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34567OCTOBER 1, 2010

Seven ThingsYou Need to KnowAboutPrayer

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Printing Each Issue:39,601,000 IN 182 LANGUAGES

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MAGAZINE, The Watchtower, is to honor Jehovah God, the Supreme Ruler of theuniverse. Just as watchtowers in ancient times enabled a person to observe developments from afar,so this magazine shows us the significance of world events in the light of Bible prophecies. It comfortspeople with the good news that God’s Kingdom, which is a real government in heaven, will soon bring anend to all wickedness and transform the earth into a paradise. It promotes faith in Jesus Christ, who diedso that we might gain everlasting life and who is now ruling as King of God’s Kingdom. This magazinehas been published by Jehovah’s Witnesses continuously since 1879 and is nonpolitical. It adheres to theBible as its authority.This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated,Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.

OCTOBER 1, 2010Vol. 131, No. 19

FROM OUR COVER

Seven Things You Need to Know About Prayer

3 PRAYER Why?4 PRAYER To Whom?6 PRAYER How?7 PRAYER What About?

9 PRAYER Does It Matter Whereand When?

10 PRAYER Will It Help?11 PRAYER Will God Hear and Answer?

REGULAR FEATURES12 Did You Know?

13 Our Readers Ask . . .

& 14 Imitate Their Faith—He “Continued Growing Up With Jehovah”

23 Draw Close to God—A “Hearer of Prayer”

24 Teach Your Children—A Kingdom That Will Change the Whole Earth

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE& 19 How Can You Combat Negative Feelings?

26 A Conversation With a Neighbor—What Is the Holy Spirit?

29 Speaking in Tongues—Is It From God?

THE WATCHTOWER ˙ OCTOBER 1, 2010 3

AROUND theworld, in every culture and reli-gion, people pray. They pray when alone;they pray in groups. They pray in churches,in temples, in synagogues, in mosques, atshrines. They may use prayer rugs, rosarybeads, prayer wheels, icons, prayer books, orprayers written on small boards that theyhang on racks.

Prayer sets humans apart from all otherlife on this earth. Granted, we have much incommon with the animals. Like them, weneed food, air, and water. Like them, we areborn, we live, and we die. (Ecclesiastes 3:19)But only humans pray. Why?

Perhaps the simplest answer is that weneed to. Prayer, after all, is generally seen as away for people to reach out to the spiritrealm, to something they view as holy, or sa-cred, and eternal. The Bible shows that wewere made with an appetite for such things.(Ecclesiastes 3:11) Jesus Christ once said:“Happy are those conscious of their spiritualneed.”—Matthew 5:3.

A “spiritual need”—how else could one ex-plain all those religious edifices and artifacts,all those countless hours spent in prayer? Ofcourse, some people look to themselves or totheir fellow humans to fill spiritual needs.

Do you not sense, though, that humans arejust too limited to help adequately? Weare so frail, short-lived, shortsighted. Onlysomeone far wiser, more powerful, more en-during thanwe are can give us what we need.And just what are these spiritual needs thatdrive us to pray?

Consider: Have you ever yearned for guid-ance, wisdom, or answers to questions thatseem beyond the reach of human knowl-edge? Have you ever felt in need of comfortwhen wounded by a terrible loss, of guid-ancewhen faced with an agonizing decision,or of forgiveness when crushed by guilt?

According to the Bible, those are all validreasons to pray. The Bible is the most reliablebookon this subject, and it contains a recordof the prayers of many faithful men andwomen. They prayed for comfort, for guid-ance, for forgiveness, and for answers tothe hardest of questions.—Psalm 23:3; 71:21;Daniel 9:4, 5,19; Habakkuk 1:3.

Such prayers, varied though they were,had something in common. The ones pray-ing each possessed a vital key to successfulprayer, one that is often lost or disregard-ed in today’s world. They knew to whomprayers should be directed.

1 P R A Y E R

Why?

PRAYER. There are few Bible subjects that elicit so muchinterest and curiosity. Consider seven commonly askedquestions about prayer; then join us in examining theanswers provided in the Bible. These articles are designedto help you to pray—to begin praying or to make yourprayers more effective.

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The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) is publishedsemimonthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract So-ciety of New York, Inc.; M. H. Larson, President;G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Colum-bia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. PeriodicalsPostage Paid at Brooklyn, NY, and at additionalmailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Watchtower, 1000 Red Mills Road,Wallkill, NY 12589-3299.

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DO ALL prayers go to the same place, regard-less of who is being addressed? In today’sworld, it is often popular to assume so. Thenotion appeals to many who favor interfaithmovements and want all religions to be ac-ceptable, despite their differences. Is it possi-ble, though, that the idea is untrue?

The Bible teaches that a great manyprayers are, in fact, misdirected. Back whenthe Bible was written, it was common forpeople to direct their prayers to carved im-ages. Yet, God repeatedly warned againstthat practice. For example, Psalm 115:4-6says about idols: “Ears they have, but theycannot hear.” The point is clear. Why pray toa god whowill never hear you?

A vivid Bible account enlarges on thispoint. The true prophet Elijah challengedthe prophets of Baal to pray to their god, af-ter which Elijah would pray to his. Elijahsaid that the true God would answer and thefalse one would not. Accepting the chal-lenge, the Baal prophets prayed long and

hard, even with loud outcries—but to noavail! The account reads: “There was no oneanswering, and there was no paying of at-tention.” (1 Kings 18:29) How, though, didElijah fare?

After Elijah prayed, his God answered in-stantly, sending fire from heaven to con-sume an offering that Elijah had set out.What was the difference? There is one vitalclue in Elijah’s prayer itself, recorded at1 Kings 18:36, 37. It is a very short prayer—there are only about 30 words in the origi-nal Hebrew. Yet, in those few lines, Elijahthree times addressed God by his personalname, Jehovah.

Baal, meaning “owner” or “master,” wasthe god of the Canaanites, and there weremany local versions of this deity. Jehovah,however, is a unique name, applying only toone Personage in all the universe. This Godtold his people: “I am Jehovah. That is myname; and to no one else shall I give myownglory.”—Isaiah 42:8.

Did Elijah’s prayer and the prayers of thoseBaal prophets go to the same place? Baalworship degraded people with ritual prosti-tution and even human sacrifice. In con-trast, the worship of Jehovah ennobled hispeople, Israel, freeing them from such de-grading practices. So think about it: If youspecifically addressed a letter to a highly re-spected friend, would you expect it to be de-livered to someone who did not bear yourfriend’s name and whose vile reputation

2 P R A Y E R

ToWhom?

5

contradicted everything your friend stoodfor? Surely not!

If you pray to Jehovah, you are praying tothe Creator, the Father of mankind.� “You,O Jehovah, are our Father,” said the prophetIsaiah in prayer. (Isaiah 63:16) This, then, isthe very One about whomJesus Christ spokewhen he told his followers: “I am ascendingto my Father and your Father and to my Godand your God.” (John 20:17) Jehovah is Je-sus’ Father. He is the God to whom Jesusprayed and to whom Jesus taught his follow-ers to pray.—Matthew 6:9.

Does the Bible instruct us to pray to Jesus,

� Some religious traditions say that it is wrong to pro-nounce God’s personal name, even in prayer. However,that name appears some 7,000 times in the Bible’s originallanguages, in many cases within the prayers and psalms offaithful servants of Jehovah.

to Mary, to saints, or to angels? No—only toJehovah. Consider two reasons why. First,prayer is a form of worship, and the Biblesays that worship should go exclusively toJehovah. (Exodus 20:5) Second, the Biblereveals that he bears the title “Hearer ofprayer.” (Psalm 65:2) Although Jehovah del-egates generously, this is a responsibilityhe has never passed on to anyone. He is theGod who promises to hear our prayers per-sonally.

So if you want your prayers to be heard byGod, remember this Scriptural admonition:“Everyonewho calls on thenameof Jehovahwill be saved.” (Acts 2:21) But does Jehovahhear all prayers unconditionally? Or is thereanything else we need to know if we wantour prayers to Jehovah to be heard?

Elijah’s challenge to the Baal prophets proved that allprayers do not go to the same place

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WHEN it comes to prayer, many religious tra-ditions focus on physical issues, such as pos-ture, wording, and ritual. However, the Biblehelps us to set such issues aside and focuson more important aspects of the question,“How should we pray?”

The Bible depicts faithful servants of Godas praying in many settings and postures.They prayed silently or aloud as the circum-stances dictated. They prayed while lookingup at the sky or while bowing down. Ratherthan using images, beads, or prayer books asaids in prayer, they simply prayed from theheart in their own words. What made theirprayers effective?

As mentioned in the preceding article,they directed their prayers only to one God—Jehovah. There is another important factor.We read at 1 John 5:14: “This is the confi-dence that we have towardhim, that, nomat-ter what it is that we ask according to his will,he hears us.” Our prayers need to be in har-monywithGod’swill.What does thatmean?

