Today's Picture And Scripture

[SlaveForJah]

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

Christian Greetings to all.

Concerning today's homepage picture and scripture, the following two comments were put up on the shout page:


sent by billy (http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showuser=336) Tuesday, 19 February 2008 19:49

That scriputure in Is 59:10-11 on the board today is a very powerful scripture Watchman - that is exactly how i feel, and i'm sure there must be others who feel like that too - I pray for all of us[/b]


sent by Becka (http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showuser=604) Tuesday, 19 February 2008 20:09

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/blush.gif Billy, I thought the same thing about the picture and scripture when I saw it, and feel the same way and wondered too about others here[/b]

With these comments in mind, I thought it might be nice to post the entire chapter of Isaiah 59 for discussion here amongst the friends.

"1 Look! The hand of Jehovah has not become too short that it cannot save, nor has his ear become too heavy that it cannot hear. 2No, but the very errors of YOU people have become the things causing division between YOU and YOUR God, and YOUR own sins have caused the concealing of [his] face from YOU to keep from hearing. 3 For YOUR own palms have become polluted with blood, and YOUR fingers with error. YOUR own lips have spoken falsehood. YOUR own tongue kept muttering sheer unrighteousness. 4 There is no one calling out in righteousness, and no one at all has gone to court in faithfulness. There has been a trusting in unreality, and a speaking of worthlessness. There has been a conceiving of trouble, and a bringing of what is hurtful to birth.

5 The eggs of a poisonous snake are what they have hatched, and they kept weaving the mere cobweb of a spider. Anyone eating some of their eggs would die, and the [egg] that was smashed would be hatched into a viper. 6 Their mere cobweb will not serve as a garment, nor will they cover themselves with their works. Their works are hurtful works, and the activity of violence is in their palms. 7Their own feet keep running to sheer badness, and they are in a hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are hurtful thoughts; despoiling and breakdown are in their highways. 8 The way of peace they have ignored, and there is no justice in their tracks. Their roadways they have made crooked for themselves. No one at all treading in them will actually know peace.

9 That is why justice has come to be far away from us, and righteousness does not catch up with us. We keep hoping for light, but, look! darkness; for brightness, [but] in continuous gloom we kept walking. 10 We keep groping for the wall just like blind men, and like those without eyes we keep groping. We have stumbled at high noon just as in evening darkness; among the stout ones [we are] just like dead people. 11 We keep groaning, all of us, just like bears; and like doves we mournfully keep cooing. We kept hoping for justice, but there was none; for salvation, [but] it has stayed far away from us. 12 For our revolts have become many in front of you; and as for our sins, each one has testified against us. For our revolts are with us; and as for our errors, we well know them. 13 There have been transgressing and a denying of Jehovah; and there was a moving back from our God, a speaking of oppression and revolt, a conceiving and a muttering of words of falsehood from the very heart. 14 And justice was forced to move back, and righteousness itself kept standing simply far off. For truth has stumbled even in the public square, and what is straightforward is unable to enter. 15 And the truth proves to be missing, and anyone turning away from badness is being despoiled.

And Jehovah got to see, and it was bad in his eyes that there was no justice. 16 And when he saw that there was no man, he began to show himself astonished that there was no one interposing. And his arm proceeded to save for him, and his own righteousness was the thing that supported him. 17 Then he put on righteousness as a coat of mail, and the helmet of salvation upon his head. Furthermore, he put on the garments of vengeance as raiment and enwrapped himself with zeal as if a sleeveless coat. 18 In accordance with the dealings he will reward correspondingly, rage to his adversaries, due treatment to his enemies. To the islands he will recompense due treatment. 19 And from the sunset they will begin to fear the name of Jehovah, and from the rising of the sun the glory of him, for he will come in like a distressing river, which the very spirit of Jehovah has driven along.

20 "And to Zion the Repurchaser will certainly come, and to those turning from transgression in Jacob," is the utterance of Jehovah.

21 "And as for me, this is my covenant with them," Jehovah has said.

"My spirit that is upon you and my words that I have put in your mouth—they will not be removed from your mouth or from the mouth of your offspring or from the mouth of the offspring of your offspring," Jehovah has said, "from now on even to time indefinite."" - Isaiah 59:1-21




So, let's hear some comments everyone.



Agape

SlaveForJah

[SlaveForJah]

Verse 15 shows why the despoiling takes place, namely a lack of truth.

But, there is hope. Jehovah would repurchase his people. This is a covenant that Jehovah made...unbreakable.

We can serve Jehovah in Truth and have this covenant be applied to us, as sons of Abraham by our faith in Him and His Christ.


Agape

SlaveForJah

[billy]

Thanks for that SlaveForJah

[Candace]

I find comfort in the fact that a long time ago Jehovah had these words recorded for our benefit to show us that he is aware of the problems that are going on, but also to assure us that he will intervene in a way that no one else can.

