Discernment in Planning Your Education
The Bible says that it is wise to plan for the future. (Proverbs 21:5) have you and your parents discussed your future? Perhaps you plan to enter the full-time ministry as a pioneer. Really, no career choice could bring greater satisfaction. If you are cultivating good study habits and developing skills in the ministry, you are preparing for this exciting career. Have you thought about how you will support yourself in the ministry? If, in the future, you choose to raise a family, will you be able to care for that added responsibility? making balanced, realistic decisions about such things requires the use of perceptive powers.
In some places it is still possible to get on-the -job training in a useful skill or profession. There are youths who learn the family business or receive training from adult friends who have businesses. Other take courses at school that will be useful in earning a living later. Where such opportunities are not available, after careful thought parents may arrange for their children to receive some supplementary education after high school. Planning ahead in this way so as to care for adult responsibilities and especially so as to be able to share in the pioneer service over the long term is not compatible with putting God's Kingdom first. (Matthew 6:33) And supplementary education does not rule out pioneering. One young Witness, for example, had wanted to pioneer for a long time. After she finished high school, her parents - regular pioneers themselves - arranged for her to have some supplementary education. She was able to pioneer while she received her schooling, and now she has a skill with which she supports herself as she continues pioneering.
In the matter of supplementary education, each family has the right and responsibility to make its own decision. When such education is chosen, it can be helpful. It can, though, be a trap. If you are considering such education, what is your goal? Is it to prepare yourself to handle adult responsibilities in an honorable way? Or are you "seeking great things for yourself"? (Jeremiah 45:5; 2 Thessalonians 3
:10; 1 Timothy 5:8; 6:9) What about pursuing supplementary education away from home, perhaps living on a campus? Would that be wise in view of Paul's warning that "bad associations spoil useful habits"? (1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Timothy 2:22) Remember, too, that "the time left is reduced." (1 Corinthians 7:29) How much time will you devote to such education? Will it consume the bulk of your youthful years? If so, how will you apply the Bible's encouragement to "remember, now, your Grand Creator in the days of your young manhood"? (Ecclesiastes 12:1) Further, will the courses you take allow time for such vital Christian activities as meeting attendance, field service and personal study? (Matthew 24:14; Hebrews 10:24, 25) If your perceptive powers are keen, you will never lose sight of spiritual goals as you and your parents plan for your future.
Next time: Keeping Courtship Honorable
Watchtower, 1999
4.08.2011
YOUTHS-TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS!
Showing Discernment in Recreation
Let us now look at how you might use your perceptive powers in some specific situations. Imagine, for example, that you have been invited to a gathering. You might even have received a printed flyer advertising the get-together. You are told that a large number of Witness youths will be there. But a fee to cover expenses will be charged. Should you attend?
Well, use your perceptive powers. First, get the facts. How large will this gathering be? Who will be there? When will it begin? When will it end? What activities are planned? How will it be supervised? Next, do some research, looking up "Social Gatherings," and "Entertainment in the Watchtower Publications Index. What might your research reveal? For one thing, that Jehovah does not condemn getting together to have a good time. In fact, Ecclesiastes 8:15 says that along with working hard, "mankind have nothing better under the sin than to eat, drink and rejoice." Why, Jesus Christ himself attended special meals and at least one wedding. (Luke 5:27-28; John 1:2-10) Kept in balance, socializing can be beneficial.
Nevertheless, badly organized gatherings may spell trouble. At 1 Corinthians 10:8, we read of how unwise associations led to fornication and the execution of "twenty-three thousand [unfaithful Israelites] in one day." Another sobering warning is found at Romans 13:13: "As in the daytime let us walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts, not in illicit intercourse and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy." (Compare 1 Peter 4:3) True, no fixed number can be set for how many can attend a gathering. But experience shows that the larger a gathering is, the harder it is to supervise it. Smaller, well-managed gatherings are less likely to turn into "wild parties." -Galatians 5:21, Byington.
