DAILY TEXT, From today Monday February 20, 2023, God is bigger than our hearts and knows everything (1 John 3:20).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Monday February 20

God is bigger than our hearts and knows everything (1 John 3:20).

Sometimes our imperfect hearts can deceive us into feeling worthless or unworthy of being loved (1 John 3:19). For this reason, we may come to think that the sacrifice of Jesus cannot cover our sins. When we feel like this, let's remember that "God is bigger than our hearts." Although we feel that our heavenly Father does not love us or forgive us, the reality is that he does love us and does forgive us. We have to convince our heart to accept it. To achieve this, we need to study his Word every day, pray frequently, and spend time with the brothers on a regular basis. Why are these three things so important? Because in this way we will know more and more the beautiful personality of Jehovah and we will realize how much he loves us. Meditating on the Bible each day will help us think more clearly and “set things straight” in our minds and hearts (2 Tim. 3:16). w21.04 23, 24 pars. 12, 13.

WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL

What problems did Paul have?

Do we carry so many responsibilities that sometimes we feel that we cannot handle them all? The apostle Paul felt the same way. He said he was concerned not for one congregation, but "for all congregations" (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Do we suffer from a chronic disease that often robs us of joy? Paul was very frustrated because he could not get rid of a certain "thorn in the flesh", perhaps some health problem (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Do we feel discouraged by our imperfections? Paul sometimes too. He said that he was very unhappy because he had to fight all the time to do what is right (Rom. 7:21-24).

What helped Paul to continue serving Jehovah despite the problems?

Despite so many trials and difficulties, Paul continued to serve Jehovah. Where did he get the strength? Although he was very aware of his shortcomings, he had an unwavering faith in the rescue. In addition, he was well aware of Jesus' promise that everyone who shows faith in him will have eternal life (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23). There was no doubt that Paul had faith in the ransom. He was convinced that Jehovah is willing to forgive even those who have committed serious sin if they are repentant (Ps. 86:5).

What do Paul's words recorded in Galatians 2:20 teach us?

Paul had faith that God loved him very much because he knew that God had sent Jesus to die for him. Notice the comforting words at the end of Galatians 2:20 (read it). Paul said: “The Son of God . . . loved me and gave himself up for me.” Paul did not think that God's love for him had a limit, as if to say: "I understand why Jehovah loves my brothers, but it is impossible for him to love me." In fact, he reminded the Romans: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). God's love has no limits.

What does Romans 8:38, 39 teach us?

(Read Romans 8:38, 39.) Paul was totally convinced of the power of God's love. He wrote that nothing "can separate us from the love of God." He knew that Jehovah had been very patient with the nation of Israel. And he also knew that he had shown mercy to him. In short, Paul was saying, "If the Lord sent his Son to die for me, I have no reason to doubt that he loves me" (Rom. 8:32).

Even though Paul had committed sins, such as those mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:12-15, why was he sure that God loved him?

(Read 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Surely sometimes Pablo felt very guilty about his past. He said he was "the worst" of sinners, and rightly so. Before learning the truth, he cruelly persecuted Christians in many cities, putting some in jail and supporting the execution of others (Acts 26:10, 11). Let's imagine that in the past you supported the execution of a Christian couple and now you knew your son. How would it have felt? Pablo regretted his mistakes, but he knew he couldn't change the past. Convinced that Christ had died for him, he confidently wrote: “By the undeserved kindness of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:3, 10). What do we learn? That we have to convince ourselves that Christ died for each one of us and thus made it possible for us to have a personal friendship with Jehovah (Acts 3:19). What counts with God is what we do now and in the future, not the mistakes we made in the past, regardless of whether we were Jehovah's Witnesses at the time or not (Is. 1:18).

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