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00:01 Welcome to JW Broadcasting. 00:04 We have some encouraging things to look forward to in this month’s program. 00:09 We’ll hear the experiences of Sister Agapita Reyes. 00:13 As a Christian wife and mother, 00:15 she successfully met the challenges 00:17 of raising a family by applying Bible principles. 00:20 What helped her to remain steadfast throughout her life? 00:24 How can you maintain focus 00:28 even after you achieve a spiritual goal? 00:30 Could subtle temptations and distractions take you off course? 00:35 We’ll discuss an important quality that can help you. 00:40 Parents are proud of young ones who give their best to Jehovah. 00:44 Their feelings are a reflection of how Jehovah feels 00:48 and are the inspiration for this month’s music video. 00:53 This is JW Broadcasting for August 2017. 01:16 The complexity found in nature 01:18 has inspired amazing achievements in technology. 01:23 But it has also moved people to ask, 01:25 “Was It Designed?” 01:28 That’s the title of an Awake! series that first appeared in 2008. 01:33 It’s been a powerful tool to turn people’s attention to Jehovah, 01:37 the Creator of all things. 01:40 We’re pleased to introduce the first 01:43 in an exciting new video series based on those articles. 02:12 The trunk of the African elephant 02:15 is an impressive multitool. 02:18 It is both flexible 02:20 and strong. 02:23 It can pick up a blade of grass 02:27 or uproot a tree. 02:33 Some elephants can use their trunks to feed themselves 02:37 around 270 kilograms (600 lbs) of vegetation 02:41 every day. 02:51 With their trunks, 02:53 they can suck water like a straw, 03:01 spray like a fountain, 03:03 and swim with a snorkel. 03:10 The trunk can give a gentle touch, 03:16 give a strong push, 03:20 or sound a warning trumpet. 03:24 Engineers admire the elephant trunk’s remarkable flexibility. 03:28 This comes from having no bone. 03:30 Instead, it contains 03:33 about 150,000 muscle units 03:37 —an incredible marriage of strength and structure. 03:42 Inspired by the elephant’s trunk, researchers are designing robots 03:45 for the future with greater flexibility. 03:48 Industrial design often can be made better by copying 03:54 the perfectly beautiful solutions in the natural world. 03:57 What do you think? 04:00 Did the elephant’s trunk evolve? 04:06 Or . . . 04:13 This new video series can help you 04:15 to see the proof that there is a Creator. 04:18 It can especially help you young ones to recognize 04:21 and reject the false teaching of evolution. 04:26 Use these new videos in your personal study 04:29 and share them with classmates and teachers. 04:32 They’ll help you give an effective witness 04:35 and bring honor to Jehovah. 04:37 You’ll find them in the Video on Demand section 04:40 of JW Broadcasting. 04:42 Young ones need strong faith 04:45 in this difficult system of things, 04:48 but they are not alone. 04:50 They have Jehovah’s holy spirit, 04:53 a congregation of brothers and sisters, 04:56 and very often, loving Christian parents. 05:00 In Monterrey, Mexico, 05:02 Sister Agapita Reyes set a beautiful example 05:05 in building up the faith of her children. 05:08 What circumstances made that effort a special challenge? 05:19 It’s not easy raising kids in the truth, 05:23 and I had ten. 05:29 I learned the truth when I was 19. 05:34 Some Witnesses came to preach in our town, 05:37 and my father offered them a place to stay. 05:39 He spoke with them all through the night 05:41 and then announced excitedly that he had found the truth. 05:45 Eventually, I was baptized in the 1950’s. 05:49 My husband was favorable toward the truth 05:52 but got involved in political affairs in the community, 05:55 and from there he began his political career. 06:00 When I read 1 Peter 3:1, 2, 06:02 I understood that I needed to be in subjection to my husband, 06:06 with the hope that he could be won over 06:08 “without a word” by means of my conduct. 06:10 When my children were young, 06:12 I made a weekly Bible study program for each of them, 06:15 and as they grew up, 06:17 the older kids helped me with their younger siblings. 06:21 I remember Mom always made an effort to teach me how to preach. 06:25 I would write presentations for the ministry on pieces of paper, 06:29 and the kids would practice while they did their chores around the house. 06:33 We set aside time one day a week for our family study. 06:37 It could be anything 06:39 —a sack of potatoes, a sack of flour, or a house plant. 06:42 She would tell me: 06:44 “Imagine that this is a person you meet in field service. 06:47 What would you say to them?” 06:49 When I finished, she would say to me, 06:51 “The way you did it just now, 06:53 do it like that when you go out in the ministry.” 06:57 My mom was very creative. 07:00 She would assign us to play the part of different Bible characters. 07:07 My mom taught us to appreciate the truth 07:10 through her example. 07:13 I served as a regular pioneer for many years, 07:16 and I encouraged my kids to reach out for spiritual goals. 07:20 My daughter left home at the age of 18 07:22 to serve as a special pioneer. 07:26 Later, my oldest son did the same. 07:28 These two proved to be excellent examples for their younger brothers. 07:33 Raising my son Noé was a challenge. 07:37 He was the youngest, 07:38 and at a very young age, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. 07:42 Despite his limitations, 07:45 he was able to serve as a ministerial servant 07:48 and regular pioneer. 07:50 He fought his illness for more than 40 years, 07:53 before passing away recently. 07:57 Losing my husband in death dealt me another blow. 08:02 Now my health and my memory are fading. 08:04 I can’t do as much 08:06 in the ministry as before. 08:09 But even so, thanks to the help of the brothers in the congregation, 08:13 I’m not giving up. 08:17 Even though my husband was not a Witness, 08:20 I respected him as the head of the family. 08:23 I will never forget the moment 08:26 when my husband asked me to study the Bible with him. 08:30 I remember that my eldest son gave the talk, 08:32 and his father was among the candidates for baptism. 08:37 Forty-two years after I received the Kingdom message, 08:40 my husband was baptized. 08:43 Another great blessing was seeing my children 08:45 grow in the truth and use their youth to serve Jehovah. 08:51 Some have served as special pioneers, 08:53 circuit overseers, or in Bethel. 08:57 If it wasn’t for her help 08:59 and the support of my siblings, 09:01 perhaps we wouldn’t be part of the organization today. 09:05 But thanks to her, we started out on the best course in life. 09:12 Words cannot express how grateful I am to her. 09:17 I now find great joy 09:19 in seeing my grandchildren and great-grandchildren 09:22 follow their parents’ example. 09:24 Thinking about all I have experienced 09:26 in over 60 years of service to Jehovah 09:29 —raising my ten children in the truth, 09:32 my husband becoming a servant of Jehovah, 09:36 and seeing 30 members of my family in full-time service— 09:39 I can do nothing but thank Jehovah 09:41 for his blessings. 09:44 It’s been worth all the effort. 09:55 Sister Reyes continues to serve Jehovah faithfully 09:57 at 86 years of age. 10:02 Have you personally experienced some of her more difficult struggles? 10:07 She’s felt the heartbreak of losing her husband and a child in death. 10:12 In recent years, she’s battled failing health. 10:15 But through all of that, 10:17 Sister Reyes remains a motivating example for Christian women. 10:23 Her story is an excellent start to our discussion. 10:28 The theme for our program is 10:30 “The Women Proclaiming the Good News.” 10:33 Sadly, throughout human history 10:36 women have been subjected to injustice, violence, and abuse. 10:41 Why is that? 10:43 The Bible explains. 10:46 In the latter part of Genesis 3:16, 10:51 notice what God says: 10:55 “Your longing will be for your husband, 10:57 and he will dominate you.” 11:02 When God said that Adam would “dominate” his wife, 11:06 God was not indicating His approval of the subjugation of woman by man. 11:11 He was simply foretelling the sad consequences 11:14 of sin on the first couple. 11:17 So abuse of women is a direct outcome 11:21 of the sinful nature of humans, not of God’s will. 11:26 Right down to our day, 11:28 rarely have women been accorded 11:30 the dignity that God wants them to receive. 11:34 However, Jehovah makes clear in his Word, the Bible, 11:39 that women and men have equal standing before him. 11:43 In fact, he indicated that women would play a vital role 11:47 in the outworking of his purpose. 11:50 Our theme is based on Psalm 68:11. 11:56 Let’s read it: 11:58 “Jehovah gives the command; 12:01 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 12:06 Those words were inspired by God. 12:08 But what did the psalmist have in mind when he penned them? 12:13 The context of Psalm 68 12:16 shows that David was praising Jehovah as a God of saving acts. 12:21 From the time of their Exodus from Egypt, 12:24 the men of Israel often had to fight against enemy nations. 12:28 With Jehovah’s help, they defeated them. 12:32 And the entire nation would then rejoice 12:34 over the victory Jehovah had given them. 12:37 The first of the victory celebrations recorded in the Bible 12:42 was at the time that Jehovah gave his people 12:44 the victory over Pharaoh and the Egyptians who were pursuing them. 12:49 Exodus 15:20, 21 12:54 tells what happened after this miraculous victory: 12:59 “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, 13:03 “took a tambourine in her hand, 13:05 “and all the women followed her with tambourines and with dances. 13:10 “Miriam sang in response to the men: 13:13 “‘Sing to Jehovah, 13:15 “‘for he has become highly exalted. 13:19 The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.’” 13:23 Picture that scene. 13:26 There were an estimated three million people 13:29 in the nation of Israel. 13:31 Imagine —out of that large number, 13:34 “all the women” were dancing and singing praises to Jehovah. 13:38 That was undoubtedly a large army! 13:43 What a great shout of praise to Jehovah that was! 13:48 Another example was when King Saul and his general David 13:51 returned from victory over the Philistines. 13:54 Let’s read the account 13:56 at 1 Samuel 18:6. 14:03 “When David and the others would return 14:05 “from striking down the Philistines, 14:07 “the women would come out 14:09 “from all the cities of Israel 14:11 “with song and dances to meet King Saul 14:13 “with tambourines, 14:15 with rejoicing, and with lutes.” 14:18 Notice that the account says 14:21 that the women came out of “all the cities” 14:24 to greet them with music, song, and dance. 14:28 Occasions such as these 14:30 were not simply expressions of rejoicing 14:34 that originated with human emotion. 14:37 Recall that under inspiration, David said: 14:40 “Jehovah gives the command; 14:43 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 14:46 Yes, and Jehovah valued their expressions of praise, 14:49 just as he valued the contributions of the men who had engaged in battle. 