Your research will no doubt spark further questions such as: Will some mature adult Christians be at the gathering? Indeed, who is sponsoring it? Is the purpose of the gathering to promote wholesome association or make a profit for someone? At there any restrictions as to who can attend? If the gathering is during the weekend, will it end at a reasonable time so that those attending can shared in the Christians ministry the next day? If there is to be music and dancing, will it be consistent with Christian standards? ( 2 Corinthians 6:3) Asking such questions may not be easy. But Proverbs 22:3) warns: "Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty." Yes, you can avoid risky situations by using your perceptive powers.
Next time: Discernment in Planning Your Education
Watchtower, 1999
Let us now look at how you might use your perceptive powers in some specific situations. Imagine, for example, that you have been invited to a gathering. You might even have received a printed flyer advertising the get-together. You are told that a large number of Witness youths will be there. But a fee to cover expenses will be charged. Should you attend?
Well, use your perceptive powers. First, get the facts. How large will this gathering be? Who will be there? When will it begin? When will it end? What activities are planned? How will it be supervised? Next, do some research, looking up "Social Gatherings," and "Entertainment in the Watchtower Publications Index. What might your research reveal? For one thing, that Jehovah does not condemn getting together to have a good time. In fact, Ecclesiastes 8:15 says that along with working hard, "mankind have nothing better under the sin than to eat, drink and rejoice." Why, Jesus Christ himself attended special meals and at least one wedding. (Luke 5:27-28; John 1:2-10) Kept in balance, socializing can be beneficial.
Nevertheless, badly organized gatherings may spell trouble. At 1 Corinthians 10:8, we read of how unwise associations led to fornication and the execution of "twenty-three thousand [unfaithful Israelites] in one day." Another sobering warning is found at Romans 13:13: "As in the daytime let us walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts, not in illicit intercourse and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy." (Compare 1 Peter 4:3) True, no fixed number can be set for how many can attend a gathering. But experience shows that the larger a gathering is, the harder it is to supervise it. Smaller, well-managed gatherings are less likely to turn into "wild parties." -Galatians 5:21, Byington.
Your research will no doubt spark further questions such as: Will some mature adult Christians be at the gathering? Indeed, who is sponsoring it? Is the purpose of the gathering to promote wholesome association or make a profit for someone? At there any restrictions as to who can attend? If the gathering is during the weekend, will it end at a reasonable time so that those attending can shared in the Christians ministry the next day? If there is to be music and dancing, will it be consistent with Christian standards? ( 2 Corinthians 6:3) Asking such questions may not be easy. But Proverbs 22:3) warns: "Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty." Yes, you can avoid risky situations by using your perceptive powers.
Next time: Discernment in Planning Your Education
Watchtower, 1999
4.07.2011
YOUTHS-TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS!
Training Your Perceptive Powers
Note that your perceptive powers - your ability "through use." When you must make a decision, guessing, acting on impulse, or simply following the crowd will rarely result in a wise choice. To make wise decisions, you must use your perceptive powers. How? First of all, by thoroughly investigating the situation and getting all the facts. Ask questions if necessary. Determine what your options are. Proverbs 13:16 says: "Everyone shrewd will act with knowledge." Next, try to determine which Bible laws or principles bear on the subject. (Proverbs 3:5) To do this, of course, you must have a knowledge of the Bible. That is why Paul encourages us to take in "solid food' - to learn "the breadth and length and height and depth" of the truth. - Ephesians 3:18.
Doing so is essential, since we are imperfect, prone to sin. (Genesis 8:21; Romans 5:12) "The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate," says Jeremiah 17:9. Without godly principles to guide us, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that something bad is good - simply because our flesh craves it. (Compare Isaiah 5:20) The psalmist wrote: "How will a young man cleanse his path? By keeping on guard according to your word. Owing to your orders I behave with understanding. That is why I have hated every false path." -Psalm 119:9, 104.
