02-01 - Isaiah 30:21 - This is the Way

{Isaiah 30:21} and your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it" -- when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left. -- RLIV.

A sheep may wander astray from the flock and not know whether to turn to the right or to left. Then he hears the voice of the shepherd in calling to him, and he has learned to trust the shepherd to lead him in the right way. In Isaiah's day, the voice was that knowledge within the minds and hearts of God's people pertaining to he Law as given through Moses; today, the knowledge includes that of the one whom Jehovah has made the "one shepherd" over the sheep, our Lord Jesus. The voice, however, appears to be that which we have engraved in our minds and hearts through study of what Jehovah has revealed through the Bible. If one has not taken the time to genuinely study that Word, the voice within that one may lead him in a wrong direction. Thus, in order to depend upon the voice, one needs to have an accurate knowledge of what the Bible says figuratively engraved in the heart, so that such knowledge will lead lead him to recognize such rather than the many voices of the those who read their own understanding and the teachings of man into the Bible, as well as the philosophies of the world which may lead one astray. On the other hand, if the heart is engraved with wrong knowledge, the voice heard will lead one in a wrong direction. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.

Related Scriptures

Deuteronomy 4:9; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 7:1-5; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 16:25; Isaiah 66:4; Ezekiel 34:2-24; Matthew 7:21-29; John 10:11-17; John 10:29; Luke 11:28; Luke 8:21; Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 2:2; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:14,15; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1,2; Hebrews 2:1-3; Hebrews 4:2; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 6:4-5; Hebrews 10:26-29; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 2 Peter 3:1,2; James 1:21-27; 1 John 2:14; Jude 1:17; Revelation 1:3.

Related Studies (We do not necessarily agree with all statements given by other authors)

Jehovah's Way Alone Giveth Life

The Word and the Way

The Lord [Jehovah] is My Shepherd

A Word From Behind

Guided by the Word

MAY HIS CARE SURROUND

God bless you daily in the way

That leads to realms of life and light--

That you may follow in His steps

Who went before us; in the night.

Of His eternal strength and grace,

Whose will, no obstacle can thwart

May you in confidence and hope

Go forward; ever in your heart

May peace and joy and hope abound

And may His care your path surround.

Poems of the Way, page 7

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01-30 - Luke 18:1 - Always Pray

He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not become weary — Luke 18:1, RLIV.

In praying to our Heavenly Father, we should endeavor to pray only for we know is in harmony with the righteous principles as found in the Bible. Our requests in prayer should always include the thought: Father, if it is your will. Only if our prayer is in harmony with the will of our Heavenly Father can we be assured of results. 

Nevertheless, more specifically, Jesus appears to be praying as means to maintain faithfulness to the Heavenly Father. For such, whatever we are doing each day, our thoughts should in prayer to the Heavenly Father for guidance and strength to glorify him no matter what our circumstances may be in life, that we might do whatever would be in accordance with His will,. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.

Related Scriptures:

Isaiah 62:6,7; Psalm 118:5; Matthew 15:27,28; 21:22; Luke 2:37; 11:5-13; 21:36; John 15:7; 16:23; Romans 12:12; 2 Corinthians 12:8,9; Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14; 3:22; James 1:5,6; Jeremiah 29:13.

Father, to You We Look

Father, to you we look in all our sorrow,

Thou art the fountain whence our healing flows;

Dark though the night, joy cometh with the morrow,

Safely they rest who in thy love repose.

When fond hopes fail and skies are dark before us,

When the vain cares that vex our life increase—

Comes with its calm the thought that you are o’er us,

And we grow quiet folded in your peace.

In name of our Lord Jesus. Amen

Adapted from poem by Frederick Hosmer

Related Online (We do not necessarily agree with all statements presented by others)

The Province of Prayer

The Prayers of the New Creation

The Privilege and Power of Prayer

Praying Effectively

Importuning in Prayer

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Psalm 111:10 - The Beginning of Wisdom

{Psalm 111:10} The reverence of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. -- RLIV.

* Revelation 3:5 - He Who Overcomes

{Revelation 3:5} He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. --  RLIV.

