2 Peter, chapters 1-3

“[…] Jehovah knows how to rescue people of godly devotion out of trial […].”
~2 Peter 2:9

Peter knew he would die the death of a martyr, but this did not weaken his faith in Jehovah. (John 21:18; 2 Pet. 1:13-15)
He put his trust in God’s undeserved kindness and the transcendence of divine justice. (2 Pet. 1:2; 3:13,18)
We may end up in a painful life situation where we know we are to endure a strenuous trial in the near future.
This might be due to health issues or other unfair circumstances.
If we are convinced of Jehovah’s love for us, we can face our trials with courage, and we will never lose hope in God’s promises. (Rom. 8:35-39; 2 Pet. 1:10,11)

1 Peter, chapters 3-5

“Assign [wives] honor […], in order for your prayers not to be hindered.”
~1 Peter 3:7

What does the word honor convey in this passage? How can wives expect to be treated by their Christian husbands?
A similar form of the Greek word “timé” (honor, precious) is used to denote the appreciation we should have towards our faith in Christ. (1 Pet. 2:7)
It is also used to describe the praise Jesus received from his heavenly father. (2 Pet. 1:17)
We can understand, then, that Peter’s advice to husbands is to proactively cherish their wives in private and in public.
God’s Word encourages us to take the lead in showing honor towards others. (Rom. 12:10) Therefore, if a wife has to ask her husband for respect, consideration or praise, the honor has already lost part of its value.
Moreover, depending on upbringing and cultural expectations, she may need courage to make her opinions known to him.
A man who honors his wife values her opinions and consults with her about daily activities and more serious decisions. (Prov. 15:22)
It is an honor that is due to her because of her role as wife, and is not granted as a favor to her.
A man who thus elevates his wife finds favor in Jehovah’s eyes. (Eph. 5:28-33)

1 Peter, chapters 1 & 2

“[…] ‘No one exercising faith in it will ever be disappointed.’ It is to you, therefore, that he is precious, because you are believers […].”
~1 Peter 2:6,7

Jesus’ teachings, way of life and role as messiah were rejected by most of his contemporaries. (Luke 20:13-17; 23:18-23)
Today, many Christians endure ridicule or persecution from their families, classmates or coworkers, neighbors or from government agencies for trying to follow in Christ’s footsteps. (1 Pet. 2:21)
If others look down on us or despise our God-centered lifestyle, we can remain joyful if we hold on fast to our hope in God’s appointed king. (1 Pet. 1:6,7,24,25)
May we never disregard the value of our ministry.

James, chapters 3-5

“But no human can tame the tongue. It is unruly and injurious, full of deadly poison.”
~James 3:8

If speech were the only way I could show my spouse that I love him, what would the quality of my speech be like?
The power to communicate can be used to stab or to heal. (Prov. 12:18)
But I am imperfect, and I inevitably say things I regret. (Jas. 3:2)
It can be especially difficult to establish new, positive communication patterns for those whose parents argued critically on a regular basis. (Eph. 4:31; 1 Pet. 2:1)
If I give free rein to my tongue, I can quickly make a delicate situation irreparably worse. (Jas. 1:26; 3:5)
Sometimes it makes more sense to step away for a little while, until tensions cool. (Prov. 17:14; Eccl. 3:7)
Eventually, it is important to discuss matters and not neglect their resolution. (Prov. 15:22) The silent treatment can lead to harboring resentment.
In order to communicate lovingly, I will need to keep a positive attitude with the goal of building my mate up, not bringing him down in the process. (Eph. 4:29)

James, chapters 1 & 2

“But the one who peers into the perfect law that belongs to freedom and continues in it has become, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; and he will be happy in what he does.”
~James 1:25

What is the “perfect law that belongs to freedom?”
It is the “Law of Christ,” which “encompasses everything that Jehovah requires of us.” (Gal. 6:2; Watchtower 7-15-2012, p. 8, parr. 4)
It frees us from being slaves to our fleshly desires and habits. (Rom. 8:5,6; 2 Pet. 2:19)
When we learn to act in unison with God’s holy spirit, displaying qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self-control, there is no divine law that limits those qualities. We are free to display them without limits. (2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:18,22,23)
If we observe Christ’s law, under God’s kingdom, we will also be free of sin and death. (Rom. 8:20,21)
We peer into the law when we study God’s way of thinking to try to make it our own. (John 8:31,32; 1 Tim. 4:15; Jas. 2:12)