14:55 What about today? 14:57 The report for the 2017 service year 15:02 shows that there were over 8.3 million publishers 15:05 proclaiming the good news throughout the earth. 15:09 Keep in mind that in most lands, 15:12 it is not unusual for our dear sisters 15:14 to make up over half of our special pioneers 15:18 and nearly three quarters of those who serve in the regular pioneer work. 15:23 In addition, many other sisters 15:26 are wholeheartedly spreading the good news of the Kingdom 15:29 to the best of their ability within their circumstances. 15:33 There are many single-parent families where our sisters 15:37 are providing materially and spiritually for their children. 15:42 Many of our faithful single sisters 15:44 are expending themselves in Jehovah’s service 15:47 in theocratic construction and maintenance work, 15:50 Bethel service, and serving where the need is greater 15:54 —which includes serving in foreign-language fields. 15:58 Faithful wives loyally support their husbands 16:02 as well as fulfill their own roles as preachers and teachers. 16:06 Yes, how Jehovah must be pleased 16:09 to see all of you who serve in various ways! 16:13 And we’re grateful 16:15 for the warm spirit and positive influence 16:18 our dear sisters have on our congregations. 16:22 Clearly, 16:24 Jehovah values this “large army” of sisters. 16:29 But does he take note of the individual circumstances 16:32 and sacrifices of each sister? 16:36 We do not have to wonder. 16:38 By means of his Word, 16:40 Jehovah makes it evident that he sees 16:43 and appreciates each of his servants. 16:46 For example, 16:48 did you notice when we read the scripture in Exodus chapter 15 16:53 that Miriam was described as a “prophetess”? 16:58 Evidently, she was privileged to be used 17:00 as an instrument of divine communication. 17:03 In some instances, 17:05 this no doubt included singing songs that were inspired by Jehovah. 17:10 Miriam was not the only one in the Scriptures with this designation. 17:15 Other women in the Bible record, 17:17 such as Anna and Isaiah’s wife, 17:20 were also spoken of as prophetesses. 17:24 In the book of Judges, 17:27 another faithful servant, Deborah, is identified. 17:32 Let’s read Judges 4:4, 5: 17:39 “Now Deborah, a prophetess, 17:41 “the wife of Lappidoth, 17:43 “was judging Israel at that time. 17:46 “She used to sit under Deborah’s palm tree 17:48 “between Ramah and Bethel 17:50 “in the mountainous region of Ephraim; 17:53 the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.” 17:55 Evidently, 17:58 Deborah was assigned to settle disputes that arose among Israelites 18:01 by giving Jehovah’s answer to problems that came up. 18:06 Much later in Israel’s history, 18:09 during the reign of faithful King Josiah, 18:12 Huldah served as a prophetess. 18:15 At 2 Kings 22:8, 18:20 we read that while the temple was being repaired, 18:24 the original book of the Law was found. 18:27 When it was read to Josiah, 18:29 he was distraught at seeing how far off 18:32 the nation had strayed from Jehovah’s Law. 18:36 In verse 13, 18:38 he directed the priest, the secretary, 18:41 and other influential men: 18:44 “Go, inquire of Jehovah in my behalf, 18:49 “in behalf of the people, 18:51 “and in behalf of all Judah concerning the words of this book 18:55 that has been found.” 18:58 How did they accomplish this? 19:00 Verse 14 continues: 19:03 “So Hilkiah the priest, 19:05 “Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah 19:10 went to Huldah the prophetess.” 19:14 It’s interesting that Jehovah used this faithful woman 19:17 to convey his direction 19:19 and that prominent men and priests 19:21 sought her divinely inspired advice. 19:25 The Christian Greek Scriptures, however, 19:28 do not permit sisters to serve in such a capacity 19:31 as did Deborah and other prophetesses 19:33 in the nation of Israel. 19:35 However, 19:37 Titus 2:3, 4 19:42 encourages “older women” to display spiritual qualities, 19:47 “so that they may advise the younger women” 19:49 in spiritual matters. 19:51 Let’s read those verses: 19:55 “Likewise, let the older women be reverent in behavior, 19:59 “not slanderous, not enslaved to a lot of wine, 20:03 “teachers of what is good, 20:05 “so that they may advise the younger women 20:08 to love their husbands, to love their children.” 20:12 How we appreciate the spiritually mature sisters among us 20:16 who provide such fine assistance to younger sisters 20:20 or those who are newer in the truth! 20:23 However, today Jehovah has delegated authority to men. 20:28 They Scripturally qualify to serve as elders and ministerial servants 20:33 in order to serve, guide, and protect his people. 20:38 It is obvious that this is not due to a lack of respect 20:41 for the gifts of our sisters in the congregation. 20:44 In fact, many responsible brothers will acknowledge 20:47 that they have benefited from the experience 20:50 and practical wisdom of our humble, spiritually mature sisters. 20:56 Finally, 20:58 think of the outstanding faith 21:00 of another woman mentioned in the Bible, Mary. 21:05 What an awesome responsibility Jehovah entrusted her with 21:10 —bearing and raising his own Son as a human! 21:15 We can only imagine the thoughts that were going through her mind 21:19 when she was told of this assignment. 21:22 But the account in Luke chapter 1 21:27 tells us much about her spirituality. 21:31 In verse 38, 21:34 after the angel Gabriel finished speaking with her, 21:39 Mary’s response was simply: 21:43 “Look! Jehovah’s slave girl! 21:46 May it happen to me according to your declaration.” 21:50 She must have wondered how Jehovah would accomplish these things, 21:55 but she was humble and obedient. 21:58 Faithful men such as Moses and Jeremiah hesitated 22:02 when given a challenging assignment from God. 22:04 Not Mary! 22:06 What a beautiful example she set for all of us 22:08 —men and women! 22:11 Clearly, Jehovah has always highly valued women. 22:16 And we are privileged to serve today 22:19 with millions of hardworking sisters. 22:22 How pleased Jehovah must be 22:25 to see dear sisters serving him humbly and faithfully! 22:30 We urge you sisters, 22:32 please keep up your good work 22:35 and continue to be a positive influence in the congregation. 22:39 God has indeed granted you faithful women 22:42 the privilege of participating in the fulfillment of the psalmist’s words: 22:47 “Jehovah gives the command; 22:49 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 22:55 Thousands of our sisters have been active 22:57 for many years in that “large army” of women. 23:00 Bertille Kupelian, 23:02 a special pioneer in West Virginia, in the United States, 23:06 entered the full-time service in 1958. 23:10 In that time, she’s helped more than 60 people to baptism. 23:15 How has her outlook toward the ministry 23:18 kept her going for almost 60 years? 23:27 My father was opposed 23:32 to the truth as I was growing up, 23:34 but my mother was very, very zealous. 23:39 I knew the things my mother was teaching me was the truth. 23:43 I knew that this was what I was going to do. 23:46 And it was not easy, but we did it. 23:52 I was Daddy’s girl, 23:54 but my mom made sure 23:58 that I and my siblings knew the truth. 24:01 And she studied with us when no other children 24:04 in the congregation had Bible studies at home. 24:09 Of course, we kind of kicked and didn’t like it, 24:13 but I was glad she did it. 24:16 My mother was a very, very positive person, 24:20 and although she had the opposition, 24:23 I saw how she dealt with it 24:26 and how firm and determined she was. 24:29 And that was something she taught us. 24:32 It’s a mind-set. 24:35 You know, your mind is a wonderful thing. 24:38 It can really influence you toward good or maybe not so good. 24:44 And so then, I was determined in my mind 24:47 that I was going to serve Jehovah then. 24:52 In our congregation, there were brothers and sisters of the anointed. 24:57 They were always very kind to me, 24:59 and they encouraged me. 25:03 I worked in service with them. 25:05 And I thought, ‘That’s the way I want to be.’ 25:10 Children like attention. 25:13 And so then, if you give them attention 25:16 —you talk with them 25:18 and ask if you could work with them in the ministry 25:21 and help them prepare a presentation 25:23 and go over it and over it 25:25 so that they’re ready for the ministry 25:28 —then they’ll enjoy it more. 25:32 That was one of the things that the anointed 25:35 did in the congregation where I was. 25:37 They paid attention to me, and I loved it. 25:43 How I learned to teach was I think about the person, 25:47 and I think about their situation, 25:49 and I try to think in my mind what they are thinking, 25:54 and I work on that 25:57 and think of what kind of scriptures I can find to help them. 26:01 And so then, 26:03 I try to pattern our studies 26:08 to incorporate some of those things. 26:14 There are always challenges. 26:16 Some of the winters right on the lake where I lived were very harsh. 26:22 And my trailer was parked in such a way that every time 26:26 the wind blew and the snow came and the ice came, 26:30 it sealed the door. 26:32 And so then, I carried a big knife in my car, 26:34 and I would have to cut around the door 26:37 to get the door to open —break the ice seal. 26:41 It was interesting. 26:45 I had some opposition in the territories, 26:47 and one was this lady who was very irate. 26:50 And she went to kick me, and she kicked me right in the stomach, 26:53 and so then, anyway, I dismissed myself. 26:58 Then, a while later, it was time to work the territory again. 27:01 Nobody wanted to go there, and we didn’t have do-not-calls, 27:04 I don’t think, at that time, at least there wasn’t any in the territory. 27:08 So then anyway, I called by and I mentioned to her: 27:12 “Why, hello there. 27:14 I know I’ve had the opportunity to talk with you before.” 27:17 Yes, she remembered. 27:19 And I said, “Well, perhaps you were having a bad day that day.” 27:24 I hit a lull when I had few Bible studies, 27:28 and so I prayed diligently to Jehovah: 27:31 “Jehovah, help me. I need Bible studies.” 27:34 And then you have to be out there looking for them. 27:37 Well, I’ve lost my father, my mother, 27:40 my sister, my brother. 27:43 Well, naturally you feel at a loss, 27:48 but Jehovah strengthened me, and the friends strengthened me, 27:53 and I kept busy in the ministry. 27:56 But again, it goes back to that mind-set. 27:58 Are you going to let the challenge beat you, 28:00 or are you going to beat the challenge? 28:04 You and Jehovah can beat the challenge. 28:08 You know, discouragement is one of Satan’s biggest tools. 28:12 And I always tell myself, 28:16 ‘I’m not going to let Satan beat me down.’ 28:19 As far as health is concerned, my everyday health is very good. 28:23 But I have a leg that drives me crazy. 28:28 I think back to Jacob. 28:31 He served Jehovah with a limp. 28:34 And then I think of Paul. 28:39 And so then, those things keep you humble. 28:44 I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed about it, 28:46 but just like with the apostle Paul, 28:49 it didn’t disappear. 