JW subtitle extractor

Welcome to JW Broadcasting®.
In this month’s program,
we’ll see how we benefit
by being willing to adjust our thinking.
We’ll learn from two families
who opened their hearts
—and homes—
and experienced lasting blessings in return.
We’ll dig deep to better understand
how Jehovah refines us and his organization
and how we can learn from those refinements.
And we’ll see how remembering what’s
most important when caring for our families
brings rich rewards.
This is JW Broadcasting.
The theme of our discussion is
“Use Your Memory Wisely.”
You may wonder:
‘How is that possible?
I can’t control what I remember.’
And to some degree, that’s true.
But we do have influence
over what we choose
to focus on and reinforce.
In our discussion, we’ll consider
what we can learn from Jehovah
about how to use our memory.
Then we’ll look at how
our memory is involved
in showing love and serving others.
In Jehovah’s relationship with us,
what does he focus on?
Please read with me Hebrews 6:10.
There we read:
“For God is not unrighteous
so as to forget your work
“and the love you showed for his name
by ministering
and continuing to minister
to the holy ones.”
Did you note what Jehovah remembers?
He focuses on the good we do.
A study note for this verse states
that “in God’s view,
“to neglect or stop caring
about a loyal servant’s good deeds
would be an unrighteous act on His part.”
Doesn’t that well describe
the level of concern
that Jehovah has for his servants?
Of course,
Jehovah knows everything about us,
including the sins we commit
and the mistakes we make.
But he doesn’t focus
on the negative things about us.
To illustrate:
We could liken our memory to a library.
Jehovah knows every book we have
on every shelf.
Some books record our mistakes and sins.
Others contain accounts
of the good things we’ve done.
Now, Jehovah knows
where the negative books are located.
But he chooses to read
and focus on the books that record
our positive actions.
How can Jehovah’s example
help you and me to use our memory wisely?
If we go back to Hebrews 6:10,
notice two things mentioned
that we can focus on.
The first is the love we show for God’s name.
We’re aware of the privilege we have
to carry God’s name,
as well as the responsibility we have
to uphold his reputation.
How we speak, how we dress,
how we act
will either enhance Jehovah’s reputation
or detract from it.
That’s why 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us
that whatever we are doing,
we should “do all things for God’s glory.”
We want it to be clear to all
that the name of Jehovah is sacred
and important to us.
We also show love for God’s name
by making his name known to others.
That involves preaching
the good news of God’s Kingdom.
So we pay attention
to the quality of our ministry.
We remember to take time
to prepare.
While we want to start
conversations with people,
we also want to have in mind
something purposeful to share with them.
We can also remember to be
alert and prepared
for opportunities to witness informally,
remember to set personal goals for ourselves,
and, if our circumstances allow,
remember to schedule
some time every week
to engage in the ministry.
Our goal is to “do all things
for the sake of the good news”
and highlight the love we have
for Jehovah and for his name.
A second thing mentioned in Hebrews 6:10
that we can focus on
is “continuing to minister to the holy ones.”
In this context, “the holy ones”
refer to spirit-anointed followers of Christ.
The Hebrew Christians back then ministered
to their fellow anointed brothers and sisters
in various ways.
They likely offered
material or financial help when needed.
They were commended for what they did
to support these brothers and sisters
in the past
and for what they continued to do
to help them over time.
The principle recorded at Hebrews 6:10
extends to all of God’s servants today.
Remember to do good deeds for others.
We appreciate when someone
is kind or generous to us.
We experience even greater joy
when love moves us to give to others.
And the list of good works,
practical things that we can do
in behalf of others,
is long.
It may include providing food, clothing,
or shelter to those in need
or to those who are suffering
because of disasters
or serious illness
or because they’re persecuted
for their faith.
Another way is by commending
and encouraging those in our congregation.
And one especially important way
that we do good to our brothers
is by praying for them.
The point is,
regardless of our circumstances
we all want to apply the words
found at Proverbs 3:27:
“Do not withhold good from those
to whom you should give it
if it is within your power to help.”
When we remember
to love God’s name and to assist others,
we show that we’re using our memory
in a wise way.
