Tag Archives: prayer

Jeremiah, chapters 12-16

“Jehovah said: ‘I will surely minister to you for good;
I will surely intercede for you in the time of calamity,
In the time of distress against the enemy.'”
~Jeremiah 15:11

Have you ever had the experience of setting forth to do good and not finding any support from those around you?
The prophet Jeremiah should have been supported by the people of Judah because they were God’s chosen People, but they violently opposed his work.
He began to fear for his life.
He confided his feelings to God in prayer. (Jer. 15:15)
He sought comfort in God’s Word and was able to experience joy in his ministry once more. (Jer. 15:16)
When we put our faith in Jehovah God that he is in fact collaborating with us in our ministry, we can endure apathy and even violent persecution with a joyful heart, knowing that God has our back. (Jer. 15:19-21; 1 Cor. 3:9)

Jeremiah, chapters 8-11

“Correct me, O Jehovah, with judgment,
But not in your anger, that you may not reduce me to nothing.”
~Jeremiah 10:24

We all need to be corrected from time to time, either by someone at work, or if we are younger, by our parents or teachers, or we may be counseled by a mature, caring friend.
It is human nature to initially be embarrassed and even to resist the correction.
Jehovah corrected his People through his prophets.
We do not have modern-day prophets, but we can read God’s recorded thoughts in his written Word, and find God’s counsel under prayer through Bible reading.
To accept God’s correction, we need to humbly recognize that, despite having freedom of choice, it is not in our best interest to act independently of God. (Jer. 10:23)
It is easier to accept correction as soon as we realize we are doing something wrong, without needing to wait for someone to blatantly point out our mistakes to us.
But if it comes to that, and we are privately or publicly reproved, let us remember that Jehovah takes the time to discipline those whom he loves and wants to keep by his side.
Everyone needs to be refined by God’s love and he expects you to keep trying. (Heb. 12:5,6)
As one brother put it, it is better to accept correction now than to ‘be reduced to nothing’ on God’s Judgment Day.

Isaiah, chapters 63-66

“But you are among those forsaking Jehovah, {…}
Those setting a table for the god of Good Luck,
And those filling up cups of mixed wine for the god of Destiny.”
~Isaiah 65:11

What is luck?
Some dictionaries define it as a force that operates for good or ill, or chance considered as a force that causes good or bad to happen.
Is the belief in a supernatural force that affects our circumstances in line with God’s way of thinking, as outlined in the Bible?
In ancient times, Luck and Destiny were pagan gods.
Their worshippers traditionally celebrated a party for them on the last day of the last month of the year, where they feasted and drank wine in their honor. (Insight on the Scriptures, vol. I, “God of Luck”)
For a dedicated servant of Jehovah to request a favor, or blessing, from a force other than Jehovah himself, is a form of betrayal. (De. 10:20; Luke 4:8)
The reliance on luck through customs or charms is a superstitious form of Spiritism, a belief that encompasses the practices used to invoke forces or spirits other than Jehovah (demons).
This belief is in direct conflict with true worship. (De. 18:10,11; Is. 8:19,20; Gal. 5:19-21)
Although it seems inoffensive and even polite to wish someone “good luck,” those pleasing Jehovah adjust their thinking to his point of view and take into account his feelings on the matter, knowing all blessings come from him alone in due time. (Is. 65:16,17,24)

Isaiah, chapters 58-62

“[…] Truth has stumbled in the public square,
And what is upright is unable to enter.
Truth has vanished,
And anyone who turns away from bad is plundered.
Jehovah saw this and was displeased,
For there was no justice.”
~Isaiah 59:14b,15

God expects those in positions of authority to do what is just.
He is not a distant, apathetic God, but is watching the earth closely, ready to intervene when it becomes apparent that no one else will (Is. 59:16,17)
God’s justice will leave no stone unturned. (Is. 59:18)
He hears the plight of those who are alone and suffering. (Is. 59:11)
He promises to bless them with eternal life in an earth rid of evil. (Ps. 37:9-11,29; Is. 60:18,20,21)
This was Christ’s primary message and the message Jehovah’s Witnesses likewise share with the public. (Is. 61:1,2)

Proverbs, chapters 17-21

“The breath of a man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching through his innermost being.”

~Proverbs 20:27

God has given us life, free will and the opportunity to prove what kind of persons we are (De. 30:19).