 THE faithful overcomers watch and keep their garments unspotted from the world...."They have not defiled their garments," they have "kept their garments unspotted from the world." They have not been willing to permit sin to contaminate them and to separate them from the Lord, but have quickly applied for and obtained the precious blood to remove every stain. They are so heartily opposed to sin and so earnest about the keeping of this garment unspotted that the Adversary gets no hold upon them--"the wicked one catcheth them not." All this indicates a full submission of their wills to the will of Christ -- they are "dead with Him," and hence could not willingly practice sin. -- Excerpt from "Raiment White and Clean", ZWT, 07/01/1897

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While all who are to live forever must overcome similarly as spoken of by Jesus in Revelation 3:5, this verse is directly speaking of a special group who do so in this present evil age, and who receive higher rewards in the Kingdom than all others. These are not just sons of God, but they also jointly sacrifice with Jesus so that they may become joint-heirs with Christ, figuratively sitting on the throne with Jesus and the Father. (Romans 8:17) These are those who attain the goal or mark that Paul wrote about in Philippians 3:13,14 in the present evil age, but very few obtain this prize of joint-heirship. Nevertheless, many consecrated Christians have in the past fallen short of obtaining this goal, and we expect that there will be very few in our day who actually obtain the prize of joint-heirship. Although the New Creature is created without sin due the ransom sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, the new creature still has to perfect a steadfast love and devotion to God and Jesus, without which he cannot obtain the prize of joint-heirship. And even if the new creature falls short of jointly sacrificing with Jesus so as to obtain this high prize, he still has to be perfected for everlasting life. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.

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Links to our own views related to the joint-heirs and the great company.

Related Scriptures:

Psalm 45:14; Ezekiel 9:4; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 10:32; Matthew 25:21; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 15:53,54; Philippians 3:13,14; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; James 1:18; James 2:22; 1 John 4:17,18; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 14:1-5; Revelation 19:8; Revelation 21:27.

TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH

"To him that overcometh

Will I grant to sit with me."

This prize above all others

Doth the Master offer thee.

How can I e'er attain it?

Have faith and hope and love,

Show forth my willing service

In labor for my Lord?

The foes of life surround me,

Discouragement comes in,

And Satan says in triumph

"Don't think that YOU can win."

Then comes that blest assurance,

"Thou dost not walk alone,

Be but an overcomer

And thou shalt share my throne."

Related (We do not necessarily agree with all conclusions given by other authors):

Keeping Our Garments White

The Manner of the Resurrection

The Great Privilege of True Service

* Matthew 6:16 - Do Not Fast as Hypocrites

* 1 Cornthians 7:24 - Staying As Called

{1 Corinthians 7:24} Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God. -- RLIV.

* Psalm 31:24 - Be of Good Courage

{Psalm 31:24} Be of good courage, and he will strengthen your heart, all you who hope in Jehovah. -- RLIV.

Matthew 16:24 - Denying Self and Bearing One's Cross

(Matthew 16:24} Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. -- RLIV.

CROSS-BEARING is closely related to self-denial, and yet a distinction between them may be noted. Self-denial relates more particularly to passive obedience and endurance for the Lord's sake; cross-bearing has to do more especially with activities in the Lord's service, which we find to be contrary to our natural inclinations. Faithfulness in self-denial means courage and zeal; cross-bearing means victory, overcoming. Our self-denials may be victories in our own hearts, of which others may know nothing, and of which they should know nothing, if we desire to have the fullness of the Lord's blessing. Our cross-bearing, however, may be seen to some extent at least, by those who are in close contact with us, and especially by those who are walking in the same "narrow way." -- Excerpt from ZWT April, 1900 article "Self-Denial and Cross-Bearing Conditions".

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Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after me." Many try to force others to follow Christ, but that is not what Jesus said. Jesus is looking for those who are willing to follow him, imitate him, and do what he says. Not all who claim to believe, however, will be found to be actually willing to come after Jesus; very few of those who profess belief in this age actually fulfill the requirements that Jesus spoke of in this verse.

"Let him deny himself." The term "self-denial" is often used by people to mean denying oneself of certain pleasures, honor or gain, etc. The Greek phrase as Jesus stated it, however, is about denying the whole self, bringing all ambitions, thoughts, and desires into subjection to God's will through Jesus, bringing all into harmony with his Lord. This denial of self results in the full sacrifice of self.