Why has some youths who were raised in Christian households followed false paths? Could it be that such ones have never 'proved to themselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God'? (Romans 12:2) Some may attend meetings with their parents and be able to recite some of the basic teachings of the Bible. But when asked to give proof of their beliefs or to explain some of the deeper things of God's Word, their knowledge proves to be disappointingly shallow. Such youths can easily be misled. (Ephesians 4:14) If this is true of you, why not resolve to make changes? One young sister recalls: "I did research. I asked myself, 'How do I know that this is the right religion? 'How do I know that there is a God named Jehovah?' " Carefully examining the Scriptures convinced her that the things she had learned from her parents were really so! -Compare Acts 17:11.
Armed with a knowledge of Jehovah's principles, you will more easily make "sure of what is acceptable to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:10) Yet what if you are not certain of the wise course to take in a particular situation? Pray to Jehovah for direction. (Psalm 119:144) Try talking matters over with your parents or with a mature Christians. (Proverbs 15:22; 27:17) Helpful direction can also be found by doing research in the Bible and in Watchtower publications. (Proverbs 2:3-5) The more you use your perceptive powers, the sharper they will become.
Next time: Showing Discernment in Recreation
Watchtower, 1999
Note that your perceptive powers - your ability "through use." When you must make a decision, guessing, acting on impulse, or simply following the crowd will rarely result in a wise choice. To make wise decisions, you must use your perceptive powers. How? First of all, by thoroughly investigating the situation and getting all the facts. Ask questions if necessary. Determine what your options are. Proverbs 13:16 says: "Everyone shrewd will act with knowledge." Next, try to determine which Bible laws or principles bear on the subject. (Proverbs 3:5) To do this, of course, you must have a knowledge of the Bible. That is why Paul encourages us to take in "solid food' - to learn "the breadth and length and height and depth" of the truth. - Ephesians 3:18.
Doing so is essential, since we are imperfect, prone to sin. (Genesis 8:21; Romans 5:12) "The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate," says Jeremiah 17:9. Without godly principles to guide us, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that something bad is good - simply because our flesh craves it. (Compare Isaiah 5:20) The psalmist wrote: "How will a young man cleanse his path? By keeping on guard according to your word. Owing to your orders I behave with understanding. That is why I have hated every false path." -Psalm 119:9, 104.
Why has some youths who were raised in Christian households followed false paths? Could it be that such ones have never 'proved to themselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God'? (Romans 12:2) Some may attend meetings with their parents and be able to recite some of the basic teachings of the Bible. But when asked to give proof of their beliefs or to explain some of the deeper things of God's Word, their knowledge proves to be disappointingly shallow. Such youths can easily be misled. (Ephesians 4:14) If this is true of you, why not resolve to make changes? One young sister recalls: "I did research. I asked myself, 'How do I know that this is the right religion? 'How do I know that there is a God named Jehovah?' " Carefully examining the Scriptures convinced her that the things she had learned from her parents were really so! -Compare Acts 17:11.
Armed with a knowledge of Jehovah's principles, you will more easily make "sure of what is acceptable to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:10) Yet what if you are not certain of the wise course to take in a particular situation? Pray to Jehovah for direction. (Psalm 119:144) Try talking matters over with your parents or with a mature Christians. (Proverbs 15:22; 27:17) Helpful direction can also be found by doing research in the Bible and in Watchtower publications. (Proverbs 2:3-5) The more you use your perceptive powers, the sharper they will become.
Next time: Showing Discernment in Recreation
Watchtower, 1999
YOUTHS-TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS!
"KEEP strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked." (Ephesians 5:15, 16) Since the apostle Paul penned those words two thousand years ago, 'wicked men and impostors have advanced from bad to worse.' We live in "critical times hard to deal with," or as another translation puts it times that are "full of danger." -2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13, Phillips.
You can avoid being harmed by the dangers that may lurk in your path, however, by developing "shrewdness, . . .knowledge and thinking ability." (Proverbs 1:4) Says Proverbs 2:10-12: "When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge itself becomes pleasant to your very soul, thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things." But just how can you develop those abilities? Says Hebrews 5:14: "Solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong." As with any skill, mastering the use of one's perceptive powers requires training. The Greek word Paul used literally means 'having been trained like a gymnast! How do you begin such training?