Hebrews, chapters 12 & 13

“Pursue peace with all people […].”
~Hebrews 12:14

Jesus said, “Happy are the peacemakers, since they will be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9)
Is it possible to pursue peace without letting others walk all over you?
Abraham’s son, Isaac, had to move on several occasions to keep peace with his neighbors, and Jehovah blessed him. (Gen. 26:12-25)
Eventually, Isaac’s good example brought praise to Jehovah. (Gen. 26:26-31)
If a Christian keeps him or herself “restrained under evil,” in time, the other party could come back to their senses. (Prov. 16:7; 2 Tim. 2:24-26)
We trust that we do not need to take matters into our own hands because Jehovah will hold wrongdoers accountable for their actions. (Rom. 12:17-19)
But pursuing peace is not passive; rather, we try to conquer evil by kindly doing good. (Rom. 12:20,21)
While it may grow tiring waiting on Jehovah, we focus on the future promises for those who endure, and on our spiritual blessings. (Rom. 12:12)

Hebrews, chapter 11

“[…] God is not ashamed of them, to be called on as their God […].”
~Hebrews 11:16

This verse leads me to wonder if I sometimes conduct myself in a way that would embarrass God because I carry his name.
Psalm 15 lists some qualities expected of friends of God: showing integrity, being honest, honoring those who deserve it, rejecting gossip, keeping our word, kindly sharing material things, and rejecting corruption.
God’s Word tells us the importance of believing in him to the point that we do not doubt his individual love for us. (Heb. 11:6)
Other qualities include being willing to make an honest living, and to not entertain ourselves with violence or other activities he hates. (Is. 33:15,16)
And while we may feel unworthy of being called God’s friend, we need humility to keep trying to meet his standards. (Ps. 16:7)

Hebrews, chapters 9 & 10

“For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise.”
~Hebrews 10:36

The work “Insight on the Scriptures” explains that “endurance” in ancient Greek means to “stand one’s ground; persevere; remain steadfast,” and “not lose hope in the face of obstacles.”
Jesus had to wait patiently to receive his heavenly blessings after sacrificing his life, and we do well to imitate his patient attitude. (Heb. 10:12,13)
He taught that what we do towards the end of our Christian ministry counts for more than what we did at the start. (Matt. 24:13; Luke 21:19)
We demonstrate endurance when we look for strength in God’s Word and through prayer, instead of looking for quick and easy short-term solutions to our problems. (Rom. 15:4,5; Jas. 1:5)
We can then face problems with a positive attitude, knowing that without them, we would not have had a chance to demonstrate our faith/hone our Christian qualities. (Rom. 5:3-5; Jas. 1:2-4)
Though God’s promises might sometimes feel like they are too far off, endurance helps us remember that they “will not delay.” (Heb. 10:37)

Hebrews, chapters 7 & 8

“[ …] They will no longer teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: ‘Know Jehovah!’ For they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them.”
~Hebrews 8:11

How is Jeremiah’s prophecy being fulfilled under God’s covenant with annointed Christians?
Annointed Christians show they have God’s law written in their hearts through their preaching work and actions. (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10)
When those of us who do not have a heavenly hope learn about Jehovah, obey him and develop faith, we too come to have his law written in our hearts. (John 17:3; Heb. 11:6; 1 John 5:3)
We do not rely on human teachings, but on the truths found in his Word. (2 Tim. 3:16,17)
He answers our prayers through principles we learn in our study of the Scriptures and when we rely on him in our times of need.
As a result, each one of Jehovah’s Witnesses has the privilege of a personal relationship with Jehovah God through his new kingdom covenant. (Rom. 8:19-21)

Hebrews, chapters 4-6

“[…] A promise of entering into his rest remains […].”
~Hebrews 4:1

Although Jehovah God rested from his creative works on the “seventh day” of creation, there remains a figurative “sabbath” day into which God’s people will enter. (Gen. 2:2,3; John 5:17) This will be when the earth becomes a paradise free of evil, pain or sin, as was God’s original purpose. (Ps. 37:9-11; Is. 33:24; Matt. 5:3-6; 12:8-13; Luke 13:10-13; John 5:5-9; 9:1-14)
That God’s original purpose of a paradise earth will be accomplished is guaranteed by his own word, which is immutable. (Heb. 6:17,18)
Whether we end up entering into God’s rest in person or through the resurrection, we can be sure that our efforts to listen to him and do what is right are never in vain. (Heb. 6:9,10)