DAILY TEXT, From today Saturday August 5, 2023,  Maintain an exemplary conduct among the nations (1 Pet. 2:12).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Saturday August 5

Maintain exemplary conduct among the nations so that when they accuse you of wrongdoing, they will be eyewitnesses of your good deeds and, as a result, give glory to God (1 Pet. 2:12).

Jesus kept a positive attitude and kept preaching even though some people didn't want to listen to him. Why did he do it? He knew that people needed to know the truth and he wanted to help as many people as possible. He also knew that some people who initially did not want to hear the Kingdom message would eventually accept it. That was the case with his own family. During the three and a half years that Jesus was preaching, none of his brothers became his disciples (John 7:5). But, after his resurrection, they became Christians (Acts 1:14). We don't know who will end up accepting the biblical truths we teach. Some people take longer to respond positively. Even those who do not want to listen to us notice our good behavior and our positive attitude, and may in time "give glory to God." w21.05 18 pars. 17, 18.

LET'S CONTINUE TO BE POSITIVE IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO US

Why don't some people want to hear our message?

Some people don't want to hear our message. They think they don't need to learn about God or the Bible. They may not believe in God because of all the suffering in the world, and they may reject the Bible because they see that religious leaders do not practice what they preach. Others are so focused on their work, their family, or their problems that they don't realize that the Bible can help them. How can we stay positive when so many people don't see the importance of our message?

How can we apply Philippians 2:4 in the ministry?

Let's show interest in people. Many people who at first did not want to hear our message accepted it later because they saw that the witness showed sincere interest in them (see Philippians 2:4). For example, David, mentioned earlier, says, "If someone says they don't care about him, we put away the Bible or literature and try to find out why he thinks so." People notice when someone cares about them. They may forget what we said, but I'm sure they'll remember how we made them feel. Even if the person does not allow us to talk, we can show with our attitude and our gestures that we are interested in them.

How can we make our message more practical for people?

One way to show that we care about people is by tailoring our message to make it more practical and engaging for them. For example, do we see anything that indicates that the person has children? Parents may be interested in the Bible's advice for raising children or for a happier family. What if we see that there are several locks on a door? We can talk to the person about crime and insecurity in the world, and explain that these problems will disappear forever. In any case, whenever someone listens to us, let's try to make them understand how the Bible can help them. Katarína, mentioned in paragraph 10, says: “I think about how the truth has helped me”. That way, you speak with conviction, and people notice.

According to what Proverbs 27:17 says, how does it benefit us to preach together?

Let's take advantage of the help of others. In the first century, Paul taught Timothy his preaching and teaching methods, and encouraged him to use those methods to help others (1 Cor. 4:17). Like Timothy, we can learn a lot from the experience of the brothers in the congregation. (Read Proverbs 27:17.) Let's look at the example of a brother named Shawn, who for a time pioneered in a rural area where most people were happy with his religion. What helped you not to get discouraged? He recounts: “Whenever possible, he went to preach accompanied. We took advantage of the time it took us to travel from one house to another to talk about how we could improve our way of teaching. For example, we would review the conversation we had with a person,

Why is it so important that we pray when we go to preach?

Let us ask Jehovah for help. Every time we go to preach, let's say a prayer for Jehovah to guide us. Without the help of the powerful holy spirit from him, we could not do anything (Ps. 127: 1; Luke 11:13). When we ask Jehovah for help, be specific. For example, let's ask him to help us find anyone who has the right attitude and wants to listen. Then let's do our part and preach to as many people as we can.

Why is personal study so necessary for success in the ministry?

Let's take time for personal study. The Word of God says: "Check for yourselves what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2). The more convinced we are of the truth about God, the more confidently we speak of it in the ministry. Katarína says: “A while ago, I realized that I needed to strengthen my faith in some basic teachings of the Bible. So I really studied the evidence that confirms that there is a Creator, that the Bible is the Word of God, and that God has an organization that represents him today.” Katarína says that her personal study helped her strengthen her faith and enjoy preaching more.

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