To pray in harmony with God’s will, weneed to know what his will is. Studyof the Bi-ble, then, is an essential ingredient of prayer.Does this mean that God will refuse to hear

us unless we are Bible scholars? No, but Godexpects us to look for his will, seeking to un-derstand it and to act on it. (Matthew 7:21-23) We need to pray in harmony with whatwe learn.

As we learn about Jehovah and his will, wegrow in faith—another vital factor in prayer.Jesus said: “All the things you ask in prayer,having faith, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22) Faith does not mean gullibility. Rather,it means believing in something that eventhough unseen, is supported by very strongevidence. (Hebrews 11:1) The Bible is packedwith evidence that Jehovah, whom we can-not see, is real, is reliable, and is willing to an-swer the prayers of those who have faith inhim. Furthermore, we can always ask formore faith, and Jehovah loves to give us whatwe need.—Luke 17:5; James 1:17.

Here is yet another essential aspect of howto pray. Jesus said: “No one comes to theFather except through me.” (John 14:6) SoJesus is the means of our approach to the Fa-

3 P R A Y E R

How?

Effective prayers are inharmony with God’s will,are offered in faith, and arepresented in Jesus’ name


ther, Jehovah. Thus, Jesus told his followersto pray in his name. (John 14:13; 15:16) Thatdoes not mean that we should pray to Jesus.Rather, we pray in the name of Jesus, remem-bering that Jesus is the reason that we areable to approach our perfect and holy Father.

Jesus’ closest followers once asked him:“Lord, teach us how to pray.” (Luke 11:1) Evi-dently, they were not asking about such ba-sics as we have just discussed. They reallywanted to know about content—in effect say-ing, ‘What should we pray about?’

IT HAS been called the most widely repeatedof all Christian prayers. Whether that istrue or not, Jesus’ model prayer—sometimescalled the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father—iscertainly among the most misunderstood.Millions of people utter its words by roteevery day, perhaps often during the day. ButJesus never intended for the prayer to beused in that way. How dowe know?

Just before relating that prayer, Jesus said:

“When praying, do not say the same thingsover and over again.” (Matthew 6:7) Did Je-sus proceed to contradict himself by layingdown a set of words to be memorized and re-peated? Surely not! Rather, Jesus was teach-ing us what to pray about, and he was givingus a clear set of priorities to keep in mindwhen praying. Let us take a closer look atwhat he said. The prayer is recorded at Mat-thew 6:9-13.

4 P R A Y E R

What About?

“Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.”Jesus thus reminded his followers that all prayers should be directed to his Father,

Jehovah. But do you know why God’s name is so important and why it needs to besanctified, or made holy?

From the beginning of human history, God’s sacred name has been smeared withlies. God’s adversary, Satan, has called Jehovah a lying, selfish Ruler who has no realright to govern His creations. (Genesis 3:1-6) Many have sided with Satan, teachingthat God is cold, cruel, and vindictive or denying that He is the Creator at all. Othershave even attacked his name itself, removing the name Jehovah from Bible transla-tions and forbidding the use of it.

The Bible shows that God will rectify all these injustices. (Ezekiel 39:7) By doingso, he will address your every need and problem as well. How so? The next words inJesus’ prayer provide the answer.

“Let your kingdom come.”Today, there is much confusion among religious teachers about God’s Kingdom.

But as Jesus’ listeners knew, God’s prophets had long foretold that the Messiah, a Sav-ior chosen by God, would rule a Kingdom that would change the world. (Isaiah 9:6, 7;

8 THE WATCHTOWER ˙ OCTOBER 1, 2010

That quick summaryof the mainpoints ofJesus’ model prayer does not cover everysubject that is fit for prayer. Remember,1 John 5:14 tells us about God: “No matterwhat it is that we ask according to his will, he

hears us.” So do not worry that your troublesare too trivial to bring before God.—1 Peter5:7.

What, though, about time and place?Does it matter when and where we pray?

Daniel 2:44) It will sanctify God’s name by exposing Satan’s lies and then overthrow-ing Satan and all his works. God’s Kingdom will put an end to war, sickness, famine—even death itself. (Psalm 46:9; 72:12-16; Isaiah 25:8; 33:24) When you pray for God’sKingdom to come, you are praying for all those promises to come true.

“Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”Jesus’ words suggest that God’s will is just as certain to take place on earth as it is in

heaven, where God dwells. God’s will has proved unstoppable in heaven; there, God’sSon waged war against Satan and his cohorts, casting them down to the earth. (Reve-lation 12:9-12) This third petition of the model prayer, like the first two, helps us tokeep our focus on what matters most—not our own will, but God’s. It is his will that al-ways brings about the greatest good for all creation. Thus, even the perfect man Jesussaid to his Father: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.”—Luke 22:42.

“Give us today our bread.”Jesus next showed that our prayers do not have to be entirely selfless. There is noth-

ing wrong with praying to God about our daily, practical needs. In fact, doing soreminds us that Jehovah is the one who “gives to all persons life and breath and allthings.” (Acts 17:25) The Bible reveals that he is a loving parent who delights in givinghis children what they need. Like a good parent, though, he will not grant requeststhat violate their best interests.

“Forgive us our debts.”Do you really owe a debt to God? Do you need his forgiveness? Many today have

lost sight of the reality and seriousness of sin. But the Bible teaches that sin is at theroot of our worst troubles, for it is the basic cause of death in humans. Born in sin,we all sin frequently, and our only hope for a lasting future lies in God’s forgiveness.(Romans 3:23; 5:12; 6:23) It is a relief to learn that the Bible says: “You, O Jehovah, aregood and ready to forgive.”—Psalm 86:5.

“Deliver us from the wicked one.”Do you realize how urgently, how desperately, you need God’s protection?

Many refuse to believe that “the wicked one,” Satan, exists at all. But Jesus taught thatSatan is real, even calling him “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31; 16:11) Satan hascorrupted this world over which he holds sway, and he is just as eager to corrupt you,to keep you from developing a close relationship with your Father, Jehovah. (1 Peter5:8) However, Jehovah is far stronger than Satan and is delighted to protect those wholove Him.

NO DOUBT you have observed that most orga-nized religions emphasize elaborate houses ofprayer andprescribe specific times of day whenprayers should be offered. Does the Bible limitour prayers to certain places and times?

The Bible does show that there are fitting oc-casions for prayer. Before eating with his fol-lowers, for example, Jesus thanked God inprayer. (Luke 22:17) And when his disciples as-sembled for worship, they prayed together.They thus continued a practice that had longbeen carried out in Jewish synagogues and inthe temple at Jerusalem. God intended thetemple to be “a house of prayer for all the na-tions.”—Mark 11:17.

When servants of God assemble and praytogether, their petitions can be effective. Ifthe group is united in spirit and the prayeroffered in their behalf reflects Scripturalprinciples, God is pleased. The prayer mayeven move him to do what he might nototherwise have done. (Hebrews 13:18, 19)Jehovah’s Witnesses pray regularly at theirmeetings. You are cordially invited to cometo a Kingdom Hall near you and hear suchprayers for yourself.

However, the Bible does not limit prayerto any particular time or place. In the Bible,we find a record of God’s servants prayinganytime, anywhere. Jesus said: “When youpray, go into your private room and, aftershutting yourdoor, pray toyour Father whois in secret; then your Father who looks onin secret will repay you.”—Matthew 6:6.

Is that not an inviting prospect? You canactually approach the Sovereign of the uni-verse anytime, in complete privacy, and beassured that you will have his attention. Lit-tle wonder, then, that Jesus often sought tobe alone in order to pray!Once, he spent anentire night in prayer to God, evidentlyseeking guidance on a most important de-cision.—Luke 6:12,13.

Other men and women in the Bible rec-ord prayed when faced with weighty deci-sions or daunting challenges. Sometimesthey prayed aloud and sometimes silently;they prayed when in groups and whenalone. The important thing is that theyprayed. God even invites his servants: “Prayincessantly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) He iswilling to listen endlessly to those who dohis will. Is that not a loving invitation?

Of course, in today’s cynical world, manywonder about the practical value of prayer.You may ask, ‘Will it really help me?’

5 P R A Y E R

Does ItMatter Whereand When?

We may pray anytimeand anywhere

DOES praying do us any good? The Bibleshows that yes, the prayers of faithful ser-vants of God really do benefit them. (Luke22:40; James 5:13) In fact, praying can do usa world of good spiritually, emotionally, andevenphysically. How so?

Well, let us say that you have a child whoreceives a gift. Would you teach him that itis enough to feel grateful? Or would youteach him to express his gratitude? When weput important feelings into words, we bringthem into focus and even strengthen them.Does the same hold true when it comes tospeaking toGod? Absolutely!Consider someexamples.

Prayers of thanks. When we thank our Fa-ther for the good things that come our way,we focus on our blessings. As a result, wemay feel more grateful, happier, more posi-tive.—Philippians 4:6.