Next time: Training Your Perceptive Powers
Watchtower, 1999
You can avoid being harmed by the dangers that may lurk in your path, however, by developing "shrewdness, . . .knowledge and thinking ability." (Proverbs 1:4) Says Proverbs 2:10-12: "When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge itself becomes pleasant to your very soul, thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things." But just how can you develop those abilities? Says Hebrews 5:14: "Solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong." As with any skill, mastering the use of one's perceptive powers requires training. The Greek word Paul used literally means 'having been trained like a gymnast! How do you begin such training?
Next time: Training Your Perceptive Powers
Watchtower, 1999
4.06.2011
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
Conclusion of Showing "A Different Spirit"
Avoiding harmful recreation will not condemn you to a joyless life. We worship a "happy God," who wants you to enjoy your youth! (1 Timothy 1:1; Ecclesiastes 11:9) But the Bible warns: "He that is loving merriment [ "entertainment," lamsa] will be an individual in want." (Proverbs 21:17) Yes, if you make recreation the most important thing in your life, you will suffer spiritual want. So follow Bible principles in your choice of recreation. There are many ways to enjoy yourself that will build you up and not tear you down. - Ecclesiastes 11:10.
Showing modesty in your dress and grooming, rejecting the world's fads will also mark you as different. (Romans 12:2; 1 Timothy 2:9) So will being selective in your choice of music. (Philippians 4:8, 9) "I have music that I know I'm supposed to throw out," confesses one young Christian, "but it sounds so good!" Another young man similarly admitted: "For me music is a pitfall because I love it. If I find out something is wrong with it, or if my parents call it to my attention, I really have to force my mind to take command over my heart because in my heart I love that music." Youth, do not be "ignorant of {Satan's ] designs"! (2 Corinthians 2:11) He is using music in an effort to turn young Christians away from Jehovah. Articles have appeared in Watchtower publications discussing rap, heavy metal and alternative rock music. However, Watchtower publications cannot possibly comment on every new form and style of music that might come along. You must, therefore, use "thinking ability" and "discernment" when you select music. -Proverbs 2:11.
Finally, you must keep morally clean. The Bible urges: "Flee from fornication." (1 Corinthians 6:18) The original Greek word for fornication, por-nei'a, refers to all illicit sexual activity involving the use of the genital organs carried on outside the bonds of marriage. That would include oral sex and the deliberate fondling of sexual organs. A number of Christian youths have engaged in such behavior, imagining that they really were not committing fornication. However, God's Word clearly says: "This is what God wills, the sanctifying of you, that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor." -1Thesalonians 4:3, 4.
Next time: YOUTHS - TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS!
Watchtower, 1999
Avoiding harmful recreation will not condemn you to a joyless life. We worship a "happy God," who wants you to enjoy your youth! (1 Timothy 1:1; Ecclesiastes 11:9) But the Bible warns: "He that is loving merriment [ "entertainment," lamsa] will be an individual in want." (Proverbs 21:17) Yes, if you make recreation the most important thing in your life, you will suffer spiritual want. So follow Bible principles in your choice of recreation. There are many ways to enjoy yourself that will build you up and not tear you down. - Ecclesiastes 11:10.
Showing modesty in your dress and grooming, rejecting the world's fads will also mark you as different. (Romans 12:2; 1 Timothy 2:9) So will being selective in your choice of music. (Philippians 4:8, 9) "I have music that I know I'm supposed to throw out," confesses one young Christian, "but it sounds so good!" Another young man similarly admitted: "For me music is a pitfall because I love it. If I find out something is wrong with it, or if my parents call it to my attention, I really have to force my mind to take command over my heart because in my heart I love that music." Youth, do not be "ignorant of {Satan's ] designs"! (2 Corinthians 2:11) He is using music in an effort to turn young Christians away from Jehovah. Articles have appeared in Watchtower publications discussing rap, heavy metal and alternative rock music. However, Watchtower publications cannot possibly comment on every new form and style of music that might come along. You must, therefore, use "thinking ability" and "discernment" when you select music. -Proverbs 2:11.
