Midweek Meeting United State | May 12-18, 2025

Getting us off to a good start. We have much to look forward to tonight. And when you think about it, one of the first things we may do when we wake up each morning and get out of bed is turn on the light. And why is that the case? Well, so that we can see where we're walking. Light helps us get where we need to go. Now, Jehovah is the source of not only physical light, but spiritual light. And tonight we're going To focus on how we can be sensitive to spiritual life from Jehovah and

at the same time discern the lamp of the wicked and avoid it. We also have our student parts we'll look forward to. We know they've worked very hard on as well as a local needs part of interest to our congregation and the congregation Bible study as well in the bearing thorough witness book. But at this point, let's go into our treasures from God's word. Brother Drew Rodriguez will give our First part entitled, "Do not be fooled by the lamp of the wicked." Have we ever heard the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true,

it's because it usually isn't true." What does that saying imply? Well, it usually implies that there's something really rewarding and without any cost at all. And it usually indicates that there's a lie or a deception there. This saying well illustrates how Satan wants us to view his way of life. He Wants us to view it as easy, all reward, no consequence. In tonight's talk, we're going to help we're going to look at three ways that will help us to combat this thinking. One, we're going to examine exactly what the future of the wicked is. Two,

we're going to identify a trap that Satan uses to try and fool us. and three, we're going to look at the blessings of the righteous. Let's jump into that first point. What is the Future of the wicked? Please turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 13. We're going to be looking at verse 9. Proverbs 13 and verse 9. Here it's a scripture speaking of the righteous and the wicked. What's the outcome for each there? It says the light of the righteous shines brightly. So here we see the result of living a righteous life. It's shining brightly

or unending knowledge and Wisdom from Jehovah. Limitless joy, unending life. But what about the wicked? Notice what it says there in verse 9. But the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. What does that mean, extinguished? Well, in short terms, it means no future for the wicked. You see, just like a mist that's here today and gone tomorrow, so can be said of the future of the wicked. Its lamp is shining Bright momentarily, but eventually it will be extinguished. So, what's the application for us? Well, have we ever been tempted to think that maybe life

outside of serving Jehovah is maybe a little bit easier? Or maybe somebody tries to get us to think that serving Jehovah is no fun or that it comes with challenges. Well, if we've ever thought this, we're not alone. You know, even Faithful men in the past have been uh have thought that maybe the wicked had it a little bit easier. But what's the reality? Let's go back to verse 9 and notice what verse 9 says. What's the future? What's the reality of the wicked? It says that their lamp will be extinguished. So what's the future

that they have? It's nothing. It's temporary joy. Here today, gone tomorrow. You see, just like if we need to get a wider view of things on a Camera, we may have to zoom out. In a similar sense, when we zoom out and look at the wicked's future, we will see that they have no future at all and that serving Jehovah is the best life possible. What's our second point? Well, it has to do with association. Turn in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 13 and verse 20. See, Jehovah wants us to have association. He wants us

to have friendships. He made us to have Friendships. But here's a question. What types of friendships should we be pursuing? Notice what verse 20 says. It says, "The one walking with the wise will become wise, but the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly." What is the scripture telling us? Well, it's telling us that our association has a big effect on the type of person that we are. And this would make sense to us to illustrate if we spent all day in a room that smelled Like smoke, what would we come out

smelling like? Like smoke. But what if we spent all day in a room that smelled like perfume and cologne? We'd come out smelling pretty good, wouldn't we? Well, the same is true of our association. The fact is we tend to become like the people we spend time with whether that be good or bad. So what's the application for us? Well, like it's brought out in our workbook, we would want to avoid Association with those who don't uphold Jehovah standards or those who make bad things seem good. What's the danger in associating ourselves with these individuals?

Well, if we constantly make it a point to hang out with them or associate with them, we would be exposed to their thinking and we may even start to re believe that certain bad things are actually good. You know, if Satan was able to Change the mind of two perfect individuals in the Garden of Eden, including perfect spirit creatures, there's a danger that he could fool us too if we're not careful. So, what can we do? If we're contemplating our association, we could ask ourselves two questions. Would my association with this person help me to

follow Jehovah's standards? Or is there a possibility that my association with this person could influence me? Maybe even cause me To think that bad things are good. Asking ourselves these questions can help us to avoid the lure or being fooled by the lamp of the wicked. So, so far we've covered two points. We covered one that the wicked have no future and two that Satan tries to trick us into associating with those who are bad. But what's the third way that we can avoid being fooled by the lamp of the wicked? Turn in your Bibles

to Proverbs chapter 13. We're going to Be looking at verse 25. Proverbs 13 and verse 25. What are the benefits that come from following Jehovah's standard? There in verse 25, it reads, "The righteous one eats and satisfies his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is empty." So, what's the result from following Jehovah's standards? Well, in short, it's a life of Satisfaction, a life of happiness, true enjoyment. Whereas the contrary, it says that the wicked are left feeling empty. And to illustrate these two different points, we might think of following Jehovah's standards as eating our

favorite meal. What's your favorite meal? How do you feel after you've eaten your favorite meal? You feel great. You feel full. You feel satisfied, happy. But we might liken following Satan's standards to only seeing a picture of Our favorite meal. When we see the picture, we might have that momentary joy. But in what's the reality? Our stomach is empty. Well, what's the application for us? Well, have we ever felt like maybe uh people try to convince us that living the truth is not the best way or the best way of life and maybe that the

wicked have no consequences. In fact, if you look at Our illustration in the workbook, do you notice uh the consequences from the lifestyle on the top left? We would say that this might be the the way of the wicked. Here we have a man with a dancing at the club with a drink in his hand. Seemingly no consequences, right? But what's the reality on the right hand side? There he is taking medication because he feels sick after the party and overdoing it. But what's the result of the lives Of those who serve Jehovah? On the

bottom left, we see friends together having a good time, close friends, good food, good music, and good drinks in their hand. And what's the result? Any bad consequences? No. nothing but joy on the right hand side. They're enjoying serving Jehovah in the ministry and in doing his will. There's no nothing but joy when we serve Jehovah. So when we remember the Blessings of serving Jehovah, we can avoid being fooled by the lamp of the wicked. So do you remember our three points that can help us to not be fooled by the lamp of the wicked?