Example: Jesus expressed gratitude forthe way his Father heard and respondedto his prayers.—John 11:41.

Prayers for forgiveness.Whenwe askGod forforgiveness, we strengthen our conscience,deepen our repentance, and intensify ourawareness of the seriousness of sin. We alsofind relief from the burden of guilt.

Example: David prayed to express repen-tance and sorrow.—Psalm 51.

Prayers for guidance and wisdom. Asking Je-hovah to guide us or to grant us the wisdom

we need to make good decisions can help usto be genuinely humble. It can remind us ofour limitations and help build our trust inourheavenly Father.—Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Example: Solomon humbly asked forguidance and wisdom in ruling over Isra-el.—1 Kings 3:5-12.

Prayers of distress. If we pour out our heartto God when we are in emotional turmoil,ourheart will be soothed and wewill lean onJehovah instead of ourselves.—Psalm 62:8.

Example: King Asa prayed when facing anoverwhelming foe.—2 Chronicles 14:11.

Prayers for the well-being of others in need.Such prayers help us to combat selfishnessand to grow in compassion and empathy.

Example: Jesus prayed in behalf of his fol-lowers.—John 17:9-17.

Prayers of praise. When we praise Jehovahforhis wonderfulworks and qualities, our re-spect and appreciation for him will grow.Such prayers may also help us to draw closerto our God and Father.

Example: David warmly praised God forhis creation.—Psalm 8.

Another blessing linkedwith prayer is “the peaceof God that excels allthought.” (Philippians4:7) Finding calm in thistroubled world is a rareblessing indeed. It evenhas physical benefits.(Proverbs 14:30) But doesit come solely as a resultof our own efforts? Or issomething more im-portant involved?

6 P R A Y E R

Will It Help?

Prayer offers many benefits—physical,emotional and, above all, spiritual


THE above question elicits a great deal of ex-citement and curiosity. The Bible shows thatJehovah does listen to prayers today. Wheth-er he hears ours or not is largely up to us.

Jesus denounced religious leaders in hisday who prayed hypocritically; they caredonly about making a show of their piety. Hesaid that suchmenwould have “their rewardin full,” meaning that they would receiveonly what they wanted most, the attentionof men, but not what they needed, God’shearing ear. (Matthew 6:5) Likewise today,many pray according to their own will andnot God’s. Ignoring the Bible principles thatwe have discussed, they do not get God’shearing ear.

What, though, about you? Will God hearand respond to your prayers? The answerdoesnot depend onyour race, nationality, orsocial standing. The Bible assures us: “God isnot partial, but in every nation the man thatfears him and works righteousness is accept-able to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Do thosewordsdescribe you? If you fear God, you hold himin the highest regard, fearing to displeasehim. If you work righteousness, you seek todo what God says is right rather than follow-ing your own will or that of your fellow hu-mans. Do you really want God to listen toyour prayers? The Bible directs you to yourgoal.�

Of course, many want God to answer theirprayers with a miracle. Even in Bible times,

� For more information about how to pray and be heardby God, see chapter 17 of the book What Does the BibleReally Teach? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

though, God rarely performed such won-ders. Sometimes centuries passed betweenone recorded miracle and the next. Further,the Bible indicates that the age of miraclesended after the days of the apostles. (1 Co-rinthians 13:8-10) Does this mean, then,that God does not answer prayers today? Farfrom it! Consider some prayers that he an-swers.

God grants wisdom. Jehovah is the ultimateSource of all true wisdom. He is generouswith it, sharing it freely with thosewhowanthis guidance and who seek to live by it.—James 1:5.

God gives his holy spirit and all of its bene-fits. Holy spirit is God’s active force. There isno force stronger. It can help us to enduretrials. It can fill us with peace when we aretroubled. It can help us to cultivate otherbeautiful and endearing qualities. (Galatians5:22, 23) Jesus assured his followers that Godgives this gift generously.—Luke 11:13.

God enlightens those who earnestly seekhim. (Acts 17:26, 27) Around the world, thereare people who sincerely seek the truth.They want to know about God—what hisname is, what his purpose is for the earthand humankind, how they can draw close tohim. (James 4:8) Jehovah’s Witnesses oftenmeet people like that and are delighted toshare the Bible’s answers to such questions.

Is that why you have obtained this maga-zine? Are you looking for God? Perhaps thisis how he is answering your prayer.

7 P R A Y E R

WillGod Hear and Answer?

ˇ The apostle Paul wrote: “Everythingthat is sold in a meat market keep eat-ing, making no inquiry on account ofyour conscience.” (1 Corinthians 10:25) Where did such meat come from?

Animal sacrifice was the principalceremony in Greek and Roman tem-ples, but not all the meat from the sac-rificial animals was eaten during theceremony. Excess meat from pagantemples found its way into public meatmarkets. The book Idol Meat in Corinthstates: “Cult officials . . . are called inother contexts cooks and/or butchers.From their allotted portion for slayingthe sacrificial animal, they sold meat inthe market.”

Thus, not all the meat sold in themarket was left over from religious cer-emonies. Excavation in Pompeii’s meatmarket (Latin, macellum) revealed thepresence of entire skeletons of sheep.This suggests, says scholar Henry J.Cadbury, that “the meat may havebeen sold on the hoof or slaughteredin the macellum as well as sold alreadybutchered or sacrificed in a temple.”

Paul’s point was that, althoughChristians would not share in paganworship, meat that had been sacrificedin a temple was not intrinsically con-taminated.

DID YOU KNOW?

Why does the Bible book of 1 Corinthians discuss meat thathad been sacrificed to idols?

CERAMIC PLATTERDEPICTING ANIMAL

SACRIFICE, SIXTHCENTURY B.C.E.

Musee du Louvre, Paris

ˇ John 4:9 says that “Jews have nodealings with Samaritans.” The rootsof this separation seem to date back towhen Jeroboam established idol wor-ship in the northern ten-tribe kingdomof Israel. (1 Kings 12:26-30) Samari-tans were from Samaria, the capi-tal of the northern kingdom. Whenthe ten tribes fell to the Assyrians in740 B.C.E., the conquerors settled pa-gan foreigners in Samaria. Mixed mar-riages between these settlers and thelocal people evidently resulted in fur-ther corruption of the Samaritans’ wor-ship.

Centuries later, the Samaritans op-posed the efforts of Jewish returnees

from the Babylonian exile to rebuild Je-hovah’s temple and Jerusalem’s citywalls. (Ezra 4:1-23; Nehemiah 4:1-8)Religious rivalry was heightened whenthe Samaritans built their own templeon Mount Gerizim, likely in the fourthcentury B.C.E.

In Jesus’ day, the term “Samaritan”carried more of a religious than a geo-graphic connotation and referred toan adherent of the sect that flour-ished in Samaria. The Samaritans stillworshipped on Mount Gerizim, andthe Jews had a scornful, disrespectfulattitude toward them.—John 4:20-22;8:48.

Why did a breach exist between Jews and Samaritansin Jesus’ day?

JEROBOAMESTABLISHED

IDOL WORSHIP


ˇ Jehovah’s Witnesses have never practicedfaith healing. Like Jesus, they believe that theirprimary mission is to preach the good newsabout God’s Kingdom. They also believe thattrue Christians are identified, not by faith heal-ing, but by something of far greater impor-tance.

To be sure, the compassionate healing of thesick in the first century C.E. by Jesus Christ is ofgreat significance to all of us. He thereby fur-nished a guarantee that under his rule as Kingof God’s Kingdom, “no resident will say: ‘I amsick.’”—Isaiah 33:24.

What, though, about today? Faith healers inChristendom as well as in some non-Christianreligions claim to perform miraculous healings.Yet, Jesus himself sternly warned against indi-viduals who would claim to have “performedmany miracles” in his name. He would say tothem: “I never knew you. Get away from me,you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22, 23, Internation-al Standard Version) So, are the supposed mira-cles of modern-day faith healers really an indica-tion of God’s approval or blessing?

Consider what the Bible says about the heal-ings performed by Jesus. By comparing thatScriptural record with the methods of faith heal-ers today, we can readily determine whethermodern-day faith healing is from God.

Jesus never used healing as a means of at-tracting followers or large audiences. On thecontrary, he performed a number of healingsout of public view. Many times he told thosewhom he cured to reveal the miracle to no one.—Luke 5:13,14.

Jesus never charged mon-ey for his miracles. (Matthew10:8) He also had an unfailing

record of success. All sick ones who came to himwere completely cured, and the healing did notdepend on the individual’s faith. (Luke 6:19;John 5:5-9,13) Why, Jesus even raised the dead!—Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; John 11:38-44.

Though he did perform those miracles, thefocus of Jesus’ ministry was not on gatheringconverts by means of emotional sessions of mir-acle working. Instead, his primary work was todeclare the good news of God’s Kingdom. Jesusorganized his followers to become disciple mak-ers, who would teach others about the hope ofattaining perfect health under God’s Kingdom.—Matthew 28:19, 20.

