1 John 2:27 - Anointing

 The anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you. -- 1 John 2:27

THE blessing and power of Jehovah accompanied David's anointing in some manner -- just how we may not understand -- enabling him to progress in knowledge, etc., and fitting and preparing him for the duties of the office to which he had been anointed. May we not consider as an antitype to this, the anointing which comes upon the church from the time of her acceptance with Jehovah? Ours is not a physical anointing, nor are the blessings conferred of a temporal character: it is as New Creatures that we grow in grace and knowledge and love; and as New Creatures that, by and by, we shall be perfected in the First Resurrection and come to the throne with our Lord and Master as our Head. Z.'03-223 R3227:4 (Edited to present God's Holy Name as "Jehovah").

Malachi 3:17 - Jehovah Makes Up His Treasure

Malachi 3:17 - And they shall be Mine, says Jehovah of Hosts, for the day that I will make up My treasure. And I will pity them as a man has pity on his son who serves him. -- Green's Literal.

HAD Jehovah sent us forth to seek Jesus' bride, we might have gathered in some whom he rejects as unworthy -- because we are unable to read the heart. This thought should make us very humble, gentle and meek toward all, and very trustful of Jehovah, and very much inclined to look for his leading in respect to our labors as his servants, just as Samuel looked to Jehovah in connection with the anointing of David. -- Based on excerpt from the article, "The Lord Looketh on the Heart", Watch Tower, July 15, 1903.

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The Hebrew word rendered as "treasure" above is a form Strong's Hebrew #5459, which is often transliterated as segullah. Brown-Driver-Briggs give this word the meaning of "valued property", "peculiar treasure". In our text above it is singular, but in the next sentence, the Hebrew text refers to this singular "treasure" by using a plural form which rendered above as "them". Thus, while viewed as a singular treasure, that singular treasure is made up of many individuals.

We know that the nation of Israel is often referred to as God's "holy/peculiar people". Likewise, those who belong to Christ in this age are also designated as God's "holy/peculiar people". In our text, however, Jehovah appears to be referring to the result of the work being done in the present age. As applied to the church, it would be the time when "we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 13, World English) This work is done by God in us, for as the apostle stated: "I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase." -- 1 Corinthians 3:6. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.



References:

Bible Hub's Hebrew Analysis of Malachi 3:17
Commentaries on Malachi 3:17

1 Thessalonians 5:15 - Render Good for Evil (Working on)

 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among  yourselves, and to all men. 1 Thessalonians 5:15

ACCORDING to the Scriptural standard, the elect church of Christ should be the most polished, the most refined, the most polite, the most generous, the most kind of all the people in the world;--and should be all these in the most absolute sense; not in the mere sense of an outward form and appearance of kindness, gentleness, etc., so common in the world; but a gentleness, a kindness, proceeding from the heart, proceeding from an appreciation of the Lord's spirit and the spirit of the Truth, the spirit of love, and the spirit of justice, also. Z.'01-297 R2879:3

1 Corinthians 4:7 - ( Working on)

 Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? 1 Corinthians 4:7

ALL of the Lord's consecrated people should realize that they have come into the present grace and truth, not by their own wisdom nor by the wisdom of others, but through the wisdom and grace of the Lord. The same thought should be entertained by all who serve the Church of God as ministers, servants in any department, in any manner responsible to the Lord for their position in the household of faith, and their opportunities to serve as the Lord's mouthpieces should be felt and confessed. But failure to confess it implies a failure rightly to appreciate it. Z.'03-430 R3278:2

Romans 15:3 - Reproaches of Christ

 The reproaches of them that reproached Thee fell on Me. Romans 15:3

LET us see to it that we bear the reproaches of Christ as He bore them,--with pity and prayer for the erring and depraved, if perchance God may grant them repentance; and with humble fortitude esteeming it a privilege to prove our devotion to the Lord by enduring hardness in His service as good soldiers. He was not surprised by the exhibitions of human depravity: He knew that He was in an unfriendly world bound by sin and largely under the dominion of the prince of darkness, and therefore He expected reproaches, taunts and persecutions, all of which He endured patiently while His great loving heart, almost unmindful of its own sufferings, was full of pity and loving concern for others. Z.'96-83 R1964:5

Psalm 27:14 - Wait for Jehovah

Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah. - Psalm 27:14, American Standard Version

TIME is an important element in all God's plans: we are not, therefore, to be disappointed when the test of endurance is applied while the blessings we crave tarry long. God took time to frame the world and to fit it for human habitation; time to give the world its necessary experience with evil; time to prepare for the advent of Christ as the world's Redeemer; time for the preparation of the Church to share in His glorious reign; and time must be allowed for the shaping and adjusting of the individual affairs of His people. God has not forgotten when the answers to our prayers seem to tarry long. He who heeds the sparrow's fall and numbers the very hairs of our heads is not indifferent to the faintest call or the smallest necessity of His humblest child. -- Excerpt from "The Ministry of Evil", Watch Tower, January 15, 1895.

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Our flesh usually wants everything done as quickly as possible. With prayer, however, we should always be mindful of God's ways, and how he works with us in his own time and way. Nevertheless, sometimes what we pray for may not be in our best interests, or may not be in harmony with God's will. We should not, therefore, be demanding of God, but always remember when requesting something, to add to that request, "if it be thy will". We should not endeavor to manipulate Jehovah into doing what we desire. And like Jesus, we should pray, "Not my will, but thine be done." Then, we should wait for Jehovah to perform his will in our life in his own way and his own time. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.

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Experiences that may seem tumultuous at times are running in perfect order from Jehovah’s perspective, much like the spinning wheels seen by Ezekiel in his vision. Notice that in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 Solomon uses “times” to describe a series of life’s events. This is not to be confused with prophetic “times,” but used as a circumstance in one’s life. Such is the transient and changeable nature of life on earth. In faith, however, we realize that all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28 NASB). God will accomplish his purpose for us if we wait patiently on His timing. “These wait all for thee, that thou mayest give them their food in due season” (Psalms 104:27). -- Keith Belheumer. "Observations About Life", The Herald of Christ's Kingdom.

Related Scriptures:

Psalm 25:3

Psalm 25:5

Psalm 25:21

Psalm 33:20

Psalm 37:7

Psalm 39:7

Psalm 40:1

Psalm 62:1,2

Psalm 62:5

Psalm 60:3

Psalm 123:2

Psalm 130:5,6

Isaiah 40:31

Isaiah 64:4

Jeremiah 14:22

Daniel 12:12

Hosea 12:6

Micah 7:7

Galatians 5:5

Related:

Wait, O Thou Weary One (Poem)

Quietly Waiting on the Lord

Quietly Waiting on the Lord

A Little While (Hymn)

Wait Upon the Lord (Hymn)

A Brighter Day (Hymn)

Our Grateful Song (Hymn)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 -- Pray Without Ceasing

1 Corinthians 6:19,20 - Glorify God in Your Body

Psalm 119:36 - Incline My Heart