One challenge we may find with memory
is that, sadly,
we often remember things we’d like to forget.
That’s especially true
if we’ve been mistreated
or disrespected in some way.
The very memory of the person
or their actions
could cause us to hold a grudge,
freeze them in time,
or struggle to heal the wound.
Let’s note two contrasting examples.
We’ll start with the Bible account
of King David and Shimei.
Shimei was a relative of King Saul,
and he harbored a grudge
against David for years
because he blamed David for the removal
of the kingship from Saul’s house.
Second Samuel chapter 16
mentions an account
where Shimei throws stones and dust
at David and his men,
cursing them.
This was an extremely disrespectful act
on the part of Shimei.
In fact, one of David’s men, Abishai,
asks permission to kill Shimei,
but David refused.
He humbly resisted
the temptation to retaliate
and left the matter in Jehovah’s hands.
It was a remarkable display
of calm and restraint on David’s part.
Later, when David returned to the throne,
Shimei repented and asked for forgiveness.
Again, Abishai wanted to kill him,
but again, David did not allow it.
David even swore an oath
that he would not kill Shimei.
David handled this matter in a way
that clearly was very pleasing to Jehovah.
But before his death,
note David’s words to his son Solomon,
at 1 Kings 2:8, 9:
“There is also with you Shimei
“the son of Gera
the Benjaminite from Bahurim.
“He was the one who cursed me
with a vicious curse
“on the day that I was going to Mahanaim;
“but when he came down
to meet me at the Jordan,
“I swore to him by Jehovah:
‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’
“Now do not leave him unpunished,
“for you are a wise man
“and you know what you should do to him;
you must bring his gray hairs
down to the Grave with blood.”
David was possibly in his early 60’s
when the initial encounter
with Shimei took place.
He was 70 years old when he died.
So for a number of years,
David didn’t let this go.
He kept what Shimei did in mind.
Now, the Bible doesn’t say
why David reacted the way he did.
But doesn’t this highlight the point
that if someone
treats us unfairly
or unkindly,
it can be very difficult
to let the matter go,
even if we handled it properly at the time?
And the hurt we feel
may stay with us for years.
So, what can help us to move forward
and maintain the proper attitude?
Consider the example Jesus set
in dealing with the apostle Peter.
On the night Jesus was arrested,
Peter had promised Jesus
that he would never abandon him.
Just hours later,
Peter denied knowing Jesus,
not once or twice,
but three times.
Think about it:
Jesus was facing
the most severe test of his earthly life.
But at the time
he needed support the most,
his disciples,
including his close friend Peter,
abandoned him.
As soon as Peter realized what he’d done,
he broke down and cried,
feeling crushed by his own guilt.
But how about Jesus?
After he was resurrected,
1 Corinthians 15:5 says
that he appeared to Peter.
Did he use this
as an opportunity to scold Peter,
to let him know
how disappointed he was in him?
We get a clue of what happened
at Mark 16:7.
Note the angelic message
given to the women
who came to Jesus’ tomb:
“But go,
“tell his disciples and Peter,
“‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.
You will see him there,
just as he told you.’”
The study note says for this verse, in part,
that “sometime before Jesus appeared
to his disciples as a group,
“he apparently appeared to Peter
when Peter was alone.
“This personal attention,
“plus the specific mention of Peter
in this angelic message,
“no doubt reassured Peter
that he had been forgiven
for three times denying
any association with his friend.”
We can only imagine
what a relief that must’ve been for Peter.
Clearly, Jesus didn’t forget
what Peter had done.
But Jesus chose to remember,
not the mistakes Peter made,
but the valuable qualities he possessed.
Jesus not only forgave Peter
but he entrusted him with the privilege
of strengthening his brothers.
What an outstanding example Jesus set for us!
If we’ve been hurt by someone
we viewed as a friend,
may we imitate Jesus
and use our memory wisely.
Let’s look at one final example
of how we can use our memory wisely.
It’s again from the man David.
He recalled events in his life
where he experienced
Jehovah’s deliverance and help.
Those memories filled him with confidence
to face even the worst of adversities.