Granted, some of Jesus’ first-century followershad special gifts of healing, but these were tocease. (1 Corinthians 12:29, 30; 13:8, 13) TrueChristians today are identified, not by acts ofhealing, but by the bond of self-sacrificing love.(John 13:35) Modern-day faith healing has notproduced a genuine family of Christians from allraces and backgrounds who are bound togeth-er by such love.

There is, however, a group of Christians whoare united by a bond of love so strong that theyrefuse to harm one another—or anyone else forthat matter—even during the fiercest of humanconflicts. Who are they? Jehovah’s Witness-es. Worldwide, they are known for displayingChristlike love. Uniting people of diverse racial,national, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds is amiracle, so to speak, and is made possible onlyby God’s holy spirit. Why not attend one of theirmeetings and see for yourself?

OUR READERS ASK . . .

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses practice faith healing?

Do modern-day faith healers(shown at right) really have

God’s backing?


The people did not understand how seri-ous their situation was. They had insisted onhaving a human king to rule over them.They didnot grasp that they had shown grossdisrespect to their God, Jehovah, and to hisprophet. They were, in effect, rejecting Jeho-vah as their King! How could Samuel movethem to repentance?

Samuel spoke. “I have grown old and gray,”he told the crowd. His whitening hair addedweight to his words. He then said: “I havewalked before you from my youth until thisday.” (1 Samuel 11:14, 15; 12:2) Though Sam-uel was old, he had not forgotten his youth.His memories of those early days were stillvivid. The decisions he had made back then,as a growing boy, had led him to a life of faithand devotion to his God, Jehovah.

Again and again, Samuel had to build andmaintain faith, although surrounded by peo-ple who were faithless and disloyal. Today, itis just as challenging to build faith, for welive in a faithless and corrupt world. Let ussee what we can learn from Samuel’s exam-ple, starting in his early boyhood.

“Ministering Before Jehovah, as a Boy”Samuel had an unusual childhood. Shortly

after he was weaned, at perhaps four years of

age or so, he began a life of service at the sa-cred tabernacle of Jehovah at Shiloh, over20 miles from his home in Ramah. His par-ents, Elkanah and Hannah, dedicated theirboy to Jehovah in a special form of service,making him a lifelong Nazirite.� Did thismean that Samuel was cast off, unloved byhis parents?

Far from it! They knew that their sonwould be cared for at Shiloh. High Priest Elino doubt supervised matters, for Samuelworked closely with him. There were also anumber of women who served in some con-nection with the tabernacle, evidently in anorganized way.—1 Samuel 2:22, footnote.

Furthermore, Hannah and Elkanah neverforgot their beloved firstborn, whose verybirth was an answer to a prayer. Hannah hadasked God for a son, promising to dedicatethe boy to God in a life of sacred service.When visiting each year, Hannah broughtSamuel a new sleeveless coat she had madefor his tabernacle service. The little boy sure-ly cherished those visits. He nodoubt thrivedon his parents’ loving encouragement and

� Nazirites were under a vow that included a ban ondrinking alcoholic beverages and on cutting their hair.Most undertook such vows for only a set period of time,but a few, such as Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist,were lifelong Nazirites.

IMITATE THEIR FAITH

He “Continued Growing UpWith Jehovah”SAMUEL looked into the faces of his people. The nation had gath-ered at the town of Gilgal, summoned by this faithful man who had

served as prophet and judge for decades. It was May or June by modern reckoning;the dry season was well along. The fields in the region were golden with wheat readyfor harvest. Silence fell over the crowd. How could Samuel reach their hearts?


guidance as they taught him what a privilegeit was to serve Jehovah in that unique place.

Parents today can learn a lot from Hannahand Elkanah. It is common for parents to fo-cus all their childrearing efforts on materialconcerns while ignoring spiritual needs. ButSamuel’s parents put spiritual matters first,and that had a great bearing on the kind ofman their son grew up to be.—Proverbs 22:6.

We can picture the boy growing bigger andexploring the hills around Shiloh. As hegazed down on the town and the valley thatspreadout below iton one side, his heart like-ly swelled with joy and pride when he caughtsight of Jehovah’s tabernacle. That taberna-cle was a sacred place indeed.� Built nearly400 years earlier under the direction of Mo-ses himself, it was the one center for the pureworship of Jehovah in all the world.

Young Samuel grew to love the tabernacle.In the account he later wrote, we read: “Sam-uel was ministering before Jehovah, as a boy,having a linen ephod girded on.” (1 Samuel2:18) That simple sleeveless garment was evi-dently a mark that Samuel assisted the priestsat the tabernacle. Although not of the priest-ly class, Samuel had duties that includedopening the doors to the tabernacle court-yard in the morning and attending to elderlyEli. As much as he enjoyed the privileges,though, in time his innocent heart becametroubled. Something was terribly wrong inJehovah’s house.

Staying Pure in the Face of CorruptionAt a young age, Samuel witnessed genuine

wickedness and corruption. Eli had two sons,

� The sanctuary was a rectangular structure, basically agreat tent on a wooden framework. However, it was madeof the finest of materials—sealskins, beautifully embroi-dered cloths, and costly woods plated with silver and gold.The sanctuary sat within a rectangular courtyard that in-cluded an impressive altar for sacrifices. Over time, otherchambers evidently were erected at the sides of the taber-nacle for the use of the priests. Samuel, it seems, slept insuch a chamber.

named Hophni and Phinehas. Samuel’s ac-count reads: “The sons of Eli were good-for-nothing men; they did not acknowledge Je-hovah.” (1 Samuel 2:12) The two thoughts inthis verse go hand in hand. Hophni andPhinehas were “good-for-nothing men”—lit-erally “sons of worthlessness”—because theyhad no regard for Jehovah. They thoughtnothing of his righteous standards and re-quirements. From that one failing sprang alltheir other sins.

God’s Law was specific about the priests’duties and the way they were to offer sac-rifices at his tabernacle. For good reason!Those sacrifices represented God’s provisionsto forgive sins so that people could be cleanin his eyes, eligible for his blessing and guid-ance. But Hophni and Phinehas led their fel-low priests to treat the offerings with greatdisrespect.�

Imagine young Samuel watching, wide-eyed, as such gross abuses wenton uncorrect-ed. How many people did he see—includingpoor, humble, downtrodden folk—approach-ing that sacred tabernacle in hopes of findingsome spiritual comfort and strength, onlyto leave disappointed, hurt, or humiliated?And how did he feel when he learned thatHophni and Phinehas also disregarded Jeho-vah’s laws on sexual morality, as they had re-lations with some of the women who wereserving there at the tabernacle? (1 Samuel 2:22) Perhaps he looked hopefully to Eli to dosomething about it.

Eli was in the best position to address the

� The account provides two examples of disrespect. Forone thing, the Law specified which pieces of a sacrificialoffering were to go to the priests to eat. (Deuteronomy18:3) But at the tabernacle, the wicked priests had set upa very different practice. They would have their attendantssimply jab a great fork into the cauldron where the meatwas boiling, taking whatever choice morsel came out! Foranother thing, when people brought their sacrifices to beburned at the altar, the wicked priests would have an at-tendant bully the offerer, demanding the raw meat evenbefore the fat of the sacrifice was offered to Jehovah.—Le-viticus 3:3-5; 1 Samuel 2:13-17.


growing disaster. As high priest, he was re-sponsible for what took place at the taberna-cle. As a father, he had an obligation to cor-rect his sons. After all, they were hurtingthemselves as well as countless others in theland. However, Eli failed on both counts, asfather and as high priest. He offered his sonsonly a bland, weak scolding. (1 Samuel 2:23-25) But his sons needed far stronger disci-pline. They were committing sins worthy ofdeath!

Matters reached such a point that Jehovahsent “a man of God,” an unnamed proph-et, to Eli with a strong message of judg-ment. Jehovah told Eli: “You keep honoringyour sons more than me.” God thus foretoldthat Eli’s wicked sons would die on thesame day and that Eli’s family would suffergreatly, even losing its privileged position inthe priestly class. Did this powerful warn-ing bring about a change in that family?The record reveals no such change of heart.—1 Samuel 2:27–3:1.

How did all this corruption affect youngSamuel? From time to time in this dark ac-count, we findbright rays of light, goodnewsabout Samuel’s growth and progress. Recallthat at 1 Samuel 2:18, we read that Samuelwas faithfully “ministering before Jehovah,as a boy.” Even at that early age, Samuel cen-teredhis life on his service toGod. Inverse 21of the same chapter, we read something evenmore heartwarming: “The boy Samuel con-tinued growing up with Jehovah.” As hegrew, his bond with his heavenly Father gotstronger. Such a close personal relationshipwith Jehovah is the surest protection againstany form of corruption.

