The Watchtower Study, "Article 22", Week of July 31 to August 6, 2023, Keep Alive "Jah's Flame", Answers.

The Watchtower Study, «Article 22», 31-July-6-August-2023, Keep alive “the flame of Jah”, Answers.

"His [love's] flames are a burning fire, the flame of Jah" (SONG 8:6).

1. How does the Bible describe true love?

In marriage, both must do their part so that the flame of love lasts for a lifetime. Both the husband and the wife have to feed that love as if it were the fire of a campfire. In this way, when economic difficulties, health problems and the challenges of raising children arise, the flame of love will not go out for them.

2. What does a married couple have to do so that their love does not fade?

And for those who are married to someone who does not serve Jehovah, one way to feed the flame is by following the biblical advice of 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 and 1 Peter 3:12. This implies not abandoning the spouse, showing deep respect and having good behavior in order to win her partner.

CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH JEHOVAH

3. Why is it necessary for married couples to be friends of Jehovah to keep love alive? (Ecclesiastes 4:12; see also image.)

It is necessary because if in marriage the two of you value your friendship with Jehovah, you will be willing to follow his advice willingly and thus avoid and overcome any problems that could cool your love. Furthermore, Jehovah's friends strive to imitate his qualities. So, in marriage, people who imitate Jehovah are kind, patient, and forgiving. So manifesting these qualities helps them keep love alive.

ILLUSTRATION

In the Illustration we see the example of Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus. Both were friends of Jehovah and that is why they had a marriage How Ecclesiastes 4:12 is described And where Jehovah was the third string and the strongest. From there, they could with all the challenges that were presented to them, in which the Jah flame went out. Sister Lina mentioned in the paragraph has the same case. She says that it is very easy to love and respect a spiritual person and that is why she has been married for 25 years.

In the Illustration we see a married couple studying the Bible. They have understood the importance of applying Ecclesiastes 4:12. They know that he who walks alone can be defeated but two who walk together can face the aggressor. But when the couple brings Jehovah into their marriage and places him first, it becomes extremely strong. Hence, the importance of marriages being friends of Jehovah and making him the third string of his marriage.

A married couple hold hands as they pray together. In a circle, Joseph and Mary are seen holding hands as they pray. Like Joseph and Mary, those who are married need to be good friends with Jehovah. (See paragraph 3).

4. Why did Jehovah choose Joseph and Mary to be the parents of the Messiah?

He chose them because they were both close friends of his. And because he also knew that he would always be put first in his marriage.

5. How can husbands follow the example of Joseph?

Husbands follow the example of Joseph if they allow themselves to be guided by Jehovah. On at least three occasions, Joseph received instructions from Jehovah about his marriage, he followed them although it was not always easy for him. Thanks to that, he was able to take good care of Maria and this made her love and respect him even more. Today, husbands who follow the biblical advice on marriage and take care of their family following Jehovah's guidance, imitate the example of Joseph.

A sister from Vanuatu, who has been married for more than 20 years, says that when her husband seeks Jehovah's guidance and follows it, she no longer respects it, and it also helps her feel safe and trust in the decisions he makes.

In the “Help for Families” section, available on jw.org and the jw library, husbands can find many practical tips based on the Bible that will be very useful in this regard.

6. What can wives learn from Mary's example?

They can learn what it is to really be a good wife and a spiritual woman. Mary was a friend of Jehovah but her friendship with God did not defend her husband. She studied the scriptures by herself and also took time to meditate.

Someone who learned from Maria's example was Sister Emiko mentioned in the paragraph. She says that when she was single she had a good spiritual routine, but when she got married she began to depend on what her husband did. Fortunately, she realized that taking care of her spirituality was her responsibility and having a friendship with Jehovah was a personal matter. So she decided to take time to be alone with Jehovah, pray to him, read the Bible and meditate.

The changes Sister Emiko made have been rewarded by Jehovah and have brought great benefits to her marriage. Her husband now has more reasons to love her, respect her and congratulate her for being a very spiritual wife.

7. What can couples learn from the example of Joseph and Mary?

Husband and wife can learn that in marriage they must work together, as a team, in order to keep the marriage strong, the relationship with Jehovah strong, and to be a good example for the children. Because when my husband and wife worship Jehovah together and put that worship first in their marriage, they get to feel closer to each other and also get closer to Jehovah.

Another thing that couples can learn from José and María is to give importance to spiritual things both within the marriage and on a personal level. Hence, to imitate his example, both husband and wife should make an effort to attend meetings, do family worship, find moments to study the Bible and meditate.

8. What can a troubled marriage do to benefit from family worship?

Even with problems, married couples should worship as a family, although it may be the last thing they want to do. One way is to start by discussing something short and sweet that you both agree with. This effort will pay off, as it may be the first step in strengthening your marriage and encouraging you to do more spiritual activities together.

SPEND TIME TOGETHER

9. Why should a husband and wife spend time together?

Husband and wife need to spend time together to keep their love alive and to allow each other to be aware of what the other is thinking and feeling. We have an example of this in Lilia and Ruslan, they discovered shortly after getting married that they were not going to be able to spend as much time together as they had thought due to work, housework and children. So they understood that they had to make an effort to find time to be together or they would end up drifting apart.

10. How can those who are married apply what Ephesians 5:15, 16 says?

They can apply it by making an effort to spend time together even if they have to plan for it. We have an example of this in brother Uzondu, who when planning his schedule includes the time he is going to spend with his wife and respects it sacredly.

We have another example in Sister Anastasia. Who is the wife of a Moldovan superintendent. She explains that to take advantage of the time, she takes care of her things while her husband attends to her responsibilities. This way, when you're both done, you can spend time together.

11. What activities did Aquila and Priscilla do together?

This first-century couple not only worked together, but also preached and helped others together.