It was one remembering that the wicked have no future. Two, it was by avoiding association with those who don't practice what is good or who ones who make bad things seem good. And three, in moments of temptation, remember the blessings that Jehovah has in store for The righteous ones. And Jehovah loves us so much. He wants us to have the most satisfying life possible. So if we apply these three standards that or these three points that we learned tonight, we can avoid being fooled by the lamp of the wicked. Thank you so much, Drew, for

those excellent points. Nice delivery. Really appreciate your efforts there. Now, we're going to go on to our Spiritual gyms. and brother Wininrich will take the lead with this for our first gym tonight. May we please get a reader for Proverbs chapter 13 and verse 24. Uh, Brother Kger, please. Whoever holds back his rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently. Thank you very much. So for the question, what warning does this verse contain about misguided Love? Um, Sister Rodriguez, well, this scripture shows the importance of discipline because some people uh

some parents believe that withholding discipline is a way of showing love. But as the scripture warns us, it's actually an expression of hate. Uh because we'd be failing to give them the tools needed to make good decisions in life, which could negatively affect their life course, their relationship with Jehovah. And in more serious cases, It could even cost them their lives. Yes. Very good. Uh, Sister Basil, my sister Rodriguez said like about the the parents discipline their child because they love them. Even Jehovah does the same thing with us with his Holy Spirit and the

knowledge that comes from his Bible, which is his word. Thank you. And so if it's not love then what qualities might be actually showed? Uh sister win it's important for us to not let our Love of misguided be by s sent sentimentality spoiling a child or a grandchild giving them everything and denying them. In doing so we would be imitating the world. Yes. Very good. And to add to that, we can also add those questions for our next question. What spiritual gems from this week's Bible reading would you like to share? Uh, Sister Gustoson. Verse

18 mentions, "Whoever neglects discipline comes to poverty and Disgrace." Um, to neglect something means to fail to care for it, um, not pay attention to it, and to be lax in your responsibility, fulfilling the responsibility toward it. We all receive food from the um governing body on an organizational level, but we're also each our own field under God's cultivation, so to speak. So, if we neglect our responsibility to seek out the discipline we get through deep personal study and productive Meditation, we're headed for a spiritually impoverished state. But the rest of the verse mentions the

one accepting correction will be glorified. So, when we keep up with our spiritual routine, we'll be adding to the beauty of our congregation. We'll maintain godly quality qualities and we'll be holy to Jehovah. Yes. Thank you very much. And may we get brother Julio Ben? I appreciate Proverbs 13 13:7. It says, "Some people might pretend to be Something they're not. They might act rich when they're act when they're not or act poor when they're actually rich. This can cause problems. It's better to be honest about who you are, what you have. Pretending can make you

unhappy and hurt others, but being truthful and kind is a better way to live and makes Jehovah happy. Thank you. Excellent, Jim. And uh may we get brother Lucidis pro, excuse me, Proverbs 13:4 says, "The lazy person has his cravings, Yet he has nothing but the diligent one will be fully satisfied." And this verse does uh have uh application as far as material things. Um you know, you need to be able to work in order to be satisfied. But um the research guide also brought out that uh this is also the traits that we need

in order to progress in the truth. Uh we need to put forth the work because it takes a lot of work in order to um uh change our personality, put on the new personality. So the diligent one in that respect uh will be made fat. Yes. Very good. And may we go to Zoom. Uh, Sister Winslow. Sister Winsow on Zoom there. They gave me a something to touch. I'm looking at um Proverbs 13:20. Uh I have jotted in the margin of my big Bible uh that once brother bar was giving a talk on uh 1

Corinthians 15:33. Bad associations spoil useful habits. And some might even some of us might even wonder particularly young Ones that a particular association is he is that associate really bad? What what is a bad associate? And he said it is good to go in that case to uh the 20th verse here in 13 that the one walking with wise will become wise and the one who has dealings with stupid will fare badly because that scripture really tells us what whether an associate is good or bad for us. Apply that scripture to uh 1 Corinthians 15:33.

Yes, worth the wait. Thank you. and uh Sister St. Hill in the front, please. Proverbs 13:12 reads, "Expectation postponed makes the heart sick, but a desire realized is a tree of life." The 1961 Awake made the comment, "Waiting is not always easy." Uh but the Bible is a unique book of hope from Genesis through Revelation. Its pro its prophecies inspire hope based on Jehovah's assurance. As we see prophecies fulfilled, our faith gets stronger and Our hope is made more sure. The east and west are united only through a common predicament. the community of fear. But

Jesus prophesies that in the time of the end people would become faint of out of fear fear. As early as 1877, the Bible students made aware that 1914 would be a mark pinpointing year as the second coming of Christ. So we have sure hope for the future. we can be um confident that even though we might be waiting, Jehovah's prophecies will be True and we can have our heart rejoice. Very good. And may we also get uh brother Yomk. Thank you. So just when we look at proverbs 13 1 2 3 we see the word

speech lips mouth and there was one more tongue I believe. So that just shows along here how important it is what we say when we say many times when we say nothing it's even much better. So as brothers especially uh dealing with our dear brothers and sisters in our congregation It's very important for us to really find the right words to say not just whatever comes into your mouth. It's really beautiful principle for all of us to being trained at. Thanks. Very good. Um may we get sister to I also had a point on the

familiar verse expectation postpone makes the heart sick. The draw close to Jehovah book took it from just a slightly different uh slant. It pointed out that postponed expectations can be put in the same Category as other things that we endure like health problems, financial struggles, emotional distress. But this type of endurance enders Jehovah. It pleases him. And that's why in Psalm 56:8, he says he records these struggles in his book. Yes. Very good. and sister Anna Miriam. I also thought about verse three um where it talks about the one guarding his mouth protects his life

and how important it is for us to be tactful Just as brother John Yamosk said um because we can do this in the congregation in our homes at work at school. It's important for us to watch what we say not say whatever comes to our mind. Yes, very important. Um, brother Gger uh 13:23 kind of gives a reminder. It says, "The plowed field of the poor yields much food, but and but it may be swept away by injustice." Um, many of us may have to face injustice. This is part Of this old system. Um, and

there's nowhere here does it say that you'll get justice now, but many of the other proverbs speak about how Jehovah he he'll care for us. He'll make us wise and and when we have a hope and that's probably the biggest thing compared to those who who don't know Jehovah, they don't don't have the same hope. But but here is just a nice reminder again that it just it comes with this old system, but uh we can make it through thanks to That hope. Yes. and thank you so much for your excellent research. Thank you very

much, brother Wininrich. Appreciate that and all your friends nice comments as always. At this point, we can dismiss any who would like to have parts in the auxiliary class or would like to join them. Brother Laugh Dany will be conducting tonight. And for parts in the auxiliary school will be brother Breaisen, Sisters Clag and De Francis, And also sisters Basil and White. So we'll give them a moment to get settled. And maybe just as a reminder for for next week, those who have parts here in the front school will be brother Diego Julio, sisters win

and laugh Danny and sisters Kreger and Stevens and also sister Richards and Sister Farning. So, and also starting next week there'll be no auxiliary classes for the next few Months. So, at this point in the front school, I think we're ready to move on to our Bible reading. Brother Jacob Julio has that for us tonight. So, we're eager to hear your reading. Proverbs 13:es 1-17. A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but the scoffer does not listen to a rebuke. From the fruitage of his speech, a man will eat what is good, but the very

desire of the treacherous Is for violence. The one guarding his mouth protects his life, but the one opening his lips wide will come to ruin. The lazy person has his cravings, yet he has nothing. But the diligent one will be fully satisfied. The righteous one hates lies, but the actions of the wicked bring shame and disgrace. Righteousness protects the one whose way is innocent, but wickedness brings down the sinner. There is one who Pretends to be rich, yet has nothing. There is another who pretends to be poor yet has great wealth. Riches are the ransom

for a man's life, but the poor are not even threatened. The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. Presumptuousness leads only to strife, but the but wisdom belongs to those who seek advice. Wealth quickly gained will dwindle, but The wealth of the one who gathers it little by little will increase. Expectation postponed makes the heart sick, but a desire realized is the tree of life. Whoever despises instruction will pay the penalty, but the one who respects the commandment will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise one is