It would have been easy for Samuel to rea-son that if the high priest and his sons cangive in to sin, he might as well do what-ever he wished. But the corruption of oth-ers, including those in positions of authori-ty, is never an excuse to sin. Today, many

Christian youths follow Samuel’s exampleand keep “growing up with Jehovah”—evenwhen some around them fail to set a good ex-ample.

How did such a course work out for Samu-el? We read: “All the while the boy Samuelwas growing bigger and more likable bothfrom Jehovah’s standpoint and from that ofmen.” (1 Samuel 2:26) So Samuel was well-liked, at least by those whose opinions mat-tered. Jehovah himself cherished this boy forhis faithful course. And Samuel surely knewthat his God would act against all the bad-ness going on in Shiloh, but perhaps he won-dered when.

“Speak, for Your Servant Is Listening”One night, such questions met an answer.

It was nearing morning but still dark; theflickering light of the tent’s great lamp wasstill burning. In the stillness, Samuel heard avoice calling his name. He thought it was Eli,who was now very old and nearly blind. Sam-uel got up and “went running” to the oldman. Canyou see the boy in your mind’s eye,hurrying barefoot to seewhat Eli needed? It istouching to note that Samuel treated Eli withrespect and kindness. In spite of all his sins,Eli was still Jehovah’s high priest.—1 Samuel3:2-5.

Samuel woke Eli, saying: “Here I am, foryou called me.” But Eli said that he had notcalled and sent the boy back to bed. Well, thesame thing happened again and then again!Finally, Eli realized what was going on. It hadbecome rare for Jehovah to send a vision or aprophetic message to his people, and it is nothard to see why. But Eli knew that Jehovahwas speaking again—now to this boy! Eli toldSamuel to go back to bed and instructed himon how to answer properly. Samuel obeyed.Soon he heard the voice calling: “Samuel,Samuel!” The boy answered: “Speak, for yourservant is listening.”—1 Samuel 3:1, 5-10.

Jehovah did, at last, have a servant in Shi-loh who was listening. That became Samuel’slife pattern. Is it yours? We do not have towait for a supernatural voice in the night tospeak to us. Today, God’s voice is always therefor us in a sense. It is there in his completedWord, the Bible. The more we listen to Godand respond, the more our faith will grow. Soit was with Samuel.

That night in Shiloh was a milestone inSamuel’s life, for then he began to know Je-hovah in a special sense, becoming God’sownprophet and spokesman. At first, the boywas afraid to deliver Je-hovah’s message to Eli,for it was a final pro-nouncement that theprophecy against thatfamily was soon to cometrue. But Samuel mustered the courage—andEli humbly acquiesced to the divine judg-ment. Before long, everything Jehovah hadsaid was fulfilled. Israel went to war withthe Philistines, and Hophni and Phinehaswere killed on the same day. Eli himselfdied upon learning that Jehovah’s sacred Arkhad been captured.—1 Samuel 3:10-18; 4:1-18.

However, Samuel’s reputation as a faithfulprophet only grew. “Jehovah himself provedto be with him,” the account says, addingthat Jehovah let none of Samuel’s propheciesfail.—1 Samuel 3:19.

“Samuel Called to Jehovah”Did that mean, though, that the Israelites

followed Samuel’s lead and became spiritual,faithful people? No. In time, they decidedthat they did not want a mere prophet tojudge them. They wanted to be like other na-tions and have a human king rule over them.At Jehovah’s direction, Samuel complied. Buthe had to convey to Israel the magnitude oftheir sin. They were rejecting, not a mere

Despite his fear,Samuel faithfullyrelayed Jehovah’sjudgment messageto Eli

man, but Jehovah himself! So he summoned thepeople to Gilgal.

Let us rejoinhim in that tensemomentof address-ing Israel at Gilgal. There, elderly Samuel remindedIsrael of his faithful record of integrity. Then, weread: “Samuel called to Jehovah.” He asked Jehovahfor a thunderstorm.—1 Samuel 12:17,18.

A thunderstorm? In the dryseason? Why, such a thing wasunheard of! If there was even atrace of skepticism or scoffingamong the people, it did not

last long. The sky suddenly darkened with clouds.The winds battered the wheat in the fields. Thethunder let out its booming, deafening roars. Andthe rain fell. The response? “The people were greatlyin fear of Jehovah and of Samuel.” At last, they sawhow seriously they had sinned.—1 Samuel 12:18,19.

Not Samuel, but his God, Jehovah, had reachedtheir rebellious hearts. Fromhis youth tohis old age,Samuel put faith in his God. And Jehovah rewardedhim. To this day, Jehovah has not changed. He stillsupports those who imitate the faith of Samuel.

Samuel prayed infaith, and Jehovahanswered with athunderstorm


DO YOU ever struggle with negative feel-ings? Really, who does not? Our times

are marked by economic hardship, perva-sive violence, and wanton injustice. Not sur-prisingly, countless people are plagued byoverwhelming sadness, excessive guilt, and asense of personal worthlessness.

Such feelings can be dangerous. They mayundermine our confidence, paralyze ourability to reason, and rob us of joy. The Biblesays: “Have you shown yourself discouragedin the day of distress? Your power will bescanty.” (Proverbs 24:10) We need our power,our energy, in order to keep going in thistroubled world. Therefore, it is essential tokeep negative feelings under control.�

The Bible provides some strong defensesagainst negative feelings. Jehovah God, theCreator and the Sustainer of all life, does notwant you to give out under the weight of de-spair or hopelessness. (Psalm 36:9) So let usconsider three ways in which his Word canhelp us to combat negative feelings.

Be Aware of God’s Interest in YouSome people think that God is too occu-

pied with other matters to give attention totheir personal feelings. Is that how you feel?Actually, the Bible assures us that our Creatoris concerned aboutour feelings. The psalmistsaid: “Jehovah is near to those that are bro-ken at heart; and those who are crushed inspirit he saves.” (Psalm 34:18) How comfort-

� Those who struggle with extended or profound de-pressionmay need to consult a qualified doctor.—Matthew9:12.

ing it is to know that the almighty Sovereignis near to us whenwe are in distress!

God is not cold or aloof. The Bible says that“God is love.” (1 John 4:8) He loves peopleand is sensitive toward those who suffer. Forexample, when the Israeliteswere in bondagein Egypt some 3,500 years ago, he said: “Un-questionably I have seen the affliction ofmy people who are in Egypt, and I haveheard their outcry as a result of those whodrive them to work; becauseI well know the pains they suf-fer. And I amproceeding to godown to deliver them.”—Exo-dus 3:7, 8.

God well knows our emo-tional makeup. After all, “it ishe that has made us, and notwe ourselves.” (Psalm 100:3)Thus, even when we feel thatour fellow humans do not understand us, wecan be sure that God understands. God’sWord states: “Not the way man sees is theway God sees, because mere man sees whatappears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, hesees what the heart is.” (1 Samuel 16:7) Evenour innermost feelings are not hidden fromGod.

Granted, Jehovah is also aware of our mis-takes and flaws. But we can be thankful thatour loving Maker is forgiving. The inspiredBible writer David said: “As a father showsmercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercyto those fearing him. For he himself wellknows the formation of us, rememberingthat we are dust.” (Psalm 103:13,14) God sees

HOW CAN YOU COMBAT

Negative Feelings?

“I wellknow thepains theysuffer.”EXODUS 3:7, 8


us as we may not see ourselves. He looks forthe good and dismisses the bad, as long as werepent of our sins.—Psalm 139:1-3, 23, 24.

Thus, when we are plagued by feelings ofworthlessness, we need to be determined tofight back. We must rememberhow God seesus!—1 John 3:20.

Develop a Close Friendship With GodHow do we benefit if we see ourselves as

God sees us? We will find it easier to take thenext step in overcoming negative feelings—building a close friendship with God. Isthat really possible?

As a loving Father, Jehovah God is eager tohelp us develop a close friendship with him.The Bible urges us: “Draw close to God, andhe will draw close to you.” (James 4:8) Here isan amazing truth: Weak and sinful thoughwe are, we can build a warm personal friend-ship with the Sovereign of the universe.

God has revealed himself in the Bible sothat we can get to know him as a per-son. By reading the Bible regularly, we can

learn about God’s appeal-ing qualities.� As we med-itate on such knowledge,we will feel ever closerto Jehovah. We will seehim more clearly for whathe truly is—a loving, com-passionate Father.

Thinking deeply aboutwhat we read in the Bibledoes still more for us. Wedraw closer to our heav-enly Father by taking histhoughts into our mind

and heart, allowing them to correct, con-sole, and guide us. We especially need to doso when we are struggling with thoughts

� The August 1, 2009, issue of The Watchtower featuresa practical and useful schedule for reading the Bible.

and feelings that trouble or disquiet us. Thepsalmist put it this way: “When I was bur-dened with worries, you comforted me andmade me feel secure.” (Psalm 94:19, Contem-porary English Version) God’s Word can beprofoundly comforting. If we humbly accepthis message of truth, we may find that ournegative feelings are gradually displaced bythe comfort and the peace that only God canprovide. Jehovah thus consoles us as a lovingparent might soothe a hurt or upset child.

