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The human race is a study in diversity.
We are a fascinating collection of different shades, different shapes, and different sizes.
We support ourselves in an amazing variety of ways.
We speak to our loved ones in over 6,000 tongues.
Yet we are far more alike than different.
We share common concerns, needs, desires.
We want economic security and satisfying work.
We want our marriages to be happy.
We want the best for our children.
We want them to be close to us.
We want them to share our values, to be safe and secure.
So we need friendship and support from others.
We thrive on human contact and love.
Young or old, we cherish good health.
Far too often though, these desires go unfulfilled.
People come to reject parental values and standards.
Marital bliss turns into marital distress.
Making a living becomes a stressful ordeal.
Despite high-tech medicine, illness and death eventually conquer us all.
Most people feel powerless to improve their lot in life.
However, there is something that can make a difference.
Something that has given millions of people hope and has empowered them to change their
lives for the better.
Something that can make a difference in your life.
Many acknowledge the Bible as a literary masterpiece, but it is much more than that.
It is the most widely circulated book in existence.
Over 90% of the population of our planet have access to it.
More than any other book, the Bible has the power to change people's lives.
As the Bible itself says, the Word of God is alive and exerts power.
But if this is true, then why do so many problems plague mankind?
How could the Bible have the solutions to mankind's difficulties when so many of those
who claim to believe in it are unfulfilled and unhappy?
The World Council of Churches reports, there is frightening and growing ignorance of the
Bible in all sections of Western society.
Bible societies estimate that 85% of Western Christians have never read the whole Bible.
Regrettably, many who do read the Bible simply do not understand it.
God's Word thus has little impact on the lives of most who claim to believe in it.
There are millions, however, who have unlocked the Bible's power and put it to work in their
lives.
Jehovah's Witnesses are known the world over as students of the Bible.
The Kingdom Hall is their center for Bible education.
Jehovah's Witnesses have the firm conviction that the entire Bible is the inspired Word
of God.
The Bible that we have today is referred to by many as a divine library, a collection
of sacred writings undertaken by about 40 different men over a period of 1,500 years.
Some of these writers were shepherds, fishermen, and even a physician.
Remarkably, though, the Bible is one harmonious book united by a single theme, God's Kingdom.
The book that we have today called the Bible is a reliable library of divine information.
For over 100 years, the Watchtower Magazine has taught that God's Kingdom is the central
theme of the Bible.
Let's listen in as this Kingdom theme is discussed at a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses.
But just what is that Kingdom?
Well, to answer that, it's helpful to first understand what brought about the need for
that Kingdom.
The Bible teaches us that God placed the first human couple in a beautiful earthly paradise,
the Garden of Eden.
But Adam and Eve chafed at God's rulership.
They wanted to be independent, to make their own decisions.
So they chose to disobey God.
And when they did that, they forfeited life in paradise.
Lovingly, God has purpose to intervene in mankind's behalf.
How?
By means of his Kingdom.
A Kingdom is a government, a rulership.
How though can we prove that God's Kingdom is as real as any earthly rulership?
Well, consider, what makes a human government real?
A human government has a capital city, it has rulers, it has laws, it has people that
support it.
What about God's Kingdom?
It has a capital city in the heavens.
It has a ruler, Jesus Christ.
And does God's Kingdom have laws?
Indeed it does.
And those laws are found in the law book of God's Kingdom, the Bible.
By conforming to God's law book, the Bible, millions of Jehovah's Witnesses have transformed
their lives.
Let's consider three areas in which the Bible has helped them.
Family life, economics, and health.
Lack of communication is a common marital problem.
He never listens to what I have to say.
I can't get him away from the TV.
When she speaks, she never gives me the opportunity to open my mouth.
The problem with my husband is that instead of listening to me, he gives me a sermon.
The bride is trying to ask what I'm feeling, but what exactly is she trying to feel?
The husband is always talking about work.
He never gives me the opportunity to express my feelings.
I don't know what to do.
What if couples apply the Bible's counsel?
It's right to have good communication in marriage.
It's the most difficult thing in marriage.
It's often the case when we communicate in conversations.
Maybe the husband has a problem, a question.
Then you come up with a really good advice.
You have to solve your problems this way.
Then it's not accepted.
In fact, you can come out of it.
Maybe your husband is angry and angry and then it goes completely wrong.
That's because at that point I don't need good advice.
I don't need solutions to my problem.
You can probably find them yourself.
I need someone who listens to me.
Someone who understands why I'm being so upset about this.
I have to say that the advice of the Bible in 1 John 1.19.
You have to be quick to listen.