a source of life. to turn one away from the snares of death. Keen insight wins favor, but the way of the Treacherous is harsh. The shrewd person acts with knowledge, but the fool exposes his own foolishness. A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing. Excellent job, Jacob. Thank you so much for your hard work on that part. Really appreciate how you stand up straight. You speak out clearly. You're so easy to understand. You keep making progress every time you're up here. We we really Appreciate that. You know, tonight you were working

on study number 10, modulation, which is an advanced thing to be able to do when we're reading. You know, it talks about volume, pitch, and pace. And your reading did have a lot of opportunity to utilize. And there were a few times there when you emphasized such as in verse 12, the tree of life. Um also there in uh verse seven there's nice idea for contrast in this reading. There is another who pretends to be for Poor yet has great wealth. You slow down a bit but even something to continue working on with your modulation

varying your volume to make main points stand out. Maybe slowing down a little bit here and there as well. So we we really appreciate the progress that you're making. Doing really good. Thank you, Jacob. At this point, our first part in apply yourself to the field ministry. We have our sisters ready for starting a Conversation. So, let's pay attention to Sister Gilmore and Sister Stevens. Wow, you have a lovely garden. The hydrangeandas are just beautiful. My name is Erica. What is your name? Um, thank you so much. My name is Marca. You know, I put

a lot of work into this garden, but I'm gonna have to start growing food. Things are so expensive. The economy is in shambles. It's just times are getting hard. You know, I'm really sorry to hear that. We're all Feeling the effects of the new changes in our economy. When I go shopping, I really like to use coupons and catch things on sale to save money. Well, that's smart, you know, but I think when we get that woman president in, she's going to stabilize everything and make things where they're more bearable. Well, definitely having um consistent

leadership is important. Do you know who the Bible tells Christians to look look towards uh for direction? Not really. I'm not much of a Bible reader. I only read it on holidays and church, you know. Well, interesting. I was raised uh to do the same by my parents. Um may I share a Bible scripture with you from Psalms 56:es 10 and 11? Sure. I have a little time. You're supposed to say no. Give me just one moment. Okay. You're not looking for me to change my religion or anything, are you? Well, that's going to be

up to you. Um, let's Do this. Instead of just me looking at that scripture, let me go ahead and just leave you my contact card. Okay. I do want to thank you for your time, Marcia. Um, on that contact card is a website, jw.org. You can uh search related topics that you are interested in. And if you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call. Okay? And I can do this in my own private time, right? Own private time. And again, thank you for letting me uh enjoy this lovely garden And you

have a wonderful day. Okay. Thank you. [Applause] You Thank you very much, sisters. Excellent job there. Appreciate it how you developed that. Erica, you had nice eye contact with Marsha, too. That was really good to see. Very natural. And one of the things you were working on tonight was naturalness. Lesson 2.5, be adaptable. You think about it. The first thing it Says here, a conversation may go in an unexpected direction. So for us in the ministry, how many conversations go exactly the way we saw them going? Probably none of them, right? And it was the

same tonight. They started talking about a garden. It turned into woman president. Turned into you're trying to change my religion. But Erica, you were very calm and smooth throughout all that. You had something to share with her when you didn't get to the Scripture. That was okay. You showed her the website. So, you left her with a spiritual gift. So, thank you. Appreciate that. Next part, starting a conversation. Let's notice Sisters McMillan and Sister Janda. Good morning. I've been coming by on my morning walk and noticed that your garden is looking fantastic. You must have

a green thumb. A thank you so much. But I have been spending a lot of time On it. Well, it shows. You know, those flowers are beautiful. What kind are they? Oh, they're Dalia. I just planted them a few weeks ago. Well, they're amazing. My name is Darlene, by the way. And yours? It's Val. Val, you know, your garden reminds me of my father-in-law's garden. He had the most beautiful roses and when he used to take care of it, I could see how much joy and peace it brought him. That's kind of how I feel.

It's very therapeutic. I can see why. You know, I lived in New York City for quite a few years and when we moved up here to Walkill, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. It is amazing how um the just the nature of how calming the surroundings are with the sounds and the beauty of it. I I really agree with you. Uh, I think this is the way God intended us to live, not not surrounded by a bunch of concrete and and houses on top of each other. Absolutely. I agree. And did you

know That God promises that one day the entire earth will be a paradise much like a perfect garden? Really? Yes. You know, when you think about it, when he created the first man and woman, he put them on the earth in the Garden of Eden and wanted them to take care of it and then eventually spread it to the entire earth. Well, that's true. Yeah. So, his purpose hasn't changed. In fact, do you mind if I just share you my favorite scripture of what God promises? It's Here in Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 21. It

says, "They will build houses and live in them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build for someone else to inhabit, nor will they plant for others to eat. For the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, and the work of their hands my chosen ones will enjoy to the full. Wow, it sounds wonderful, but I don't see how that's even possible. There's too much greed and Commercialism. Well, I agree with that. But are you familiar with the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father Prayer? Well,

I used to say it when I was a child. I did, too. And remember, we would ask for God's kingdom to come and for his will to be done as in heaven also on the earth. Well, when God's kingdom takes place here on earth, um notice what he's going to the one of the first things he's going to do is in Revelation 11:18. Um it says there that he's going To bring to ruin those ruining the earth. So if those ruining the earth are gone and every person is living in harmony with nature, think about

how beautiful and peaceful life can be. Well, that sounds really nice. I I read the Bible occasionally, but this is a new thought for me. Well, we have public talks at our um Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. It's right down the street here on Red Mills Road. And um it we discuss topics just like these using Our Bibles. And it's a great opportunity to learn more and to also meet friendly people if you'd be interested in coming. Well, you know, I've been looking for a church since I got here and I haven't found one. I

might just take you up on that. That would be great. We have them on Saturday mornings at 10:00 a.m. And actually, let me just see what the topic is this Saturday. Here it is. It's how can you find real joy? I think you'd really find it encouraging. I might I Might like that. Great. Well, if I don't see you there this Saturday, maybe the next time on my walk, I I'll come by and we can chat further. Oh, I'd love it. I'll let you get back to your garden before it gets too hot today. Thanks.

Thank you, sisters. Another very nice example. Thank you, Sister McBillan. Wasn't that just a perfect example of someone being open to spiritual conversation, which is hard to find sometimes, but the householder was open To it and Darlene took advantage of it. Sometimes we may hesitate, not be sure, but she was ready with something to share. So that garden conversation went a little differently. It went very well. So she was open to it. You took advantage and that's what you were working on being observant uh under naturalness. It says, "A person's facial expressions and body language

reveal a lot. Does the person seem willing to speak with you?" And she did. She was Open to speaking and you shared with her and even got to invite her to the meeting. Says avoid forcing a conversation. In this case, you weren't forcing a thing. She was open to it and you took advantage and that's good example for us too. Thank you so much. So the last part of apply yourself to the field ministry is a talk will be given by brother Lopez and the title is children who respect and obey their parents will succeed.