Consider his words at the 27th Psalm,
verses 2 and 3:
“When evil men attacked me
to devour my flesh,
“my adversaries and my enemies
“were the ones who stumbled and fell.
“Though an army
should set up camp against me,
“my heart will not fear.
“Though war should break out against me,
even then I will remain confident.”
Note his resolve:
“My heart will not fear.”
“I will remain confident.”
Can you and I develop
the same firm confidence
that David displayed?
We can if we use our memory wisely.
For instance,
have you ever gone
through a challenging situation,
prayed to Jehovah for his help,
and then saw how he gave you the wisdom
and strength to cope with your trial
or how he worked things out in your behalf?
Remember that.
Have you ever wanted
to do more in Jehovah’s service
and then saw how Jehovah removed
what you felt were mountainlike obstacles
to allow you to accomplish your goal?
Remember that as well.
Throughout the course of our life,
we’ll make many memories.
As we recall our interactions with others,
may we focus on the positive qualities
that our brothers and sisters possess
and remember the good they’ve done.
And as we examine our own heart,
may we endeavor
to throw away any worthless things,
such as resentment and envy,
and continue to develop valuable qualities,
such as love and forgiveness.
And may we always remember
how Jehovah has helped us in the past
and how he is helping us now.
We can be confident that no matter
what difficulties are ahead of us,
we can overcome them
if we use our memory wisely.
In addition to Biblical examples,
we have many modern-day experiences
of those who have used their memory wisely.
One is Brother Don Schwenning.
His memories include
seeing many changes in God’s organization
over a lifetime of service.
What have they taught him?
The modern-day history of Jehovah’s people
has been a story of growth, progress,
and a story of many changes.
I’ve lived through a lot of those changes,
and I can tell you it’s been exciting
and a little scary at times
but always rewarding.
I’ve seen things go from ‘copper to gold.’
My name is Don Schwenning.
I’ve been serving Jehovah for over 70 years,
and I’m just getting started.
My father found the truth
when a coworker shared a book with him,
and soon we all began attending meetings.
That was a big change for us,
but we were warmly welcomed
by the congregation.
I was certainly accepted and invited
and encouraged to become part of it.
It was a real joy to go there
and be acknowledged.
Some organizational changes
have been easy to understand and accept.
When I first received
the New World Translation,
I saw right away
that it was such a great change.
I treasured that book
and read a chapter every day.
It was so easy and clear to understand;
it was not like the King James Bible
that I used to read.
It helped me to understand
that Jehovah was a real Person
and that you could draw close to this Person.
As a result,
I made good progress
and was baptized when I was 16.
After I was baptized and when I turned 18,
I was made a ministerial servant.
One of my first assignments was to conduct
a book study group
with many who were older
and more experienced than I was.
It was overwhelming at first.
Thanks, everyone, for coming.
Uh, let’s, uh—
It was sometimes difficult.
There were times
I didn’t know what I was talking about,
and we went through the information.
But despite my nerves,
the brothers and sisters were
so supportive of me.
I felt like Jehovah was reassuring me
in my new role.
Most changes do affect us one way or another,
and 1972 was a big change for me.
I had been serving
as the congregation servant,
the primary brother taking the lead,
and I carried a heavy load of responsibility.
That’s when the understanding came up
that we would have a body of elders
in the congregation.
I had some feelings about it,
and I didn’t like that feeling.
I wanted to be happy with it,
and I had to work on it.
I think I drew closer to Jehovah
because I made it a matter of prayer,
you know,
to help me understand the situation.
I realized, you know,
that I needed to work on my spirituality.
I saw the wisdom
behind the organizational change.
It’s a wonderful thing,
when I think of the body of elders.
More people are involved
in looking after the congregation.
And it really has worked as a blessing.
I have benefited so much
from the experience of older ones
and the energy of younger brothers.
And I have seen the truth of the proverb:
“There is success through many advisers.”
There are always going to be changes,
and we have to work with Jehovah.
He invites us
to make the change for our benefit.
Maybe we don’t see it initially,
but in the days ahead, we will.
And of course,
the biggest changes are still ahead.
This is the most exciting time
in modern history
to be in Jehovah’s congregation.
If you are a young person,
don’t let these moments pass you by.