Be slow to speak.
It's been a good advice for me.
It has helped me to show more empathy and understanding.
And become better at listening and listening to you.
Bible counsel also benefits wives.
Before we started to study the Bible, basically I was a good wife.
I liked to clean and cook.
I was a good mother.
I did have a temper.
I'm a screamer.
I like to throw things.
One day he comes home with a gift for me.
And I'm excited.
I'm getting this nice gift and I'm opening it.
I'm saying, what is it?
What is it?
And when I get it open and I see it's a cookbook, I was insulted.
I said, I don't need a cookbook.
I know how to cook.
What are you trying to tell me?
And with that, I threw it at him.
I thought it was because I didn't spend enough money.
That she wanted a more expensive gift.
So I bought her a rug scrubber.
And I sat her down at the coffee table.
Had it all wrapped up real beautifully.
And when she opened that, same reaction.
She picked that thing up and just threw it at me.
After she screamed, she wasn't my slave.
Studying the Bible really makes you more aware of your imperfections.
You don't think you have any until you start studying.
Like with my temper, I didn't realize how often I was losing it.
Because then every time I would lose my temper,
I knew I wasn't being in subjection.
I wasn't putting Ephesians 522 into practice.
I wasn't showing any respect for my husband's headship.
And two, Ephesians 431 would come into my mind
where it says to leave screaming and abusive speech behind.
I wasn't doing that either.
And I'd hear it echoing.
It was something I had to work at constantly
and pray about constantly.
But eventually, my husband, he said he could see improvement.
He'd always encourage me.
You're doing so good.
I'm so proud of you.
She had made some very fine changes with the study of the Bible.
I could see that she had a problem that she was working on.
And it made life very enjoyable, very wonderful.
Being a submissive wife is really a better way of life
because we're really doing things Jehovah's way.
And Jehovah is a very loving God.
And he loves women very much.
He loves us.
And he instructed the husband how to treat his wife.
And my husband follows those guidelines.
And my husband makes it very easy for me to be submissive.
It's no problem.
If we do have a conflict, and if it's not over a Bible principle,
many times I get to do what I want.
It makes life much easier and much happier.
I enjoy it.
Not long ago, life inside this home was anything but peaceful.
In past, I get so much stress from my work.
When I come home, I'm like a hot volcano.
I'm just ready to explode.
And I just enter the house.
If the house is not clean, I made my wife clean up
the house again.
If I don't like the food, sometimes I throw the dish over.
When I'm home, my family is so uptight.
And they were shaking when I entered the house.
And sometimes my baby daughter cries just looking at me
from the fear.
All the time we are fighting and the children crying
from the stress.
Well, I thought he never would change.
All the time I was thinking about divorce.
Well, I didn't think I loved him.
It was common, even in ancient times,
for husbands to treat their wives
in a harsh, oppressive manner.
One commentator says that love was not in the marriage contract.
A woman's body was at her owner's disposal.
In such a climate, the apostle Paul wrote the words,
husbands ought to be loving their wives
as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself,
for no man ever hated his own flesh.
But he feeds and cherishes it.
These words must have seemed nothing short of revolutionary.
The same commentator adds, nothing in Christianity
appeared more novel than the Christian view of marriage.
It opened a new era for mankind.
I tried everything to put my family together,
but nothing is working.
And it seems to be the whole family is just disintegrated.
And at the time, I noticed that there
is some biblical literature around me.
And I was reading through one or two.
And I find the one Bible scripture.
It's Ephesians 5.28.
It says, love your wife as your body.
It's big different.
Well, I never hurt my finger, or I never hurt my own foot.
So the Bible says, I must love my wife as my body.
And that word really hit my inside, deep inside of me.
When he started Bible study, we start to talk.
He changed.
Even he helping around the house.
Applying a Bible principle made a big difference.
He changed so much.
Now he's a patient and generous.
I can talk to him.
Well, he's my best friend.
Our family almost came apart.
Now we are united.
And we can talk together.
Well, problems always come up.
But we can solve them by applying a Bible principle.
Good.
Oh, but you don't need to comb daddy's hair.
It's OK.
Caring for children can be a rewarding part of family life.
But it's also a demanding, often overwhelming job.
Baby.
It's OK.
Mommy.
Help.
Yui is crying.
I'm going to help you.
Yui, stop it.
Oh.
The Bible has much to say on the subject of child rearing.
By applying its counsel, many parents
have succeeded in forging strong, loving bonds
with their children.
But this takes real effort.
Successful parents take the time to acknowledge their children,
to show them affection.
Daddy.