So the idea that children who respect and obey their parents will succeed is a truth that we really love to teach. It stands in contrast to what we see in the world. Well, children will just have their way in the world without any training. But with this truth, it can be refreshing to all families on the earth. So let's dig deeper into this principle here. Uh look into those three words. Respect, obey, and success. First with the uh word respect. Uh the inside book Says this. The giving of particular attention or deference to one judged

worthy of esteem. A recognition and due regard for another person, his qualities, achievements, office, position, or authority. To manifest respect is to honor. Isn't that a beautiful sentiment to what respect is? So think about that definition and we'll read two verses that we use in the ministry quite a bit about families. So let's look at Proverbs chapter 1 and Read verses 8 and n Proverbs the first chapter in verses 8 and N. Listen my son to the discipline of your father and do not forsake the instruction of your mother. They are an attractive wreath for

your head and a fine ornament for your neck. Another verse or citation, Ephesians chapter 6 and verses 1 through3. Ephesians the 6th chapter and verses 1 through3. Keeping in mind that Definition of respect. Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord. For this is righteous. Honor your father and your mother is the first command with her promise that it may go well with you and you may remain a long time on the earth. Isn't that beautiful to think about with respect? So parents are entitled to or to honor and respect because they

are God's representatives in the family. So this honor often involves what children Say and how they say it to their parents. So children can honor their parents by avoiding disrespectful speech and actions. What about the word obey and what that means? Obedience is taking the thoughts behind respect and honor and adding action to them. Uh today the requirement for children is the same as it was when Proverbs was written and when Ephesians was written to do what your parents ask. follow their instructions. So they may Instruct you about how to be taught by Jehovah, how

to honor them as parents, how to honor older ones, uh to pay close attention to the practical training they give you so you could be a successful adult in life. And also you can take seriously the education they give you, the fundamental things about learning to read and write. Obedience, you'll follow what your parents give you. Now, what about this idea of success? Is success being the fastest Runner or getting the best grade in school? Or maybe it's that you're in high school and you already know what you're going to do in life. That's is

that success? No. Success isn't reaching a goal or attaining a certain privilege as the world may hold out to us. And for you children, success isn't just waiting until you're an adult to have it. Notice what the Awake magazine says about success. Truly successful people would have some depth to their lives, Including sound principles to guide them. Hence, they would have inner peace, self-respect, and the respect of others. Notice this, they would also have a purpose in life that transcends self and gives meaning and satisfaction. Isn't that a beautiful idea of success? So children, as

your parents are instructing you in the way of the truth, they're being successful with you as you go, not waiting till you're you're a grown-up. So Ephesians 6:3 says that That it may go well with you and you remain a long time on the earth. That's what your parents want for you. So when children respect and obey their parents, they make Jehovah happy. They make others happy, make themselves happy. and they'll do that today and [Applause] forever. Thank you very much, brother Lopez, for covering that information for us right in your Wheelhouse. Appreciate that. Having

a father give that talk, it puts a lot of uh a lot of good things behind it. So, we appreciate how you broke down. Respect, obey, succeed. Came across very well. Nice, kind demeanor. You were working on tonight reading and teaching brochure study 16, up building and positive. So, I appreciate how you emphasize the positive aspect of the material and how children can succeed by showing respect and obeying their Parents. So, appreciate how you focused on that. didn't give negative material, had a positive view, wasn't chastising at all. We appreciate how that came across and

uh was nice for us to listen to. So, thank you, brother Lopez. So, that will bring us to an end of our apply yourself to the field ministry. We have the thumbs up in the back so we can move on to living as Christians. So, we'll stand and sing song 77 together. Light in a darkened World. Light of the righteous shines brightly. Proverbs uh excuse me 39 states, "The light of the righteous shines brightly." Now the light here is figurative. It refers to the knowledge and wisdom found in God's word which when we rely and

depend on it, it gives us lasting success and happiness in life. That's something the world just Cannot give us. Note uh how this is demonstrated uh in the following video entitled The World Cannot Give You What It Does Not Have. And as you watch it, take note of how the righteous and their light is superior to the lamp of the wicked. Please enjoy the video. We can uh display the picture if possible. Just a few brief comments on The question. How does sister Gashin's experience highlight the superiority of the light of the righteous in comparison

with the lamp of the wicked? Please uh Um my sister always says that Satan brings you garbage gift wrapped with shiny paper and a giant bow and it looks appealing until you open it. And um that's what our sister in the Illustration learned that she or what she experienced is that excuse me go ahead. Sorry. Um the beautiful gifts that Jehovah offers us is the world can't give you because they don't it doesn't have it to give. Thank you very much. Excellent comment, brother Rogan. I think using sports to illustrate this point is really good

because it is so such a short period of time that you can be the best at anything and then very Quickly it fades. And we we we saw that even with our sister, if she were to continue, that wouldn't have been a very long career. It it quickly is extinguished. Whereas what Jehovah gives us is forever. Thank you. Please. I thought it was uh so moving when our sister said that the strongest feelings of loneliness and emptiness is that of a creation without a creator. Uh it was so sad when she said that she was

so lonely at that time. So it drives Home the point something that we all know that Jehovah created us to be near him. And we still have many freedoms and free will, but based on a close relationship with Jehovah, can we truly be happy? Good. And as you look at the picture for a final comment, recall prior to embracing the truth, she was lonely, empty, devoid of knowledge of the creator. But once she embraced the truth, what happened to her according to The picture? Sister Layman, please. She felt the fulfillment of Proverbs 10:22, which says,

"The blessing of Jehovah makes one rich and he adds no pain with it." Very true. Now, what we just saw here in the video is taken from the series Truth Transforms Lies. So why not uh schedule to view some of those videos? They're very valuable. They help us to focus on the excelling value of The knowledge and wisdom that's found in God's word. Now why is it important to appreciate that? Well, first it will protect us against uh fantasizing about the things in the world which will soon pass away. Also by treasuring the truth even

more. This will prevent us from any regrets we may have for the choices we made to serve Jehovah or to expand our ministry. So when we consider the benefits of walking by the light of the righteous, what should be our resolve? It should be to continue to always walk in the light of truth. Thank you, brother Matosto for that nice part. So, we've come to the time for our local needs. So, Brother Brandon Morales is going to give the part. Here's the theme. In the midst of the congregation, I will praise you. At Psalm 22:22,