28:51 And so then, I just say: “Patch me up till Armageddon. 28:55 It’ll disappear then.” 28:58 If your mind is made up that this is what you’re going to do, 29:01 this is your life, this is what Jehovah wants you to do, 29:05 and so then you do it. 29:09 I’ve seen how he’s kept me going. 29:15 You know that I’ve needed work; I’ve needed money; 29:19 I’ve needed strength. 29:21 I’ve needed companionship 29:23 because a lot of times I’m in the ministry by myself. 29:26 I talk to Jehovah. 29:28 And so then, he’s always there for me. 29:32 I definitely want to keep pioneering 29:35 or serving Jehovah the best I can, 29:38 regardless of what comes up. 29:41 There is nothing more joyful 29:45 than to see that you have helped somebody to live forever. 29:51 Well, how much better could it be? 29:59 Sister Kupelian had a profound effect on those she witnessed to. 30:04 I know this because she found me in the door-to-door ministry 30:08 when I was 14 years old. 30:11 At that age, I had the goal to be a doctor. 30:15 One night after the meeting, Bertille said to me, 30:18 “Well, you know, in the new world, 30:20 we won’t need doctors because Jesus will do all the healing.” 30:24 Honestly, that hit me hard 30:27 because I wanted to help people as well as provide for my mother. 30:31 But she added, 30:33 “What we will need are teachers.” 30:36 I thought that was a good idea. 30:39 Still focused on a career, I had one type of teacher in mind, 30:43 but she had another. 30:45 Through her patience and reasoning, 30:47 she helped me to become the most important kind of teacher 30:52 —a teacher of God’s Word. 30:55 Is there someone like Sister Kupelian in your congregation? 31:00 We are grateful for these sisters’ zealous spirit 31:03 and for the personal interest they show toward us. 31:06 And we’re sure Jehovah values them like we do. 31:11 One of Sister Kupelian’s strengths is her perseverance. 31:15 Perseverance means to continue resolutely 31:20 in the face of adversity, 31:22 being tenacious, not giving up. 31:26 If not careful, we could reach a spiritual goal, 31:30 only to let something distract us away from it. 31:34 In this dramatization, 31:36 a young sister is pioneering and working toward new goals. 31:39 How, though, is she in danger of losing her focus? 31:54 When I started learning sign language, 31:56 it just seemed to come natural for me. 32:07 After I transferred to the congregation, 32:08 I remember feeling so happy. 32:22 I was pioneering and really enjoying 32:25 this new way of communicating. 32:30 It’s funny how the thing you love can also be 32:34 the thing that tests you. 32:39 Soon, I took the test for a sign-language interpreter. 32:43 I couldn’t believe I passed! 32:48 I loved my new job. 32:54 My hope was that it would support my pioneering 32:57 and maybe 32:59 allow me to travel one day to a country 33:01 and preach where there was a need for sign language. 33:05 My boss was very happy with my work, 33:09 so much so that he began to give me more. 33:16 Everyone seemed appreciative, 33:21 and the extra money didn’t hurt. 33:38 I was handling it all fine. 33:42 Ahh, OK, for a while. 34:28 My boss asked me to work full-time 34:30 for a few months to get some extra training. 34:35 The raise could help me 34:37 with planning my trip abroad. 34:45 I knew my parents would be concerned. 34:47 I knew because I felt it too. 34:52 I was already dragging physically. 34:56 But then again, it would only be for a few months. 34:59 I was really torn. 35:02 Dad kindly commended me 35:04 for having good goals and trying my best to work toward them. 35:08 Then he showed me a scripture that really helped me, 35:12 1 Timothy 4:16: 35:16 “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. 35:19 “Persevere in these things, 35:22 “for by doing this you will save both yourself 35:25 and those who listen to you.” 35:27 He helped me 35:29 to see that Timothy set spiritual goals for himself while growing up. 35:35 But Paul was now telling him, 35:37 “Don’t stop!” 35:41 Even though Timothy was a grown spiritual man, 35:44 Paul encouraged him to continue setting new spiritual goals, 35:48 in fact, to ‘persevere in them.’ 35:53 What was I persevering in? 36:08 I kindly turned down the offer 36:10 and explained to my boss that I’d like to keep my hours 36:13 to a minimum 36:21 so I could support my number one job. 36:27 It might take me longer to save my money, 36:30 but I’ll make that trip one day 36:33 with Jehovah’s help 36:36 and a little perseverance. 36:42 It’s interesting that the skill she used 36:44 to expand her ministry and support her pioneering 36:48 became her distraction. 36:50 That wasn’t easy for her to see at first. 36:53 Who helped her to see the problem clearly? 36:57 It was her parents, especially her spiritually-minded father. 37:02 The interest you family heads show in your daughters 37:05 is well worth the effort. 37:07 It can point them in the right direction when they need guidance. 37:11 Everything you do for them 37:14 shows how precious they are to you and to Jehovah, 37:19 and that’s the feeling expressed in the music video 37:22 Precious Daughter. 37:34 Through all her tender years, He watched her grow. 37:45 Many the joys and tears, She would come to know. 37:54 But when she gave her best And came through each test, 37:59 She made His heart feel so good. 38:05 Precious daughter, He’s so proud of you. 38:17 Time won’t alter His love for you. 38:43 Hard work and sacrifice— That’s just her way. 38:53 Thinking of His advice Helps her through the day, 39:01 And she’s so glad to know That He loves her so. 39:06 It means so much to hear him say: 39:12 “Precious daughter, I’m so proud of you. 39:25 Time won’t alter my love for you.” 39:46 Yes, Jehovah sees And Jehovah knows 39:52 All the work you’ve done And the love you’ve shown. 39:57 No, He won’t forget How you’ve loved His name 40:02 For all this time. 40:07 Precious daughter, He’s so proud of you. 40:20 Precious daughter, He’ll be there for you. 40:32 Precious daughter, He will care for you. 40:44 Precious daughter, He loves you. 41:13 The apostle John wrote that he had no greater joy 41:17 than to hear that his spiritual children continued “walking in the truth.” 41:22 You fathers feel that same joy 41:25 when you see your daughters mature as Christian women. 41:29 Raising your children to love Jehovah 41:32 is just one of the many things you do for your family. 41:36 At a Bethel morning worship, 41:38 Brother Lett focused on the special relationship 41:41 between a husband and wife. 41:43 What can a husband do to show 41:45 that he shares Jehovah’s view of his wife? 41:49 My theme for this little discussion is 41:52 “Husbands, Love Your Wife as Yourself.” 41:58 What did Jesus say 42:00 was the second greatest commandment? 42:02 Well, you’re familiar with it. 42:04 At Matthew 22:39, he said: 42:08 “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 42:12 Now, what an excellent illustration 42:14 is contained in this second greatest commandment! 42:17 If you think about it, we just naturally, 42:20 inherently, love ourselves, don’t we? 42:22 And we show love in many ways. 42:25 So Jesus is saying, 42:26 “Work hard to show the same love for others 42:30 you show for yourself.” 42:32 But, now, thinking of husbands 42:34 as addressed in our theme, 42:36 who is a husband’s closest neighbor? 42:39 Well, his wife. 42:41 So especially must a husband work hard 42:44 to show the love that he shows for himself just naturally and then 42:47 to show that love for his wife. 42:50 Now, what are some specific ways 42:52 that husbands just naturally love themselves? 42:55 Well, let’s talk about five. 42:57 And undoubtedly you can think of many others 43:00 that could be discussed during this discussion. 43:03 But number one: 43:05 A husband feeds himself. 43:08 Ephesians 5:29 says in part: 43:12 “For no man ever hated his own body, 43:16 but he feeds . . . it.” 43:18 Well, what does loving our wife, now, as ourself require? 43:23 Well, for one thing, we certainly would make sure 43:26 we provide for the food and for other material needs 43:30 that our wife has. 43:32 And regarding this, I think of our brothers 43:34 in concentration camps in Nazi Germany. 43:38 Food was very scarce. 43:40 But our brothers, even then, from their meager food ration 43:44 would share food with other brothers, 43:47 even, in some cases, with worldly people. 43:50 Well, similarly, a husband would do without himself, 43:54 if necessary, in order to provide what his wife really needs. 43:59 But even more importantly, an extended application, 44:03 he would make sure that she is well-fed spiritually. 44:06 He must make sure that she has opportunity 44:09 to benefit from periods of personal study, 44:12 congregation meetings, assemblies, conventions, 44:16 and family worship. 44:18 But now let’s talk about a second way 44:21 that a husband just naturally loves himself: 44:24 We cherish ourselves. 44:27 Ephesians 5:29 says in part: 44:31 “For no man ever hated his own body, 44:34 but he . . . cherishes it.” 44:37 Now, what does cherish mean? 44:40 Well, according to the dictionary, 44:42 it means to treat with affection and tenderness, 44:46 treasure, value, attach importance to. 44:50 See, because of this feeling we have toward ourselves, 44:53 we try to get rest when we’re sick or tired; 44:58 we try to be with friends and loved ones; 45:01 we play games; we exercise; we do things we enjoy. 45:05 Periodically, we treat ourselves, don’t we, 45:08 because we cherish ourselves? 45:11 So, what does loving our wife as ourself require? 45:15 Well, it certainly means more 45:17 than just being able to put up with our mate. 45:19 It means cherishing her, 45:21 cultivating affection, or fondness, for her. 45:26 Think of this: At Proverbs 8:31, 45:30 it says that Jesus in his prehuman existence 45:34 was fond of humans. 45:37 Now, don’t you think that fondness he had for us 45:40 made it easier for him to come to the earth, 45:42 take the difficult assignment he took, 45:44 and even die for us because he was fond of us? 45:46 Well, similarly, 45:48 if wives are cherished by their husbands 45:53 —if husbands are fond of their wives— 45:55 it’ll make it so much easier to forgive them, 45:58 to even die for them, if necessary, in the future. 46:02 But if we’re going to have this proper feeling, like Jehovah, 46:06 we have to focus on the good qualities of our wife, see, 46:11 not the flaws, the imperfections. 46:14 And as one of the brothers commented on 46:16 (I love the thoughts in The Watchtower comments): 46:19 “Love is best sensed when it is expressed. 46:23 “How vital that marriage mates 46:25 “not allow the activities of daily life 46:29 to rob them of exchanging expressions of affection!” 46:34 But now let’s get a third way 46:36 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 46:39 We adorn ourselves. 46:42 First Timothy 2:9 speaks 46:44 of women “adorn[ing] themselves in appropriate dress.” 46:48 Well, husbands try to do the same thing. 46:50 And in adorning ourselves, we try to cover over 46:55 and minimize our flaws 46:58 and cover our bulges, our blemishes. 