2020 Apr 29-Apr 30 Proverbs 13, The First (Worship) of the Ten, TWGA, weekly CTC
2020 Apr 29-Apr 30 Proverbs 13, The First (Worship) of the Ten, TWGA, weekly CTC
Prove 13:9 The righteous let their light shine by their fine speech and deeds toward others, honoring the Father, enabling others to see and respond by themselves giving glory to God. (Matt 5:16) The wicked, not seeking the Father's honor, but rather their own with arrogance, must have their prideful lamp extinguished, either by responding to the truth and changing their heart's motivation, or by their eventual death due to their refusal to honor God.
Prove 13:10 Presumptuousness is overstepping due bounds, taking liberties, and is in direct contrast to genuine modesty. Due bounds may be God's laws or regulations, or what is socially acceptable in speech or actions. Crossing such boundaries hurts others and thus causes conflict. On the other hand, "wisdom is with the modest ones." (Prov 11:2). Those 'seeking advice' are humble, modest, and want to know the boundaries to respect them, not desiring conflict with others. Such an attitude contributes to the gaining of true wisdom.
Prove 13:11 It is easy to spend quickly when money is gained quickly, having the money to obtain more expensive items that may not be purchased if the money was gained "little by little." Also, the acquiring of spiritual riches may best be done "little by little," with continual effort to understand and make application of the knowledge to your personal situation. Spending time pondering what you are learning is like your taking time to chew your food thoroughly before swallowing, rather than gulping it down, as if greedily. Granted, some foods go down easier than others! But try to enjoy the meal, taste the flavors in each bite, if possible. Your body will thank you, and be better able to digest and utilize the food you just enjoyed! So it is spiritually--we should take the time to savor what we've learned, rather than reading very fast and assuming we've gotten all we can obtain from it. It is not just head knowledge that we want, but rather, heart-knowledge--putting the knowledge into action, letting it affect our motivation and purposes, moving us to align ourselves more with what is right before God, always aiming for the target of God's true divine standards, and receiving mercy for an occasional unintentional miss. As our lives are gradually refined, and our wisdom grows, we will be making better decisions that contribute to the lasting peace and happiness, not only of ourselves, but of our loved ones, friends, and others!
Prove 13:12 What an important truth to bear in mind, as we do not wish for the heart of friends or family to become sick. For instance, some may be looking forward to an upcoming vacation, but how would you feel if the day before you leave, a serious problem arises at work that requires you to remain and cancel your plans? Would you not be heartsick? Such a situation shouldn't happen too often, because if we keep our plans before Jehovah, He will often bless our efforts to make them successful. But the situation illustrates the heartsickness that happens on occasion. We are wise not to spend too much time expecting a desire within a certain time, if that time could change! Rather, focus more on the present joys and blessings, giving attention to good work and it's rewards presently, while still looking forward to those desires. When the time comes for that desire to be realized, how refreshing the experience may be! May we do our best to keep our obligations to others, so as not to disappoint them, and wisely avoid "planning ahead for the desires of the flesh." (Roma 13:14). What does that mean? There may be some acceptable desires that we however shouldn't be constantly thinking about or longing for. Let's keep busy in fine Christian works and pondering spiritual matters, then enjoy appropriate desires when they do come.
Let's consider this in Exodus 20:1-3 :
“20 Then God spoke all these words: 2 “I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 You must not have any other gods besides me.”
GOD'S RIGHT TO EXCLUSIVE WORSHIP. The first of the Ten Commandments, that God first spoke before all Israel, before writing them on two stone tablets. Notice that while all ten commands or laws are important, they do have an order. The first three have to do with our worshiping only Jehovah, and doing so in sincerity—not in name only. The first commandment is that we acknowledge God’s right to exclusive worship, that we refuse to worship any other gods. Encouraging us to have this view is God’s own reminder of His great loyal love and power that enabled Him to bring Abraham’s descendants out of slavery in Egypt, that He keep His promise that they would inhabit the Promised Land. (Genes 28:10,13). Egypt, being the first world power of Bible prophecy, is often used prophetically to represent the part of the world with ungodly political influence (Revel 11:8). Many true Christians today are grateful to God for having brought them out of the world and it’s false worship, gaining true freedom to serve Jehovah faithfully. So have you been brought “out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery?” We can come into a spiritual Promised Land, able to worship God among lovers of truth, finding true peace, joy, and love among fellow believers. May we appreciate the spiritual paradise that can be enjoyed now, as we look forward to an entire earthly Paradise to come.