King David said, "I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation, I will praise you." And really, that's what we want to do. Praise Jehovah in the middle or in the midst of the congregation. How can we do that? Well, each week at our midweek meeting and our weekend meeting, we find opportunity to praise Jehovah through our well-prepared comments. When we give Jehovah a prepared comment, we praise him in the Middle of the congregation. And why is commenting so important? Well, there's three things that we're going to look at. When

we comment, number one, as mentioned, we praise Jehovah and in a sense offer him a gift. And number two is found at 1 Thessalonians verse 5, uh, chapter 5:1. I invite you to turn there with me. 1 Thessalonians 5:1. This is the second reason that you're probably familiar With what commenting does. It says, "Therefore, keep encouraging one another and building one another up just as you in fact are doing." So, secondly, commenting helps us to encourage and build up our brothers and our sisters. And finally, the third thing is that when we comment, we reinforce

those Bible truths that we researched and we studied. We reinforce them into our own hearts and Our own minds. So commenting is so valuable, but is it easy? Or maybe a better question is, is it easy to comment here in Minowaska? I look around a congregation with over 200 publishers and and maybe you feel like there's some who come in and they must they must fill up their arms with helium because it's real easy to just fly those hands up and you have lead weights attached to your arm. It's it's a Struggle. It really is

a struggle. Well, what can you do? Are there any practical things that you can do that might help you especially in a large congregation? Well, preparation is the key, especially if we have that difficulty uh to to initially get our hand up. When we're well prepared, it makes it a little easier. Also, preparing several comments uh during the lesson, let's say the Watchtower study or the congregation Bible study, if we have a few comments, Maybe spaced out, if we get missed early on, maybe we have another one towards the middle or another one towards the

end. So, there's more opportunities for us. And we can look throughout the lesson for maybe a paragraph that perhaps has a deeper truth or something that you feel might not be as commented on. Maybe you can prepare that and you'll have a better chance. And if all else fails, many have taken up the Opportunity that we offer to you where you can approach the conductor in advance of the lesson and let them know, I have a comment prepared for this paragraph or this question. Can you keep an eye out? We have a number of friends

who do this and uh the conductors will look for you and that will help you to get a comment in. Well, I I liked what uh in talking to one of our our elders, I liked what he said because despite all of those Efforts, there's going to be times where you have your hand up and you get missed. Uh but don't worry, what he said was this. He said, "If the comments we give to Jehovah are like a batting average, well, what are you batting? What's your batting average? Well, you can be batting a thousand

or perfectly batting because Jehovah looks for the efforts we give and not necessarily whether or not we get called on. So, you could be batting A thousand. And what does that mean? Well, go back to those three benefits, right? If you gave Jehovah your gift, you tried and you commented, well, you still pleased Jehovah, you still made an effort to praise him and he appreciates it, right? Also, you reinforce that in into your heart and mind because of all the research you did and the preparation to give your comment. And what about that third one?

Did you encourage your Brothers and sisters? Well, nobody heard you. Well, we have this recommendation for you. And no doubt many of you are are doing this. But if you have a comment and you get missed, can you share that comment with your brothers and sisters later on after the meeting in service throughout the week? Can you share that upbuilding comment with them? Or here's another one. Maybe somebody took your comment and and they had a really nice Comment. Or maybe there's a comment you really appreciated. Can you commend them after the meeting? tell them

that you appreciated their the the way that they went at it. Uh their angle, uh maybe it's a a text message, a note, or or telling them the next time you see them. Doing those things accomplishes those three things, right? And we're still able to encourage, we reinforce it in ourselves, and we praise Jehovah. Now, One nice thing to keep in mind too for our hardworking brothers, uh, who have assignments during the meeting, uh, some are very good at balancing their assignment and still being able to give a comment. Um, but if you are working

in one of our AV departments or or an attendant and you just don't have that ability to comment and fulfill your assignment, we thank you for prioritizing the assignment you were given. It's so important that this Meeting runs smoothly, right? And we appreciate the spiritual food that we get that gets streamed. So, we thank you. But you too can accomplish those three things by having a well-prepared comment. Even if you don't plan on giving it, you can share it later with our friends. You can commend them and you still accomplish that goal. And one more

thing that we wanted to mention, maybe the problem is not that you're worried that you're going to get you're Not you're going to get missed. Maybe you're worried that you're going to get called on. You might think, well, in a congregation like this, there's somebody else who can say it better. They have more experience. They have a special privilege. Please don't think that way. We'll ask to have our our image displayed. If you are thinking that way, please remember these flowers because commenting in our congregation is like a Bouquet of flowers. You see what makes

it so beautiful? It's the variety, the different colors, the different sizes, the nuances between the different species of flowers, right? That is like your comments. A brother or a sister who has many years in the truth, they're just one flower in that bouquet. But we want to see that variety. We want to see our young ones or hear our young ones with their heartfelt comment and uh their enthusiasm and their love for Jehovah that comes out in it. Also, what about our older ones with experience that maybe tie in over Zoom? You know, the ones

I'm talking about where you can hear a pin drop cuz we're listening so keenly to what they have to say. They're another flower in that bouquet. So friends, thank you for the image. Your comments, your individual comments and expressions are what make Minowasa so beautiful and that's what Jehovah appreciates. So the message that the the Elders are trying to get to you through this local needs is that Jehovah, the elders, our brothers and sisters, we love and appreciate the expressions and the efforts you make to comment and praise Jehovah in the congregation. And we also

would like to take this time to commend you. Uh the elders and in particular talking to our watchtower study conductor ran out of words when he was expressing appreciation for the hard work that you put into in your Researched and well thoughtout comments. So keep up that fine work. Jehovah is pleased because you're praising him in the middle of the congregation. [Applause] Thank you very much, brother Morales. Very encouraging. Thank you so much. Excellent. Makes us feel good, right? Now, we go to our congregation Bible study and we'll have uh Brother Medina to conduct and

brother Leonard to read. What a thrilling account. As we go further into Acts chapter 27 here, we're picking up the account of Paul's travel. He's on his way to Rome from Cesaria through ships, a very treacherous uh dangerous route. And we're going to learn a little bit more about that as we read this account. But as we go through the account, think about lessons that we can derive from this thrilling account. Um, we have brother Leonard with us. Brother Leonard, we're going to ask you If you can, we're going to have you read Acts 27:es

7-9 and then we'll begin our lesson paragraphs 9 and 10. if you can read for us. Then after sailing on slowly quite a number of days, we came to Canidas with difficulty because the wind did not let us make headway. We sailed under the shelter of Cit um off Simone and sailing with difficulty along The coast. We came to a place called Fair Haven which is near the city of Lysia. A considerable time had passed by now and it was hazardous to navigate because even the fast of atonement day was already over. So Paul made

a recommendation, a really good one. Did you want me to stop there? Yeah, that's fine. Right there. And then and then uh let's have paragraphs nine and 10. Okay. The ship's captain planned to continue westward from Canidasis, but eyewitness Luke says the wind did not let us make headway. As a ship moved away from the mainland, it lost shore current and then a powerful adverse wind from the northwest push it southward perhaps at great speed. Just as the island of Cyprus had earlier sheltered the coastal vessel from contrary winds, this time the island of Cree

did so. Once the ship passed the prominator of Salomi at the end of Cree, things improved a bit. Why the ship came on the Lee or southern side of the island, so there was some protection from the powerful winds. Imagine the relief that those on board must have felt at first. But as long as the ship was at sea, the crew could not ignore the approach of winter. They had cause for concern. Luke states with precision, "Sailing with difficulty along the coast of Cree, we came to a place called Fair Havens. Even in the shelter

of the land mass, it was hard to control the ship. At last, though, they found an anchorage in a small bay that is thought to lie in the northern region just before the coast turns northward." How long did they remain there? Luke says a considerable time. But time was not in their favor. In September and October, navigation was more hazardous. So in paragraphs 9 and 10, what difficulties arose in the vicinity of CIT? Um, yes, right in the back there. I can't see the face. Yes. Well, because of the winds, it was harder to control

the ships, especially around September, October. So, it was not in favor to control any ship at this particular time. Very good. Thank you. And uh Sister Basil, please the sister mentioned about the ship, it was moving away from the mainland. So it lost the sure current and it had a Powerful adverse winds like the sister had mentioned but it came from the northwest which had pushed it southward and and made it a great speed ahead. Yeah dangerous situation right losing its mobility to navigate. Anything else you find interesting in here? Would you like to join

