Spiritual Gems

Jehovah and his dear Son want us to be happy. Psalm 119:2 says: “Happy are those who observe his reminders, who search for him with all their heart.” Jesus gave further assurance, saying: “Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!” (Luke 11:28) As Jehovah’s worshippers, we are a happy people when we regularly read God’s Word and endeavor to apply what we learn. (Jas. 1:22-25) This is a key step in our pleasing Jehovah. (Eccl. 12:13) As we put into practice what we read in God’s inspired Word, we improve our family life and build strong friendships with fellow believers. Moreover, we avoid many of the problems that come to those who do not follow Jehovah’s ways. Indeed, we agree with King David. After mentioning in song the law, orders, and judgments of Jehovah, he concluded: “In keeping them, there is a large reward

God loves to express warm approval of those for whom he has affection. The Scriptures report two occasions when He told Jesus that he was His beloved, approved Son. (Matt. 3:17; 17:5) Would you like to hear God reassure you of his approval? God does not speak to us audibly, but he speaks to us through the pages of his Word. We can “hear” God's voice of approval when we read Jesus’ words in the Gospels. Jesus perfectly reflected his Father’s personality. So when we read that Jesus expressed his approval of his imperfect but faithful followers, we can picture God saying those words to us. (John 15:9, 15) If trials occur, they do not mean that we have lost God’s approval. Rather, they provide us with opportunities to prove the depth of our love for God and our trust in him.​—Jas. 1:12

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