Finally, you must keep morally clean. The Bible urges: "Flee from fornication." (1 Corinthians 6:18) The original Greek word for fornication, por-nei'a, refers to all illicit sexual activity involving the use of the genital organs carried on outside the bonds of marriage. That would include oral sex and the deliberate fondling of sexual organs. A number of Christian youths have engaged in such behavior, imagining that they really were not committing fornication. However, God's Word clearly says: "This is what God wills, the sanctifying of you, that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor." -1Thesalonians 4:3, 4.
Next time: YOUTHS - TRAIN YOUR PERCEPTIVE POWERS!
Watchtower, 1999
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
Showing "A Different Spirit"
Today, it takes courage and strength to show "a different spirit," or mental attitude - one different from the world's. One way you can do so is by avoiding sarcastic , disrespectful speech. Interestingly, the English word "sarcasm," is derived from a Greek verb that literally means "to tear flesh like dogs." (Compare Galatians 5:15) Just "as a dog's teeth can tear flesh off a bone, sarcastic "humor" can strip others of their dignity. But Colossians 3:8 exhorts you to "put the mall away from you , wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech and obscene talk out of your mouth." And Proverbs 10:19 states: "In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly." If someone insults you, have the self-control to 'turn the other cheek,' perhaps calmly and peacefully speaking to the abuser in private. -Matthew 5:39; Proverbs 15:1.
Another way to show " a different spirit" is to maintain a balanced view of material things. Of course, it is only natural to want to have nice things. Jesus Christ himself evidently owned at least one quality garment. (John 19:23, 24) However, when owning things becomes as obsession and you are constantly begging your parents to buy you things they really cannot afford, or when you just want to imitate other youths, then the world's spirit may have more authority over you than you realize. The Bible says "Everything in the world - the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one's means of life - does not originate with the world." Yes, do not give in to the authority of the world's materialistic spirit! Learn to be content with what you have. -1 John 2:16; 1 Timothy 6:8-10.
keeping recreation in its place is also important. The prophet Isaiah declared: "Woe to those who are getting up early in the morning that they may seek just intoxicating liquor, who are lingering till late in the evening darkness so that wine itself inflames them! And there must prove to be harp and stringed instrument, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts; but the activity of Jehovah they do not look at, and the work of their hands they have not seen." (Isaiah 5:11, 12) Sad to say, some Christian youths have engaged in similar wild partying. When a group of Christian youths were asked to describe what goes on at youth nightclubs, one young sister said: "Fights happen all the time. I've found myself in the middle o them." Added a young brother: "Drinking, smoking, things like that." Another young brother admitted: "People get drunk. They act like idiots! And there are drugs. A lot of bad things happen. if you go there and think you won't be affected, you're wrong." For good reason, then, the Bible lists revelries, or "wild parties," as one of the "works of the flesh." -Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 13:13.
Next time: Conclusion of Showing "A Different Spirit"
Watchtower, 1999
Today, it takes courage and strength to show "a different spirit," or mental attitude - one different from the world's. One way you can do so is by avoiding sarcastic , disrespectful speech. Interestingly, the English word "sarcasm," is derived from a Greek verb that literally means "to tear flesh like dogs." (Compare Galatians 5:15) Just "as a dog's teeth can tear flesh off a bone, sarcastic "humor" can strip others of their dignity. But Colossians 3:8 exhorts you to "put the mall away from you , wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech and obscene talk out of your mouth." And Proverbs 10:19 states: "In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly." If someone insults you, have the self-control to 'turn the other cheek,' perhaps calmly and peacefully speaking to the abuser in private. -Matthew 5:39; Proverbs 15:1.