And to express loving approval.
Jehovah God himself set the perfect example.
At Jesus' baptism, Jehovah gave his son three things
that all children want and need.
Acknowledgement, love, and approval, saying,
you are my son, the beloved.
I have approved you.
And the very ears of the devil will be unstopped.
This Bible principle moves Christian parents
to give their children needed attention and loving
commendation.
Jehovah, God will cure them.
Good job, Andy.
What do you think, Mom?
It's beautiful, honey.
Thanks so much.
The Bible also gives this practice
instruction to parents at Deuteronomy 6, 6, and 7.
These words that I am commanding you today
must prove to be on your heart.
And you must inculcate them in your son.
And speak of them when you sit in your house,
and when you walk on the road, and when you lie down,
and when you get up.
Children benefit when parents personally teach them the Bible.
This can draw family members closer together.
Consider this step family.
Well, as far as problems go, every family
is going to have problems.
Step families experience even more.
It's definitely helped us to get to know each other a lot
better, draw closer together so we can serve Jehovah more
as a family unit.
The family study has helped me to get to know Debbie
and also brought our family together.
Well, what makes the family study the most valuable
is the regularity.
Since Satan doesn't take a break,
we have to keep a constant input of spiritual thoughts.
Parents listen to their children's thoughts.
We have a good relationship.
And I think that family study has helped us a lot.
Through the experience, we have realized that keeping
a regular family study week by week is of great value.
And that requires time to do a study
in a faster way.
Our family study is an informal occasion.
If we notice that the children are restless,
we rest for a moment, we serve each other something,
and then we continue with the study.
When we have our family Bible study, we'll use visual aids.
We'll use the chalkboard and draw timelines,
writing down years so that they can better understand prophecies.
CE. Is that right?
That's right, Chandra.
That was a good job. That was excellent.
Of course, young people also need recreation.
The problem is that when left to their own devices,
many make poor choices.
Does the Bible have any helpful direction in this aspect of family life?
Indeed it does.
It says that there is a time to laugh
and a time to skip about.
It encourages young ones to rejoice in their youth.
Bible principles motivate parents to help their young ones
choose wholesome recreation.
Wise parents plan activities the whole family can enjoy.
And that does not necessarily mean spending a lot of money.
There you go. That's you. Good shot.
Nice one.
Whoa, that one's out of here.
Unquestionably, the Bible has unsurpassed counsel on family life.
Does the Bible offer any advice that can help you survive today's tough economic conditions?
In developing lands, for example, jobs are scarce.
The pay is often appallingly low.
However, the Bible contains principles that encourage hard work and honesty.
And those principles have helped Jehovah's Witnesses, even in developing lands, to survive economically.
That's what I was looking for.
I wanted to make a difference in my life.
As a result, we now enjoy a happy and united family.
There have been other blessings.
My life now has a purpose.
As Jehovah's Witnesses, I have been able to open up the field to get a good job.
I am trusted with large amounts of money.
The difference is that I no longer spend the money on the vices that I used to spend.
Rather, now I can save and improve my home.
For many families, health issues are a major concern.
It is estimated that in developing lands, a child dies every two seconds.
Reportedly, about 17 million children die each year from the combined effects of poor nutrition,
diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, measles, whooping cough, and tetanus.
Are there Bible principles that could help prevent needless suffering?
The health code God gave the nation of Israel through Moses was actually centuries ahead of its time.
It was written at a time when there was no knowledge of bacteria or viruses such as we have today.
It was also written when physicians in supposedly advanced nations such as Egypt
actually used unsanitary things like human excrement in their treatments.
In contrast, God's law to Israel designated human excrement as something unclean, something to be buried away.
This protected their water supply, and it shielded the Israelites from fly-borne diseases
and diseases such as salmonellosis, shigellosis, typhoid, and dysentery.
The same law required that Israelites bathe themselves and that people with contagious diseases be quarantined.
Now today, millions of lives could be saved if people held to the Bible's health principles.
Jehovah's Witnesses in developing lands are applying these Bible principles.
In the study of the Bible, I have learned that Jehovah is a God of order, as shown in 1 Corinthians 14, verse 33.
We have also learned in the assemblies how the brothers use plastic bags to store garbage.
We have also learned how to wash dishes with chlorine in the water because there is no drinking water here.
We also cover the dishes so that flies don't pass by.
We also boil spoons and tins to disinfect them.
Because we have dogs and chickens, we are always cleaning the yard to keep it clean.
When we return from work, we take our shoes off before we go home.
Thanks to Jehovah, his words, and the magazine, La Atalaya Despertad,
we have received practical advice so that our family can be happy and healthy.