Like the loving father that He is, he assumes the best in us and sees our potential (1 Chron. 28:9; 1 Ki. 14:13).


There is nothing we can hide from him, and he can dissect even our subconscious thoughts and motivations (Heb. 4:13).
When we pray about the decisions we take and consider his guiding principles found in the Scriptures, we invite him into our life.

Then we can fully reflect the light he is trying to shine through us (2 Cor. 3:18).

Proverbs, chapters 7-11

“[…] The desire of the righteous will be granted.”
(Prov. 10:24)

God promises that he will answer our prayers provided they are in accordance with his will (1 John 5:14).
Why does it seem, then, that some prayers go unanswered?
For example, when we lose a loved one…
Is it not God’s will that the person should live?
Like a loving father, God wants what is best for us (De. 30:19).
Jehovah is the Lord of Time, and while he does not control our individual choices, he does control the final results (Isa. 46:10).
If the current system deprives us of something or someone valuable, we can trust that God will fulfill his promise to answer our prayers in due time (Hab. 2:3).
Even so, the more we line up our desires with his will, the more we will discern that he has immediately listened to us and is shaping our outcome.

Proverbs, chapters 1-6

“Jehovah will prove to be your source of confidence.”
~Proverbs 3:26

Some of us may suffer from low self-esteem, shyness, or anxiety.
When we look to ourselves for inner strength, we may just feel void and unwilling.
But if we rely on God for strength, he will be there for us (Ps. 121:3).
A strong faith in God can make up for feelings of ineptness or inferiority.
When we put our confidence in God and let him guide us, we can conquer doubt, personal shortcomings, and any other threat to our spirituality (Mark 9:23; 10:27; Phil. 4:13).

Psalms 142-150

Jehovah finds pleasure […] in those waiting for his loyal love.
~Psalm 147:11

Jehovah God feels happy when his worshippers take his will into account when making choices.
When we do God’s will instead of carrying out impatient or selfish desires, we are letting his spirit guide us (Ps. 143:8-10).
This indicates faith.
In turn, Jehovah himself remains faithful, “securing justice for those defrauded.”
God demonstrates his loyal love by taking it upon himself to ‘thwart the plans of the wicked,’ but he intervenes when he deems the moment right (Ps. 146:6-9).
While we wait on Jehovah, we can present our distress to him in the form of prayer, knowing that he will not forget about us (Ps. 142:2,5).

Psalms 135-141

“If I say: ‘Surely darkness will conceal me!’ Then the night around me would become light.”
~Psalm 139:11

When we feel overwhelmed, we can rely on God’s strength to pull us through difficulties.
“On the day I called, you answered me; You made me bold and strong,” (Ps. 138:3).
Key spiritual activities that should never be cast aside include heartfelt prayer, Bible reading and public praising of God.
We should also set aside some time to kindly demonstrate personal interest toward others (Heb. 10:22-25,35,36).
As long as we have the cardinal points of spirituality guiding our day to day lives, we will not be overcome by darkness.
Jehovah can even transform that darkness into our brightest moment.

Psalm 119

“I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Search for your servant,
For I have not forgotten your commandments.”
~Psalm 119:176

Who wrote Psalm 119?
Though the writer’s name is unknown, we can form a portrait of where he (or she) was in life by some of his expressions.
Although verse one affirms: “Happy are those who are blameless in their way […]” the psalmist is not applying these words to himself, for verses five and six explain: “If only I could remain steadfast so as to observe your regulations! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commandments.”
The psalmist is evidently undergoing some type of affliction as a consequence of past mistakes.
Even though he no longer ‘goes astray,’ he is still an object of “scorn and contempt,” targeted by insensitive, presumptuous liars (Ps. 119:22,67,69,70).
Although the psalmist does suffer sleeplessness and grief, this allows him to find comfort in his knowledge of Jehovah God (Ps. 119:28,52,55).
The psalmist goes so far as to say that his spiritual heritage is the ‘joy of his heart,’ (Ps. 119:111).
What fueled his strength?
Verses 92-95 read:

If I had not been fond of your law,
I would have perished in my affliction. […]
I belong to you; save me […]. The wicked wait to destroy me,
But I give close attention to your reminders.”

Time and again, the psalmist references his bond with God and love for God’s Word as the reasons he can bear his affliction and carry on.
Undefeated, he resolves to fulfill his vows to God and rely on His justice and loyal love (Ps. 119:106,149).