Another way to show " a different spirit" is to maintain a balanced view of material things. Of course, it is only natural to want to have nice things. Jesus Christ himself evidently owned at least one quality garment. (John 19:23, 24) However, when owning things becomes as obsession and you are constantly begging your parents to buy you things they really cannot afford, or when you just want to imitate other youths, then the world's spirit may have more authority over you than you realize. The Bible says "Everything in the world - the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one's means of life - does not originate with the world." Yes, do not give in to the authority of the world's materialistic spirit! Learn to be content with what you have. -1 John 2:16; 1 Timothy 6:8-10.
keeping recreation in its place is also important. The prophet Isaiah declared: "Woe to those who are getting up early in the morning that they may seek just intoxicating liquor, who are lingering till late in the evening darkness so that wine itself inflames them! And there must prove to be harp and stringed instrument, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts; but the activity of Jehovah they do not look at, and the work of their hands they have not seen." (Isaiah 5:11, 12) Sad to say, some Christian youths have engaged in similar wild partying. When a group of Christian youths were asked to describe what goes on at youth nightclubs, one young sister said: "Fights happen all the time. I've found myself in the middle o them." Added a young brother: "Drinking, smoking, things like that." Another young brother admitted: "People get drunk. They act like idiots! And there are drugs. A lot of bad things happen. if you go there and think you won't be affected, you're wrong." For good reason, then, the Bible lists revelries, or "wild parties," as one of the "works of the flesh." -Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 13:13.
Next time: Conclusion of Showing "A Different Spirit"
Watchtower, 1999
4.05.2011
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
Rejecting the World's Spirit
Tragically, some Christian youths have succumbed to the world's spirit. "I displayed a fine attitude in front of my parents and fellow Christians," admits one Japanese girl. "But I was also living another life." Says a youth from Kenya: "For some time I lived a double life, which included parties, rock music, and having the wrong friends. I knew this was wrong, but I tried to ignore it, hoping that in time it would just go away. But it didn't. Things just got worse." Another youth, from Germany, says: "It all started with having the wrong kind of friends. Then I took up smoking. I wanted to hurt my parents, but I only hurt myself.
Still, it is possible to resist, yes reject, the world's spirit. Consider the ancient example of Caleb. When the ten cowardly spies brought back a bad report about the Promised Land, he, along with Joshua, refused to be intimated and go along with the crowd. They courageously declared: "The land that we passed through to spy it out is a very, very good land. If Jehovah has found delight in us, then he will certainly bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey." (Numbers14:7, 8) What enabled Caleb to stand up to all that pressure? Jehovah said of Caleb: "A different spirit had proved to be with him." -Numbers 14:24.
Next time: Showing "A Different Spirit"
Watchtower, 1999
Tragically, some Christian youths have succumbed to the world's spirit. "I displayed a fine attitude in front of my parents and fellow Christians," admits one Japanese girl. "But I was also living another life." Says a youth from Kenya: "For some time I lived a double life, which included parties, rock music, and having the wrong friends. I knew this was wrong, but I tried to ignore it, hoping that in time it would just go away. But it didn't. Things just got worse." Another youth, from Germany, says: "It all started with having the wrong kind of friends. Then I took up smoking. I wanted to hurt my parents, but I only hurt myself.
Still, it is possible to resist, yes reject, the world's spirit. Consider the ancient example of Caleb. When the ten cowardly spies brought back a bad report about the Promised Land, he, along with Joshua, refused to be intimated and go along with the crowd. They courageously declared: "The land that we passed through to spy it out is a very, very good land. If Jehovah has found delight in us, then he will certainly bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey." (Numbers14:7, 8) What enabled Caleb to stand up to all that pressure? Jehovah said of Caleb: "A different spirit had proved to be with him." -Numbers 14:24.
Next time: Showing "A Different Spirit"
Watchtower, 1999
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
Manifestations of the World's Spirit
What are some manifestations of the spirit of the world among young people today? Dishonesty and rebelliousness. One magazine report stated that more than 70 percent of college juniors and seniors said that they had cheated during high school. Flippant, sarcastic and unclean speech are also prevalent. True, on occasion, Job and the apostle Paul used what some might view as sarcasm to express righteous indignation. (Job 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:13) However, the cruel sarcasm heard on the lips of many young people often amounts to verbal abuse.
