DAILY TEXT, Sunday, December 14, 2025. Keep seeking first the Kingdom and the righteousness of God, and then you will receive all these things also (Matt. 6:33).

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Sunday, December 14, 2025

Keep seeking first the Kingdom and the righteousness of God, and then you will receive all these things also (Matt. 6:33).

Jehovah and Jesus will never give up on us. When the apostle Peter denied knowing Christ, he faced a crucial decision in his life. Would he give up? Or would he continue to be a disciple of Christ? Jesus had pleaded with Jehovah for Peter so that his faith would not fail. Then he told Peter that he had prayed for him and that he was sure that later he would be able to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:31, 32). How encouraging Peter must have been to remember these words of Jesus! We too will have to make crucial decisions in our lives. At such times, Jehovah may use shepherds who lovingly give us the encouragement we need to remain faithful (Eph. 4:8, 11).

Paul, who has served as an elder for many years, strives to comfort others. When he sees a brother about to give up, he encourages him to remember how Jehovah brought him to the truth. He also assures him that Jehovah will never give up on him because he loves him and is loyal. This elder has seen many discouraged brothers persevere with Jehovah’s help. w23.09 24, 25 pars. 14, 15

How can we imitate Peter's example? (Acts 4:13, 29, 31).

As we saw, Peter gave in to fear of man more than once. But he asked Jehovah for help and was able to act courageously (read Acts 4:13, 29, 31). We too can overcome our fears. Consider what happened to Horst, a young Witness who lived in Nazi Germany. On several occasions, he gave in to pressure at school and said the salute "Heil Hitler." Instead of reprimanding him, his parents prayed with him and asked Jehovah to give him courage. Thanks to his parents' help and his reliance on Jehovah, Horst eventually gained the strength to stand firm. Later, he acknowledged: "Jehovah never abandoned me."

How do the experiences of Peter and Horst show that Matthew 6:33 is always fulfilled?

We have seen that Jehovah provided for the material needs of Peter and the other apostles. He will do the same for us if we put the ministry first in our lives (Matt. 6:33).

After World War II, Horst, whom we have already discussed, considered becoming a pioneer. But he was very poor and was not sure he could support himself financially while serving Jehovah full-time. What did he decide to do? He put Jehovah to the test and spent the entire week of the circuit overseer’s visit preaching. At the end of the week, he was astonished when the circuit overseer handed him an envelope containing an anonymous donation. With that money, he could pioneer for several months. Horst viewed this gift as confirmation that Jehovah would care for him. And from then on, he put the Kingdom work first. (Mal. 3:10)

Why is it worthwhile for us to examine Peter's example and letters?

How pleased Peter must have been that Jesus did not grant his request, “Depart from me, Lord!” Christ continued to prepare Peter to be a faithful apostle and a magnificent example for Christians. The preparation he received contains many valuable lessons for all of us. Peter mentioned some of these lessons and other matters in the two inspired letters he sent to first-century congregations. In the following article, we will examine some of the most important points from these letters and how we can apply them today.

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