Another key to becoming God’s friend in-volves talking to him regularly. The Bible as-sures us that “no matter what it is that we askaccording tohis will, [God] hears us.” (1 John5:14) Whatever fears or anxieties we mayhave, we can pray to God and ask for hishelp. If we open our hearts to God, we gainpeace of mind. The apostle Paul wrote: “Ineverything by prayer and supplication alongwith thanksgiving let your petitions be madeknown to God; and the peace of God that ex-

“When I wasburdened with

worries, youcomforted meand made me

feel secure.”PSALM 94:19,

CONTEMPORARYENGLISH VERSION


cels all thought will guard your hearts and yourmental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6, 7.

As you adhere to a program of Bible read-ing, meditation, and personal prayer, youwill no doubt find that you are building aclose bond with your heavenly Father. Thatbond is a powerful weapon to wield againstnegative feelings. What else may help?

Focus On a Sure Hopefor the Future

Even when we are under the most tryingcircumstances, we can keep our mindon good things. How so? God gives us asure hope for the future. The apostle Pe-ter summed up this wonderful hope inthese words: “There are new heavens and anew earth that we are awaiting according to[God’s] promise, and in these righteousnessis to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) What does thatmean?

The expression “new heavens” actually

refers to a government—God’s heavenly King-dom in the hands of JesusChrist. “New earth” re-fers to a new human soci-ety here on earth havingGod’s approval. Underthe rule of the “new heav-ens,” the new earthly so-ciety will be free of all thethings that cause negativefeelings. Regarding faith-ful humans living then,the Bible assures us thatGod “will wipe out every tear from their eyes,and death will be no more, neither willmourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:4.

Surely you would agree that those are de-lightful, encouraging thoughts. That is whythe Bible speaks of the future prospectsGod has provided for true Christians as “thehappy hope.” (Titus 2:13) If we focus our

“The peaceof God thatexcels allthought willguard yourhearts andyour mentalpowers.”PHILIPPIANS 4:7

“Jehovah, a God merciful andgracious, slow to anger andabundant in loving-kindnessand truth.”—EXODUS 34:6.

“His eyes are roving aboutthrough all the earth to showhis strength in behalf of thosewhose heart is complete to-ward him.”—2 CHRONICLES 16:9.

“Jehovah is near to thosethat are broken at heart; andthose who are crushed inspirit he saves.”—PSALM 34:18.

“You, O Jehovah, are goodand ready to forgive.”—PSALM 86:5.

“Jehovah is good to all, andhis mercies are over all hisworks.”—PSALM 145:9.

“I, Jehovah your God, amgrasping your right hand, theOne saying to you, ‘Do notbe afraid. I myself will helpyou.’”—ISAIAH 41:13.

“Blessed be . . . the Fatherof tender mercies and theGod of all comfort.”—2 CORINTHIANS 1:3.

“We shall assure our heartsbefore him as regards what-ever our hearts may condemnus in, because God is greaterthan our hearts and knows allthings.”—1 JOHN 3:19, 20.

Comforting Scriptures About Jehovah God

mind on God’s promises for mankind’s fu-ture—andon the reasons why those promisesare reliable and sure—we push aside negativethoughts.—Philippians 4:8.

The Bible compares our hope of salvationto a helmet. (1 Thessalonians 5:8) In ancienttimes, a soldier would not dare engage in bat-tle without his helmet. He knew that itwould cushion many a blow and cause manyamissile to glance off harmlessly. As a helmet

protects the head, so hope protects the mind.Dwelling on thoughts that fill us with hopecan keep us from negative, fearful, pessimis-tic thinking.

So it is possible to combat negative feel-ings. You can do it! Contemplate how Godviews you, draw closer to him, and focus onyour hope for the future. Then you can besure that you will see the day when negativefeelings are gone for good!—Psalm 37:29.

“My father is an alcoholic, and he has caused me much suffer-ing. I have been plagued by feelings of worthlessness for as longas I can remember. But when I accepted a Bible study with oneof Jehovah’s Witnesses, I learned about the promise of everlast-ing life on earth. This hope filled my mind and heart with joy. Bi-ble reading became a regular part of my life. I always have a Bi-ble close by. When I am overwhelmed by negative feelings, Ireach for it and read comforting scriptures. Reading about God’sappealing qualities assures me how precious I am in his eyes.”—Katia, a 33-year-old woman.�

“I was addicted to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine,and I sniffed glue. Having lost almost everything I owned, I be-came a beggar. But after accepting the offer of a Bible studywith Jehovah’s Witnesses, I changed my life completely. I cameto know God as a Person. Even though I still have to fight againstfeelings of guilt and worthlessness, I have learned to lean uponGod’s mercy and loving-kindness. I am sure that God will contin-ue to give me the strength to overcome my negative feelings.Getting to know Bible truth is the best thing that ever happenedto me.”—Renato, a 37-year-old man.

“Ever since I was small, I used to compare myself with my olderbrother. I always felt inferior to him. I still have a great sense ofinsecurity, doubting my abilities. But I am determined to winthis battle. I have prayed incessantly to Jehovah, and he hashelped me to overcome my feelings of inadequacy. It is heart-warming to know that God truly loves and cares for me!”—Roberta, a 45-year-old woman.

� Some names were changed.

They Are Successfully CopingWith Negative Feelings

22

1 CHRONICLES 4:9, 10��

DOES Jehovah God really answer the sincereprayers of devoted worshippers? The Bi-

ble account about a little-known man namedJabez shows that Jehovah is indeed the “Hear-er of prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) This brief account isfound in what might seem an unlikely place—in the midst of the genealogical lists thatopen the book of First Chronicles. Let us exam-ine 1 Chronicles 4:9,10.

All that we know about Jabez is found inthese two verses. According to verse 9, hismother “called his name Jabez, saying: ‘I havegiven him birth in pain.’”� Why did shechoose such a name? Did she bring forth thissonwith more than the usual birth pangs? Wasshe perhaps a widow, lamenting the fact thather husband was not there to welcome theirbaby into the world? The Bible does not say.But this mother would someday have reasonto be especially proud of this son. Jabez’ sib-lings may have been upright men, but “Ja-bez came to be more honorable than hisbrothers.”

Jabez was a man of prayer. He began hisprayer by pleading for God’s blessing. He thenmade three requests that reflect a heart full offaith.

First, Jabez implored God, saying: “Enlargemy territory.” (Verse 10) This honorable manwas no land-grabber, coveting what belongedto his fellow man. His earnest request mayhave had more to do with people than land.He may have been asking for the peaceful en-

� The name Jabez comes from a root that can mean“pain.”

largement of his territory so that it could holdmore worshippers of the true God.�

Second, Jabez pleaded for God’s “hand” tobe with him. God’s symbolic hand is his ap-plied power, which he uses to help his wor-shippers. (1 Chronicles 29:12) To receive the re-quests of his heart, Jabez looked to the Godwhose hand is not short toward those whoshow faith in him.—Isaiah 59:1.

Third, Jabez prayed: “Preserve me from ca-lamity, that it may not hurt me.” The expres-sion “that it may not hurt me” may suggestthat Jabez prayed, not to escape calamity, butto be kept from being grieved or overcome bythe effects of evil.

Jabez’ prayer revealed his concern for trueworship and his faith and trust in the Hearer ofprayer. How did Jehovah respond? This briefaccount concludes with the words: “Accord-ingly God brought to pass what he had asked.”

The Hearer of prayer has not changed. Hedelights in the prayers of worshippers. Thosewho place their faith and trust in him may havethis confidence: “No matter what it is thatwe ask according to his will, he hears us.”—1 John 5:14.

� The Targums, Jewish paraphrases of the Sacred Scrip-tures, render Jabez’ words: “Bless me with children, andenlarge my borders with disciples.”

DRAW CLOSE TO GOD

A“Hearer of Prayer”


CAN you guess what Kingdom wemean?—� It is the one Jesus taught

us to pray for. He taught us to ask God:“Let your kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:9,10) For nearly 2,000 years, followers ofJesus have prayed to God that His King-dom come. Have you prayed aboutthat?—

To understand what a kingdom is,you need to know what a king is. A kingis a person who rules. The land he rulesover is called his domain. The domainof God’s Kingdom includes the wholeearth. When God’s Kingdom comes,everyone on earth will in time enjoythe blessings that his rule will bring tothe people.

God’s Kingdom is a heavenly govern-ment. At Isaiah 9:6, the Bible talksabout the Ruler of this government.Notice what it says about him: “Therehas been a child born to us, . . . and theprincely rule will come to be upon hisshoulder. And his name will be called. . . Prince of Peace.”

