DAILY TEXT, Today Saturday, October 7, 2023, The good news that we preached did not come to you only with words, but also with power, (1 Thes. 1:5).

DAILY TEXT, Today  Saturday, October 7, 2023,  The good news that we preached did not come to you only with words, but also with power, (1 Thes. 1:5).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Saturday October 7

The good news we preach did not come to them with words alone, but also with power, with holy spirit, and with strong conviction (1 Thes. 1:5).

There are those who believe that true religion should be able to answer all questions, even those that are not specifically answered in the Bible. Is it realistic to expect that? Let's look at the example of the apostle Paul. It is true that he told Christians to “prove all things,” but he also recognized that there were many things that he did not understand (1 Thes. 5:21). He explained that “we have incomplete knowledge” and that “we see blurred images in a metal mirror” (1 Cor. 13:9, 12). Paul didn't know everything, and neither do we. But he understood the basic teachings about Jehovah, he had enough knowledge to be convinced that he had the truth. How can we strengthen our conviction that we have found the truth? One way is by comparing the way Jesus taught God to worship with the way Jehovah's Witnesses worship Him today. w21.10 18, 19 paras. 2-4.

What example did Jesus set in worshiping God, and how can we follow him?

Because Jesus loved Jehovah very much, he worshiped him alone, both when he was in heaven and when he was on Earth (Luke 4:8). And he taught his disciples to do the same. Neither he nor his faithful disciples ever used images in their worship. Since God is a spirit, nothing man does to represent Him can ever come close to His incomparable glory (Is. 46:5). And what about making images of so-called saints and praying to them? In the second of the Ten Commandments, Jehovah said: “Do not make for yourself any graven image or anything in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters below. Do not bow down to such things” (Ex. 20:4, 5). For those who want to please God, these words leave no room for doubt.

What example do Jehovah's Witnesses follow today?

Historians recognize that first-century Christians only worshiped God. For example, a book on the history of Christianity says that early Christians “would have been horrified” at the mere idea of ​​placing images in their places of worship (History of the Christian Church). Today, Jehovah's Witnesses follow the example of the first-century Christians. We do not pray to images of “saints” or angels, we do not even pray to Jesus. And we also do not perform acts of worship to symbols of the State, such as saluting the flag or others. No matter what happens, we are determined to obey these words of Jesus: “Worship the Lord your God” (Matt. 4:10).

What clear differences exist between Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions?

Today, many people enthusiastically follow very popular religious leaders, to the point of almost idolizing them. They crowd their churches, buy their books, and donate lots of money to support them. Some believe everything they are told. Not even seeing Jesus in person would they get so excited! In contrast, true servants of Jehovah do not follow any human leader. While we respect those who lead us, we are guided by this clear teaching of Jesus: “You are all brothers” (Matt. 23:8-10). We do not turn men into idols, whether they are religious leaders or political rulers. And we do not support their causes, but remain neutral and separate from the world. In all of these areas we are very different from many groups that claim to be Christians (John 18:36).

How do we know that Jehovah wants us to glorify his name and make it known to the whole world?

On one occasion, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your name.” Jehovah himself responded with a thunderous voice from heaven, promising to glorify his name (John 12:28). Throughout his ministry, Jesus gave glory to his Father's name (John 17:26). So it is logical to expect that true Christians would be proud to use God's name and make it known to others.

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