47:02 We try to make ourselves look as good as possible, don’t we? 47:05 Well, what does loving our wife as ourself require? 47:09 For one thing, we certainly wouldn’t shine a spotlight on her flaws. 47:13 We wouldn’t do this in the presence of others. 47:16 We would try hard not to even do it in our own mind. 47:19 Rather, we seek to cover over minor sins and transgressions, 47:24 as encouraged at Proverbs 19:11, where it says: 47:27 “It is beauty . . . to overlook an offense.” 47:32 So we work hard to adorn our wives 47:35 —make her look as good as possible— 47:37 in the eyes of others, even in our own mind. 47:41 Well, let’s get a fourth way 47:43 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 47:46 We take steps to heal ourselves 47:49 when we’re sick or injured. 47:51 Mark 5:26 47:53 talks about a woman who was very sick. 47:56 ‘She suffered at the hands of many physicians; 47:58 ‘she spent all her resources; 48:00 she didn’t get any better; she got worse.’ 48:02 But the point is, 48:04 she was really trying hard to heal herself. 48:06 Well, husbands try to do the same thing. 48:08 So if we’re sick or injured, we try to get extra rest, 48:12 we’ll buy medicine, we’ll take vitamins, 48:16 we’ll make an appointment with the doctor, 48:18 we’ll pursue therapy. 48:20 See, we try to get well. 48:23 What does loving our wife as ourself require then? 48:27 Well, we would certainly do all within our power 48:29 if she’s sick or injured 48:31 to try to help her get well. 48:33 But even more importantly, 48:35 if she happens to be ailing somewhat spiritually, 48:37 we would do everything we can possibly do 48:40 to help her get well spiritually. 48:43 What would be something, perhaps, we could do? 48:46 Well, Proverbs 12:18 says: 48:48 “The tongue of the wise is a healing” 48:52 —so the using of wise expressions. 48:55 Also, Proverbs 16:24: 48:57 “Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, 49:00 “sweet to the soul 49:02 and a healing to the bones.” 49:05 So, “pleasant sayings,” we would use these 49:08 to try to help her get well spiritually. 49:11 But now here’s one more, a fifth way 49:14 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 49:17 We make allowances, 49:19 excuses, if we make mistakes. 49:22 Husbands who make mistakes 49:24 are often heard blaming it 49:27 on their heredity 49:29 or maybe the environment, 49:31 their blood-sugar level, 49:35 how much sleep they got or didn’t get the night before, 49:39 the weather, and so forth. 49:43 We tend to well understand our own limitations, don’t we? 49:47 And we allow for that. 49:49 Well, what about loving our wife as ourself? 49:51 We’d make the same allowances for her 49:53 —being positive, imputing good motives to her. 49:57 If she speaks a little roughly or acts a little thoughtlessly, 50:02 we’ll try to discern the feelings 50:04 behind the words or actions. 50:08 We’ll make allowance, especially if we can discern 50:11 that she’s under some kind of emotional pressure. 50:14 We’ll make that allowance for her like we would for ourselves. 50:18 Well, there we have five ways 50:20 that we as husbands show love for ourselves. 50:23 We feed, cherish, adorn, 50:27 try to heal ourselves; 50:29 and we make allowances, excuses, 50:32 when we make mistakes. 50:34 Let’s work hard to show the same love 50:38 in those five areas for our dear, beloved wives. 50:43 And I’m sure, as we said, you can think of other ways 50:46 that husbands just naturally love themselves. 50:48 But what a rich illustration Jesus gave! 50:51 And interestingly, he took it even a step further. 50:55 He further expanded the illustration 50:57 at John 13:34. 51:00 You’re familiar with this, 13:34. 51:03 He said: “I am giving you a new commandment, 51:06 “that you love one another; 51:09 “just as I have loved you, 51:12 you also love one another.” 51:15 So he’s saying that we should have 51:18 even deeper love for our brothers 51:20 —which would definitely include our Christian wives— 51:23 a deeper love than we have for ourselves. 51:26 And that deeper love would move us to treat 51:29 our dear wives even better 51:32 than we treat ourselves. 51:36 Husbands, we know your wife 51:38 will never grow tired of your efforts to apply that counsel. 51:42 Really, the whole family benefits when each member 51:47 loves their closest neighbor as themselves. 51:51 And when a family is happy and spiritually strong, 51:54 they can do so much for Jehovah. 51:57 At the Scandinavia branch, 52:00 families from 19 congregations in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden 52:04 participated in children’s choruses to record theocratic music. 52:09 The children worked hard to prepare for each session, 52:13 but that meant hard work for the parents too. 52:16 The results, however, are a chorus of praise to Jehovah. 52:29 You get so happy when you sing with others! 52:37 Jehovah created us like that. 52:40 The birds also sing. 52:41 I feel that Jehovah is proud of me. 52:48 The Scandinavia branch office supervises nine languages 52:51 in audio and video production. 52:53 In the three largest languages —Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish— 52:57 there are also three children choruses 53:00 that help us with the recordings of the songs 53:02 for the Become Jehovah’s Friend series. 53:06 First, I listen very carefully 53:09 to the American adult chorus. 53:13 I try to spot where they breathe, where they pause, 53:16 and the overall mood in their way of singing. 53:20 Then, I listen to the music we have received. 53:26 I have a piano at home to practice the voices and figure out 53:30 where the high notes and low notes are, 53:32 where the challenging parts are, and how I can pass this on to the children. 53:37 I also think about what the goal with the recording is 53:40 —how other children who listen to the song 53:42 can feel the same joy as we feel 53:44 when we are singing and recording it. 53:49 Before the children arrive, 53:51 we make sure that all the equipment is prepared and tested 53:56 so that everything is ready when they come here. 54:01 When we receive the assignment to participate 54:03 in the recordings of a new song, 54:05 I feel that our girls have been full of initiative to practice. 54:09 And we have made it our custom to sing the songs at our family worship. 54:15 When we are driving, like to the RTO 54:17 for the recordings and on other occasions, 54:20 we usually sing in the car. 54:23 I like to sing the songs because they are good 54:26 and have nice melodies. 54:28 I especially like the new songs 54:33 because they are so different. 54:35 One has African drums in it, and the next is a bit Irish 54:38 and like you are walking in a valley and on a mountain. 54:43 Alma plays the cello and has asked to get the sheet music 54:48 for the new Kingdom songs, which are her favorites right now. 54:53 It’s been a challenge for André and me 54:56 because we are not that musical. 55:00 There is also a serious part, 55:04 so we start with a prayer to Jehovah. 55:07 Then, we watch the video and talk 55:10 about the point of the video 55:12 and how other children and families 55:15 can benefit when listening to them. 55:18 Then, we need to loosen up a bit, so we warm up with some exercises, 55:22 and then we’re ready to sing. 55:51 It is clear to us that they appreciate 55:54 their privilege more and more. 55:56 They actually see it as praise to Jehovah. 56:00 The joy they have of singing for Jehovah 56:04 rubs off on us who work with them. 56:08 When the children sing with joy 56:10 and express themselves freely, 56:13 it has an effect on us as parents 56:15 and the ones in the congregation. 56:18 Jehovah becomes happy when he sees it, 56:21 and also many brothers and sisters 56:23 and children become happy. 56:25 It is fun to make the recordings. 56:27 You get so happy, and then it’s more fun 56:28 to sing at the meetings. 56:34 I see more clearly why we sing 56:37 and why it is a part of our worship. 56:41 We don’t go there just to spend time with our friends; 56:43 we go there to sing. 56:45 It is a part of praising Jehovah 56:47 Singing is like a prayer to him. 56:52 I have been humming the songs, 56:54 and people around me wonder what it is I am always humming. 56:57 So it has helped me, and it is an easy way to give a witness. 57:02 My faith in Jehovah is stronger now. 57:06 I think that I am happier knowing Jehovah 57:09 after I began singing. 57:11 You understand that singing is a huge part of our worship, 57:15 and Jehovah wants us to use it. 57:21 When children sing out joyfully to Jehovah, 57:25 they draw closer to him. 57:28 The choruses in Scandinavia are a good example of that fact. 57:32 Their excitement for singing 57:34 even gave them opportunities to witness to their classmates. 57:38 You probably already include singing as part of your family worship 57:42 and agree that we feel a special warmth 57:46 when the family sings to Jehovah together. 57:50 As you look ahead at the August midweek meetings, 57:53 you’ll notice a part for the week of August 28 that asks: 57:58 “When Can I Next Serve as an Auxiliary Pioneer?” 58:03 You’ll want to prepare by watching the video 58:05 With Jehovah, I Can Do Almost Anything. 58:10 It’s the life story of Sister Sabina Hernández, 58:13 which appeared in the December 2015 program. 58:16 You’ll find it in the Video on Demand section 58:19 under “Interviews and Experiences.” 58:22 At the midweek meeting, you’ll be ready to share 58:25 how Sabina’s example encouraged you. 58:29 Our program has shown us 58:31 how much Jehovah values what women do in the family, 58:34 in the congregation, and in the ministry. 58:39 To all of our sisters, 58:41 please be assured that we love you, 58:46 and it’s our prayer that Jehovah continues to bless your work. 58:51 We want to conclude with greetings 58:53 from our brothers and sisters on the island of Saipan. 58:56 Part of Micronesia, in the western Pacific Ocean, 59:00 Saipan is a popular destination for thousands of tourists. 59:05 But make no mistake, 59:08 this is a preacher’s paradise. 59:11 After early opposition to the preaching work, 59:14 the truth is now flourishing 59:16 with an average of 200 Kingdom publishers 59:19 in three congregations throughout the island, 59:22 including 33 regular pioneers. 59:26 The relaxing atmosphere and tropical climate 59:29 make public witnessing carts an effective way 59:32 to reach the hearts of receptive ones. 59:35 The large number of tourists —many from Asian lands— 59:40 are finding our literature in Japanese, Korean, 59:44 Tagalog, Chinese, and other languages. 59:47 Among the first baptized publishers in Saipan 59:51 are faithful sisters who are now in their 80’s. 59:54 Sister Taeko Castro was baptized in 1970, 59:59 and Tomasa Mafnas was baptized in 1973. 1:00:03 They continue to be zealous Kingdom proclaimers 1:00:06 and are fine examples of “the women proclaiming the good news.” 1:00:11 We send our love and greetings to these congregations in Saipan 1:00:15 and warmly commend them for their positive spirit 1:00:19 and hard work to make Jehovah’s name known. 1:00:22 Thank you for watching. 1:00:24 From the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1:00:27 this is JW Broadcasting.
