The spirit of self-sacrifice
July 14, 2013
Bro Dan Johnson, gave the talk.... Do I have the spirit of self-sacrifice.
The world is so engrossed in being self indulgent. Parents put their kids in front of the TV allowing the world to teach the children to be self centered.
Num. 11: 31... a wind burst forth... Jehovah allowed quail to fall... the people were collecting it and while the meat was still between their teeth when Jehovah's anger blazed against them...
it was their self indulgent attitude that brought their demise. We can see how Jehovah feels about selfishness.
Phl 2:5... keep this mental attitude.... he emptied himself and took a slave's form.... he died for us...
Think about how awful the people treated Jesus. whipping him, beating him.... killing him
Heb 12:2.... for the joy that was set before him, he endured a torture stake...
Jesus understood his role and he humbly accepted it.
Luke 9:23-25... if anyone wants to come after me, let him pick up his torture stake and follow me....
To be a disciple we HAVE to have a self sacrificing spirit.
When Jesus called out, to follow him, they had given up comfort, money, prominence... because it takes a self sacrificing spirit to serve Jehovah and do his will.
There are a number of people who gave up fame, a glamorous life style to become a humble servant. How about Pioneers, C.O.s, D.O.s, Bethelites, Missionaries, all give up comfortable life styles so as to serve others, in preaching the good news to a violent and apathetic world. Why... because of their love for Jehovah, and their humility and self sacrificing spirit.
How about all who suffered in concentration camps? So many suffered cruelty. Those who were Jewish had no hope. But, Jehovah's Witnesses, just had to sign a piece of paper to compromise their faith and the would have been released. Very very very few did, and the few that did, regretted deeply their weakness.
Think of how many have a self sacrificing spirit... giving up all comforts, bathing in a oil drum... what about us... do we whine when the power goes out for a little while?
PS 110:3... your people will offer themselves willingly....
Have I allowed the selfishness of this world to rub off on me so that I don't view the ministry as important as I once did. How about the tract work right now, are we out as much as we were the year before?
How are we doing as a parent? Are we teaching our children to be self sacrificing or are we allowing them to become self indulgent?
Life doesn't not revolve around the things we possess. We need to ask ourselves...how often to we read our Bible and ponder over it? We have been encouraged for many years to read our Bible daily... are we? Do we study regularly? How many hours do we spend in recreation? Jehovah knows exactly what we are doing. Do we buy out time to have a share in the ministry?
As a parent, when is the best time to teach our children to be self sacrificing?
2 tim 3:14 & 16... from infancy you have known the Holy writings...
We need to give our children work do to, and help them appreciate life involves work. Some say, I want my child to have it better than I did...well, by not giving them chores we are teaching them to be lazy. They will have a tough time coping in this wicked self centered world if we don't teach them we have to work and put for effort in life and we have to be self sacrificing.
Be content with what you have, simplify your life and you will have joy in serving Jehovah. There is more happiness in giving than receiving.
WATCHTOWER lesson out of the May 15th 2013 mag. page 8 "Are You "Zealous for Fine Works"?
Titus 2: 13, 14... Christ Jesus...gave himself for us that he might....cleanse for himself a people peculiarly his own, zealous for fine works...
it is an honor that God sent an ambassador to help people establish peaceful relations with their Creator. Not all are reconciled to God and we are being used by Jehovah to draw people to him. It is truly a humbling honor and a precious assignment. It is an awesome thrill when we meet people who embrace getting to know Jehovah. This really requires us to be self sacrificing.
Jehovah's example of zeal makes us have a burning desire to reflect His zeal and help people to get to know God. Jehovah has been zealous and he continues to be zealous in this work. I have forgotten just how much zeal he has continually displayed... I have to ponder this point more often. I think of Jesus zeal so often, but I need to take it a step further.
Brother Don gave a good point... people will jump at the chance to do a task for the president..."what an honor"... well, how about the task the Creator of all life has asked? Do we jump at it?
Jesus never used his situation as an excuse not to teach. Jesus would give up a meal or sleep, to teach those who were around him. There was nothing more important to him. As the moments drew closer to his death, he just kept intensifying his efforts to work harder. Do we?
we never know who is watching us in the ministry. it isn't the door we call on, it is people on the streets as well. We are a spectacle. and because of this, their interest in Jehovah can be peaked. This should also help motivate us to get out there are get involved in the ministry.
We also need to remember our speech. These days cursing is so normal, people don't get offended by it. As well as negative talking, or sarcasm. It is so rampant in the world, and we don't want to be like the world. so we want to avoid using such talk.
People can really see the difference in Jehovah's people from everyone else. If they say we are different than other Witnesses... RED FLAG... we are doing something wrong. We don't want to blend into the world, we want to stand out... FAR OUT!
