DAILY TEXT, Today's Sunday March 26, 2023, Hate what is bad (Rom. 12:9).

DAILY TEXT, From Sunday March 26, 2023,  Hate what is evil (Rom. 12:9).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Sunday March 26

Hate what is evil (Rom. 12:9).

What we think influences what we do. That is why Jesus taught that we should reject any thought that could lead us to commit serious sin (Matt. 5:21, 22, 28, 29). Don't we want to please our heavenly Father? In that case, it is very important that we immediately reject any bad thoughts. Jesus said, "The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart" (Matt. 15:18). That's how it is. Our words say a lot about who we are inside. Ask yourself: “Do I always tell the truth, even if it hurts me to do so? If I'm married, am I careful not to flirt with other people? Do I completely avoid immoral conversations? Do I respond calmly when someone annoys me?" Spend time thinking about these questions. If we strive to avoid insults, lies, and immoral talk, it will be easier for us to shed the old personality. w22.03 5 pars. 12-14.

What must we do to nail our old personality to the stake?

Act decisively. The apostle Paul used a very powerful image to help us understand that making the necessary changes is a very serious matter. He said that we must nail the old personality to the stake (Rom. 6:6). Jesus was willing to be nailed to the tree because he wanted to please Jehovah. Similarly, if we want to please God, we must be willing to break with attitudes and customs that he hates. Only if we do this will we have a clean conscience and the hope of living forever (John 17:3; 1 Pet. 3:21). Let us remember that Jehovah will not change his rules to please us. Rather, it is we who must change to conform to his standards (Is. 1:16-18; 55:9).

Why should you be determined to keep fighting with your weaknesses?

Keep fighting with your weaknesses. Even after you are baptized, you will still have to fight evil desires. Think about the experience of Maurício, who from a young age led a homosexual life. In time, he met Jehovah's Witnesses and began to study the Bible. He made changes in his life and was baptized in 2002. Although he has been serving Jehovah for many years, he says: “I admit that I have had to fight evil desires more than once.” But he does not let this discourage him, for he adds: “It comforts me to know that if I do not carry them out, Jehovah is pleased with me.”d

What encourages you about Nabiha's experience?

Ask Jehovah for help and lean on the holy spirit, not on your own strength (Gal. 5:22; Philip. 4:6). In order to take off the old personality and not put it back on, you have to try very hard. Take the case of a woman named Nabiha. Her father abandoned her when she was only six years old. She says: "That was a hard blow that caused me great emotional pain." As she got older, she became more irritable and aggressive. She got involved in drug trafficking, was arrested and spent several years in jail. Some Witnesses visiting the prison began giving him Bible classes. Then she started making big changes. She confesses: “Some vices I easily overcame. […] Breaking up with tobacco, however, was very different”. For over a year she struggled to quit, and in the end she did. As? She says: “It was thanks to constant prayers to Jehovah that I finally got it.” And she concludes by saying: “I am sure that if I could change in order to please Jehovah, anyone can” .e

According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, what have many of God's servants been able to do?

In the first century, some of the men and women whom Jehovah chose to rule with Christ had done bad things in the past. For example, they had been adulterers, homosexuals, and thieves. But with the help of the holy spirit they managed to change their personality (read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Today, the Bible has also helped millions of people to change.f They have left behind deep-rooted customs. His example shows that you too can change your personality and give up bad habits in order to qualify for baptism.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2023 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.