00:01 Welcome to JW Broadcasting. 00:04 We have some encouraging things to look forward to in this month’s program. 00:09 We’ll hear the experiences of Sister Agapita Reyes. 00:13 As a Christian wife and mother, 00:15 she successfully met the challenges 00:17 of raising a family by applying Bible principles. 00:20 What helped her to remain steadfast throughout her life? 00:24 How can you maintain focus 00:28 even after you achieve a spiritual goal? 00:30 Could subtle temptations and distractions take you off course? 00:35 We’ll discuss an important quality that can help you. 00:40 Parents are proud of young ones who give their best to Jehovah. 00:44 Their feelings are a reflection of how Jehovah feels 00:48 and are the inspiration for this month’s music video. 00:53 This is JW Broadcasting for August 2017. 01:16 The complexity found in nature 01:18 has inspired amazing achievements in technology. 01:23 But it has also moved people to ask, 01:25 “Was It Designed?” 01:28 That’s the title of an Awake! series that first appeared in 2008. 01:33 It’s been a powerful tool to turn people’s attention to Jehovah, 01:37 the Creator of all things. 01:40 We’re pleased to introduce the first 01:43 in an exciting new video series based on those articles. 02:12 The trunk of the African elephant 02:15 is an impressive multitool. 02:18 It is both flexible 02:20 and strong. 02:23 It can pick up a blade of grass 02:27 or uproot a tree. 02:33 Some elephants can use their trunks to feed themselves 02:37 around 270 kilograms (600 lbs) of vegetation 02:41 every day. 02:51 With their trunks, 02:53 they can suck water like a straw, 03:01 spray like a fountain, 03:03 and swim with a snorkel. 03:10 The trunk can give a gentle touch, 03:16 give a strong push, 03:20 or sound a warning trumpet. 03:24 Engineers admire the elephant trunk’s remarkable flexibility. 03:28 This comes from having no bone. 03:30 Instead, it contains 03:33 about 150,000 muscle units 03:37 —an incredible marriage of strength and structure. 03:42 Inspired by the elephant’s trunk, researchers are designing robots 03:45 for the future with greater flexibility. 03:48 Industrial design often can be made better by copying 03:54 the perfectly beautiful solutions in the natural world. 03:57 What do you think? 04:00 Did the elephant’s trunk evolve? 04:06 Or . . . 04:13 This new video series can help you 04:15 to see the proof that there is a Creator. 04:18 It can especially help you young ones to recognize 04:21 and reject the false teaching of evolution. 04:26 Use these new videos in your personal study 04:29 and share them with classmates and teachers. 04:32 They’ll help you give an effective witness 04:35 and bring honor to Jehovah. 04:37 You’ll find them in the Video on Demand section 04:40 of JW Broadcasting. 04:42 Young ones need strong faith 04:45 in this difficult system of things, 04:48 but they are not alone. 04:50 They have Jehovah’s holy spirit, 04:53 a congregation of brothers and sisters, 04:56 and very often, loving Christian parents. 05:00 In Monterrey, Mexico, 05:02 Sister Agapita Reyes set a beautiful example 05:05 in building up the faith of her children. 05:08 What circumstances made that effort a special challenge? 05:19 It’s not easy raising kids in the truth, 05:23 and I had ten. 05:29 I learned the truth when I was 19. 05:34 Some Witnesses came to preach in our town, 05:37 and my father offered them a place to stay. 05:39 He spoke with them all through the night 05:41 and then announced excitedly that he had found the truth. 05:45 Eventually, I was baptized in the 1950’s. 05:49 My husband was favorable toward the truth 05:52 but got involved in political affairs in the community, 05:55 and from there he began his political career. 06:00 When I read 1 Peter 3:1, 2, 06:02 I understood that I needed to be in subjection to my husband, 06:06 with the hope that he could be won over 06:08 “without a word” by means of my conduct. 06:10 When my children were young, 06:12 I made a weekly Bible study program for each of them, 06:15 and as they grew up, 06:17 the older kids helped me with their younger siblings. 06:21 I remember Mom always made an effort to teach me how to preach. 06:25 I would write presentations for the ministry on pieces of paper, 06:29 and the kids would practice while they did their chores around the house. 06:33 We set aside time one day a week for our family study. 06:37 It could be anything 06:39 —a sack of potatoes, a sack of flour, or a house plant. 06:42 She would tell me: 06:44 “Imagine that this is a person you meet in field service. 06:47 What would you say to them?” 06:49 When I finished, she would say to me, 06:51 “The way you did it just now, 06:53 do it like that when you go out in the ministry.” 06:57 My mom was very creative. 07:00 She would assign us to play the part of different Bible characters. 07:07 My mom taught us to appreciate the truth 07:10 through her example. 07:13 I served as a regular pioneer for many years, 07:16 and I encouraged my kids to reach out for spiritual goals. 07:20 My daughter left home at the age of 18 07:22 to serve as a special pioneer. 07:26 Later, my oldest son did the same. 07:28 These two proved to be excellent examples for their younger brothers. 07:33 Raising my son Noé was a challenge. 07:37 He was the youngest, 07:38 and at a very young age, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. 07:42 Despite his limitations, 07:45 he was able to serve as a ministerial servant 07:48 and regular pioneer. 07:50 He fought his illness for more than 40 years, 07:53 before passing away recently. 07:57 Losing my husband in death dealt me another blow. 08:02 Now my health and my memory are fading. 08:04 I can’t do as much 08:06 in the ministry as before. 08:09 But even so, thanks to the help of the brothers in the congregation, 08:13 I’m not giving up. 08:17 Even though my husband was not a Witness, 08:20 I respected him as the head of the family. 08:23 I will never forget the moment 08:26 when my husband asked me to study the Bible with him. 08:30 I remember that my eldest son gave the talk, 08:32 and his father was among the candidates for baptism. 08:37 Forty-two years after I received the Kingdom message, 08:40 my husband was baptized. 08:43 Another great blessing was seeing my children 08:45 grow in the truth and use their youth to serve Jehovah. 08:51 Some have served as special pioneers, 08:53 circuit overseers, or in Bethel. 08:57 If it wasn’t for her help 08:59 and the support of my siblings, 09:01 perhaps we wouldn’t be part of the organization today. 09:05 But thanks to her, we started out on the best course in life. 09:12 Words cannot express how grateful I am to her. 09:17 I now find great joy 09:19 in seeing my grandchildren and great-grandchildren 09:22 follow their parents’ example. 09:24 Thinking about all I have experienced 09:26 in over 60 years of service to Jehovah 09:29 —raising my ten children in the truth, 09:32 my husband becoming a servant of Jehovah, 09:36 and seeing 30 members of my family in full-time service— 09:39 I can do nothing but thank Jehovah 09:41 for his blessings. 09:44 It’s been worth all the effort. 09:55 Sister Reyes continues to serve Jehovah faithfully 09:57 at 86 years of age. 10:02 Have you personally experienced some of her more difficult struggles? 10:07 She’s felt the heartbreak of losing her husband and a child in death. 10:12 In recent years, she’s battled failing health. 10:15 But through all of that, 10:17 Sister Reyes remains a motivating example for Christian women. 10:23 Her story is an excellent start to our discussion. 10:28 The theme for our program is 10:30 “The Women Proclaiming the Good News.” 10:33 Sadly, throughout human history 10:36 women have been subjected to injustice, violence, and abuse. 10:41 Why is that? 10:43 The Bible explains. 10:46 In the latter part of Genesis 3:16, 10:51 notice what God says: 10:55 “Your longing will be for your husband, 10:57 and he will dominate you.” 11:02 When God said that Adam would “dominate” his wife, 11:06 God was not indicating His approval of the subjugation of woman by man. 11:11 He was simply foretelling the sad consequences 11:14 of sin on the first couple. 11:17 So abuse of women is a direct outcome 11:21 of the sinful nature of humans, not of God’s will. 11:26 Right down to our day, 11:28 rarely have women been accorded 11:30 the dignity that God wants them to receive. 11:34 However, Jehovah makes clear in his Word, the Bible, 11:39 that women and men have equal standing before him. 11:43 In fact, he indicated that women would play a vital role 11:47 in the outworking of his purpose. 11:50 Our theme is based on Psalm 68:11. 11:56 Let’s read it: 11:58 “Jehovah gives the command; 12:01 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 12:06 Those words were inspired by God. 12:08 But what did the psalmist have in mind when he penned them? 12:13 The context of Psalm 68 12:16 shows that David was praising Jehovah as a God of saving acts. 12:21 From the time of their Exodus from Egypt, 12:24 the men of Israel often had to fight against enemy nations. 12:28 With Jehovah’s help, they defeated them. 12:32 And the entire nation would then rejoice 12:34 over the victory Jehovah had given them. 12:37 The first of the victory celebrations recorded in the Bible 12:42 was at the time that Jehovah gave his people 12:44 the victory over Pharaoh and the Egyptians who were pursuing them. 12:49 Exodus 15:20, 21 12:54 tells what happened after this miraculous victory: 12:59 “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, 13:03 “took a tambourine in her hand, 13:05 “and all the women followed her with tambourines and with dances. 13:10 “Miriam sang in response to the men: 13:13 “‘Sing to Jehovah, 13:15 “‘for he has become highly exalted. 13:19 The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.’” 13:23 Picture that scene. 13:26 There were an estimated three million people 13:29 in the nation of Israel. 13:31 Imagine —out of that large number, 13:34 “all the women” were dancing and singing praises to Jehovah. 13:38 That was undoubtedly a large army! 13:43 What a great shout of praise to Jehovah that was! 13:48 Another example was when King Saul and his general David 13:51 returned from victory over the Philistines. 13:54 Let’s read the account 13:56 at 1 Samuel 18:6. 14:03 “When David and the others would return 14:05 “from striking down the Philistines, 14:07 “the women would come out 14:09 “from all the cities of Israel 14:11 “with song and dances to meet King Saul 14:13 “with tambourines, 14:15 with rejoicing, and with lutes.” 14:18 Notice that the account says 14:21 that the women came out of “all the cities” 14:24 to greet them with music, song, and dance. 14:28 Occasions such as these 14:30 were not simply expressions of rejoicing 14:34 that originated with human emotion. 14:37 Recall that under inspiration, David said: 14:40 “Jehovah gives the command; 14:43 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 14:46 Yes, and Jehovah valued their expressions of praise, 14:49 just as he valued the contributions of the men who had engaged in battle. 14:55 What about today? 