The content displayed below is for educational and archival purposes only.Unless stated otherwise, content is © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
You may be able to find the original on wol.jw.org
Video above © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
00:00:03 We must know Jehovah well. 00:00:06 That means knowing his thinking on matters. 00:00:08 We should welcome such an examination 00:00:12 and make any necessary changes. 00:00:15 For example, 00:00:17 let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:33 together. 00:00:22 Here we read: 00:00:24 “Do not be misled. 00:00:27 Bad associations spoil useful habits.” 00:00:30 As familiar as that principle is, 00:00:33 can you think of an area in your life 00:00:36 where it’s difficult to apply? 00:00:41 Hey, John. 00:00:42 I know it’s not your usual, 00:00:44 but there’s no one to entertain those clients tonight. 00:00:45 So can you do it? Thanks. 00:00:46 But I have . . . 00:00:46 Great. 00:00:52 Until then, it wasn’t my usual thing. 00:01:05 But I need to support my family. 00:01:15 And these aren’t really my friends. 00:01:20 I can handle it. 00:01:22 I think. 00:01:24 . . . we’re faced with bad associations 00:01:26 in subtle ways. 00:01:28 This may require us to ask additional questions 00:01:30 of ourselves. 00:01:32 Are we letting in bad association 00:01:36 through social media? 00:01:37 Perhaps we can think of another way bad association . . . 00:01:40 I don’t think so 00:01:46 —except for some friends from my old congregation. 00:01:50 Wow! 00:01:52 They’re not doing so well spiritually. 00:01:55 But if I stay connected and see what they’re doing, 00:01:58 maybe I can help them. 00:02:01 . . . can affect us. 00:02:03 Maybe it’s something very specific. 00:02:06 Or maybe 00:02:08 bad association is coming from a place 00:02:11 we never expected. 00:02:17 I only join games with Witness friends I know. 00:02:21 But sometimes 00:02:23 they connect with people I don’t know 00:02:28 who pick games I’m not sure we should play. 00:02:36 But maybe my friends know them, 00:02:41 so they’re probably OK. 00:02:43 It is vital that we avoid bad associations. 00:02:47 Now, as we resume in Psalm 26 . . . 00:02:54 I thought that talk didn’t apply to me. 00:02:57 But can I really handle bad association? 00:03:01 If I take a stand, I may lose my job. 00:03:07 But that’s being anxious about tomorrow. 00:03:15 Jesus said: 00:03:16 “So never be anxious and say, 00:03:19 “‘What are we to eat?’ or, 00:03:20 “‘What are we to drink?’ or, 00:03:22 ‘What are we to wear?’” 00:03:24 Jehovah knows I need a job. 00:03:27 And I need to set a good example 00:03:31 for when my children face bad association. 00:03:40 1 Corinthians 15:33. 00:03:44 My friends’ posts are getting worse 00:03:47 —their pictures and comments. 00:03:50 Hmm, 2 Timothy 2:16. 00:03:56 “But reject empty speeches 00:03:59 “that violate what is holy, 00:04:01 for they will lead to more and more ungodliness.” 00:04:06 I’m letting them share “empty speeches” with me online. 00:04:12 I will try to help them while I still can, 00:04:15 but following their posts is not the way to do it. 00:04:21 I told Mom what’s been happening when I game 00:04:24 with my friends. 00:04:26 She gave me good ideas on what to look for 00:04:28 in the Research Guide. 00:04:32 “Christian Life.” 00:04:34 “Association.” 00:04:38 “Is Your Recreation Beneficial?” 00:04:42 “Who Are My Companions?” 00:04:45 It says, 00:04:46 “Who are the ones I want to share my leisure time with?” 00:04:51 “Does he have the same Bible-based values and morals that I have?” 00:04:56 Good question. 00:04:58 I don’t even know who they are sometimes. 00:05:02 Psalm 119:63 says: 00:05:05 “I am a friend of all who fear you 00:05:08 and of those who keep your orders.” 00:05:12 But if I only know them online, 00:05:15 I can’t know if they fear Jehovah. 00:05:21 Let’s turn in our Bibles to the book 00:05:23 of 1 Timothy 1:5 00:05:27 and notice how it reads: 00:05:31 “Really, the objective of this instruction 00:05:34 “is love out of a clean heart 00:05:36 “and out of a good conscience 00:05:39 and out of faith without hypocrisy.” 00:05:43 We train our conscience 00:05:46 with Bible principles that reveal Jehovah’s thinking. 00:05:51 There may be several principles needed 00:05:53 for our unique problem. 00:05:55 But when we find 00:05:57 and apply them, 00:05:59 we’ll enjoy a clean heart and a good conscience.