Paul on this journey? But we could because remember the outcome. Let's go ahead and get into our next paragraph. Uh paragraph number 12. And uh brother Leonard, can we have Acts 27:14-19 read first? Do you want to do 11 first? I'm sorry. Paragraph 11. Yes. Go ahead. Cuz I practiced 11. Okay. Okay. Some passengers may have sought Paul's advice because of ex his experience in traveling the Mediterranean. He recommended the ship not sail on. If it did, there would be damage and great loss, maybe even loss of life. However, The pilot and the ship owner

wanted to keep going, possibly feeling it was urgent to find a safer location. They convinced Julius and the majority felt that they should try to reach Phoenix, a port further along the coast. It may have had a larger and better harbor in which to spend the winter. So, when a deceptively soft breeze from the south blew, the ship departed. Thank you, brother Leonard. Um, if you can, let's open our Bibles to Acts chapter 27. And uh let's uh can we get a volunteer to read for us verses 10 through13? All right, brother Gustiffson, please. To

them, men, I can see that this voyage is going to result in damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and of the ship, but also of our lives. However, the army officer listened to the pilot and the ship owner rather than to what Paul was saying. Since the Harbor was unsuitable for wintering, the majority advised setting sail from there to see if they could somehow make it to spend the winter in Phoenix, a harbor of cit that opens toward the northeast and toward the south southeast. When the south wind blew softly, they thought

they had achieved their purpose and they lifted anchor and began sailing along close to the shore. Thank you for that. Our question here for paragraph 11. Paul gave his shipmates what advice yet what decision was made? Sister Beam in verse 10 we can see that Paul's advice was that it could result in damage and great loss not just of the ship or what it was carrying but also human life. So um he had experience sailing on the Mediterranean but his advice was that it should not keep sailing. Yeah. And um sister uh Yes, please. right

there. Paul had a lot of experience sailing the sea. So, he gave them good advice. He told them that if they didn't stop sailing, the ship would be wrecked and they couldn't and they could even die. But they didn't listen. Yeah. Thank you, Sister Morales. Beautiful. Um, Sister Gusson in the back, please. In harmony with that fine cond comment, it's also interesting to note that prior to this voyage, Paul had actually personally experienced at least three Shipwrecks. So, he knew what it was like to flounder in the ocean. So, he told them to stay there

at Fair Havens. But instead, the army officer listened to the pilot and the ship owner and they were going to try to make it out of that harbor and go down to Phoenix along the coast. Yes. Very good. And Sister Krueger, please. We know there's no port authority, there's no coast guard or um maritime law. So they're relying on their Experience. Um and Paul obviously had um Jehovah, you know, giving him guidance and his thoughts bei behind his experience also. So we know, you know, that can be applicable today. Sometimes people have um specific experience

in certain areas like that. And instead of, you know, basically it's like gambling, you know, you're, you know, you're taking a chance on it, but, you know, to air on the side of caution. And had they done that, they would have been in a Different spot. Yeah. Very good. and uh brother Gus Simpson study from study from last week had a box indicating that during the wintertime westward travel like the direction that Paul and his uh shipmates were going was a lot was a lot was uh rather difficult because of uh surprise storms that would

come up. The wind would look really great right now but wait five minutes and it'll be horrible. and they were running. They were uh Looking at the wind at the moment. Everything was fine, but it was getting close to winter time. Those storms were coming and something came up and uh bit him. Yeah, it was dangerous time there. And um yes, brother Winrock. And so there was a almost a power struggle on board. You had the pilot and the uh ship owner. He was concerned about his cargo basic that was the main reason of the

voyage was to bring the Grain uh from Egypt to sell at Rome. So there was a big financial cost as well as you had the army officer who was in control of all of these prisoners on board. And so even though Paul's advice was to save lives, they didn't listen. Yes. Very good. And right here please. A beautiful point that brother Viner highlighted was Paul starts his statement saying not only the cargo. So he puts the cargo ahead of their own lives but yet they didn't listen. So Very interesting point here. Yeah. And remember what

was Paul that could have slanted not listening to him at this point? He was a prisoner. Right. So why are they going to want to listen to a prisoner and that move on? Very good. Let's uh continue on uh paragraph number 12. And uh brother Leonard, if we can read Acts 27:14-19 first and then read paragraph 12. After a short time, however, a violent wind Called Quillow rushed down on it as a ship was violently seized, not able to keep its head against the wind. We gave way to it and were driven along. Then we

ran under the shelter of a small island called Katada, and yet we were hardly able to keep the skiff at the stern of the ship under control. But after hoisting it aboard, they used supports to underguard the ship. Fearing that they would run ground on Cerus, they lowered the gear and were driven Along. Because we were being violently tossed by the storm, they began to lighten the ship the following day. And on the third day, they threw away the tackling of the ship with their own hands. Back to the paragraph. Then came more trouble. A

violent wind came from the northeast. For a time they were found shelter behind a small island called Katada, some 40 miles from Fair Havens. Still, the ship was in danger of being driven southward until it would Crash on the sand banks off the coast of Africa. Frantic to avoid that end, the sailors pulled in the small boat that the ship was towing. They struggled to perform the task, for the skiff was likely full of water. Then they labored to undergur the large ship, passing ropes or chains under it to hold its planks together. And they

lowered its gear, the main sail or rigging and strain to keep the ship headed into the wind to weather the Storm. Imagine how terrifying this experience must have been. Even these measures were not enough as the ship continued to be violently tossed by the storm. On the third day, they heaved the tackling overboard, probably to recover buoyancy. Paragraph 12. After leaving Cree, the ship faced what dangers? And how did the crew attempt to stave off danger? Okay, right here. Our brother mentioned that they were hit by a violent wind from the northeast. So, Uh they

realized because of the violence of that wind, the ship was in danger of being driven southward and maybe crash into the banks of uh the coast of Africa. So, um they they were frantic and they began taking measures to uh just keep the the ship afloat. Yeah. Okay. And uh brother Rodriguez Sergio. Yeah. So they had all these emergency measures. They toss the extra gear. They brought the small boat they were towing On board so it wouldn't maybe break off and hit them and shatter the boat. They also had this undergurtding which is where they

would wrap ropes and chains around the whole boat like a belt so that the boat wouldn't burst apart in the waves. So all of these were actually emergency measures um and it just really shows the direess of the situation. This was truly a deadly and a dangerous emergency situation. Yes. Yes. Very true. And uh brother Kasich Traven Please. In the last paragraph we talked about that they were putting the cargo before the safety of the men but it said that they threw off the tackling of the ship. And after some research, I mean, that is

part of how you get the cargo on and off of the ship. So, it just gives you an idea where they were that they no longer even cared about the cargo, but they were worried about themselves. So, it paints the picture really well. Yeah. Very good. And, um, yes. Uh, Sister Julio, please. And kind of to get a picture of how they were feeling, they were they hadn't eaten. They were weak, running on adrenaline. It was cold. It was wet. So pulling in that boat was not a picnic. It was heavy. It was full of

gallons of water. So it was definitely a terrifying moment. Yeah. Yeah. And uh Sister Gusen, please. Reading the account, it talks about how The ship was just seized by this strong violent wind. Um it was not able to keep its head against the wind. So imagine the side of the ship now just being exposed to the waves coming at it. It could have easily capsized. um the fact that they were being driven along, they just kind of g it said they gave way to it. They just gave up and had to just ride it out.