The world is so engrossed in being self indulgent. Parents put their kids in front of the TV allowing the world to teach the children to be self centered.
Num. 11: 31... a wind burst forth... Jehovah allowed quail to fall... the people were collecting it and while the meat was still between their teeth when Jehovah's anger blazed against them...
it was their self indulgent attitude that brought their demise. We can see how Jehovah feels about selfishness.
Phl 2:5... keep this mental attitude.... he emptied himself and took a slave's form.... he died for us...
Think about how awful the people treated Jesus. whipping him, beating him.... killing him
Heb 12:2.... for the joy that was set before him, he endured a torture stake...
Jesus understood his role and he humbly accepted it.
Luke 9:23-25... if anyone wants to come after me, let him pick up his torture stake and follow me....
To be a disciple we HAVE to have a self sacrificing spirit.
When Jesus called out, to follow him, they had given up comfort, money, prominence... because it takes a self sacrificing spirit to serve Jehovah and do his will.
There are a number of people who gave up fame, a glamorous life style to become a humble servant. How about Pioneers, C.O.s, D.O.s, Bethelites, Missionaries, all give up comfortable life styles so as to serve others, in preaching the good news to a violent and apathetic world. Why... because of their love for Jehovah, and their humility and self sacrificing spirit.
How about all who suffered in concentration camps? So many suffered cruelty. Those who were Jewish had no hope. But, Jehovah's Witnesses, just had to sign a piece of paper to compromise their faith and the would have been released. Very very very few did, and the few that did, regretted deeply their weakness.
Think of how many have a self sacrificing spirit... giving up all comforts, bathing in a oil drum... what about us... do we whine when the power goes out for a little while?
PS 110:3... your people will offer themselves willingly....
Have I allowed the selfishness of this world to rub off on me so that I don't view the ministry as important as I once did. How about the tract work right now, are we out as much as we were the year before?
How are we doing as a parent? Are we teaching our children to be self sacrificing or are we allowing them to become self indulgent?
Life doesn't not revolve around the things we possess. We need to ask ourselves...how often to we read our Bible and ponder over it? We have been encouraged for many years to read our Bible daily... are we? Do we study regularly? How many hours do we spend in recreation? Jehovah knows exactly what we are doing. Do we buy out time to have a share in the ministry?
As a parent, when is the best time to teach our children to be self sacrificing?
2 tim 3:14 & 16... from infancy you have known the Holy writings...
We need to give our children work do to, and help them appreciate life involves work. Some say, I want my child to have it better than I did...well, by not giving them chores we are teaching them to be lazy. They will have a tough time coping in this wicked self centered world if we don't teach them we have to work and put for effort in life and we have to be self sacrificing.
Be content with what you have, simplify your life and you will have joy in serving Jehovah. There is more happiness in giving than receiving.
WATCHTOWER lesson out of the May 15th 2013 mag. page 8 "Are You "Zealous for Fine Works"?
Titus 2: 13, 14... Christ Jesus...gave himself for us that he might....cleanse for himself a people peculiarly his own, zealous for fine works...
it is an honor that God sent an ambassador to help people establish peaceful relations with their Creator. Not all are reconciled to God and we are being used by Jehovah to draw people to him. It is truly a humbling honor and a precious assignment. It is an awesome thrill when we meet people who embrace getting to know Jehovah. This really requires us to be self sacrificing.
Jehovah's example of zeal makes us have a burning desire to reflect His zeal and help people to get to know God. Jehovah has been zealous and he continues to be zealous in this work. I have forgotten just how much zeal he has continually displayed... I have to ponder this point more often. I think of Jesus zeal so often, but I need to take it a step further.
Brother Don gave a good point... people will jump at the chance to do a task for the president..."what an honor"... well, how about the task the Creator of all life has asked? Do we jump at it?
Jesus never used his situation as an excuse not to teach. Jesus would give up a meal or sleep, to teach those who were around him. There was nothing more important to him. As the moments drew closer to his death, he just kept intensifying his efforts to work harder. Do we?
we never know who is watching us in the ministry. it isn't the door we call on, it is people on the streets as well. We are a spectacle. and because of this, their interest in Jehovah can be peaked. This should also help motivate us to get out there are get involved in the ministry.
We also need to remember our speech. These days cursing is so normal, people don't get offended by it. As well as negative talking, or sarcasm. It is so rampant in the world, and we don't want to be like the world. so we want to avoid using such talk.
People can really see the difference in Jehovah's people from everyone else. If they say we are different than other Witnesses... RED FLAG... we are doing something wrong. We don't want to blend into the world, we want to stand out... FAR OUT!
Posted by Robyn Nelson.
