Page 5: On the other hand, looking to God as our Master gives meaning to life. As the Creator, he is the Source of life, and thus, he alone is worthy of our worship. (Psalm 36:9; Rev. 4:11)
Note: Is Jesus your Master?
Luke 5:5 But Simon answered and said to Him, " Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."
Luke 9:49 Now John answered and said, " Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."
Luke 17:13 And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
Note: Is Jesus your source of life?
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Page 5: Those who learn about his qualities and come to love him are moved to observe his commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 John 5:3) By doing so, we benefit ourselves.
Note: Do you love Jesus?
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
Page 5: Would not such love solve many of the problems that we face today? Hindu leader Mohandas Gandhi thought so. He is quoted as saying: "When (we) shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon on the Mount, we shall have solved the problems ... of the whole world." Jesus' teachings about love, if applied, can solve many of mankind's ills.
Correction: Only the Holy Spirit can bring people into lasting love.
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Page 6: Once a leper entreated him: "If you just want to, you can make me clean." How did Jesus respond? "At that he was moved with pity, and he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him: I want to. Be made clean.'"
Note: God will always show pity if you trust Him.
Psalm 103:13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
Page 6: In performing miracles Jesus was not seeking attention for himself. Rather, he glorified God, the Source of his power.
Correction: Jesus glorified the Father and the Son in performing miracles.
John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Page 6: Jesus' miracles brought praise to Jehovah, his God, and helped those in need.
Correction: The miracles brought either belief in or hatred for Jesus.
Matthew 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.
John 11:45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.
John 11:53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
Page 6: One who wrote an account of Jesus' life explained: "These have been written down that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of believing, you may have life by means of his name." (John 20:31) Yes, Jesus came to earth so that believing humans might have life.
Note: Only the name and person of Jesus can save you.
Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Page 6: 'Jesus came to earth?' you may ask. 'Where did he come from?' Jesus himself said: "I have come down from heaven to do, not my will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) He had a prehuman existence as the only-begotten Son of God.
Correction: The "only-begotten" refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 13:33 "God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.'"
Page 6: So Jehovah God stepped in to help. He transferred the perfect life of his only-begotten Son to the womb of a virgin, who gave birth to Jesus.
Correction: God the Son was sent by God the Father.
Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
Page 7: Yet, the baby born on earth as Jesus had to grow up to be the "physician" able to furnish the "medication" to cure mankind's ills. He did this by living a perfect, sinless life.
Correction: Mankind's ills were cured before the earth was created to those who trust Jesus.
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Page 7: After a ministry of three and a half years here on earth, Jesus was killed by his opposers. He showed that a perfect man can be obedient to the Creator despite even the greatest trials.
Correction: Jesus Christ is more than just a perfect man.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Page 7: On the third day after his death, Jesus was resurrected to spirit life, and some weeks later he ascended to heaven to present the ransom price to Jehovah God.
Correction: The body of Jesus Christ was resurrected.
Luke 24:37-43 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?" So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.
Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
Page 8: JEHOVAH is the Originator of the family arrangement. Every family owes its existence to him because he established the first family and gave procreative powers to the first human couple. (Ephesians 3:14, 15)
Note: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit created mankind.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Page 8: As our Grand Instructor, Jehovah has done much more than provide written directions as to what we should do and what we should avoid.
Note: Is Jesus your Grand Instructor?
John 13:13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am."
Page 9: How appropriate, therefore, is the counsel of the apostle Paul: "Become imitators of God, as beloved children"! (Ephesians 4:31-5:1)
Note: Jesus Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Page 9: Samuel was exemplary as a child and faithful to God as a prophet throughout his life. Would you like your children to turn out as he did?
Note: Are you faithful to Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Page 9: Would you like your son to become like Timothy, who as a young man became an associate of the apostle Paul?
Note: Are you centered on Jesus Christ like Timothy was?
1 Cor. 4:17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
2 Corinthians 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me, Silvanus, and Timothy; was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Jesus Christ,
Page 11: He is the Source and supreme example of love. This principled love, aga'pe, is mentioned in the Bible more than 100 times. It is a quality that identifies true Christians.
Note: Jesus Christ is the Source and example of love for true Christians.
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
John 15:9-10 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
John 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
Page 11: Faith too is a vital aspect of our lives. When faith is discussed in a family study, the children may learn to define it. They may also become aware of evidence that causes faith to begin to grow in their hearts. But when they see their parents showing unshakable faith in the face of severe trials, the effect may last for a lifetime.
Note: Are you suffering for the name of Jesus?
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."
Page 12: "Mental-regulating" literally means "putting mind in"; so Christian fathers are being urged to put the mind of Jehovah God in their children - to help the children get to know God's thoughts. Encouraging the children to memorize key scriptures can help achieve this.
Note: True Christians have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
Page 13: An angel representing God pointed out to Abraham his responsibility to teach his household so that they would "keep Jehovah's way." (Genesis 18:19)
Correction: It was God speaking to Abraham.
Genesis 18:20-21 And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know." Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
John 8:56-58 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
Page 13: To accomplish the most good, instruction needs to be given regularly, in harmony with the lesson that Jehovah taught Israel in the wilderness: "Not by bread alone does man live but by every expression of Jehovah's mouth does man live." (Deuteronomy 8:3)
Note: Have you come to Jesus?
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Note: Have you kept the word of Jesus?
Revelation 3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name."
Page 14: That would require repetition, drawing attention to reasons for loving Jehovah, dealing with attitudes and conduct that could hinder the expression of such love, and demonstrating love for Jehovah in their own lives.
Correction: You cannot love the Father without first loving the Son.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
Page 14: "The faithful and discreet slave" has provided an abundance of tools that can be used for study. The Watchtower magazine, for use with the Bible, is available in 131 languages. There are books for Bible study in 153 languages, brochures in 284, audiocassettes in 61, video- cassettes in 41, even a computer program for Bible research in 9 languages! - Matthew 24:45-47.
Correction: It is better to stick with the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
Page 18: Ancient Israel was commanded to "congregate the people, the men and the women and the little ones," to learn the law of God so as to walk in his way.
Note: The Father wanted ancient Israel to put their faith in the coming Messiah.
Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Page 18: Both older ones and 'young men and virgins' were encouraged to share in praising the name of Jehovah. (Psalm 148:12, 13) Similar arrangements apply within the Christian congregation.
Correction: True Christians praise the name of Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Page 19: To fortify wholesome inclinations, frequently discuss the fruitage of the spirit - each aspect of it - and work together as a family to cultivate it. (Galatians 5:22, 23)
Note: You can't cultivate "the fruitage of the spirit" unless you have the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Page 19: As they come to have a close, personal relationship with Jehovah they will find pleasure in walking in his paths. (Psalm 119:34, 35)
Note: Do you have a close and personal relationship with Jesus?
John 8:19 Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."
Page 21: Witnessing to others about Jehovah and his purpose is an important part of our lives.
Note: Are you witnessing to others about Jesus?
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Page 28: FOR centuries traditional Judaism has strictly forbidden its adherents to pronounce the divine name, Jehovah.
Correction: Jehovah was erroneously transliterated from the Masoretic Hebrew text. The word consists of the consonants JHVH or JHWH, with the vowels of a separate word, Adonai. Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Volume 15, page 24.
Note: Are you willing to die for the name of Jesus?
Acts 15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.