Um and if you ever watch videos online of like what a storm looks like, especially in the North Sea, a Boat like that, no matter how big it is, it looks just like a little toy. And you're the sailors are getting tossed and smashed from side to side into the walls of the ship itself. So it was not a comfortable ride. Nobody could eat. Everyone's probably very seasick. Yeah, they felt their lives right there. Uh, brother Kager, what's nice too is um when you go to the book and you go to maps, you can get

a good idea. You read the scriptures and Then you read you can see where they are and you'll see the one that's the dotted line there. That's the trip to Rome. So it gives you a good idea where they were at this point where it even marks fair havens, the southern part of cree and then the the journey on as the chapter continues all the way to Malta and then Sicily. Uh interesting too when you research um the Mediterranean or in the Bible the great sea when you look it up in the insight book it

um one thing it Mentions is how when it gets to be shallow when it's near Africa. So that's where it gets worried with the buoyancy there. Um you don't want to run ground cuz then you're really stuck. Also too, the way the uh the great sea is shaped is it's pretty much a bowl. So when the water gets sloshing around, there's no outlet for it to go. So again, that adds to the violence with the water. So you can really see how this was was not a fun Time when the water gets sloshing and moving.

This was a a long and strenuous journey. Yeah. Let's follow along now as we consider paragraph 13, please. Terror must have rained. But Paul and his companions were of good courage. The Lord had previously assured Paul that the apostle would bear witness in Rome, and an angel later confirmed this promise. Nevertheless, night and day for two weeks, the driving storm kept on. Because of the unrelenting rain and thick cloud cover that blocked out the sun and the stars, the pilot could not make sightings to determine the ship's location or heading. Even a normal meal could

not uh would have been out of the question. How could anyone think of eating given the cold, rain, seasickness, and fear? Paragraph 13, our question. What must life have been like aboard Paul ship during the storm? Yes. Uh, Sister Morales, please. Life would have been tough for Paul and his shipmates, but the rain and storm lasted for weeks, but they probably were seasick and wouldn't even be able to eat a good meal. Paul was confident, but everybody else w would have been scared. Yeah. Has any of you ever been on a ship and gotten seasick?

It's horrible, right? So, we can picture that. And uh right over here, Please. Thank you. I met you. I can't remember your name. Brother Wilson. Yes. Um and along with that comment, we know all the circumstances that was going on um as a young sister brought out that Paul was very confident because he had uh received uh word from Jesus and that same promise confirmed later by an angel. And I love one reference point says that after receiving that assurance, Paul must have felt as secure As a child nestled in his father's arms. Now, that's

completely different than what he was actually experiencing, but he's able to call back on those words constantly to just to calm him down. Um, and the insight book also says that his advice cannot be confirmed to be inspired because he also did re uh go through three previous shipwrecks, but we also know that he was able to use those words to really guide his actions and thoughts. Very good. Thank you, Brother Wilson. And uh, Sister McKenzie, right up here in front, please. Yes, it was very difficult because they had cloud blocking the sun and the

stars. So, the captain couldn't even really guide the ship. And in verse 20, it says, "All hope of being saved finally began to fade." So, they were really needing encouragement. So Paul's uh assurance to them would be uh really encouraging to them. Very nice. Let's look a little bit more about that Encouragement as we consider paragraphs 14 and 15, please. Paul stood up. He mentioned his earlier warning, but not as if to say, "I told you so." Rather, the unfolding of events was proof that his words were well worth heeding. Then he said, "I now

urge you to take courage, for not one of you will be lost. Only the ship will." How those words must have warmed the hearts of his listeners. Paul would have been intensely pleased too that Jehovah had Given him such hopeful message to share. It's vital that we remember Jehovah cares about every human life. Each person matters to him. The Apostle Peter wrote, "Jehovah does not desire anyone to be destroyed, but desires all to attain to repentance." How urgent it is then that we endeavor to share Jehovah's message of hope with as many people as possible.

Precious lives are at stake. Likely Paul had been witnessing To many on the ship about the hope of the promise that was made by God. Now with shipwreck probable, Paul could offer a powerful basis for a more immediate hope. He said, "This night, an angel of the God to whom I belong stood by me and said, "Have no fear, Paul. You must stand before Caesar, and look, God has granted you and all those sailing with you." Paul urged them, "So take courage, men, for I believe God, that it will be exactly as I was told.

However, We must be cast ashore on some island." Paragraph 14 and 15 are a question. Speaking to his shipmates, why did Paul mention his earlier warning? Yes, right here, please. He mentioned his earlier warning, not to say I told you so, but to bring him good news that they the ship wouldn't survive, but they'd all be alive and well. So, this gave him hope. Yes. Good. And uh sister uh Amanda, please. This is also really an opportunity for him to give a witness about Jehovah's mercy because Jehovah could have said, "Well, they didn't listen to

you, Paul, so only you, Arristarus, and Luke are the only ones who are going to survive." But he didn't. Um, instead, the message he gave was that you you're all going to live. Only the ship will be lost. Yeah. What hope, right? And um Sister Ellison, I really noticed the compassion that Paul felt here for the people rather than being irritated at them or frustrated that they had gone ahead. They didn't know what they were doing. They didn't have instruments back then. They just purely went off of sight. And so they made the best decision

that they knew how at the time. But Paul did not uh there was no resentment on his part. He just pleaded with him like when he said in in um second Peter 3:9 there, Jehovah doesn't want any of you Destroyed. He wants to save all of you. So he really just felt for humans in general, but he really felt so much for those men on the ship. Yeah. Very good. Let's ask our B question. What may what may we learn from the hopeful message that Paul delivered? Good. Nice application. Uh, Sister Lopez, this world that

we live in is a sinking ship, but we have a hope that we know we'll get out of it alive, a lot of people don't have that hope, and a lot Of people are scared. So, even though people may not be hearing exactly what they want to hear in regards with what they have to do to inherit that hope, we share it with them anyway. And for a lot of people, it brings them comfort just as it brought us comfort. Very good. Excellent. Friends, we do got to move on. Our last subheading, all were brought

to safety to land. Uh let's have our last two paragraphs. Fred 16 and 17, please. After two frightful weeks during Which the ship was driven some 540 miles, the sailors sense a change. Maybe hearing breakers. They let out anchors from the stern to prevent drift and to direct the bow towards land in case they could beach the ship. At that point, they attempted to leave the ship, but were prevented by doing so by the soldiers. Paul told the army officer and the soldiers, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved." With the