Drug and alcohol abuse is another health threat. In some lands, it is epidemic.
When I was about 11 years old, I started drinking and abusing drugs.
I would take any drugs that I could get my hands on, and it progressed to the point where when I was about 21,
I was spending my whole paycheck on cocaine and alcohol.
I was very depressed. Even the simplest things like driving were overwhelming.
I was very fearful. I just wanted to die.
I tried to quit drugs and alcohol, but I always ended up going back. I just couldn't do it.
Well, I started to study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses,
and they proved to me that the Bible was God's Word by showing me prophecies in the Bible that came true.
I came to believe in the Bible, and then came to believe that Jehovah cared about people
and about me as an individual, and that gave me motivation to try again to quit.
I did get other help in my recovery, but it was really Bible principles that helped me to never go back.
There is a scripture in the Bible, Mark 9, verse 43, in which Jesus said,
If your hand stumbles you, cut it off and throw it away.
That is what I needed to do with alcohol. I needed to cut it off.
What that means for me is I won't even have one drink.
It took a lot of effort. It was very difficult at times,
but the more I tried to apply Bible principles, the better things got.
I never did end up going back to drinking. It has been 13 years. I haven't had a drink.
When I was on drugs, I had no family life at all. I was totally self-centered.
I really couldn't bring my emotions to encompass anyone else but myself.
But Bible principles have taught me how to love others, how to care about others.
Now that I have a family, the Bible also helps me to care for them,
and they are a motivation behind my not going back to the old way of life.
The ever-increasing pace of life breeds stress.
Some experts claim that more than half of all the visits to the doctor are stress-related.
Of course, the Bible doesn't cure stress, but it does offer a number of helpful principles.
For one thing, it promotes a moderate lifestyle,
and that alone can eliminate lots of stress from one's life.
One of the best pieces of mental health advice ever
is the Bible's counsel and command to love your neighbor,
to avoid isolating yourself, to be concerned with other people and not just your own self.
Actually, one of the best antidotes to stress that we know of
is the concern and the care of other people around you.
I've known many Jehovah's Witnesses who have been able to overcome great stresses
just because of the concern and the care of people around them,
such as their Christian brothers and sisters.
Yes, the Bible has the power to change lives,
but it does more than just give practical advice.
The Bible is the law book of God's Kingdom.
It sets forth the principles we must adhere to if we are to live forever under that Kingdom's rule.
Jehovah's Witnesses have helped millions to gain an accurate knowledge of God's Word
and to apply its power in their lives.
The Bible beautifully says at 2 Timothy 3.16,
All scripture is inspired of God, and beneficial for teaching, for reproving,
and for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,
that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.
The Hebrew of 412 is really happening in this family.
The Word of God is alive and exerts power. It saved our family.
When I was a teenager I was attracted to a violent group that used drugs and rode motorcycles.
If I hadn't studied the Bible, I don't know what would have become of my life.
The Bible has helped me to guide my family.
The Bible has been a protection in my school life, and I will do so in the future.
If it wasn't for the Bible, we wouldn't be together today.
Definitely it saved our marriage.
The Bible has given me moral standards to live by, and I feel that that's made a difference.
The Bible taught me the truth, and this will be the best inheritance for my children.
I will be able to live a good life, and I will be able to do good things for my children.
The Bible has allowed me to have a good relationship with my husband.
When we have problems, it allows me to solve them.
I'm convinced that if it wasn't for the Bible and Bible principles that helped me stop drinking, I would be dead.
The Bible can improve our lives, yet, as the apostle Paul wrote,
all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain.
Faithful servants of God are not spared the ravages of illness or the aches and pains of old age,
but they are sustained by faith in the future blessings from God's Kingdom.
The words of Job 3325 will then be fulfilled on a grand scale.
Let his flesh become fresher than in youth.
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor.
When God's Kingdom takes over the management of Earth's affairs,
the planet itself will undergo a transformation.
Earth will become a global paradise.
But while scenes of natural beauty add much to our enjoyment of life,
even greater joy comes from our relationships with people, friends, family, loved ones.
Imagine enjoying such close relationships eternally.
Yes, under God's Kingdom, the hopes and dreams common to all men and women will find complete fulfillment,
good health, secure family life, satisfying work.
As the Bible promised at Psalm 145-16,
God will open his hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The hope of this grand future sustains millions of Jehovah's Witnesses today.
It can sustain you.
The question is, will you apply the power of God's Word in your life?
The Bible, however, speaks of a time when all these problems will be done away.