00:00:03 We must know Jehovah well. 00:00:06 That means knowing his thinking on matters. 00:00:08 We should welcome such an examination 00:00:12 and make any necessary changes. 00:00:15 For example, 00:00:17 let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:33 together. 00:00:22 Here we read: 00:00:24 “Do not be misled. 00:00:27 Bad associations spoil useful habits.” 00:00:30 As familiar as that principle is, 00:00:33 can you think of an area in your life 00:00:36 where it’s difficult to apply? 00:00:41 Hey, John. 00:00:42 I know it’s not your usual, 00:00:44 but there’s no one to entertain those clients tonight. 00:00:45 So can you do it? Thanks. 00:00:46 But I have . . . 00:00:46 Great. 00:00:52 Until then, it wasn’t my usual thing. 00:01:05 But I need to support my family. 00:01:15 And these aren’t really my friends. 00:01:20 I can handle it. 00:01:22 I think. 00:01:24 . . . we’re faced with bad associations 00:01:26 in subtle ways. 00:01:28 This may require us to ask additional questions 00:01:30 of ourselves. 00:01:32 Are we letting in bad association 00:01:36 through social media? 00:01:37 Perhaps we can think of another way bad association . . . 00:01:40 I don’t think so 00:01:46 —except for some friends from my old congregation. 00:01:50 Wow! 00:01:52 They’re not doing so well spiritually. 00:01:55 But if I stay connected and see what they’re doing, 00:01:58 maybe I can help them. 00:02:01 . . . can affect us. 00:02:03 Maybe it’s something very specific. 00:02:06 Or maybe 00:02:08 bad association is coming from a place 00:02:11 we never expected. 00:02:17 I only join games with Witness friends I know. 00:02:21 But sometimes 00:02:23 they connect with people I don’t know 00:02:28 who pick games I’m not sure we should play. 00:02:36 But maybe my friends know them, 00:02:41 so they’re probably OK. 00:02:43 It is vital that we avoid bad associations. 00:02:47 Now, as we resume in Psalm 26 . . . 00:02:54 I thought that talk didn’t apply to me. 00:02:57 But can I really handle bad association? 00:03:01 If I take a stand, I may lose my job. 00:03:07 But that’s being anxious about tomorrow. 00:03:15 Jesus said: 00:03:16 “So never be anxious and say, 00:03:19 “‘What are we to eat?’ or, 00:03:20 “‘What are we to drink?’ or, 00:03:22 ‘What are we to wear?’” 00:03:24 Jehovah knows I need a job. 00:03:27 And I need to set a good example 00:03:31 for when my children face bad association. 00:03:40 1 Corinthians 15:33. 00:03:44 My friends’ posts are getting worse 00:03:47 —their pictures and comments. 00:03:50 Hmm, 2 Timothy 2:16. 00:03:56 “But reject empty speeches 00:03:59 “that violate what is holy, 00:04:01 for they will lead to more and more ungodliness.” 00:04:06 I’m letting them share “empty speeches” with me online. 00:04:12 I will try to help them while I still can, 00:04:15 but following their posts is not the way to do it. 00:04:21 I told Mom what’s been happening when I game 00:04:24 with my friends. 00:04:26 She gave me good ideas on what to look for 00:04:28 in the Research Guide. 00:04:32 “Christian Life.” 00:04:34 “Association.” 00:04:38 “Is Your Recreation Beneficial?” 00:04:42 “Who Are My Companions?” 00:04:45 It says, 00:04:46 “Who are the ones I want to share my leisure time with?” 00:04:51 “Does he have the same Bible-based values and morals that I have?” 00:04:56 Good question. 00:04:58 I don’t even know who they are sometimes. 00:05:02 Psalm 119:63 says: 00:05:05 “I am a friend of all who fear you 00:05:08 and of those who keep your orders.” 00:05:12 But if I only know them online, 00:05:15 I can’t know if they fear Jehovah. 00:05:21 Let’s turn in our Bibles to the book 00:05:23 of 1 Timothy 1:5 00:05:27 and notice how it reads: 00:05:31 “Really, the objective of this instruction 00:05:34 “is love out of a clean heart 00:05:36 “and out of a good conscience 00:05:39 and out of faith without hypocrisy.” 00:05:43 We train our conscience 00:05:46 with Bible principles that reveal Jehovah’s thinking. 00:05:51 There may be several principles needed 00:05:53 for our unique problem. 00:05:55 But when we find 00:05:57 and apply them, 00:05:59 we’ll enjoy a clean heart and a good conscience.