Excesses in recreation are also manifestations of the world's spirit. Youth nightclubs, raves and other forms of wild reveling are popular among young people. Extremes in dress and grooming are likewise prevalent. From oversized hip-hop styles to shocking fads, such as body-piercing,many of today's youths identify themselves with the world's rebellious spirit. (Compare Romans 6:16) Preoccupation with material possessions is another manifestation. According to one educational journal, "marketers are pummeling kids at every turn with a formidable arsenal of techniques and panoply [an array] of products." By the time youths in the United States graduate from high school, they will have been exposed to 360,000 TV ads. Your peers may also pressure you to buy. Says a 14-year-old girl: "Everyone is always asking. 'What brand is your sweater, jacket, or jeans?"
Since Bible times, unwholesome music has been a tool of Satan to stimulate unclean behavior. (Compare Exodus 32:17-19; Psalm 69:12; Isaiah 23:16) Not surprisingly, then, music with sexually seductive-if not explicit-lyrics, profanity and wild, arousing tempos is popular. Yet another manifestation of this world's unclean spirit is sexual immorality. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Reports The New York Times: "Sex for many teenagers has become almost a rite of passage . . . More than two-thirds of high school seniors have had sexual intercourse." And article in The Wall Street Journal cited evidence that children between the ages of 8 and 12 are "becoming more sexually active." Says a recently retired school counselor: "We're beginning to see a few pregnant sixth-graders."
Next time: Rejecting the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
What are some manifestations of the spirit of the world among young people today? Dishonesty and rebelliousness. One magazine report stated that more than 70 percent of college juniors and seniors said that they had cheated during high school. Flippant, sarcastic and unclean speech are also prevalent. True, on occasion, Job and the apostle Paul used what some might view as sarcasm to express righteous indignation. (Job 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:13) However, the cruel sarcasm heard on the lips of many young people often amounts to verbal abuse.
Excesses in recreation are also manifestations of the world's spirit. Youth nightclubs, raves and other forms of wild reveling are popular among young people. Extremes in dress and grooming are likewise prevalent. From oversized hip-hop styles to shocking fads, such as body-piercing,many of today's youths identify themselves with the world's rebellious spirit. (Compare Romans 6:16) Preoccupation with material possessions is another manifestation. According to one educational journal, "marketers are pummeling kids at every turn with a formidable arsenal of techniques and panoply [an array] of products." By the time youths in the United States graduate from high school, they will have been exposed to 360,000 TV ads. Your peers may also pressure you to buy. Says a 14-year-old girl: "Everyone is always asking. 'What brand is your sweater, jacket, or jeans?"
Since Bible times, unwholesome music has been a tool of Satan to stimulate unclean behavior. (Compare Exodus 32:17-19; Psalm 69:12; Isaiah 23:16) Not surprisingly, then, music with sexually seductive-if not explicit-lyrics, profanity and wild, arousing tempos is popular. Yet another manifestation of this world's unclean spirit is sexual immorality. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Reports The New York Times: "Sex for many teenagers has become almost a rite of passage . . . More than two-thirds of high school seniors have had sexual intercourse." And article in The Wall Street Journal cited evidence that children between the ages of 8 and 12 are "becoming more sexually active." Says a recently retired school counselor: "We're beginning to see a few pregnant sixth-graders."
Next time: Rejecting the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
4.04.2011
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
Paul wrote: "It is you God made alive though you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of the flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and the thoughts, and we were naturally children of wrath even as the rest." -Ephesians 2:1-3.
Before learning the Christian way, Christians in Ephesus had been unwitting followers of "the ruler of the authority of the air," Satan the Devil. That "air is not some literal place where Satan and his demons dwell. When Paul wrote these words, Satan the Devil and his demons still had access to heaven. (Compare Job 1-6; Revelation 12:7-12) The word "air" means the spirit or mental attitude, that dominates Satan's world. (Compare Revelation 16:17-21) Like the air around us, this spirit is everywhere.
But what is "the authority of the air"? Evidently, this refers to the profound influence this "air" has on people. Paul said that this spirit "operates in the sons of disobedience." So the spirit of disobedience and rebellion, and peer pressure is one way in which this authority is exercised. "When you're in school," says a young Witness girl, "everyone's always encouraging you to be a little rebellious. The kids respect you more if you do something on the edge."