12. What can married people do to spend more time together? (See also image).

One thing you can do is think about all the activities you each have to do, and see which ones you can do together. For example, Aquila and Priscilla neither preached nor worked together. But since the spouses do not always have the same job, something they could do together is housework. In the Illustration we see a married couple working as a team in their garden. They are seen talking very smiling and happy to spend that time together.

The paragraph shows the example of Robert and Linda. They have been married for more than 50 years. So they have undoubtedly imitated the example of Aquila and Priscilla well. This couple has made an effort to spend time together. He says that although they don't have much free time, they share time doing household chores. Things as simple as washing and drying the dishes together have brought them together and made their love continue to grow.

ILLUSTRATION

A husband and wife enjoy gardening together. In a circle, Aquila and Priscilla are seen happily sewing the fabric of a tent together. What can a husband and wife do together? (See paragraphs 11 and 12).

13. What do a husband and wife have to do if they really want to be together?

How Being Together Doesn't Necessarily Mean Being Together Husband and wife have to spend time together and give each other attention to really be together. In the paragraph we see the example of Bruno and Tays. This couple understands that to be truly united, they must not only spend time together, but also pay attention to each other and enjoy each other's company. So when they spend time together they put their phones away.

14. What can married couples do when they don't like spending time together?

In some marriages it may happen that they don't like spending time together, because they like different things or because they get mad. But they still have to try and try hard. We have the example of the campfire that starts as a small flame that grows bigger as the fire is fed with Pieces of a child. In marriage, the husband and wife may encounter problems. In this way, they will be starting with small things that can rekindle the flame of their love more and more.

TREAT YOURSELF WITH RESPECT

15. Why is respect vital in marriage?

It is vital because in marriage respect works like the oxygen that keeps the fire alive, which in turn produces the flame of love. without oxygen the bonfire goes out and without respect love will end without oxygen the bonfire goes out and without respect love will end up cooling in a short time. But in a marriage where love is respected, the flame of love is kept alive. And in this sense, the important thing is not to believe that we are being respectful, but that the other person feels respected.

We have an example of this in Penny and Aret, who have been married for 25 years. She says that they both respect each other and freely express what they think and feel, because they know that each one values ​​the opinion of the other, with which they have achieved that love can be breathed in their home.

16. What can husbands learn from Abraham's example? (1 Peter 3:7; see also image.)

Husbands can learn from Abraham to treat their wives with respect. To take their feelings into account, and not get easily angry with them, understanding that although they have the authority to make family decisions, they must also take their wife's opinion into account, even more so if that decision affects her in any way. The husband can also learn that when her wife feels stressed and needs to vent, he should treat her with respect and consideration by listening carefully.

We have an example of this in the brothers of the Enlightenment. Angela and Dimitri, who have been married for almost 30 years. She says that in order for her to feel respected, her husband listens to her when she has had a bad day or when she just feels the need to talk. He also shows her patience, even when she is upset or very sensitive.

According to 1 Peter 3:7, the husband must recognize that the wife is the weaker vessel, so he will respect her and take into consideration her physical and emotional nature even if she is not a believer. On the other hand, the husband must also remember that her husband occupies the same position as he as a joint heir with Christ, so she must be treated honorably. Because if she doesn't do it, it could happen that Jehovah stops listening to her prayers.

ILLUSTRATION

A husband listens carefully as his wife tells him what she is feeling. In a circle Abraham is seen listening intently as Sarah tells him what he feels. The Christian husband treats his wife with respect and consideration by listening attentively. (See paragraph 16).

17. What can wives learn from Sarah's example? (1 Peter 3:5, 6).

Wives can learn from Sara's example by respecting their husbands and supporting them in their decisions, as this strengthens the marriage. On one occasion, Abraham was hospitable to some men who came unannounced, so he asked Sarah to prepare lots of loaves. And even though she was busy, she acted immediately to support Abraham's decision. Undoubtedly, an example to imitate by Christian wives.

We have an example of this in Dimitri, already mentioned in a previous paragraph. He says that his wife, to make him feel respected, supports him in his decisions. even when he disagrees with them. This makes it easy for him to like her.

According to One Peter 3:5,6, wives can learn from Sarah's example to have a deep respect for their husbands and to submit to them as the head of the family that they are. In this sense, Sarah was a notable example, for she called her husband her lord, even within her being. This adorned and embellished her before Jehovah, but also before her husband Abraham, and makes her an example to imitate for all Christian wives.

18. What will be the result if you strive to keep love alive?

How Satan wants the flame of love to go out, in Christian marriages so that the couple ends up moving away from Jehovah, the result of both husband and wife making an effort to keep love alive, will result in honor for Jehovah, since they will be showing them that they have put it first in their marriages. And as a reward, the couple's love will be like a well-cared campfire that will burn strong forever.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why is it necessary to be a friend of Jehovah to have a happy marriage?

If both of you value your friendship with Jehovah, you will be willing to follow his advice willingly. This way they will avoid and overcome any problem that could cool their love. Also, those who are friends of Jehovah strive to be like him and imitate his qualities. For example, they are kind and patient, and they know how to forgive.

What can married people do to spend more time together?

In order to spend time together, the husband and wife have to plan well, it is best not to leave it to chance.

A brother from Nigeria named uzondu says: When I make my schedule, I include the time that I am going to spend with my wife. For me that time is sacred.

Activities like preaching together, going out together, cleaning the house together, exercising together.

What can a husband and wife do to show that they respect each other?

Listen to each other with respect, without judging, The husband has the authority to make decisions in the family. But, since he loves his wife, he takes her opinion into account, and even more so if the decision will affect her.

Supporting the husband's decisions, even if they were last minute, avoid throwing things or mistakes in the face.