Are You Making God's Thoughts Your Own? - GIVING ADVANCE THOUGTH TO FUTURE DECISIONS

When studying, we do well to consider what bearing Jehovah's thoughts may  have on situations we might face in the future. That way, should we be in a situation requiring an immediate decision, we will not be caught completely off guard.  (Proverbs 22:3) Consider some Bible examples.

By immediate rejecting the attempted seductions of Potiphar's wife, Joseph showed that he had given thought to Jehovah's view of marital faithfulness.  (Read Genesis 39:8, 9.) Furthermore his reply to Potiphar's wife:  "How could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?"  indicates that he had made God's view his own. What about us?  Suppose a coworker began manifesting flirtatious behavior. Or what if a sexually explicit message or image was to your  mobile phone?  It is far easier to take a stand if we have already sought out and adopted Jehovah's view on such matters and have determined in advance what we will do.

Consider how the examples of the Hebrews  known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their resolute refusal to worship the image of god erected by King Nebuchadnezzar and their pointed reply to the king showed that they had given  thought to what was involved in remaining faithful to Jehovah.   (Exodus 20:4, 5; Daniel 3:4, 6, 12; 16:18)  Suppose your employer asked you to contribute funds for an upcoming celebration connected with false religion.  What would you do? Rather than wait for these situations to arise, why not give thought now to Jehovah's thinking on such matters?  Then, should any of these situations occur, you will find it easier to do say and do the the right thing, as the three Hebrews did. 

Note: That was before the king put the three  in a red hot furnace, but God did not let them burn, which is why the king took them out and realized later when he had to live with and be a beast for awhile that there is a real God.  Why don't they mention that when they do these books.  Although it is best to sit and read the Bible like a book, not like they do in the other churches, they pick out what they want you to hear. In reading the Bible properly, page for page,   you learn, especially when God reads your mind and sees that you are sincere in wanting to learn. He helped me and I wasn't even going to the meetings at the time, but he knew I was sincere in wanting to learn and know about him. 

Next time: Are You Making God's Thoughts Your Own? - Conclusion of  GIVING ADVANCE THOUGHT TO FUTURE DECISIONS

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