PUTTING JEHOVAH FIRST. Still, we need to be careful not to worship any god but Jehovah. Without putting Jehovah first, whoever or whatever we are enslaved to, this one we serve. (Galat 4:3,8). May we align our habits, ways, and practices with true worship, the right and loving standards of Jehovah as set forth in His holy word, the Bible. And may we seek to honor Him by our speech and actions, boasting in Jehovah far more than any possession, or any other person, organization, or field of endeavor. (Psalm 97:7; 1Cori 1:31). Jeremiah 9:23-24 says “23 This is what Jehovah says: “Let not the wise man boast about his wisdom; Let not the mighty man boast about his mightiness; And let not the rich man boast about his riches.” 24 “But let the one boasting boast about this: That he has insight and knowledge of me, That I am Jehovah, the One showing loyal love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, For in these things I take delight,” declares Jehovah.” May we thus speak well of Jehovah to others, giving Him due praise and honor, as our Creator and Life-giver—the One who gives us “life, breath, and all things.” (Acts 17:25).
OF SERIOUS IMPORT. The seriousness, the life and death importance of heeding this first command was underscored by Moses, at Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Notice his words, which may have serious import even for true Christians today: “15 “See, I do put before you today life and good, and death and bad. 16 If you listen to the commandments of Jehovah your God that I am commanding you today, by loving Jehovah your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his judicial decisions, then you will live and multiply, and Jehovah your God will bless you in the land you are going to possess. 17 “But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are enticed and bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. 19 I take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today that I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the curse; and you must choose life so that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice, and by sticking to him, for he is your life and by him you will endure a long time in the land that Jehovah swore to give to your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”” God's chosen people Israel were to be an example to all the world as to the benefits and blessings that come from worshiping the true God Jehovah properly. Of course, God in time would send his son, named Jesus, as stated at John 3:17, "For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him." Thus we see that "Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance."
LOVE JEHOVAH. Likewise, may we grow to love deeply our Life-giver and loving Father, Jehovah, and show it by our adherence to His standards and commands. 1John 5:3 says “3 For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.” May we look forward to further consideration of the Ten Commandments which God first spoke in the ears of all Israel, at Mount Sinai.
_______(NewsUSA) – Elderly safety is a considerable problem in the U.S. as millions of seniors go to the emergency room each year due to injuries caused by accidents in the home. Falls are a leading cause of these mishaps. Yet, with proper equipment and knowledge, risk can be cut dramatically.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one out of every three adults over age 65 falls each year. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, and in 2008, almost 20,000 older adults died from fall-related injuries in the U.S.
Houses can be potential battlegrounds for seniors as they navigate rooms, hallways and stairs. Here are some ways you can help ensure a safer home :
• Clear the clutter. This goes for countertops, end tables, hallways and beyond. Clutter of all sizes can make for hazards in such places as the kitchen and bathroom, and should be removed.
• Get frequent visual exams. Poor eyesight is a leading cause of senior falls and can make it hard to navigate homes safely. Check your prescription yearly to ensure it’s still accurate.
• Equip bathroom with showers/baths designed for older adults. Since 80 percent of senior falls happen in the bathroom, seniors can maintain independence longer with the use of walk-in baths built for elderly adults. For instance, the walk-in tub from Safe Step (you might see their website, or other similar ones) has anti-slip floors, 4-inch step up, grab bars, anti-scald technology, mold-resistant walls and a shower wand.
• Participate in moderate exercise. Staying active is one of the best ways to maintain balance, strength and mobility — as long as you don’t overdue it. The CDC suggests ... relaxed yoga for balance, and weight-bearing exercise is also helpful because it increases bone density for seniors suffering from osteoporosis.
Livestrong.com encourages dumbbell swings — dumbbells may be
substituted for grandchildren, pets or groceries — and exercise routines
using resistance bands. [Of course, those older who've had trouble gripping, with arthritis, for instance, may do better with the resistance bands than the dumbells, which could fall and harm feet, causing more problems, JMC]
• Install grab bars throughout the home. The most obvious space demanding grab bars is the bathroom, next to showers, baths and toilets, but they’re useful in other rooms, too. Grab bars help you climb stairs safely, traverse long hallways or use the kitchen more easily.
ISSUE AFTER ISSUE ADDRESSED BY GOD’S KINGDOM: MARRIAGE & PARTNERSHIPS
Philippians 4:5 “Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near.”