Don’t hold back
from getting to know Jehovah’s organization;
become part of it.
Get involved in your local congregation.
Talk to the elders.
Make yourself available
for as many assignments as you can.
Let Jehovah direct you.
Trust in him,
and you will have a life full
of excitement and joy.
If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to work,
and there’s plenty more to do.
It’s probably difficult today for most of us
to even imagine having a congregation
without a body of elders.
But Brother Schwenning found it challenging
to adjust to that change.
What helped him to see things as Jehovah did?
He made it a matter of prayer
and worked to see the wisdom
behind the change.
Let’s see how prayer helped two families
make themselves available
for additional theocratic opportunities
and how they benefited
from opening their homes
to host delegates for special conventions.
In 2015,
a special convention was held
in our city, Medellin,
and we had the privilege
of receiving the invitation
to host delegates in our home.
But at that point,
I was already involved in so much.
Twenty-four hours seemed like nothing.
At that time,
our son was almost a teenager;
he was 11 years old.
My wife was just recovering
from a health problem;
she worried she wouldn’t be able
to do enough for the brothers.
We thought: ‘This isn’t the right time
for us to host delegates.
We can’t accept this privilege right now.’
From the beginning,
we always prayed to Jehovah,
asking him to help us give our son
the best spiritual education possible.
We wanted practical ways
to help him draw closer to Jehovah.
So one day, my wife said,
“Jehovah is so generous with us,
“so let’s imitate him by extending
that generosity to our brothers.”
So after more prayer,
we divided
what needed to be done between us
so that we’d be ready
to receive our brothers and sisters.
When the friends arrived,
they were so loving and so genuine.
It felt like we had known them for years.
We felt so encouraged having them here
and seeing how much
they loved spiritual things.
We could tell
they had a good spiritual routine.
The friendship we formed with these brothers
and the conversations
all had a positive effect on our son.
One day, our son said to me,
“Dad, I want to tell you
something very important.”
And from his own heart,
he expressed how much he loved Jehovah:
“Dad, I want to get baptized.”
When I think
about those friends coming to stay,
it’s clear that it was
Jehovah’s answer to our prayers.
We’re still friends
with these brothers today.
We’ve gone to visit them,
and we have so many good memories
from that convention.
All this makes us so glad
we opened our home and our hearts
to these friends
and showed them our love.
This—it’s priceless.
It gave us so much joy.
I never imagined that showing hospitality
would end up being an answer
to my mom’s prayers and mine.
Abraham extended hospitality to strangers,
and when I heard
about the special convention, I said,
“This is my opportunity,
because I’ve always wanted to host the friends.”
At the time, where we were living
wasn’t what you’d call fully furnished.
We only had the necessities
to sleep and to eat,
and our dining room table was teeny tiny.
But there was another problem.
I was against the decision.
I told them I was not going to help
and to not even ask.
My sister wasn’t serving Jehovah.
I was very focused on furthering my education
and on my work.
I felt very lonely, very empty,
very, very unhappy.
The couple that we ended up hosting
were very down-to-earth.
They were fun, loving,
and so easy to talk to.
Whatever was in the house they ate;
they were up for anything—anything.
Yeah, just like that,
it was as if we
had known each other for years.
That’s how they made us feel.
More than anything,
I could tell they were happy,
and I realized that they were happy
because they served Jehovah.
The hospitality
that my mother and my sister showed
to the brothers—
I’m so grateful
because I got to see those beautiful examples
that helped me
and gave me the push I needed
to draw close to Jehovah.
I requested a study,
really applied myself, and made progress.
On March 7, 2020, I got baptized.
And we gained lifelong friends,
true friends.
We’ve kept in contact with them too.
We actually even have a group chat.
We named it “Big Family.”
That visit was much more than just a gift.
It was a huge blessing from Jehovah
for our whole family.
Stronger families, new friends,
and memories that will sustain us
throughout our lives
are just some of the blessings that come
from doing good deeds for others.
Of course,
not all memories are pleasant.
What about times in our life
that we’d rather forget?
Let’s pay attention to the lessons
outlined in this morning worship,
“We All Stumble Many Times.”