14:57 The report for the 2017 service year 15:02 shows that there were over 8.3 million publishers 15:05 proclaiming the good news throughout the earth. 15:09 Keep in mind that in most lands, 15:12 it is not unusual for our dear sisters 15:14 to make up over half of our special pioneers 15:18 and nearly three quarters of those who serve in the regular pioneer work. 15:23 In addition, many other sisters 15:26 are wholeheartedly spreading the good news of the Kingdom 15:29 to the best of their ability within their circumstances. 15:33 There are many single-parent families where our sisters 15:37 are providing materially and spiritually for their children. 15:42 Many of our faithful single sisters 15:44 are expending themselves in Jehovah’s service 15:47 in theocratic construction and maintenance work, 15:50 Bethel service, and serving where the need is greater 15:54 —which includes serving in foreign-language fields. 15:58 Faithful wives loyally support their husbands 16:02 as well as fulfill their own roles as preachers and teachers. 16:06 Yes, how Jehovah must be pleased 16:09 to see all of you who serve in various ways! 16:13 And we’re grateful 16:15 for the warm spirit and positive influence 16:18 our dear sisters have on our congregations. 16:22 Clearly, 16:24 Jehovah values this “large army” of sisters. 16:29 But does he take note of the individual circumstances 16:32 and sacrifices of each sister? 16:36 We do not have to wonder. 16:38 By means of his Word, 16:40 Jehovah makes it evident that he sees 16:43 and appreciates each of his servants. 16:46 For example, 16:48 did you notice when we read the scripture in Exodus chapter 15 16:53 that Miriam was described as a “prophetess”? 16:58 Evidently, she was privileged to be used 17:00 as an instrument of divine communication. 17:03 In some instances, 17:05 this no doubt included singing songs that were inspired by Jehovah. 17:10 Miriam was not the only one in the Scriptures with this designation. 17:15 Other women in the Bible record, 17:17 such as Anna and Isaiah’s wife, 17:20 were also spoken of as prophetesses. 17:24 In the book of Judges, 17:27 another faithful servant, Deborah, is identified. 17:32 Let’s read Judges 4:4, 5: 17:39 “Now Deborah, a prophetess, 17:41 “the wife of Lappidoth, 17:43 “was judging Israel at that time. 17:46 “She used to sit under Deborah’s palm tree 17:48 “between Ramah and Bethel 17:50 “in the mountainous region of Ephraim; 17:53 the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.” 17:55 Evidently, 17:58 Deborah was assigned to settle disputes that arose among Israelites 18:01 by giving Jehovah’s answer to problems that came up. 18:06 Much later in Israel’s history, 18:09 during the reign of faithful King Josiah, 18:12 Huldah served as a prophetess. 18:15 At 2 Kings 22:8, 18:20 we read that while the temple was being repaired, 18:24 the original book of the Law was found. 18:27 When it was read to Josiah, 18:29 he was distraught at seeing how far off 18:32 the nation had strayed from Jehovah’s Law. 18:36 In verse 13, 18:38 he directed the priest, the secretary, 18:41 and other influential men: 18:44 “Go, inquire of Jehovah in my behalf, 18:49 “in behalf of the people, 18:51 “and in behalf of all Judah concerning the words of this book 18:55 that has been found.” 18:58 How did they accomplish this? 19:00 Verse 14 continues: 19:03 “So Hilkiah the priest, 19:05 “Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah 19:10 went to Huldah the prophetess.” 19:14 It’s interesting that Jehovah used this faithful woman 19:17 to convey his direction 19:19 and that prominent men and priests 19:21 sought her divinely inspired advice. 19:25 The Christian Greek Scriptures, however, 19:28 do not permit sisters to serve in such a capacity 19:31 as did Deborah and other prophetesses 19:33 in the nation of Israel. 19:35 However, 19:37 Titus 2:3, 4 19:42 encourages “older women” to display spiritual qualities, 19:47 “so that they may advise the younger women” 19:49 in spiritual matters. 19:51 Let’s read those verses: 19:55 “Likewise, let the older women be reverent in behavior, 19:59 “not slanderous, not enslaved to a lot of wine, 20:03 “teachers of what is good, 20:05 “so that they may advise the younger women 20:08 to love their husbands, to love their children.” 20:12 How we appreciate the spiritually mature sisters among us 20:16 who provide such fine assistance to younger sisters 20:20 or those who are newer in the truth! 20:23 However, today Jehovah has delegated authority to men. 20:28 They Scripturally qualify to serve as elders and ministerial servants 20:33 in order to serve, guide, and protect his people. 20:38 It is obvious that this is not due to a lack of respect 20:41 for the gifts of our sisters in the congregation. 20:44 In fact, many responsible brothers will acknowledge 20:47 that they have benefited from the experience 20:50 and practical wisdom of our humble, spiritually mature sisters. 20:56 Finally, 20:58 think of the outstanding faith 21:00 of another woman mentioned in the Bible, Mary. 21:05 What an awesome responsibility Jehovah entrusted her with 21:10 —bearing and raising his own Son as a human! 21:15 We can only imagine the thoughts that were going through her mind 21:19 when she was told of this assignment. 21:22 But the account in Luke chapter 1 21:27 tells us much about her spirituality. 21:31 In verse 38, 21:34 after the angel Gabriel finished speaking with her, 21:39 Mary’s response was simply: 21:43 “Look! Jehovah’s slave girl! 21:46 May it happen to me according to your declaration.” 21:50 She must have wondered how Jehovah would accomplish these things, 21:55 but she was humble and obedient. 21:58 Faithful men such as Moses and Jeremiah hesitated 22:02 when given a challenging assignment from God. 22:04 Not Mary! 22:06 What a beautiful example she set for all of us 22:08 —men and women! 22:11 Clearly, Jehovah has always highly valued women. 22:16 And we are privileged to serve today 22:19 with millions of hardworking sisters. 22:22 How pleased Jehovah must be 22:25 to see dear sisters serving him humbly and faithfully! 22:30 We urge you sisters, 22:32 please keep up your good work 22:35 and continue to be a positive influence in the congregation. 22:39 God has indeed granted you faithful women 22:42 the privilege of participating in the fulfillment of the psalmist’s words: 22:47 “Jehovah gives the command; 22:49 the women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” 22:55 Thousands of our sisters have been active 22:57 for many years in that “large army” of women. 23:00 Bertille Kupelian, 23:02 a special pioneer in West Virginia, in the United States, 23:06 entered the full-time service in 1958. 23:10 In that time, she’s helped more than 60 people to baptism. 23:15 How has her outlook toward the ministry 23:18 kept her going for almost 60 years? 23:27 My father was opposed 23:32 to the truth as I was growing up, 23:34 but my mother was very, very zealous. 23:39 I knew the things my mother was teaching me was the truth. 23:43 I knew that this was what I was going to do. 23:46 And it was not easy, but we did it. 23:52 I was Daddy’s girl, 23:54 but my mom made sure 23:58 that I and my siblings knew the truth. 24:01 And she studied with us when no other children 24:04 in the congregation had Bible studies at home. 24:09 Of course, we kind of kicked and didn’t like it, 24:13 but I was glad she did it. 24:16 My mother was a very, very positive person, 24:20 and although she had the opposition, 24:23 I saw how she dealt with it 24:26 and how firm and determined she was. 24:29 And that was something she taught us. 24:32 It’s a mind-set. 24:35 You know, your mind is a wonderful thing. 24:38 It can really influence you toward good or maybe not so good. 24:44 And so then, I was determined in my mind 24:47 that I was going to serve Jehovah then. 24:52 In our congregation, there were brothers and sisters of the anointed. 24:57 They were always very kind to me, 24:59 and they encouraged me. 25:03 I worked in service with them. 25:05 And I thought, ‘That’s the way I want to be.’ 25:10 Children like attention. 25:13 And so then, if you give them attention 25:16 —you talk with them 25:18 and ask if you could work with them in the ministry 25:21 and help them prepare a presentation 25:23 and go over it and over it 25:25 so that they’re ready for the ministry 25:28 —then they’ll enjoy it more. 25:32 That was one of the things that the anointed 25:35 did in the congregation where I was. 25:37 They paid attention to me, and I loved it. 25:43 How I learned to teach was I think about the person, 25:47 and I think about their situation, 25:49 and I try to think in my mind what they are thinking, 25:54 and I work on that 25:57 and think of what kind of scriptures I can find to help them. 26:01 And so then, 26:03 I try to pattern our studies 26:08 to incorporate some of those things. 26:14 There are always challenges. 26:16 Some of the winters right on the lake where I lived were very harsh. 26:22 And my trailer was parked in such a way that every time 26:26 the wind blew and the snow came and the ice came, 26:30 it sealed the door. 26:32 And so then, I carried a big knife in my car, 26:34 and I would have to cut around the door 26:37 to get the door to open —break the ice seal. 26:41 It was interesting. 26:45 I had some opposition in the territories, 26:47 and one was this lady who was very irate. 26:50 And she went to kick me, and she kicked me right in the stomach, 26:53 and so then, anyway, I dismissed myself. 26:58 Then, a while later, it was time to work the territory again. 27:01 Nobody wanted to go there, and we didn’t have do-not-calls, 27:04 I don’t think, at that time, at least there wasn’t any in the territory. 27:08 So then anyway, I called by and I mentioned to her: 27:12 “Why, hello there. 27:14 I know I’ve had the opportunity to talk with you before.” 27:17 Yes, she remembered. 27:19 And I said, “Well, perhaps you were having a bad day that day.” 27:24 I hit a lull when I had few Bible studies, 27:28 and so I prayed diligently to Jehovah: 27:31 “Jehovah, help me. I need Bible studies.” 27:34 And then you have to be out there looking for them. 27:37 Well, I’ve lost my father, my mother, 27:40 my sister, my brother. 27:43 Well, naturally you feel at a loss, 27:48 but Jehovah strengthened me, and the friends strengthened me, 27:53 and I kept busy in the ministry. 27:56 But again, it goes back to that mind-set. 27:58 Are you going to let the challenge beat you, 28:00 or are you going to beat the challenge? 28:04 You and Jehovah can beat the challenge. 28:08 You know, discouragement is one of Satan’s biggest tools. 28:12 And I always tell myself, 28:16 ‘I’m not going to let Satan beat me down.’ 28:19 As far as health is concerned, my everyday health is very good. 28:23 But I have a leg that drives me crazy. 28:28 I think back to Jacob. 28:31 He served Jehovah with a limp. 28:34 And then I think of Paul. 28:39 And so then, those things keep you humble. 28:44 I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed about it, 28:46 but just like with the apostle Paul, 28:49 it didn’t disappear. 