Hebrews 13:4a “Let marriage be honorable among all...”
MARRIED LIFE. For true Christians generally, God’s word throughout encourages married life.[For those struggling with such a view of marriage, the paragraph headed “OTHER SITUATIONS” below may contain some helpful information.] While the apostle Paul once recommended singleness, he was then speaking to original anointed Christians with the heavenly calling, to become “as angels” in the heavens above. Even at that, marriage while on earth was still an option. For God’s eternal universal purpose, clearly marriage may be considered a gift—to share life’s experiences with a beloved married companion. Who will be your partner, as we clean up our planet, and welcome our ancestors back to life on earth? Who will this partner be if afterward, God wishes you to start a family, even elsewhere in the universe? Supposing there is nothing interfering with the typical romantic feelings experienced by men and women, we might ask: What of one nearing marriageable age—a young man or a young woman?
YOUNG MEN. Considering a restored standard of marriage for most every person, trusting God to help one find a suitable partner, or to help two near marriage to take that step, how might we view the growth process in preparation for this potentially joyful relationship? A young man who is able to work to support himself, upon reaching a marriageable and responsible age, might choose to leave his parents’ home and begin to find and manage a home of his own. He could certainly have begun preparing for such a step years before, with the help of parents and others. All such men should learn how to manage their own home, as they will need to do this well in the caring of a wife and children. If he has not yet found a suitable wife, or a woman that is yet ready to take the step of marriage, how might he proceed? If he has a well-paying job that can support him alone and the paying of taxes for a single person, he may choose this course, while looking for the one to become his wife. However, many young men find it a challenge to rent a place or even pay mortgage on a home early in their working careers.
PARTNERSHIPS. What if two such men, perhaps already friends, neither yet having a marriage relationship, could take a stance as partners—let’s call them “Term Growth Partners.” One could take the lead in finding and paying for the home, being the primary owner or renter, while both work and contribute financially to the home and various expenses and needs that come up. Both are learning or practicing skills necessary for the management of a home that will be essential to begin a marriage and family. Neither one should practice laziness or shirk responsibility. Both should contribute almost equally for the benefit of one another, learning to be considerate of others as if having a family of one’s own. Why not allow such T.G.Partners to receive a tax credit similar to that of married folk, as these men are seeking and readying themselves for this relationship? And if they qualify, why not allow these responsible men even, if they wish, to foster a child who is without loving parents, either a young boy or girl, as long as one of the two men take primary responsibility for the child, and continue looking for a suitable wife, as a mother to the precious child? It should probably be the owner of the home, or primary renter, that be the responsible caregiver and provider for the child, but both should qualify to provide responsible care for the child in this partnership. Once again, a tax credit should be provided as in a family situation.
YOUNG WOMEN. What about a young woman, who herself has reached a marriageable and responsible age, and yet has not found a suitable partner? Why must she be burdened with the care and management of a home, that most young men are already preparing themselves for? Why shouldn’t the young woman remain, if possible, with her parents at their home, while perhaps finding suitable work, also practicing the skills that will be beneficial in support of her husband and children, when she finds him, with God’s blessing? With work, she may contribute to the parents’ expenses while hopefully having something to save for her own family’s needs in the future. This arrangement would prevent unnecessary burdens and expenses on the would-be new family, once she finds a suitable marriage partner! She may have been able to save up more for the family, that otherwise may have been lost to rent or mortgage costs. What does a new family do with two homes, two mortgages, or two rented properties—how much work goes into selling one of them, selling and/or consolidating furniture and other items accumulated in each home? Of course, this must be done in the case of those already on their own, and it may be considered a task helping the two to work out any differences fairly and agreeably between them. However, if the young woman can be free from such unnecessary burdens, how much more easily will be the transition to married life! Perhaps depending on her work situation, she may or may not be considered a dependent for tax purposes, the parents possibly receiving a tax credit to make up for the added expenses associated with her stay. Either way, this would appear to be the most beneficial situation for a young woman looking to marry. Evidently, “Philip the evangelizer” was able to support his four virgin daughters, even as they shared with him in the Christian ministry. (Acts 21:8-9). There are many examples throughout the Scriptures of women remaining at home until marriage—if this is possible in a given situation, we’ve seen many advantages to this. (Genesis 24; 29).
