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Did You Capture the Spirit of the Assembly?

¹ What a fine spirit the recent district assemblies breathed! Did you feel that all the program features were designed and arranged so as to build up our spirituality?

² Were you also impressed with the knowledge that our ministry actually includes our total life as a Christian? Were you not happy to know that we are performing vital features of the Christian ministry when we take good care of our families, teach our children, visit the sick or help needy or spiritually weak brothers and sisters? And that we should not feel discouraged when some have better success than others in various features of field service, but should rather rejoice, knowing we are members of a body, each member playing his important part?​—1 Cor. 12:14-18.

³ Additionally, did you not rejoice in the ways provided to help the entire congregation to maintain strong spirituality as we approach the great tribulation and the attack by Gog of Magog?

⁴ Did you thrill as never before with appreciation and zeal for the Divine Name as you listened to the assembly’s keynote talk? The spirit of RESPECT for Jehovah and those representing him should permeate the congregation.

⁵ Jehovah’s spirit was manifestly directing the assemblies. Did you notice that the appeal made throughout the program was in harmony with the 110th Psalm: “Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force”? (vs. 3) We serve the King, not through coercion, but because we love him and are moved by Jehovah’s spirit to do his will. And we want to magnify Jehovah’s name by good ministry to him in all our affairs of everyday life. Our heart’s desire is to help others know that Name.

⁶ If you fully captured the spirit of the assembly you no doubt reviewed your own spirit in your home life, in your secular work, in association with the brothers at meetings and elsewhere, your spirit toward the overseers in the congregation, your spirit in your field service and toward those in the congregation who are sick or in need of help. Actually, we are all prompted to search our hearts.

⁷ It certainly is fine to be living in this time when the same spirit is manifested among God’s people that motivated the early Christian congregation. They were not striving merely to make a record of some kind. Likewise today, the appeal is genuine, heartfelt.

⁸ If you captured the spirit of the assembly you cannot help but be happy. You will want others to share this happiness. You will have the true evangelizing spirit, which reaches out to all persons at all times without regard to hours spent. You will be performing a willing ministry, from the heart. Make advancement by reading the new Bible study aids to make that spirit strong in you.

⁹ During September we can look forward to spreading the fine spirit engendered by the assemblies. We can help our brothers and, with the use of the book Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation? we can see many others made happy by coming to a knowledge of the true God.