The Book That Makes Us Truly Wise and Successful

"This book of the law should not depart from your mouth, and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, in order that you may take care to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely." - Joshua 1:8

 

 

In an attempt to find ways to improve their lives and to become successful in their endeavors, some people turn to self-help books that claim to have the best solution that people in general are seeking for. They may spend much time searching for the right one from all the innumerable books that have been published, and much money to purchase them. 

On the other hand, there is a book that can certainly help people of all ages and background. It may be an old book, but all its counsel and guidance are up-to-date. They were written purposely for all seasons and for all generations. Millions who have examined the contents of this book and followed the guidance found therein have experienced a truly successful life and lasting joy that springs from a bright hope that the book highlights. It is the hope of a future life in perfection which the book's own Author promised. 

This great book is none other than God's Word, the Bible. It is a living book in the sense that many of the words penned there can touch the hearts of humans and change their lives for the better. Further, many of the prophecies written there are still undergoing fulfillment, which a serious and diligent researcher can clearly see from the ongoing world events.  The fulfillment of these prophecies keeps flowing to its climax when all the world's problems will be completely removed and a new wonderful world will take place.

Everyone can avail of this book for free. A visit to the following link can lead one to reading this book and other related publications online. Reading this book regularly and meditatively, and applying the words in our lives can surely help us to be wise and successful.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/publications/index.htm

The Caring Instructor

I shall make you have insight and instruct you in the way you should go. I will give advice with my eye upon you.

—Psalm 32:8.

Like a caring parent, God has always his kind and merciful eye upon us in order to protect us from harm. Since he is aware of our imperfections and weaknesses, he gives us instruction and discipline to help us avoid harming ourselves. He does this through his written Word, the Bible. And he is interested to see how we respond to his fatherly training.

Do we listen to his instructions and do our best to follow them? Or do we ignore his expression of his loving care and just do things our imperfect way?

May each of us realize that following our Father's divine direction leads to life now and forever. But if we ignore it, then we will lack the insight needed for us to live a wholesome and purposeful life now, and we will surely lose the gift of eternal life that he will give us in the future.

He Keeps Watching Over Us

"Were I to take the wings of the dawn,
That I might reside in the most remote sea,

There, also, your own hand would lead me

And your right hand would lay hold of me." 

- Psalm 139:9,10

Wherever we go in the world, whether in the brightest of places or in the deepest of shadows, our Heavenly Father has his eyes upon us, taking note of what we do. Whatever we do, be it  pleasant in his eyes, or unpleasant, still he takes note of it. Even if we try to hide from him, we cannot escape from his ever watchful eyes.

 

However, this fact should not make us uncomfortable. On the contrary, we should be happy because he is always there on the lookout for our own safety. He is not out to find fault with us or to make us feel exposed or unworthy because of some mistakes that we make. Rather, he is there, watching over us, in order to find opportunities for him to help and protect us from anything that may put us in danger. He is a loving and caring Father who wants his children to live a happy and successful life.

We Are Precious in His Eyes

When we lose our sense of self-worth, these two Scriptures remind us that each individual is precious in the eyes of our Creator and Father who deeply cares about us.

 

"Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without YOUR Father’s knowledge.  But the very hairs of YOUR head are all numbered.  Therefore have no fear: YOU are worth more than many sparrows."

- Matthew 10:29-31

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt YOU in due time;  while YOU throw all YOUR anxiety upon him, because he cares for YOU." 

- 1 Peter 5:6,7

He Will Surely Provide for Our Needs

For those who put God first in their lives,  that is, who make the doing of God's will their priority, there's no cause for worry at all concerning their material needs. The Almighty Father knows all their needs, and He will surely provide for them as long as they keep the Father foremost in their lives. Here is the promise:

“Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU. So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness." 
- Matthew 6:33,34

The message is clear: If we put spiritual things first, then all our material needs will be added to us. Millions worldwide have experienced the fulfillment of this promise. They are the ones who strive to serve God first, trusting in His promises, and they have never found themselves lacking in their material provisions. 

This doesn't mean, however, that they don't work at all, and just wait for these material things to drop from heaven. They do work hard, and God blesses their efforts so that they can have what they need materially. That's how God adds to their material necessities. So they don't need to worry about the following day, knowing that God will keep providing for them.