There is so much that we could really say
about this verse at James 3:2:
“We all stumble many times.”
And in the context of James 3:2,
it’s particularly focusing on stumbling
or, as the footnote says,
“[making] mistakes” in our speech.
And over the years,
we’ve heard a lot of really good advice
about how to improve what we say.
We may have heard expressions like,
“Think before you speak”
or “Count to 10”
or “Listen more attentively”
or other good advice about how to watch
and control what we say.
And all of that’s very helpful.
But have you noticed
that even with all that advice
and the experience we have in life,
we still say hurtful things?
We argue or defend ourselves.
And we think to ourselves afterwards,
‘Why did I say that?’
Now, the visual that James uses
of a stumble
is a really good one.
You know, when we stumble, it’s embarrassing
and we kind of look around
to see if anybody saw us.
And after collecting ourselves,
what’s our first inclination?
Naturally, to look down and to see
what caused us to stumble
—maybe there was something on the floor
left there,
or maybe the concrete in the sidewalk
was cracked
and we tripped on where it pushed up,
or maybe we were simply not paying attention
to our feet and tripped over our own feet.
I know there have been times that I’ve
sometimes stumbled on the way down the stairs
because I was thinking so deeply
about something else
that I wasn’t really thinking
about the movement of my feet.
Or in some rare cases, we look
and someone actually stuck their foot out
and was trying to trip us up.
And it’s that natural reaction
—to look down and see
what caused us to stumble—
that we want to focus on this morning.
It’s a key point.
Each stumble is a chance to learn.
We have to take time
after we make a mistake and analyze:
‘What was the situation
that caused my bad reaction?
‘And how can I recognize that situation
and have a better reaction
the next time it happens?’
See, recognizing the situation
that often causes us to say the wrong thing
can help us to prepare ourselves
and control our reaction
before we say something rather than
having to regret it after we’ve said it.
Now, if we keep making the same mistakes
in speech over and over again,
then we’re really not learning
from each of these stumbles, are we?
Now, there are a lot of reasons
why we may trip and fall
—it could be doubt, fear, pride.
But let’s consider
just a couple of these challenges
and see how we can work to identify
and to try to avoid them.
The first one we’ll talk about
is familiarity.
We know so much about a person
that at times we don’t treat them
with respect anymore.
And it may have been a situation
that the writer of our text for today,
James, also faced.
I want you to think for a moment,
‘What was it like for James
to grow up with Jesus as an older brother?’
Maybe he thought:
‘Well you just want to be Mom’s favorite.
You think you’re so perfect.’
Well, it turns out that he was.
See, James did not initially
recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
And one of the reasons may have been,
‘Well I grew up with him.’
At Mark 3:21
we get some idea
of what the family may have thought.
Mark 3:21 says:
“But when his relatives heard about it,
they went out to seize him [Jesus], for they
were saying: ‘He’s gone out of his mind.’”
If you look at the study note there,
it suggests that James is likely
one of the family members
that said those words.
Now, can you imagine how James felt later,
as mentioned at 1 Corinthians chapter 15
and verse 7?
First Corinthians 15:7 says:
“After that he [Jesus] appeared to James,
then to all the apostles.”
Can you imagine how James felt
when Jesus appeared to him
and they had that heart-to-heart discussion?
He probably felt really bad about some
of the things that he had said to Jesus.
Now he recognized that Jesus was the Messiah.
Well, let’s think about our own situation.
Have you found
that you say things to your mate
that you would never say to anyone else?
Does your family know exactly
the right emotional buttons to press
to get you to say the wrong things?
Maybe they do it intentionally, maybe not.
Ask yourself,
‘If this wasn’t a family member,
would I have said the same thing?’
If not, then maybe familiarity
is a situation that we need to think about
and prepare for how we are going to react.
See, the thing we can do
is recognize the pattern
and then break our reaction.
Don’t let the cracked sidewalk
of familiarity trip you up.
See it, prepare for it, and walk around it.
Another situation
is when we feel we’re being attacked.
Now, the key thing for us in these situations
is to identify the emotion
that is triggering the reaction.
What is our emotion
that is triggering the reaction?