28:51 And so then, I just say: “Patch me up till Armageddon. 28:55 It’ll disappear then.” 28:58 If your mind is made up that this is what you’re going to do, 29:01 this is your life, this is what Jehovah wants you to do, 29:05 and so then you do it. 29:09 I’ve seen how he’s kept me going. 29:15 You know that I’ve needed work; I’ve needed money; 29:19 I’ve needed strength. 29:21 I’ve needed companionship 29:23 because a lot of times I’m in the ministry by myself. 29:26 I talk to Jehovah. 29:28 And so then, he’s always there for me. 29:32 I definitely want to keep pioneering 29:35 or serving Jehovah the best I can, 29:38 regardless of what comes up. 29:41 There is nothing more joyful 29:45 than to see that you have helped somebody to live forever. 29:51 Well, how much better could it be? 29:59 Sister Kupelian had a profound effect on those she witnessed to. 30:04 I know this because she found me in the door-to-door ministry 30:08 when I was 14 years old. 30:11 At that age, I had the goal to be a doctor. 30:15 One night after the meeting, Bertille said to me, 30:18 “Well, you know, in the new world, 30:20 we won’t need doctors because Jesus will do all the healing.” 30:24 Honestly, that hit me hard 30:27 because I wanted to help people as well as provide for my mother. 30:31 But she added, 30:33 “What we will need are teachers.” 30:36 I thought that was a good idea. 30:39 Still focused on a career, I had one type of teacher in mind, 30:43 but she had another. 30:45 Through her patience and reasoning, 30:47 she helped me to become the most important kind of teacher 30:52 —a teacher of God’s Word. 30:55 Is there someone like Sister Kupelian in your congregation? 31:00 We are grateful for these sisters’ zealous spirit 31:03 and for the personal interest they show toward us. 31:06 And we’re sure Jehovah values them like we do. 31:11 One of Sister Kupelian’s strengths is her perseverance. 31:15 Perseverance means to continue resolutely 31:20 in the face of adversity, 31:22 being tenacious, not giving up. 31:26 If not careful, we could reach a spiritual goal, 31:30 only to let something distract us away from it. 31:34 In this dramatization, 31:36 a young sister is pioneering and working toward new goals. 31:39 How, though, is she in danger of losing her focus? 31:54 When I started learning sign language, 31:56 it just seemed to come natural for me. 32:07 After I transferred to the congregation, 32:08 I remember feeling so happy. 32:22 I was pioneering and really enjoying 32:25 this new way of communicating. 32:30 It’s funny how the thing you love can also be 32:34 the thing that tests you. 32:39 Soon, I took the test for a sign-language interpreter. 32:43 I couldn’t believe I passed! 32:48 I loved my new job. 32:54 My hope was that it would support my pioneering 32:57 and maybe 32:59 allow me to travel one day to a country 33:01 and preach where there was a need for sign language. 33:05 My boss was very happy with my work, 33:09 so much so that he began to give me more. 33:16 Everyone seemed appreciative, 33:21 and the extra money didn’t hurt. 33:38 I was handling it all fine. 33:42 Ahh, OK, for a while. 34:28 My boss asked me to work full-time 34:30 for a few months to get some extra training. 34:35 The raise could help me 34:37 with planning my trip abroad. 34:45 I knew my parents would be concerned. 34:47 I knew because I felt it too. 34:52 I was already dragging physically. 34:56 But then again, it would only be for a few months. 34:59 I was really torn. 35:02 Dad kindly commended me 35:04 for having good goals and trying my best to work toward them. 35:08 Then he showed me a scripture that really helped me, 35:12 1 Timothy 4:16: 35:16 “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. 35:19 “Persevere in these things, 35:22 “for by doing this you will save both yourself 35:25 and those who listen to you.” 35:27 He helped me 35:29 to see that Timothy set spiritual goals for himself while growing up. 35:35 But Paul was now telling him, 35:37 “Don’t stop!” 35:41 Even though Timothy was a grown spiritual man, 35:44 Paul encouraged him to continue setting new spiritual goals, 35:48 in fact, to ‘persevere in them.’ 35:53 What was I persevering in? 36:08 I kindly turned down the offer 36:10 and explained to my boss that I’d like to keep my hours 36:13 to a minimum 36:21 so I could support my number one job. 36:27 It might take me longer to save my money, 36:30 but I’ll make that trip one day 36:33 with Jehovah’s help 36:36 and a little perseverance. 36:42 It’s interesting that the skill she used 36:44 to expand her ministry and support her pioneering 36:48 became her distraction. 36:50 That wasn’t easy for her to see at first. 36:53 Who helped her to see the problem clearly? 36:57 It was her parents, especially her spiritually-minded father. 37:02 The interest you family heads show in your daughters 37:05 is well worth the effort. 37:07 It can point them in the right direction when they need guidance. 37:11 Everything you do for them 37:14 shows how precious they are to you and to Jehovah, 37:19 and that’s the feeling expressed in the music video 37:22 Precious Daughter. 37:34 Through all her tender years, He watched her grow. 37:45 Many the joys and tears, She would come to know. 37:54 But when she gave her best And came through each test, 37:59 She made His heart feel so good. 38:05 Precious daughter, He’s so proud of you. 38:17 Time won’t alter His love for you. 38:43 Hard work and sacrifice— That’s just her way. 38:53 Thinking of His advice Helps her through the day, 39:01 And she’s so glad to know That He loves her so. 39:06 It means so much to hear him say: 39:12 “Precious daughter, I’m so proud of you. 39:25 Time won’t alter my love for you.” 39:46 Yes, Jehovah sees And Jehovah knows 39:52 All the work you’ve done And the love you’ve shown. 39:57 No, He won’t forget How you’ve loved His name 40:02 For all this time. 40:07 Precious daughter, He’s so proud of you. 40:20 Precious daughter, He’ll be there for you. 40:32 Precious daughter, He will care for you. 40:44 Precious daughter, He loves you. 41:13 The apostle John wrote that he had no greater joy 41:17 than to hear that his spiritual children continued “walking in the truth.” 41:22 You fathers feel that same joy 41:25 when you see your daughters mature as Christian women. 41:29 Raising your children to love Jehovah 41:32 is just one of the many things you do for your family. 41:36 At a Bethel morning worship, 41:38 Brother Lett focused on the special relationship 41:41 between a husband and wife. 41:43 What can a husband do to show 41:45 that he shares Jehovah’s view of his wife? 41:49 My theme for this little discussion is 41:52 “Husbands, Love Your Wife as Yourself.” 41:58 What did Jesus say 42:00 was the second greatest commandment? 42:02 Well, you’re familiar with it. 42:04 At Matthew 22:39, he said: 42:08 “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 42:12 Now, what an excellent illustration 42:14 is contained in this second greatest commandment! 42:17 If you think about it, we just naturally, 42:20 inherently, love ourselves, don’t we? 42:22 And we show love in many ways. 42:25 So Jesus is saying, 42:26 “Work hard to show the same love for others 42:30 you show for yourself.” 42:32 But, now, thinking of husbands 42:34 as addressed in our theme, 42:36 who is a husband’s closest neighbor? 42:39 Well, his wife. 42:41 So especially must a husband work hard 42:44 to show the love that he shows for himself just naturally and then 42:47 to show that love for his wife. 42:50 Now, what are some specific ways 42:52 that husbands just naturally love themselves? 42:55 Well, let’s talk about five. 42:57 And undoubtedly you can think of many others 43:00 that could be discussed during this discussion. 43:03 But number one: 43:05 A husband feeds himself. 43:08 Ephesians 5:29 says in part: 43:12 “For no man ever hated his own body, 43:16 but he feeds . . . it.” 43:18 Well, what does loving our wife, now, as ourself require? 43:23 Well, for one thing, we certainly would make sure 43:26 we provide for the food and for other material needs 43:30 that our wife has. 43:32 And regarding this, I think of our brothers 43:34 in concentration camps in Nazi Germany. 43:38 Food was very scarce. 43:40 But our brothers, even then, from their meager food ration 43:44 would share food with other brothers, 43:47 even, in some cases, with worldly people. 43:50 Well, similarly, a husband would do without himself, 43:54 if necessary, in order to provide what his wife really needs. 43:59 But even more importantly, an extended application, 44:03 he would make sure that she is well-fed spiritually. 44:06 He must make sure that she has opportunity 44:09 to benefit from periods of personal study, 44:12 congregation meetings, assemblies, conventions, 44:16 and family worship. 44:18 But now let’s talk about a second way 44:21 that a husband just naturally loves himself: 44:24 We cherish ourselves. 44:27 Ephesians 5:29 says in part: 44:31 “For no man ever hated his own body, 44:34 but he . . . cherishes it.” 44:37 Now, what does cherish mean? 44:40 Well, according to the dictionary, 44:42 it means to treat with affection and tenderness, 44:46 treasure, value, attach importance to. 44:50 See, because of this feeling we have toward ourselves, 44:53 we try to get rest when we’re sick or tired; 44:58 we try to be with friends and loved ones; 45:01 we play games; we exercise; we do things we enjoy. 45:05 Periodically, we treat ourselves, don’t we, 45:08 because we cherish ourselves? 45:11 So, what does loving our wife as ourself require? 45:15 Well, it certainly means more 45:17 than just being able to put up with our mate. 45:19 It means cherishing her, 45:21 cultivating affection, or fondness, for her. 45:26 Think of this: At Proverbs 8:31, 45:30 it says that Jesus in his prehuman existence 45:34 was fond of humans. 45:37 Now, don’t you think that fondness he had for us 45:40 made it easier for him to come to the earth, 45:42 take the difficult assignment he took, 45:44 and even die for us because he was fond of us? 45:46 Well, similarly, 45:48 if wives are cherished by their husbands 45:53 —if husbands are fond of their wives— 45:55 it’ll make it so much easier to forgive them, 45:58 to even die for them, if necessary, in the future. 46:02 But if we’re going to have this proper feeling, like Jehovah, 46:06 we have to focus on the good qualities of our wife, see, 46:11 not the flaws, the imperfections. 46:14 And as one of the brothers commented on 46:16 (I love the thoughts in The Watchtower comments): 46:19 “Love is best sensed when it is expressed. 46:23 “How vital that marriage mates 46:25 “not allow the activities of daily life 46:29 to rob them of exchanging expressions of affection!” 46:34 But now let’s get a third way 46:36 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 46:39 We adorn ourselves. 46:42 First Timothy 2:9 speaks 46:44 of women “adorn[ing] themselves in appropriate dress.” 46:48 Well, husbands try to do the same thing. 46:50 And in adorning ourselves, we try to cover over 46:55 and minimize our flaws 46:58 and cover our bulges, our blemishes. 