Next time: Manifestations of the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
Before learning the Christian way, Christians in Ephesus had been unwitting followers of "the ruler of the authority of the air," Satan the Devil. That "air is not some literal place where Satan and his demons dwell. When Paul wrote these words, Satan the Devil and his demons still had access to heaven. (Compare Job 1-6; Revelation 12:7-12) The word "air" means the spirit or mental attitude, that dominates Satan's world. (Compare Revelation 16:17-21) Like the air around us, this spirit is everywhere.
But what is "the authority of the air"? Evidently, this refers to the profound influence this "air" has on people. Paul said that this spirit "operates in the sons of disobedience." So the spirit of disobedience and rebellion, and peer pressure is one way in which this authority is exercised. "When you're in school," says a young Witness girl, "everyone's always encouraging you to be a little rebellious. The kids respect you more if you do something on the edge."
Next time: Manifestations of the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD
"Our younger generation is dispirited, rejected and rebelling." So declared the Australian newspaper the Sun Herald. It added: "Court record show a 22 percent rise [over the previous year] in the number of juveniles appearing on charges of serious assault . . . Kids are killing themselves at a rate that's tripled since the mid 60's . . .And the generation gap has become a veritable gulf down which young people are sliding in ever increasing numbers into a drug, alcohol and self-annihilation oblivion." This situation is hardly limited to one land, however. Throughout the world, parents, teachers and mental-health professionals lament the state of young ones.
What a dramatic contrast there is between most of today's youths and the wholesome ones found in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses! Not that they are perfect. They too have their struggles with "the desires incidental to youth." (2 Timothy 2:22) But as a group, these young ones have taken a courageous stand for what is right and have refused to give in to the world's pressures. We wholeheartedly commend all of you young ones who are winning the war against Satan's "crafty acts"! (Ephesians 6:11) Like the apostle John, we are moved to comment: "I write you, young men [and women], because you are strong and the word of God remains in you and you have conquered the wicked ones." -1John 2:14.
Nevertheless, to continue winning your battle against the wicked one, you must strenuously resist what the Bible calls "the spirit of the world." ( 1 Corinthians 2:12) According to one authority on Greek, "spirit" can mean "the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of anyone." For example, if you observe that someone is ill-tempered, you might say that he has a bad "spirit." Your "spirit disposition, or mental inclination influences the choices you make; it drives your actions and speech. Interestingly, both individuals and group can manifest a "spirit." The apostle Paul wrote to a group of Christians: "The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you people show." (Philemon 25) Just what the spirit, then, does this world manifest? Since "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one," Satan the Devil, the spirit of the world cannot possibly be be wholesome, can it? -1 John 5:19.
Next time: Identifying the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
What a dramatic contrast there is between most of today's youths and the wholesome ones found in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses! Not that they are perfect. They too have their struggles with "the desires incidental to youth." (2 Timothy 2:22) But as a group, these young ones have taken a courageous stand for what is right and have refused to give in to the world's pressures. We wholeheartedly commend all of you young ones who are winning the war against Satan's "crafty acts"! (Ephesians 6:11) Like the apostle John, we are moved to comment: "I write you, young men [and women], because you are strong and the word of God remains in you and you have conquered the wicked ones." -1John 2:14.
Nevertheless, to continue winning your battle against the wicked one, you must strenuously resist what the Bible calls "the spirit of the world." ( 1 Corinthians 2:12) According to one authority on Greek, "spirit" can mean "the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of anyone." For example, if you observe that someone is ill-tempered, you might say that he has a bad "spirit." Your "spirit disposition, or mental inclination influences the choices you make; it drives your actions and speech. Interestingly, both individuals and group can manifest a "spirit." The apostle Paul wrote to a group of Christians: "The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you people show." (Philemon 25) Just what the spirit, then, does this world manifest? Since "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one," Satan the Devil, the spirit of the world cannot possibly be be wholesome, can it? -1 John 5:19.
Next time: Identifying the World's Spirit
Watchtower, 1999
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