Guarding Against Unbridled Rage

 "Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with YOU in a provoked state,  neither allow place for the Devil." - Ephesians 4:28,27

 It's only natural to be angry, and our anger may be justifiable. But remaining in an angry or wrathful state will only do us harm. Aside from its ill effects on our physical health, it can also put us in a position where the Devil can easily prey on us and induce us to do something evil against our fellows and against God. 

So if we feel that rage is brewing in us, it's best to pray immediately and ask God to help us be "cool of spirit" and have self control so that we can avoid acting in a harmful way. If our rage is caused by some disputes with our fellows, we must settle them peacefully as soon as possible. We should not allow ourselves to remain in a provoked state and be a victim of the Devil's malicious designs to destroy us.

Keep On Asking, And You Will Receive

Some people don't get what they ask for and  can't find what they're seeking for. This is especially true with regards to their pursuits of material things or emotional needs. However, persistence is one good quality in order to get what one truly needs. In the Scripture below, the Son of God tells his listeners,

“Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened."

- Matthew 7:7,8

This inspirational passage has its more profound application for us as regards our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is to Him that we ask for whatever we need, but we must ask them in the right way. For instance, in order to have the basic material things that we need, we have to ask him for qualities that enable us to work in order to produce our material necessities. We also need to ask for wisdom and endurance to cope with difficult situations. If we feel that we are too weary or weak to care for our responsibilities, it is urgent that we ask for strength to carry them out.

It's not enough to ask just once though. As the Scripture shows, we must keep on asking. This doesn't mean that the Almighty doesn't hear us the first time we ask. Of course, He knows what we need even before we ask Him. But if we keep on asking Him, we demonstrate that we are sincere in our requests and that we rely on Him and trust that he can give us what we ask for. So we need to keep on asking, not doubting at all that He will provide for us, and we will surely receive.

The Way To Invincibility

When we feel that everything is too much for us and that we're too tired to go on and want to give up, the Scripture below can help us re-evaluate our situations, and see that we are not completely down after all.
 

"However, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not that out of ourselves. We are pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement; we are perplexed, but not absolutely with no way out;  we are persecuted, but not left in the lurch; we are thrown down, but not destroyed." 
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

 

Adversities may drive us to the limit of our capacity to cope, but even before we reach that border, we can discover that all is not lost, that it is not actually the end of what we can do. We can feel that we have more power to face all these trials, and that power is being constantly recharged as long as we look to the true Source of such power, the Creator and Sovereign of the Universe. Our power as imperfect humans can diminish, but the power that we get from God keeps building up  as more trials come to attack us.It is this "power beyond what is normal" that can make us INVINCIBLE.

The Beauty of Our Creator's Law (video version)

Oh The Beauty of Our Creator's Law!

One reason why I love to read God's Word and share its message to others is  that of the wonderful benefits that it brings to me personally. It gives me joy that can help me cope with adversities. It makes my life beautiful amidst all the ugly things in the world that invade our lives. It gives light to my path and brightens up my days as I strive to follow its wise instructions. It makes my life meaningful and entirely satisfying.

If God's Word does wonderful things to me, I'm sure that it also works beneficially for others who truly desire to be guided by the best Instructor in the whole Universe.

"How I do love your law!
All day long it is my concern.

Wiser than my enemies your commandment makes me,
Because to time indefinite it is mine.

More insight than all my teachers I have come to have,
Because your reminders are a concern to me.

With more understanding than older men I behave,
Because I have observed your own orders.

From every bad path I have restrained my feet,
For the purpose that I may keep your word.

From your judicial decisions I have not turned aside,
For you yourself have instructed me.

How smooth to my palate your sayings have been,
More so than honey to my mouth!

Owing to your orders I behave with understanding.
That is why I have hated every false path."

- Psalms 119:97-104

Adding Meaning to Our Lives Permanently

Most of us are interested in the meaning of our existence. But if we take a closer look at how short life is and full of misery, it seems like our existence is meaningless. It's like these lines from Shakespeare's Macbeth:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player         
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”—Macbeth, Act V, Scene V.