"Take up his cross." Jesus did not say, as some misquote this verse, that the follower of Christ is to take up the cross of Christ. Jesus was saying that one must take up his own individual cross, and yet to take up one's cross does include following Jesus' example of suffering. The child of God may not literally be nailed to a cross as was Jesus, but he should be willing to suffer for righteousness even as Christ suffered.

"Follow me." To follow Jesus means to serve Jehovah, the God of Jesus, just as Jesus did. It also means to obey Jesus' instructions, the words that Jehovah gave to him to speak.

In the final analysis, the child of God will never be able to be fully perfect in our sinful flesh; it is as new creatures in Christ that one gains victory over the world, Satan, and one's own flesh. The child of God should strive to bring the flesh under the control of the new man, not to serve the flesh, but to make the flesh his servant through the Spirit that is him. The son of God will make his flesh fully perfect; nevertheless, the flesh is counted -- reckoned -- as perfect and counted as dead to sin but alive through the Spirit that leads the son of God. -- Romans 8:11,14. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.

Related Scriptures: Genesis 22:1-12; 2 Samuel 24:24; Matthew 8:19-22; Matthew 10:37-39; Matthew 13:44-46; Matthew 19:12; Matthew 19:21; Matthew 27:32; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21; Mark 15:21; Luke 5:11; Luke 5:27; Luke 5:28; Luke 9:23-27; Luke 14:27; Luke 14:33; Luke 18:27-30; Luke 21:2-4; Luke 23:26; John 10:4; John 10:27; John 12:26; John 19:17; Acts 14:22; Acts 20:22-24; Romans 6:1-11; Romans 8:17; Romans 14:1-22; Romans 15:1-5; 1 Corinthians 8:13; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Corinthians 9:18,19; 1 Corinthians 9:23-27; Philippians 3:7-9; Colossians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:12; Titus 2:12; Hebrews 11:24-26; 1 Peter 4:1,2; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1,2; Revelation 14:4.

* Hebrews 12:7 - It is For Discipline That You Endure

{Hebrews 12:7} It is for discipline that you endure.  God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? -- RLIV.

* Psalm 119:97 - Love and Meditate on God's Law

How I love your law! It is my meditation all day. -- Psalm 119:97, RLIV.

* Romans 12:11 - Fervent in Service

Romans 12:11 - [Do] not [be] lagging in diligence; [but be] fervent in spirit; serving Jehovah [or, possibly, the Lord]. -- RLIV

Romans 12:12 - Steadfast in Prayer

 

Continuing steadfastly in prayer. -- Romans 12:12, RLIV

The King James Version says "instant in prayer," which simply means to be steadfast 'in prayer.' Do not give up in prayer. How can we, however, be constantly in prayer? If one views prayer as only meaning presenting words of supplication and petition to God, we realize that we cannot do this. We who have consecrated our lives to God should live with thoughts that are in constant communication with God, no matter what we are doing. Nevertheless, at the same time we should regularly set aside time to pray formally to God in the name of our Lord Jesus. We should never give up in our prayers to our Heavenly Father, no matter what circumstances should arise in our lives. The communication with God, rightly exercised in our hearts, brings to us rejoicing. 

Related scriptures: Psalm 32:6; Psalm 55:17; Matthew 5:44; Matthew 6:5-7; Matthew 9:6-15; Matthew 14:23; Matthew 24:20; Matthew 26:36; Matthew 26:41; Mark 13:33; Mark 14:38; Luke 6:12; Luke 6:28; Luke 11:2-4; Luke 18:1; Luke 21:36; Luke 22:46; John 16:26; Acts 1:14; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Colossians 1:9; 4:2; Colossians 4:12; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 1 Timothy 2:8.

Related:

Always Pray and Never Lose Hope -- Paul Lagno

Instant in Prayer -- The Dawn

Prayer in the Christian's Life -- The Dawn

Prayer -- The Dawn

The Mind of Prayer -- The Dawn

The Privilege and Power of Prayer -- Irwin Doran

Micah 6:8 - What Jehovah Requires