47:02 We try to make ourselves look as good as possible, don’t we? 47:05 Well, what does loving our wife as ourself require? 47:09 For one thing, we certainly wouldn’t shine a spotlight on her flaws. 47:13 We wouldn’t do this in the presence of others. 47:16 We would try hard not to even do it in our own mind. 47:19 Rather, we seek to cover over minor sins and transgressions, 47:24 as encouraged at Proverbs 19:11, where it says: 47:27 “It is beauty . . . to overlook an offense.” 47:32 So we work hard to adorn our wives 47:35 —make her look as good as possible— 47:37 in the eyes of others, even in our own mind. 47:41 Well, let’s get a fourth way 47:43 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 47:46 We take steps to heal ourselves 47:49 when we’re sick or injured. 47:51 Mark 5:26 47:53 talks about a woman who was very sick. 47:56 ‘She suffered at the hands of many physicians; 47:58 ‘she spent all her resources; 48:00 she didn’t get any better; she got worse.’ 48:02 But the point is, 48:04 she was really trying hard to heal herself. 48:06 Well, husbands try to do the same thing. 48:08 So if we’re sick or injured, we try to get extra rest, 48:12 we’ll buy medicine, we’ll take vitamins, 48:16 we’ll make an appointment with the doctor, 48:18 we’ll pursue therapy. 48:20 See, we try to get well. 48:23 What does loving our wife as ourself require then? 48:27 Well, we would certainly do all within our power 48:29 if she’s sick or injured 48:31 to try to help her get well. 48:33 But even more importantly, 48:35 if she happens to be ailing somewhat spiritually, 48:37 we would do everything we can possibly do 48:40 to help her get well spiritually. 48:43 What would be something, perhaps, we could do? 48:46 Well, Proverbs 12:18 says: 48:48 “The tongue of the wise is a healing” 48:52 —so the using of wise expressions. 48:55 Also, Proverbs 16:24: 48:57 “Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, 49:00 “sweet to the soul 49:02 and a healing to the bones.” 49:05 So, “pleasant sayings,” we would use these 49:08 to try to help her get well spiritually. 49:11 But now here’s one more, a fifth way 49:14 that husbands just naturally love themselves: 49:17 We make allowances, 49:19 excuses, if we make mistakes. 49:22 Husbands who make mistakes 49:24 are often heard blaming it 49:27 on their heredity 49:29 or maybe the environment, 49:31 their blood-sugar level, 49:35 how much sleep they got or didn’t get the night before, 49:39 the weather, and so forth. 49:43 We tend to well understand our own limitations, don’t we? 49:47 And we allow for that. 49:49 Well, what about loving our wife as ourself? 49:51 We’d make the same allowances for her 49:53 —being positive, imputing good motives to her. 49:57 If she speaks a little roughly or acts a little thoughtlessly, 50:02 we’ll try to discern the feelings 50:04 behind the words or actions. 50:08 We’ll make allowance, especially if we can discern 50:11 that she’s under some kind of emotional pressure. 50:14 We’ll make that allowance for her like we would for ourselves. 50:18 Well, there we have five ways 50:20 that we as husbands show love for ourselves. 50:23 We feed, cherish, adorn, 50:27 try to heal ourselves; 50:29 and we make allowances, excuses, 50:32 when we make mistakes. 50:34 Let’s work hard to show the same love 50:38 in those five areas for our dear, beloved wives. 50:43 And I’m sure, as we said, you can think of other ways 50:46 that husbands just naturally love themselves. 50:48 But what a rich illustration Jesus gave! 50:51 And interestingly, he took it even a step further. 50:55 He further expanded the illustration 50:57 at John 13:34. 51:00 You’re familiar with this, 13:34. 51:03 He said: “I am giving you a new commandment, 51:06 “that you love one another; 51:09 “just as I have loved you, 51:12 you also love one another.” 51:15 So he’s saying that we should have 51:18 even deeper love for our brothers 51:20 —which would definitely include our Christian wives— 51:23 a deeper love than we have for ourselves. 51:26 And that deeper love would move us to treat 51:29 our dear wives even better 51:32 than we treat ourselves. 51:36 Husbands, we know your wife 51:38 will never grow tired of your efforts to apply that counsel. 51:42 Really, the whole family benefits when each member 51:47 loves their closest neighbor as themselves. 51:51 And when a family is happy and spiritually strong, 51:54 they can do so much for Jehovah. 51:57 At the Scandinavia branch, 52:00 families from 19 congregations in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden 52:04 participated in children’s choruses to record theocratic music. 52:09 The children worked hard to prepare for each session, 52:13 but that meant hard work for the parents too. 52:16 The results, however, are a chorus of praise to Jehovah. 52:29 You get so happy when you sing with others! 52:37 Jehovah created us like that. 52:40 The birds also sing. 52:41 I feel that Jehovah is proud of me. 52:48 The Scandinavia branch office supervises nine languages 52:51 in audio and video production. 52:53 In the three largest languages —Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish— 52:57 there are also three children choruses 53:00 that help us with the recordings of the songs 53:02 for the Become Jehovah’s Friend series. 53:06 First, I listen very carefully 53:09 to the American adult chorus. 53:13 I try to spot where they breathe, where they pause, 53:16 and the overall mood in their way of singing. 53:20 Then, I listen to the music we have received. 53:26 I have a piano at home to practice the voices and figure out 53:30 where the high notes and low notes are, 53:32 where the challenging parts are, and how I can pass this on to the children. 53:37 I also think about what the goal with the recording is 53:40 —how other children who listen to the song 53:42 can feel the same joy as we feel 53:44 when we are singing and recording it. 53:49 Before the children arrive, 53:51 we make sure that all the equipment is prepared and tested 53:56 so that everything is ready when they come here. 54:01 When we receive the assignment to participate 54:03 in the recordings of a new song, 54:05 I feel that our girls have been full of initiative to practice. 54:09 And we have made it our custom to sing the songs at our family worship. 54:15 When we are driving, like to the RTO 54:17 for the recordings and on other occasions, 54:20 we usually sing in the car. 54:23 I like to sing the songs because they are good 54:26 and have nice melodies. 54:28 I especially like the new songs 54:33 because they are so different. 54:35 One has African drums in it, and the next is a bit Irish 54:38 and like you are walking in a valley and on a mountain. 54:43 Alma plays the cello and has asked to get the sheet music 54:48 for the new Kingdom songs, which are her favorites right now. 54:53 It’s been a challenge for André and me 54:56 because we are not that musical. 55:00 There is also a serious part, 55:04 so we start with a prayer to Jehovah. 55:07 Then, we watch the video and talk 55:10 about the point of the video 55:12 and how other children and families 55:15 can benefit when listening to them. 55:18 Then, we need to loosen up a bit, so we warm up with some exercises, 55:22 and then we’re ready to sing. 55:51 It is clear to us that they appreciate 55:54 their privilege more and more. 55:56 They actually see it as praise to Jehovah. 56:00 The joy they have of singing for Jehovah 56:04 rubs off on us who work with them. 56:08 When the children sing with joy 56:10 and express themselves freely, 56:13 it has an effect on us as parents 56:15 and the ones in the congregation. 56:18 Jehovah becomes happy when he sees it, 56:21 and also many brothers and sisters 56:23 and children become happy. 56:25 It is fun to make the recordings. 56:27 You get so happy, and then it’s more fun 56:28 to sing at the meetings. 56:34 I see more clearly why we sing 56:37 and why it is a part of our worship. 56:41 We don’t go there just to spend time with our friends; 56:43 we go there to sing. 56:45 It is a part of praising Jehovah 56:47 Singing is like a prayer to him. 56:52 I have been humming the songs, 56:54 and people around me wonder what it is I am always humming. 56:57 So it has helped me, and it is an easy way to give a witness. 57:02 My faith in Jehovah is stronger now. 57:06 I think that I am happier knowing Jehovah 57:09 after I began singing. 57:11 You understand that singing is a huge part of our worship, 57:15 and Jehovah wants us to use it. 57:21 When children sing out joyfully to Jehovah, 57:25 they draw closer to him. 57:28 The choruses in Scandinavia are a good example of that fact. 57:32 Their excitement for singing 57:34 even gave them opportunities to witness to their classmates. 57:38 You probably already include singing as part of your family worship 57:42 and agree that we feel a special warmth 57:46 when the family sings to Jehovah together. 57:50 As you look ahead at the August midweek meetings, 57:53 you’ll notice a part for the week of August 28 that asks: 57:58 “When Can I Next Serve as an Auxiliary Pioneer?” 58:03 You’ll want to prepare by watching the video 58:05 With Jehovah, I Can Do Almost Anything. 58:10 It’s the life story of Sister Sabina Hernández, 58:13 which appeared in the December 2015 program. 58:16 You’ll find it in the Video on Demand section 58:19 under “Interviews and Experiences.” 58:22 At the midweek meeting, you’ll be ready to share 58:25 how Sabina’s example encouraged you. 58:29 Our program has shown us 58:31 how much Jehovah values what women do in the family, 58:34 in the congregation, and in the ministry. 58:39 To all of our sisters, 58:41 please be assured that we love you, 58:46 and it’s our prayer that Jehovah continues to bless your work. 58:51 We want to conclude with greetings 58:53 from our brothers and sisters on the island of Saipan. 58:56 Part of Micronesia, in the western Pacific Ocean, 59:00 Saipan is a popular destination for thousands of tourists. 59:05 But make no mistake, 59:08 this is a preacher’s paradise. 59:11 After early opposition to the preaching work, 59:14 the truth is now flourishing 59:16 with an average of 200 Kingdom publishers 59:19 in three congregations throughout the island, 59:22 including 33 regular pioneers. 59:26 The relaxing atmosphere and tropical climate 59:29 make public witnessing carts an effective way 59:32 to reach the hearts of receptive ones. 59:35 The large number of tourists —many from Asian lands— 59:40 are finding our literature in Japanese, Korean, 59:44 Tagalog, Chinese, and other languages. 59:47 Among the first baptized publishers in Saipan 59:51 are faithful sisters who are now in their 80’s. 59:54 Sister Taeko Castro was baptized in 1970, 59:59 and Tomasa Mafnas was baptized in 1973. 1:00:03 They continue to be zealous Kingdom proclaimers 1:00:06 and are fine examples of “the women proclaiming the good news.” 1:00:11 We send our love and greetings to these congregations in Saipan 1:00:15 and warmly commend them for their positive spirit 1:00:19 and hard work to make Jehovah’s name known. 1:00:22 Thank you for watching. 1:00:24 From the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1:00:27 this is JW Broadcasting.