But our existence need not be like that. We can make it significant by first acknowledging the fact that humans are not the true center of meaning. "Our Grand Creator is that center, and any real meaning to our existence logically involves him and depends upon him. To find such meaning and the deep satisfaction it brings, we need to come to know the Creator and bring our lives into harmony with his will." (Creator book published by WTBTS)

It is therefore vital to turn to the Creator for guidance in order make our lives meaningful. Psalm 90:12 says, 

 “Show us just how to count our days in such a way that we may bring a heart of wisdom in. Satisfy us in the morning with your loving-kindness, that we may cry out joyfully and may rejoice during all our days. And let the pleasantness of Jehovah our God prove to be upon us.”

These three phrases here ,‘Satisfied in the morning.’ ‘Rejoicing during all our days.’ ‘God’s pleasantness on us’, signify a truly meaningful life which is brought about by turning to our Creator and revolving our lives around him. We can only understand and experience the deep impact of this if we apply godly wisdom in our lives.

A Good Name Is Better Than Riches

"A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born." - Eccl. 7:1.

One who lives a truly worthwhile life is making a name or a good reputation for himself. To live a worthwhile life means spending one's life in pursuit of the more important things that are essential for survival and for personal spiritual well-being. This also involves the doing of God's will, helping our fellowmen to live a truly meaningful and satisfying life, and giving hope to the less fortunate ones through the good news that our loving Father wants all of us to know, and through practical help.

Doing such things can enrich a person's life and can make a good reputation in God's eyes, which is more valuable than riches. (Matthew 6:19-21) Even when one dies, he keeps living in the hearts of those who know him. Most of all, he lives in the mind of the Almighty Father who promised to reward him with wonderful blessings in the future for maintaining a good name.

Our Reasons for Joy

A song declaring several reasons why one may be joyful amid the troubles and sufferings on this earth.

How to Draw Close to God

"Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you."

-  James 4:8

The above Scripture is an assurance that we can cultivate an intimate relationship with the Most High.

Here are some ways:

* Read His Written Word, the Bible, daily to get to know Him better.

* Establish  regular communications with Him through prayer.

* Make Him happy by following His guidance which He gave for our lasting personal benefit.

* Keep feeding on His abundant "spiritual" foods.

* Associate with those who love Him wholeheartedly.

* Tell others about how loving and wonderful He is as a Friend and Father.

* Spend time to "read" His book of creation, that is, examine His natural creations and analyze what they tell us about the Creator.

* Try to imitate His qualities.
etc.

One will discover that there's no better friend in the whole universe than our Heavenly Father. He is the only one who perfectly knows our deepest thoughts and feelings, and all our needs. If all others leave us, He is always there, and will always be our FRIEND forever.

Will Our Home Planet Continue to Be Ruined?

The whole world expresses concern about the recent oil spill that has brought extensive destruction to our planet. Many are still not aware how enormous and grotesque the effect has become. Some are apprehensive about how much more damages it may yet bring in the future.

It's not only the oil spills that have caused alarm to humans, but also the other exploitations of our natural resources in the name of money. The earth is being made sick by stripping it of its precious elements. In turn, humans are also forced  into a predicament where there seems to be no way out for them. They are unsure of what the future may bring. Will unscrupulous humans continue to wreck their own home planet?

The world's greatest and most reliable book of prophecy reassures us that the Almighty God and Creator will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth." -Revelation 11:18

He wants this precious planet to be restored to its original condition just as He purposed it to be. It will again become a pristine and peaceful habitation for all righteous mankind who submit to His Sovereignty. Everyone will take good care of this home planet and preserve its natural beauty forever.

Is God Uncaring?

Many people ask, ‘If God cared, would not the world be a very different place?’ If we look around, we can see a world full of war, hatred, and misery. And as individuals, we get sick, we suffer, we lose loved ones in death. Thus, many say, ‘If God cared about us and our problems, would he not prevent such things from happening?’

Is it the will of God that such things are happening? God's own Word, the Bible, answers:

"When under trial, let no one say: 'I am being tried by God.' For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone." - James 1:13

For further clarification and clearer understanding, feel free to visit this link:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_01.htm