One thing that is lacking in the congregations is validation of what we are going through. At the meetings you constantly hear how happy Jehovah's people are, and what a clean group of people they are, and how they are living in a spiritual paradise, blah, blah, blah. At least Jehovah is honest with us. He tells it like it is, and doesn't hold back from spelling out all the transgressions that are going on. He's saying, "You people are in a sad, sorry condition. Your problems are so big that no one can help you but me. But don't worry, I still love you, and I promise I will never forsake you. You will forsake me, but I'll forgive you and welcome you back if you will just admit your mistakes and put your trust in me, instead of in humans." It's comforting to know that Jehovah is not only aware of what is really going on, but that he feels our pain and very much wants to turn the situation around for us.

Proverbs 13:12 say, " Expectation postponed is making the heart sick, but the thing desired is a tree of life when it does come."

The cross reference scriptures are:

Psalm 69:3 "I have become tired by my calling out; My throat has become hoarse. My eyes have failed while waiting for my God."

Psalm 143:7 "O hurry, answer me, O Jehovah. My spirit has come to an end. Do not conceal your face from me, or else I must become comparable with those going down into the pit."

How many dear brothers and sisters have experienced the truthfulness of the first part of Proverbs 13:12? It hasn't been easy to live in constant expectation of something that never comes. Satan pulled the ultimate deception with all this date setting that has happened over the past 100+ years. Russell originally promoted the idea that Jesus' presence started in 1874, but how many JW's today realize that? Armageddon was supposed to come in 1914. When it didn't everything got revised. It wasn't until 1925 that so-called "new light" was explaining that Jesus' presence started in 1914 instead of 1874. No wonder people are asking, "Where is this promised presence of his?" (2 Peter 3:4)

We have Jehovah's recorded testimony in the Bible to help us understand the situation we find ourselves in, and to give us a real hope for the future, based on his trustworthy promises.

Isaiah 55:10-13 "For just as the pouring rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens and does not return to that place, unless it actually saturates the earth and makes it produce and sprout, and seed is actually given to the sower and bread to the eater, so my word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.

For with rejoicing you people will go forth, and with peace you will be brought in. The mountains will become cheerful before you with a joyful outcry, and the very trees of the field will all clap their hands. Instead of the thicket of thorns the juniper tree will come up. Instead of the stinging nettle the myrtle tree will come up. And it must become for Jehovah something famous, a sign to time indefinite that will not be cut off."

Just look at that loaf of bread in the cupboard if you need a reminder that Jehovah is true to his word. Think about how that loaf of bread came to be.....the seed that came from Jehovah.....the sun, soil, and rain that came from Jehovah. The intelligence granted to people to turn that grain into a loaf of bread also came from Jehovah. So when you're eating your toast this morning, let it remind you that Jehovah is trustworthy and true to his word.

[ano.nymous62]

Dear Candace,
I found your reply most comforting and most encouraging. The scriptures you use are amazing, I have been in the truth for nearly 40 years and had never read some of them. I will be writing them in my 'comfort book' I read during the meetings when I find the message from the platform tears me down instead of builds me up.
You are right, there is a false optimism which is permeating through the programme at the meetings, at the assemblies and in the watchtower articles we study.

It makes people who are struggling feel they must be lesser christians or that somehow they do not have Jehovah's blessing since we are told his people should be happy. It also has become a cliche among the 'super spiritual' sisters I have noticed. They happily go round (making the real human beings like us feel bad) saying 'aren't we so fortunate to be such a happy people' when most of us struggle through a day. It gives them an aura of spirituality which small minded people admire and it keeps the fallacy alive. I have also noticed that the cliches such as 'aren't we blessed' 'isn't Jehovah's organisation wonderful' 'arent we fortunate to be in such a spiritual paradise' 'we have everything we possibly want for and more' are making people accepted in certain circles. I am not sure that all those uttering those words actually mean it but they certainly know that saying it grant them tremendous approval by others.

You are absolutely right to point out that there is a place in Jehovah's heart for all those honest enough to say 'I am struggling despite loving Jehovah and His teachings'
You also were right to point out that we often err as a result of feeling broken under stress but Jehovah understands that too and is ready to forgive as long as we say we are truly truly sorry.

I find this website so comforting it has saved me spiritually over the past 2 months.

Ano.nymous62

[panda]

Keeping the big picture in focus and taking the opportunity while we still have this precious time left to grow in our love and appreciation for Jehovah, Christ and our brotherhood will help us even in these tiresome times to serve even with a measure of joy.

I always find it so encouraging when I read of our dear b/s in countries that are under going some immense trials and yet are holding up, and we know it is only through Jehovah's help that they can, we cant do this on our own.
No matter where we are if we want to obey Jehovah and live by his word we will be in for it, weather that be subtle, like materialism, or immorality whatever is in opposition and appeals to our fleshly desires will be used to try and ruin our relationship with our heavenly father, and the closer we get to the end the more pressure, but also the more help from our father and his son, and we can be there for each other. We are losing many of our dear young b/s, pray for them. :boohoo:

It is not easy and we are told that, Jehovah is faithful and has never led us up the garden path and said it will be easy, but he promises that he will always be there for us and will never let us go beyond what we can bear.

Love to you all and thank you for your insight and encouragement, all praise to Jehovah.

Prov 10:22
Prov 8:17