DAILY TEXT, Today Wednesday September 18, 2024,  No prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2024

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

No prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21).

There are many fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, some of which were written centuries ago. History confirms that these prophecies were fulfilled. This is not surprising, for we know that the author of these prophecies is Jehovah. Consider the fall of the mighty city of Babylon. In the eighth century B.C.E., Jehovah inspired the prophet Isaiah to predict that Babylon would be conquered. Isaiah even said that the conqueror would be named Cyrus and explained in detail how he would invade the city. (Isa. 44:27–45:2) He also prophesied that Babylon would eventually be destroyed and completely uninhabited. (Isa. 13:19, 20) The once glorious city fell to the Medes and Persians in 539 B.C.E., and is now nothing more than a pile of ruins. w23.01 4 par. 10.

SPIRITUAL GEMS: Week 16-22 September 2024, Psalm 85-87, Answers.

SPIRITUAL GEMS: September 16-22, 2024, Psalm 85-87, Answers.

Spiritual Gems (10 min.)

Ps 86:11. What does David's prayer imply about the heart? (it-1 551 par. 5).

In Psalm 86:1, it shows that the heart can be divided between different interests and fears. David's request for his heart to be unified was expressing his desire to serve Jehovah with total dedication. This suggests that the heart can be distracted by various interests or concerns, which can lead to half-hearted worship or incomplete service.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

As mentioned in Psalm 119:13 and Revelation 3:16, to serve God effectively, it is necessary to have a heart completely focused on Him, without distractions or divided loyalties.

That's right and it's interesting because here the psalmist says unify my heart which gives to understand as if apparently his heart was divided that's why he says unify it could be we are like that yes it could be why how good it is that we are always reading the word of God to be clear about the matters and if there is any doubt we have a lot of information because what we want is to serve Jehovah with a lot of enthusiasm and to have that enthusiasm we must have conviction and to have conviction we must have proof and we find that in the Bible and in all the information that Jehovah gives us.

Congregational Book Study, Week of September 16-22, 2024, Chapter 15, paragraphs 13-14 and box on page 121, Answers.

Congregational Book Study, September 16-22, 2024, Chapter 15, paragraphs 13-14 and box on page 121, Answers.

Congregational Bible Study (30 mins.) bt ch. 15 pars. 13, 14 and box on p. 121.

“They spoke highly of him” (Acts 16:1-3)

13, 14. (a) Who was Timothy, and how did Paul meet him?

Timothy was a prominent disciple in the Christian Congregation, highly recommended by the brothers in his city of Lystra and in nearby Iconium. Paul first met him when he visited the region of Galatia during his first missionary journey.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Timothy was a young Christian disciple who lived in Lystra, a city in the Roman province of Galatia. His mother was a believing Jewish woman and his father was Greek. Timothy was raised in a home where from a very young age his mother and his grandmother Lois taught him the word of God. This early education in the Hebrew scriptures formed in Timothy a deep and sincere faith, which later led him to become a devout Christian.

Paul met Timothy on his second missionary journey around the year 49 or 50 AD when he visited Lystra for the second time. It is likely that Paul had met Timothy's family during his first visit to the area some two or three years earlier and that on that occasion the family had converted to Christianity. During his second visit Paul noticed Timothy because of the excellent references he had had of him, both from the brothers in Lystra and from those in the nearby city of Iconium which reflected his good reputation and commitment to the faith.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: Week of September 16-22, 2024, Don't Give Up, Video: Become Jehovah's Friend, Lesson 44: Don't Give Up. Analysis and Answers.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: September 16-22, 2024, Don't Give Up, Video: Become Jehovah's Friend, Lesson 44: Don't Give Up. Analysis and Answers.

Don't give up (5 mins.) Audience analysis.

Play the VIDEO. Then ask:

Why might we sometimes feel like giving up on preaching?

We may feel like giving up on preaching, because just like Caleb and Sofia, we sometimes face rejection from people, which can make us feel like our efforts are not yielding results. However, as Caleb and Sofia's parents reminded them, Jesus also faced similar situations. The key is not to get discouraged and keep trying, since we never know when we will find someone willing to listen, like Caleb's schoolmate who may have been interested in learning more.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Sometimes we may feel like giving up on preaching for various reasons. Firstly, because of rejection or lack of interest from some people, which can discourage us, making us feel like our efforts are not bearing fruit.