ship now a bit steadier, Paul Urged all to take a meal, assuring them again that they would survive. Paul then gave thanks to God before them all. In offering this appreciative prayer, he set an example for Luke, Arisarkus, and Christians today. Are your public prayers a source of encouragement and comfort to others? Following Paul's prayer, they all took courage and began taking some food themselves. They further lightened the ship by jettisoning the cargo of wheat, Thus giving the ship a shallower draft for its approach to the shore. When day arrived, the crew cut away the

anchors, unlashed the rudder ores at the stern, and hoisted a small forail so that they would have some maneuverability as they ran the ship ground. Then the front of the ship got stuck, perhaps on a sandbar or in a mud. The stern started to break apart under the crashing waves. Some s soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so that none would escape, but Julius Intervened to prevent this. He urged all to swim or float to shore. What Paul had foretold came true. All 276 survived. Yes, they were all brought safely to land, but where were

they? Thank you, brother Leonard, for your fine reading. Uh if we can get the illustration put up with this and in your comments maybe tie into it as well. 16 and 17 A Paul took what occasion to pray and with what effect? Sister St. Hill please. Excuse me. The account there in Acts 27:35 uh reads, "After he said this, Paul, he took bread, gave thanks to God before them all, broke it, and started eating." So amidst all this uh turmoil and uh all that was going on, they had an opportunity to eat something. and he

set a perfect examples for the other Christians there Luke Art Articus and uh even for us Christians today whenever we're in in a perilous situation whether We're brothers or sisters we should always give thanks to Jehovah and pray for Jehovah's direction and Jehovah hears us so Paul set perfect example in difficult times and showing his faith and may we always show our faith very Good. Thank you. And then our B question, how did Paul's warning come to be fulfilled? How did his warning become to be fulfilled? Sister, our brother Lucidis, Please. Well, they were all

brought to safety. So uh it's uh encouraging to see that uh whatever uh however Jehovah prepares us uh in the end this end of the system of things and how the governing body leads us whatever their words are we can take comfort that uh what they say will come true. Yeah. Very good. Well thank you friends for your comments and for highlighting this exciting account. Next week we look to the journey as it continues. Thank you very much, brother Medina. Appreciate that. So, friends, haven't we had a full meeting tonight? What did we cover? Well,

by way of brief review, we appreciate Jehovah's reminder that doing things his way are always beneficial. One thing our sister in the video said that struck me. She said, "Glory among people that don't love you weighs no more than emptiness." How true that really is. But in contrast, when we remain sensitive to spiritual light, Then we're always going to be successful. We also had a great local needs regarding commenting, which is no doubt going to assist us to have the fullest share possible that we can in our large congregation. Now, next week, much of our

meeting will be devoted to reviewing information on how to be prepared both physically and spiritually for a disaster. So, we have that to look forward to next Week. So, Brother Roga will conclude our meeting with prayer after we sing song 43, a prayer of thanks. Daily text, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus made a powerful statement. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. This verse from Matthew 5:16 serves as a reminder of our duty as followers of Christ to

live in a way that reflects God's goodness, righteousness, and love To those around us. In this article, we will explore what it means to let your light shine. How we can do so in our daily lives and why it is essential for bringing glory to Jehovah, our father in heaven. The phrase, "Let your light shine," has a rich and profound meaning. Light in the Bible often symbolizes purity, truth, and the presence of God. When Jesus tells us to let our light shine, he is urging us to live in a way That reflects God's qualities. Our

actions, words, and attitudes should be a visible demonstration of God's influence in our lives. Just as light dispels darkness, our good works should stand out in a world that is often filled with confusion, immorality, and selfishness. But what does this light look like in practice? In the following sections, we will explore how we can let our light shine through our conduct, our speech, and our Interactions with others. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus emphasizes the importance of good works. He doesn't say that we should merely act well when others are watching, but that our actions should consistently

reflect God's will. These good works may include acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion. Whether it's helping a neighbor in need, volunteering for a worthy cause, or showing patience to those around us, Every act of goodness is a reflection of the light that comes from Jehovah. However, Jesus also warns us against performing our good works to seek human praise. In Matthew 6:1, he cautions, "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Our actions should not be done for self- glorification but to honor Jehovah. When we shine our light,

we do so not to be noticed by men but to bring Glory to God. Our speech plays an integral part in how we let our light shine. Proverbs 12:18 says, "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." How we speak to others reflects our inner values. If we are harsh, judgmental, or deceitful, we obscure the light of Christ. On the other hand, kind words, encouragement, and wisdom that points to Jehovah's truth allow that light to shine Brightly. When we speak, we should reflect Jehovah's loving kindness and his

willingness to forgive. For example, when we engage in conversations with others about our faith, we should be careful not to impose our beliefs on them forcefully, but to speak in a loving, respectful, and gentle manner. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt. Colossians 4:6. This kind of speech not only honors Jehovah, but draws others closer to him, Allowing them to see the light shining through us. The way we live, how we conduct ourselves day in and day out is a powerful way to let our light shine. In a world where many are

focused on personal gain, materialism, or self-indulgence, it can be easy to become distracted and fall into the same behaviors. However, as Christians, we are called to rise above these temptations and show a different way of living, one that reflects God's Holiness, love, and selflessness. Jesus set the ultimate example of living a life that shone brightly. He lived a life of self-sacrifice, always putting others first, showing mercy to those who were often overlooked by society. As his followers, we are called to imitate his conduct. Whether in our homes, workplaces, or communities, our actions should consistently reflect

Christlike humility, patience, and love. It is Important to recognize that our light shines brightest when the darkness around us is most evident. In a world where sin and suffering are widespread, our acts of kindness, compassion, and truth can stand as a powerful testimony to the goodness of God. Jesus himself said that he came to be a light in the darkness. John 8:12. Likewise, we are called to be lights in the darkness, offering hope, truth, and love to a world that Desperately needs it. When we live according to Jehovah's standards, we will undoubtedly face opposition, misunderstandings,

and even persecution. However, these challenges provide us with even more opportunities to let our light shine. In the face of adversity, we can reflect God's peace and trust in his promises. Just as a light shines brightest in the dark, our faith in Jehovah can shine even more brightly in Times of trial. Ultimately, the purpose of letting our light shine is to bring glory to Jehovah. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven." Our good works, our speech, and our conduct

are not meant to draw attention to ourselves, but to point others toward God. When people see the light of Jehovah in Us, they are drawn to him and his goodness. This is the heart of our Christian witness. It's not enough just to know the truth. We must live the truth in such a way that it impacts others. In doing so, we fulfill our role as ambassadors of God's kingdom. As we allow our light to shine, others are encouraged to seek Jehovah, to learn about his promises and to experience his love firsthand. The glory of God

is made manifest in the world through our lives As his disciples. The call to let your light shine before men is a call to live as true disciples of Christ. By letting our light shine through our good works, our speech, and our conduct, we not only bring glory to Jehovah, but also serve as witnesses to his greatness and love. In doing so, we fulfill our role as lights in a dark world, offering hope and truth to those around us. May we all strive to let our light shine brightly and boldly, reflecting the love And goodness

of Jehovah to everyone we meet, that they may glorify our father in heaven.