Tag Archives: prayer

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)

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)

2 Thessalonians, chapters 1-3

“[…] The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the wicked one.”
~2 Thessalonians 3:3

It would be a mistake on my part to think I could be strong enough to make good choices without God’s guidance.
While everyone benefits from an innate conscience, gone unchecked that very conscience could end up justifying immoral or selfish behavior. (Rom. 2:14,15; Tit. 1:15)
And while I could live a fairly decent life solely based on the values my parents taught me, parents are imperfect and that approach would most certainly doom me to repeat their mistakes. (Pr. 22:6; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 6:4)
On top of this, God’s word explains that one’s personal struggle against Satanic influences is very real. (Eph. 2:2; 6:11,12; 1 John 5:19)
Knowing all this, modesty ought to move me to seek out God’s guidance through prayer and through reading the Scriptures, as well as by staying close to the congregation. (2 Thes. 3:5; Heb. 4:12)
Only then can I truly benefit from ‘protection from the wicked one.’ (Ps. 37:28)

Philippians, chapters 1-4

“Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”
~Philippians 4:6,7

If this is one of the verses I’ve cited most from the Bible, it is because I often need to remind myself of this.
Jehovah does not expect us to never be anxious, but he does expect us to rely on him through our trials. (1 Pet. 5:7)
He promises to be there for us, either by providing strength to endure or by showing us the solution. (1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 4:7-9; 2 Pet. 2:9)
Jehovah often answers our prayers in ways which we could never have even imagined. (Eph. 3:20)
If we look to him for comfort, his training will make us stronger and ‘firmly ground us’ in the faith. (1 Pet. 5:10)

1 Corinthians, chapters 1-3

“[…] The spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God.”
~1 Corinthians 2:10

It is impossible to know God without the guidance of his holy spirit.
This is why many historians miss truths that are otherwise obvious to Bible readers who pray prior to studying. (2 Cor. 4:1-6)
The other side to this is people who say they believe but do not take the time to diligently compare Bible prophecies with their respective fulfillment.
This is why many people have heard of God’s kingdom but cannot explain its role in the course of human events. (Dan. 2:44; Matt. 6:9,10)
Or they believe God’s sacred secret continues to be a mystery. (Rom. 16:25,26; 1 Cor. 2:7)
Most people nowadays are familiar with God’s name being Jehovah or Yahweh, but remain reluctant to use it. (Ps. 83:18)
God has carefully set truths in his Word in such a way that only those having a humble attitude can understand them. (1 Cor. 1:19, 25; 2:14; 3:18-20)
May we never underestimate the value of God’s knowledge. (Prov. 2:1-11)

Luke, chapters 17 & 18

“[…] Will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, while he is patient toward them?”
~Luke 18:7

When we or someone we love is undergoing an unusual amount of suffering due to illness or persecution, we may wonder how God can be so patient. (2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. 6:9,10)
He promises to remove all evil, pain and even death, but as we personally face trials, that relief can seem far off in the horizon. (Ps. 37:9; Rev. 21:4)
Jesus said we should pray tirelessly, like the widow who sought justice in his illustration.
But Jehovah is a much more speedy judge than the one who initially ignored the widow.
How can we be sure Jehovah isn’t ignoring us?
Jesus made it clear that we need to pray with an extraordinary amount of faith. (Luke 18:8)
Though we may not physically see the answer to our prayers, we can be sure Jehovah has already taken the necessary steps to ensure lasting justice to us both individually and globally. (2 Pet. 3:13)
The real question is, can we endure the wait?

Luke, chapter 1

“Your supplication has been favorably heard […].”
~Luke 1:13

Who knows how many years into his old age Zechariah had continued to pray to Jehovah for a child.
Despite having strong faith, even he was surprised when his prayers were finally answered (Luke 1:6, 18)
He could have left his wife Elizabeth for a healthier woman, but they opted to remain loyal to each other and to their God.
That loyalty did not go unnoticed by Jehovah, who blessed them with “joy and great gladness.” (Luke 1:14)

Mark, chapters 11 & 12

“When you stand praying, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father who is in the heavens may also forgive you your trespasses.”
~Mark 11:25

It can be particularly difficult to forgive others when we consider their sins to be much graver than anything we ourselves have ever done.
Jehovah himself has standards for forgiveness.
For instance, Jehovah expects wrongdoers to repent in order to receive his forgiveness. (Luke 17:3,4; Acts 8:22)
But even if we cannot know the heart condition of someone who has wronged us, forgiving them is key to achieving inner peace. (Eph. 4:31,32)
What’s more, Jesus taught that we should not judge others and that we should pray for our enemies. (Matt. 5:44; 7:1,2)
It helps to remember that the person, like us, was born imperfect. (Ro. 3:23)
The Bible encourages Christians to try to conquer evil with good, and to leave matters that are beyond us in God’s hands. (Ro. 12:17-21)
And we do well to keep a humble view of ourselves, knowing that Jehovah “has not dealt with us according to our sins.” (Ps. 103:10-12)

Mark, chapters 5 & 6

“The woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.”
~Mark 5:33

The woman referred to in this passage had suffered an embarrassing ailment for twelve years without finding a medical solution.
She did not wonder if Jesus could help her.
She had faith that she would be healed as soon as she could discreetly touch his clothes. (Mark 5:28)
In doing so, she was breaking Mosaic Law. (Lev. 15:25-27)
When Jesus discovered her, she confronted him with the truth.
In her place, I would have likely ran away as fast as I could.
I admire her boldness.
She not only had faith that Jesus would heal her, but also had faith that he would compassionately understand.
When approaching Jesus’ father, Jehovah, in prayer, I will try to imitate this woman’s faith in divine mercy, expressing myself from the heart. (Heb. 4:16)

Habakkuk, chapters 1-3

“Are you not from everlasting, O Jehovah?
O my God, my Holy One, you do not die.”
~Habakkuk 1:12

To have an accurate knowledge of God, we need to understand who he is. (1 Tim. 2:3,4)
In the world, there is much confusion as to the role of Jesus.
But the Bible states clear differences between Jesus and his Father, Jehovah. (1 Tim. 2:5)
One of those differences is that Jehovah, God Almighty, cannot die. (Ps. 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17)
As we all know, Jesus did die, and was resurrected on the third day by his father. (Acts 2:23,24)
So there is a clear difference in the person that is Jesus and the person who is Jehovah.
When we understand who Jehovah is, we can further appreciate other spiritual treasures, such as the value of prayer and the privilege of serving him. (Ja. 4:8)