him. Although he had been studying the Bible for a short time, Jehovah's spirit helped him answer these and other questions that were asked and thus bear witness to Jehovah's word.
We have the case of this brother who when he was just studying the Bible, he had to appear in court because he did not want to do military service, he told the judges that he was doing it for masters of his brothers.
20. What should we keep doing? (John 17:11, 15).
We must continue to value the honor we have to belong to a loving spiritual family: we have the best father and many brothers and sisters who love us. Jesus knows how important the unity of our spiritual family is, so in John 17: 11,15 he asked Jehovah to take care of us from Satan and his evil followers who want to make us doubt our Father's love and try to break our unity. Let's not allow it, rather, let's keep getting closer and closer to our spiritual family.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We must continue to value the honor we have to be part of this wonderful family. Satan wants us to doubt Jehovah's love for us and he tries to break our unity so we must imitate Jesus and never doubt Jehovah's love and never doubt Jehovah's love and keep getting closer and closer to him and our spiritual family.
We must continue to value the honor of belonging to a beautiful spiritual family, we also have the love and protection of the almighty of the universe, so let's keep striving to keep our great family together.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What shows you that Jehovah is a loving Father?
Jehovah shows us that he is a loving Father because he drew us to him and gifted us with a spiritual family full of love and unity. It also gives us constant and abundant nourishing spiritual food. And it helps us meet the physical needs of each day. Also listen and answer our prayers at the right time and in the best possible way.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Knowing that he wants us to approach him and that he hears each of our prayers and responds to us at the right time. He also shows us this by giving us what is necessary every day and the spiritual food that he constantly gives us.
For example, the fact that he invites us to approach him even though we are imperfect and he is the most powerful being in the universe, he also listens to us just as he listened to his son when he was here on earth.
In what ways can we express love to our siblings?
1) Being compassionate towards them and thinking about the problems they are going through to help them in practical ways. Like, for example, helping them prepare a meal, make an example, help them prepare a meal, run an errand or give them some financial help if they are unemployed. 2) We can also be generous and take the initiative to help and not wait for them to ask us for it. 3) In addition, we can be merciful and strive to forgive, when we do we promote peace and unity and invite our father Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
By showing compassion and concern for them and being generous to them just as Jehovah is generous to us.
For example, if a sister is experiencing a health problem and even if she does not seek help, we can provide it, perhaps helping her to prepare meals or clean the house.
How do we show that we value belonging to our spiritual family?
We value our spiritual family when we demonstrate through our words and actions that we serve Jehovah and do not allow Satan and his wicked followers to cast doubt on the love of our heavenly father or our brothers and sisters. Rather, we are thankful each day for being part of "a united and loving spiritual family."
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
By wanting as many people as possible to join this wonderful family and worship Jehovah and also by trying not to do anything that would taint Jehovah's name.
Never doubting the support and love that Jehovah gives us, also behaving in a way worthy of his servants, which in turn will attract more people to the truth and preach with courage.
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