A PRECIOUS CHILD. Considering the foregoing, might there be adequate young families to care for a child who may have been born to a mother that is unwed and is not yet adequately prepared to raise him or her, if there are no relatives in a position to accept this responsibility either? Even if the child was conceived in rape or incest, is he or she not still a precious life? Certainly every precaution should be taken to prevent such a situation, but in the case that it does occur, how does God feel about any child conceived in or out of wedlock, according to His inspired word? Even God’s servant David wrote about his pre-birth self, in Psalm 139.
Notice verses 13-16: “13 For you produced my kidneys; You kept me screened off in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know this very well.15 My bones were not hidden from you When I was made in secret, When I was woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; All its parts were written in your book Regarding the days when they were formed, Before any of them existed.”
EVEN “AS AN EMBRYO.” David refers to his time in the womb of his mother, and even as an embryo, before any body parts even existed! It was still David, who would go on to become King of Israel! There is another Bible passage, in the Mosaic Law, that reveals God’s view of an unborn child. This is found at Exodus 21:22-23:
“22 “If men should struggle with each other and they hurt a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but no fatality results, the offender must pay the damages imposed on him by the husband of the woman; and he must pay it through the judges. 23 But if a fatality does occur, then you must give life for life”
GOD’S VIEW OF THE UNBORN. Yes, the unborn child was considered a life to God, such that if it was harmed before birth, the one causing the harm was even to die, if the child died as a result, according to the principle of eye for an eye, and in this case, life for a life. The purpose of such a strong penalty is so that those knowing the Law would AVOID becoming guilty of such things, so as NOT to receive such a harsh outcome. But as mentioned this reveals God’s view of the unborn child—just as much a life or a person as the one causing harm to a pregnant woman. Many women have suffered emotional pain after going through an abortion procedure—why not rather have this precious child, and give it up for adoption if the mother or a relative is yet unready to care for him or her? Yes, God did increase the pain of pregnancy after sin entered the human family, but it wasn’t done so as to prevent a woman from giving birth—it can be a tremendous bonding experience, even talking to or reading to the child before birth. And that increase of pain may well be ending, as the start of God’s Kingdom nears! It may well be that many aborted children will be resurrected by God and Christ in the new world, that they may see the light of day and the love of their parents, if possible, having renewed appreciation for this gift of life! Let’s consider God’s gift of life sacred and precious, and do what we reasonably can to protect it!
OTHER SITUATIONS. Now, of course not everyone is in the same position as the young men and women mentioned previously. Many are happily married, and have families of their own. Of course, those with more experience in life and a strong Christian faith would also be suited to accept foster children, if their hearts were ready for such a gift. And why wouldn’t two older men, unmarried, qualify as T.G.Partners as well, having even more experience in life, each looking for a married partner, and also perhaps qualifying to care for a foster child, if desired? Also, as God’s Kingdom nears, His power will certainly be available upon the human family, manifested in various ways. He can, for instance, restore transgender persons back to their original gender, but this time with the proper feelings appropriate for them, as “male and female He [God] created them.” (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4). Recall that humans are not just spirits—we are physiological creatures, affected by various chemical processes and substances, some of which could create imbalances or disturbances if left unchecked. Some petroleum and plastics molecules, for instance, mimic hormones such as estrogens. As discussed previously in another article, one such substance, a pesticide called atrazine, has been used on some 75% or more of corn crops in the U.S., and can cause male frogs to turn female! Just what effect could it be having on humans? There are similar chemicals no doubt having a similar effect on many, even from a young age. Jesus spoke of a time of “re-creation.” (Matthew 19:28). So why wouldn’t Jehovah God be able to restore precious humans to the condition He intended them to be in for their genuine happiness and satisfaction in life? And let the Kingdom investigate to find alternatives to things that would contribute to “ruining the earth.”
CONCLUSION
GENUINE HAPPINESS. With God’s unfolding eternal purpose in view, brought about through His Kingdom, He doubtless intends many, if not all persons, to be happily married, sharing life’s experiences with a beloved partner. Thus the exhortation to “let marriage be honorable among all...” (Hebrews 13:4). God and Christ are also reasonable and understanding of various factors inhibiting the proper feelings of some men and women toward one another, and can correct such matters. May even young men and women be blessed by God to prepare for married life, and then to find that suitable marriage partner, delighting in the joys associated with that precious bond of union. May all others likewise appreciate this gift of God, and come to bring their lives into harmony with God’s loving purpose for humans, that we may look forward to genuine happiness, in a new world of peace and righteousness, by God’s divine standards!


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