Do you know what a prince is?— Yes,he is the son of a king. Who is the su-preme heavenly King?— You are right ifyou said Jehovah. The Bible calls him“the Most High over all the earth.”(Psalm 83:18) In the Bible, Jesus is of-

� If you are reading with a child, the dash provides areminder to pause and encourage the child to expresshimself.

ten called “the Son of God.” One reasonis that Jehovah gave Jesus life. Jehovahis Jesus’ real Father.—Luke 1:34, 35;John 1:34, 49; 3:17; 11:27; 20:31; Acts9:20.

God’s Kingdom, which Jesus taughtus to pray for, is a special kind of gov-ernment. It is a “princely rule” becauseJehovah makes his Son, Jesus, the Ruler,or King, of the Kingdom. But did youknow that others will be chosen to ruleas kings with Jesus in his Father’s King-dom?— Let’s talk about them.

Just before he died, Jesus told hisfaithful apostles that he was going to“the house” of his Father in heaven. “Iam going my way to prepare a place foryou,” he said, “that where I am youalso may be.” (John 14:1-3) Do youknow what the apostles and the others

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

A Kingdom That WillChange the Whole Earth

chosen will do in heaven with Jesus?—They “will rule as kings with him.” TheBible even tells how many will rule askings with Jesus. There will be 144,000.—Revelation 14:1, 3; 20:6.

What do you think it will be like onearth when the Prince of Peace and hischosen 144,000 are rulers?— It will bewonderful! There will be no war. Ani-mals will live at peace with one anotherand with us. Nobody will get sick or die.The eyes of the blind will see, the ears ofthe deaf will hear, the lame will runand jump like deer. The earth will growgood food for everyone. And all peoplewill love one another as Jesus taught

his disciples to do. (John 13:34, 35)Let’s turn to the verses listed here in thebook of Isaiah and read about the won-derful things that will take place.—Isa-iah 2:4; 11:6-11; 25:8; 33:24; 35:5, 6;65:21-24.

Ever since Jesus taught people topray “let your kingdom come,” millionshave learned about that Kingdom. Thisknowledge has changed their lives.Soon, when that Kingdom comes andreplaces all governments of the earth,everyone who serves Jehovah God andhis chosen Ruler, Jesus Christ, will enjoypeace, health, and happiness.—John17:3.

QUESTIONS: ˇ Why is God’s Kingdom also called a “princely rule”?ˇ Who will rule with Jesus in his Father’s Kingdom?ˇ What will it be like on earth under Jesus’ princely rule?


The following is a typical conversation thatone of Jehovah’s Witnesses might have witha neighbor. Let us imagine that a Witnessnamed Scott has called at the home of a mannamed Brad.��

What Do You Mean by“Holy Ghost”?

Brad: I have heard that Jehovah’s Witness-es are not Christians. You don’t believe in theholy ghost.

Scott: First, let me assure you that we areChristians. My belief in Jesus Christ hasbrought me to your door this morning. Afterall, he is the One who commands his follow-ers to preach. But may I ask, just what do youmean by “holy ghost”?

Brad: I mean the holy spirit, the third per-son in the Trinity, the helper that Jesuspromised to send to us. That helper is veryimportant to me. I want to feel the presenceof the holy spirit in my life.

Scott: That’s how many people under-stand the holy spirit. Some time ago, I hadan opportunity to examine what the Bible

teaches on this subject. If you have a fewminutes, I would be pleased to show youwhat I learned.

Brad: Yes, I have a few minutes.Scott: By the way, my name is Scott. May I

ask your name?Brad: Brad. Nice to meet you.Scott: Nice to meet you too, Brad. Out of

respect for your time, let me focus on just oneaspect of this subject. You mentioned thatthe holy spirit is the helper that Jesus prom-ised us. I agree with you. But is it your under-standing that the holy spirit is a person andequal to God?

Brad: Yes, that is what I was taught.

Is the Holy Spirit a Person?Scott: Let’s look at a Bible passage that will

help us to establish whether the holy spirit isa person or not. You may be familiar withthese verses. At Acts 2:1-4, we read: “Nowwhile the day of the festival of Pentecost wasin progress they were all together at the sameplace, and suddenly there occurred fromheaven a noise just like that of a rushing stiff

A Conversation With a Neighbor

What Is the Holy Spirit?

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES enjoy discussing the Bible withtheir neighbors. Do you have a particular Bible questionthat you have wondered about? Are you curious about anyof the beliefs or religious practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses?If so, do not hesitate to bring up the subject the next timeyou come in contact with a Witness. He or she will bepleased to discuss such matters with you.


breeze, and it filled thewhole house inwhichthey were sitting. And tongues as if of fire be-came visible to them and were distributedabout, and one sat upon each one of them,and they all became filled with holy spiritand started to speak with different tongues,just as the spirit was granting them to makeutterance.”

Brad: I’m familiar with that account.Scott: Now, Brad, can a person get filled

with another person?Brad: Of course not.Scott: Let’s look a little further in the same

chapter, at verse 17. The first part of the versereads: “ ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I shallpour out some of my spirit upon every sort offlesh.’” Let me ask you, Brad, couldGodpourout a portion of a coequal God?

Brad: Again, no.Scott: John the Baptist used a different de-

scription for being filled with holy spirit. It’sfound at Matthew 3:11. Would you like toread this verse, please?

Brad: “I, for my part, baptize you with wa-ter because of your repentance; but the onecoming after me is stronger than I am, whosesandals I am not fit to take off. That one willbaptize you people with holy spirit and withfire.”

Scott: Thank you. Did you notice whatJohn the Baptist said would be done withholy spirit?

Brad: He talked about being baptized withholy spirit.

Scott: That’s right. Notice that he alsomentioned being baptized with fire. Ob-viously, fire is not a person. Doyou think thisverse is saying that holy spirit is a person?

Brad: No.Scott: So according to the scriptures we

have considered, the holy spirit is not a per-son.

Brad: I guess not.

How a “Helper”?Scott: Earlier, though, you mentioned that

expression “helper.” Jesus referred to theholy spirit as a “helper” at John 14:26. Let’sread that together: “The helper, the holyspirit, which the Father will send in myname, that one will teach you all things andbring back to your minds all the thingsI told you.” Some feel that this scriptureseems to support the idea that the holy spiritis a person, someone who will help andteach.

Brad: Right, that’s how I’ve alwaysviewed it.

Scott: Is it possible, though, that Jesus wasusing afigure of speech?Nownoticewhat Je-sus said about wisdom, according to Luke 7:35: “All the same, wisdom is proved righ-teous by all its children.” Would you say thatwisdom is a person, that it really does havechildren?

Brad: No. That’s obviously a figure ofspeech.

Scott: I agree. Jesus’ point is thatwisdom isdemonstrated by results. The Bible oftenuses a figure of speech called personification—that is, speaking of something inanimateas if it were alive. We often use such fig-ures of speech in our own conversations.For example, on this bright morning, itwouldn’t be unusual for someone to say,“Open the curtains, and let the sun in,”would it?

Brad: I would say that myself.Scott: And would you be referring to the

sun as a person who would come into yourhome as a guest?

Brad: No, obviously not. It’s a figure ofspeech.

Scott: So when Jesus spoke of the holyspirit as a helper, or teacher, could he havebeen using a figure of speech?


Brad: I suppose so. That would fit in withthe scriptures you read about the spirit beingpoured out and about people being baptizedwith it. But if the holy spirit is not a person,what is it?

What Is the Holy Spirit?Scott: At Acts 1:8, Jesus tells us what the

holy spirit is. Would you like to read that?Brad: “You will receive power when the

holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will bewitnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in allJudea and Samaria and to the most distantpart of the earth.”

Scott: Notice that Jesus associates the holyspirit with power. And from the previousverses we read, where doyou think that pow-er comes from?

Brad: From God the Father.Scott: That’s right. The holy spirit is the

same force that God used to create the uni-verse. The second verse in the Bible refers toit. Genesis 1:2 says: “God’s active force wasmoving to and fro over the surface of thewa-ters.” The Hebrew word here translated “ac-tive force” is also translated “spirit.” It is theinvisible active force by means of which Godaccomplishes his purpose and expresses hiswill. Let me give you just one more scriptureto consider. It is Luke 11:13. Would you readthis verse, please?

Brad: “If you, although being wicked,know how to give good gifts to your chil-dren, how much more so will the Fatherin heaven give holy spirit to those askinghim!”

Scott: If the Father in heaven controls theholy spirit, giving it to those who ask him,could the holy spirit be equal to the Father?

Brad: No. I see your point.Scott: I don’t want to keep you, Brad. You

mentioned that you have only a few min-utes. But let me ask a question to summarize

our discussion. From the scriptures we con-sidered, what would you say the holy spir-it is?

