DAILY TEXT, Today Wednesday, January 17, 2024, Understand what the will of Jehovah is (Eph. 5:17).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Understand what Jehovah's will is (Eph. 5:17).

When we are worried or discouraged, we may look for some distraction to make us forget about our problems, and that is understandable. But we must be careful not to do anything that Jehovah hates.​—Eph. 5:10-12, 15, 16. In the letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians, he told them to constantly think about things that are just, chaste, virtuous, and inspiring love (Phil. 4:8). Although he was not specifically talking about entertainment, his words should guide us when choosing a hobby. Why don't we try the following? Where the word “things” appears in that verse, let’s replace it with “songs,” “movies,” “books,” or “video games.” This will help us think about which ones God would accept and which ones he wouldn't. We want to live according to Jehovah's high standards (Ps. 119:1-3). w22.10 9 paras. 11, 12.

What is the third step that will give us true happiness? (John 4:23, 24).

STEP THREE: We must ensure that worship of Jehovah comes first in our lives. Because Jehovah is our Creator, he deserves our worship (Rev. 4:11; 14:6, 7). So the most important thing in our lives should be to worship him as he desires, “with spirit and truth” (read John 4:23, 24). We want God's holy spirit to guide our worship so that it is in accordance with the truths of the Bible. Our service to him should be paramount even if we live in a place where our work is restricted or prohibited. Today, more than 100 brothers and sisters are in prison simply for being Jehovah's Witnesses.c Still, they are happy because they do what they can to pray, study, and tell others about our God and his Kingdom. Even if we are insulted or persecuted, we are happy knowing that Jehovah is with us and that he will reward us.​—James 1:12; 1 Pet. 4:14.

What happened to a young brother from Tajikistan, and why?

There are real-life experiences that show that the three steps we have discussed make us truly happy, no matter what our circumstances are. Let's look at the case of Yovidón Boboyónov, a 19-year-old young man from Tajikistan. For refusing to perform military service, on October 4, 2019, he was forcibly taken from his home. They detained him for months and treated him like a criminal. The media in several countries reported on this injustice. They reportedly beat him in an attempt to pressure him into taking a military oath and putting on the uniform. After that, he was convicted and sent to a labor camp until the country's president finally granted him clemency and ordered his release. Throughout this ordeal, Yovidón remained loyal and happy. How did he achieve it? Always recognizing his spiritual needs.

How did Yovidón feed himself spiritually while he was in prison?

When he was in prison, Yovidón was nourished spiritually even though he did not have the Bible or any of our publications. So how did he do it? When the brothers brought him food, they wrote the daily text on the bags. Thus Yovidón could read the Bible and meditate on it every day. When he was released from prison, he gave this advice to those who have not yet gone through very difficult trials: “Make the most of the freedom you now have to draw closer to Jehovah. And for that it is very important that they read the Bible and our publications.”

What did Yovidón focus on?

Our brother Yovidón obeyed the rules of Jehovah. Instead of giving way to evil desires and doing wrong things, he focused on Jehovah and what he considers important. He spent time contemplating God's beautiful creation. Every morning he woke up to the singing of birds, and at night he stayed looking at the moon and stars. He said: “These gifts from Jehovah brought a smile to my face and made me feel good.” When we value the spiritual and physical things that Jehovah gives us, we feel happy, and that joy gives us strength to endure.

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