Physical or emotional fatigue can also affect, since preaching requires constant effort.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: Week of September 16-22, 2024, Don't stop offering Bible courses!, Video: "We recommend ourselves as ministers of God […] being patient" in preaching. Analysis and Answers.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: September 16-22, 2024, Don't stop offering Bible courses!, Video: "We commend ourselves as ministers of God […] being patient" in preaching. Analysis and Answers.

Don't Stop Offering Bible Courses! (10 mins.) Audience discussion.

Play the VIDEO “We Recommend Ourselves as Ministers of God […] Being Patient” when Preaching. Then ask:

If we feel like we are preaching into a “black hole,” how can 2 Corinthians 6:4, 6 help us?

When we feel like we are preaching into a black hole, that is, that our efforts seem to disappear without giving visible results, this text reminds us of the importance of perseverance and patience.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The verse teaches us that, as ministers of God, we must continue to recommend ourselves to God through our perseverance in the midst of tribulations, difficulties or discouragement. This passage also mentions that we must show sincere love, patience and knowledge, qualities that help us to move forward, trusting that God sees our efforts and values ​​them, even when the results are not immediate or visible.

Patience is essential because we will not always see the impact of our work immediately, but the Bible encourages us to trust that our efforts are not in vain, since God is aware of our dedication. Trusting in Jehovah and displaying these qualities will give us the strength to continue, knowing that every seed planted in the preaching work can germinate at the right time.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: Week of September 16-22, 2024, Start conversations: INFORMAL PREACHING. (Making disciples: a labor of love, Lesson 3 point 5). Prepared Assignment.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: September 16-22, 2024, Start conversations: INFORMAL PREACHING. (Making Disciples: A Labor of Love, Lesson 3 point 5). Prepared Assignment.

Start conversations (3 mins.) INFORMAL PREACHING. Offer a Bible course (lmd lesson 3 point 5).

Scenario: You are in a waiting room, and while waiting, you start a conversation with a person next to you.

You: “What a hot day! It seems like summer has lasted longer than usual, don’t you think?”

Person: “Yes, that’s true. And with work, it sometimes gets harder to cope with this weather. It’s been an exhausting week.” And yet we still have to wait to get through the line.

You: “I totally understand. Sometimes when the stress of work meets the heat, it can be overwhelming. If you’re short on time, you can stop by during my shift and I’ll come by later.

Person: Thank you for your understanding

You: In fact, a while back I learned a principle from the Bible that has helped me find some peace in the midst of all of that.

Person: “Really? How has it helped you?”

You: “Well, the Bible has a lot of practical advice for dealing with stress and worry. For example, in Matthew 6:34, Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow because each day has its own problems. That has reminded me that I can focus on what I can do today, without letting anxiety consume me. If you’re interested, I could share more principles like these. In fact, I offer a free Bible study course that might be helpful.”

Person: “Interesting, I never thought the Bible could help with those things. How does that course work?”

You: “It’s very simple. We meet at a time that suits you, and together we explore how the Bible offers useful and practical advice for everyday life. If you want, we can try it out and see if you like it.”

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY:, Week of September 16-22, 2024, Make return visits: INFORMAL PREACHING. (Making disciples: a labor of love, Lesson 7 point 4). Prepared Assignment.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: September 16-22, 2024, Make return visits: INFORMAL PREACHING. (Making disciples: a labor of love, Lesson 7 point 4). Prepared Assignment.

Make return visits (4 mins.) INFORMAL PREACHING. Offer a Bible study to a person who previously told you that he was worried about something he saw on the news (lmd lesson 7 point 4).

Scenario: You meet again with the person who in a previous conversation expressed concern about the news.

You: «Hi, nice to meet you again.

Person: Hi how have you been?

You: Well, thank you. I remember that last time we talked you were worried about some things you saw on the news. I've been thinking about that, and there's something in the Bible that might give you peace or perspective on what's going on. Would you be interested in talking about it?

Person: “Yeah, sure. It’s still something that worries me, actually.”

You: “I understand. The Bible has advice that can help us see these events from another point of view. And it is a message of hope, for example, look at how Isaiah 65:17 describes it. You see that better times are described. In fact, I have been sharing a simple and practical course on how the Bible can be useful in these difficult times. If you are interested, we can meet and look at it together.”

Person: “That sounds good. What exactly is it about?”