Brad: It’s God’s active force.Scott: That’s right. And according to John

14:26, when Jesus spoke of the holy spirit asa helper, or teacher, he was using a figure ofspeech called personification.

Brad: I never knew that.Scott: There is something most reassuring

to learn from Jesus’words.Brad: What’s that?Scott: We can ask God for his holy spirit to

help us in difficult circumstances. We canalso ask for his spirit to help us learn thetruth about him.

Brad: That is interesting. I’ll have to thinkabout that.

Scott: Before I go, let me leave you withsomething else to think about. Since theholy spirit is God’s active force, then we’llagree that God can use it to accomplish any-thing he chooses.

Brad: Absolutely.Scott: Then why has he not yet used that

limitless power to end allthe misery and wicked-ness we see in the worldaround us? Have youever wondered aboutthat?�

Brad: I have, actually.Scott: How about if I

come back next week atthis same time and wediscuss it?

Brad: I would like thatvery much. See youthen.

� For more information, seechapter 11 of the book WhatDoes the Bible Really Teach? pub-lished by Jehovah’s Witnesses.


“I JUST don’t understand,” says Devon. “Eachweek at my church, many seem to get the

holy spirit and miraculously speak in differ-ent languages. Some of them lead immorallives. Meanwhile, I try to live in a morally up-right way. Yet, as much as I pray for it, I neverreceive this gift of the spirit. How can thatbe?”

Gabriel likewise attends a church wherepeople appear to receive holy spirit and speakin tongues. “What bothers me,” he explains,“is that during my prayers, others interruptme with loud speech that neither I nor theyunderstand. No one really benefits from thisspeech. Should not a gift of God’s spirit havesome useful purpose?”

The experiences of Devon and Gabrielraise an intriguing question, Is speaking intongues as done in some churches today real-ly from God? To answer that question, it ishelpful to examine the gift of miraculousspeech among first-century Christians.

They “Started to SpeakWith Different Tongues”

In the Bible, we read of some men andwomen who were given power to speak lan-guages that they had never learned. This firstoccurred on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., afew weeks after the death of Jesus Christ. Onthat day in Jerusalem, some 120 disciples ofJesus “became filled with holy spirit andstarted to speak with different tongues.” Visi-tors from foreign lands “were bewildered, be-cause each one heard them speaking in hisown language.”—Acts 1:15; 2:1-6.

TheBible mentions other early followers ofJesus who had this remarkable ability. For ex-

ample, empowered by holy spirit, the apostlePaul could miraculously speak in numeroustongues. (Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28;14:18) But any such gift of God’s holy spiritshould logically have a good purpose. So,what purpose did speaking in tongues servein Bible times?

A Sign of God’s BackingWhen writing to Christians in the city

of Corinth, some of whom apparentlycould speak in tongues, Paul explained that“tongues are for a sign . . . to the unbelievers.”(1 Corinthians 14:22) Hence, along with oth-er miraculous abilities, the power to speak intongues was an indication to observers that

SPEAKING IN TONGUESIS IT FROM GOD?


the newly formed Christian congregationhad God’s approval and backing. The mirac-ulous gifts were like a street marker pointingout where truth-seekers should now go tofind God’s chosenpeople.

Significantly, the Bible does not mentionthat Jesus or any of the pre-Christian proph-ets miraculously spoke in tongues that theyhad not learned. The gift of tongues be-stowed upon Jesus’ disciples, then, evidentlyhad some additional objective.

A Tool to Spread the Good NewsEarly in his ministry, Jesus directed his dis-

ciples to preach the goodnews of God’s King-dom to the Jews only. (Matthew 10:6; 15:24)As a result, the disciples rarely set foot outsideof areas predominantly inhabited by Jews.But that would soon change.

Shortly after his death in 33 C.E., the resur-rected Jesus commanded his followers to“make disciples of people of all the nations.”He also told his followers that they would bewitnesses of him “to the most distant part ofthe earth.” (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8) Spread-ing the good news to that extent would re-quire the use of many tongues other thanHebrew.

However, many of those early discipleswere “unlettered and ordinary.” (Acts 4:13)How, then, would they be able to preach indistant lands where languages were spokenthat they may never have heard of, let alonelearned to speak? Holy spirit empoweredsome of those zealous preachers with the mi-raculous ability to preach fluently in lan-guages they had never before learned tospeak.

Thus, the gift of tongues served two vitalpurposes. First, it provided a sign as evidenceof God’s backing. Second, it was an effectivetool to help the first-century Christians ful-fill their commission to preach to peopleof many languages. Does the speaking in

tongues done in many churches today ac-complish these purposes?

Speaking in Tongues Today—A Sign of God’s Backing?

Where would you post a sign to benefit asmany individuals as possible in your com-munity? Inside a small building? Of coursenot! The account of the day of Pentecost tellsus that a “multitude” of passersby observedthe sign provided by the disciples’ miracu-lous speaking in tongues. Why, as a result,“about three thousand souls were added” tothe Christian congregation on that day! (Acts2:5, 6, 41) If people today claim to speak intongues but do so within the confines of achurch building, how can the practice serveas a public sign to multitudes of unbelievers?

God’s Wordmentions fornication and oth-er “works of the flesh” as being opposed tothe operation of holy spirit, adding that“those who practice such things will not in-herit God’s kingdom.” (Galatians 5:17-21) Ifyou observe people of questionable moralsspeaking in tongues, you might rightly won-der, ‘Would it not be inconsistent—even mis-leading—for God’s holy spirit to be bestowedon individuals who persistently engage inconduct that God’s own Word condemns?’That would be like installing a street sign thatdirects traffic the wrong way.

Speaking in Tongues Today—A Tool to Spread the Good News?What about the other purpose of the gift

of tongues in the first century? Does thespeaking in tongues practiced in churchesserve as a tool for preaching the good news topeople of different languages? Recall that ob-servers who were in Jerusalem on the day ofPentecost 33 C.E. were from many lands, andthey clearly understood the languages mirac-ulously spoken by the disciples. In contrast,those who speak in tongues today usually ut-


ter speech that is unintelligible to any lis-tener.

Clearly, modern-day speaking in tongues isvery different from the gift of holy spirit giv-en to Jesus’ early followers. In fact, there is noreliable record of anyone receiving that samemiraculous power since the death of theapostles. This is not surprising to Bible read-ers. Regarding the miraculous gifts, includ-ing that of speaking in tongues, the inspiredapostle Paul prophesied: “They will cease.”(1 Corinthians 13:8) How, then, can one dis-cernwho has the holy spirit today?

Who Give Evidenceof Having Holy Spirit?

Jesus well knew that the gift of tongueswould cease relatively soon after the forma-tion of the Christian congregation. Shortlybefore he died, Jesus mentioned a timelesssign, or mark, that would identify his truefollowers. “By this all will know that you aremy disciples,” he said, “if you have loveamong yourselves.” (John 13:35) In fact, inthe same verse where God’s Word foretoldthat the miraculous gifts would eventuallycease, it says: “Love never fails.”—1 Corinthi-ans 13:8.

Love is listed as the first of nine aspects of“the fruitage,” or product, of God’s holy spir-it. (Galatians 5:22, 23) So those who trulyhave God’s spirit—and hence God’s back-ing—would show genuine love for one an-other. In addition, the third aspect of thespirit’s fruitage is peace. Thus, those peoplewhotoday haveholy spiritwould be commit-ted to peace, earnestly seeking to rise abovebigotry, racism, and violence.

Also, recall Jesus’ prophecy recorded at Acts1:8. He foretold that his disciples wouldreceive power to be witnesses of him “tothe most distant part of the earth.” Jesusalso indicated that this work would continue“unto the endof theworld.” (Matthew 28:20,

King James Version) Hence, this internationalpreaching work would continue to be anidentifying mark of those who are truly em-powered by holy spirit.

What do you think? With what group ofpeople do you find evidence of holy spirit to-day? Who are manifesting the spirit’s fruit-age, particularly love and peace, to the extentthat they suffer at the hands of governmentsbecause of their refusal to bear arms world-wide? (Isaiah 2:4) Who are endeavoring toavoid the works of the flesh, such as fornica-tion, even removing unrepentant practicersof such conduct from their midst? (1 Corin-thians 5:11-13) Who are preaching in all theearth the good news that God’s Kingdomis the only hope for humanity?—Matthew24:14.

The publishers of this journal do not hesi-tate to say that Jehovah’s Witnesses fit the Bi-ble’s description of the people having holyspirit. Why not become better acquaintedwith them and decide for yourself whetherthey truly have God’s backing?

Why do only humans pray? SEE PAGE 3.

Does God really hear and answer our prayers? SEE PAGE 11.

How do the miraculous healings performed by Jesus comparewith the methods of faith healers today? SEE PAGE 13.

How can the Bible help us to combat negative feelings?SEE PAGE 19.

Is the holy spirit a person? SEE PAGE 26.

Would you welcome a visit?

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