Is it jealousy?
Is it pride?
Is it selfishness?
Does it remind us
of some past grievance with the person?
See, by analyzing situations,
we can identify our feeling
that actually causes us to say things,
and in the future, we can address
that feeling with other qualities.
For example,
here are some of the bad reactions
we might have to a situation:
‘I’m not being heard.’
Our reaction: We could speak louder or yell.
‘I’m not being respected.’
Our reaction: We disrespect them.
‘These are twisted accusations.’
Our reaction: We strike out in self-defense
and prove that we are right.
‘I’m being misunderstood.’
Our reaction:
We get frustrated and stop talking.
James (at the end of chapter 3,
verses 14-18)
explains how we could replace some
of those negative feelings with positive ones
—James 3:14-18:
“But if you have bitter jealousy
and contentiousness in your hearts,
“do not be bragging
and lying against the truth.
“This is not the wisdom
that comes down from above;
“it is earthly, animalistic, demonic.
“For wherever there are jealousy
and contentiousness,
“there will also be disorder
and every vile thing.
“But the wisdom from above [now, here we
have some of these qualities we can replace]
“is first of all pure, then peaceable,
“reasonable, ready to obey,
full of mercy and good fruits,
“impartial, not hypocritical.
“Moreover, the fruit of righteousness
is sown in peaceful conditions
for those who are making peace.”
So think the next time that you’re attacked:
What will you say
and how do you want to react?
Maybe even have a practice session
in your mind until you react better.
You know,
for people that we know really well,
we can almost imagine how the conversation
is going to go in our head
(when we say something
and what they may say in return).
Have that practice session.
Now, the first time you have that practice
session, maybe what you say doesn’t go well,
so keep having that practice session
in your mind until it goes well.
Now, when you actually talk to the person,
it’s likely going to go differently
than your practice session.
But the purpose and practical value
of that practice session
is that it helps you to control your emotions
and keep your eyes on the goal
of making peace with others.
That kind of mental preparation
and learning from our past stumbles
can lead to great improvement
in the control of our tongue.
Now, to summarize our main point
—each stumble is a chance to learn—
let’s use James’ illustration
that he talked about earlier at James 3:6.
He likened the tongue to “a fire.”
Now, how would you feel
if you accidentally started a fire?
You’d feel terrible.
But would that be the end of it?
No.
You’d analyze what caused the fire.
Or maybe someone else
does the investigation for you.
But in either case, what would you learn?
Well, not to leave something
on the stove unattended
or that you had the heat up too high
or that you threw water on a grease fire
thinking that that would help.
You learned what not to do the next time.
So think of that same process
when you stumble in words.
Analyze the situation.
What can you learn
to avoid that bad reaction?
Remember, each stumble
is a chance to learn.
When we avoid dwelling on our mistakes
but instead focus
on the lessons we’ve learned,
we can put our memories
—even painful ones—
to good use.
Family heads have a weighty responsibility.
It’s not easy to provide
for all the needs of a family
—physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Let’s see how one father
finds the right balance
in this month’s music video,
Do Not Let Your Hands Drop Down.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
On him I will rely;
he’s always been my Guide.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
He’ll be there for me.
Worries in this life
weigh upon my heart,
Pulling me down—
this world can be hard.
Trying to be strong
when fear makes me weak,
I know deep inside
I’m relying on me.
When I feel like giving up,
I will not run away.
Jehovah is my shelter,
and with him I will stay.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
On him I will rely;
he’s always been my Guide.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
Little things can be
mountains in my way.
Even my own thoughts
could lead me astray.
When I think on things
from his point of view,
I can meditate
on things that are true.
I won’t think of giving up;
I will not run away.
Jehovah is my shelter,
and with him I will stay.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
On him I will rely;
he’s always been my Guide.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
On him I will rely;
he’s always been my Guide.
I will not let
my hands drop down.
I can clearly see
he’ll be there for me.
Family heads,
Jehovah sees how
you love and support your families.
It may not be easy,
but if you don’t let your hands drop down,
Jehovah will help you and your family
enjoy real success.
In our series Dig for Treasures,
we’ve learned how to get the most
out of our Bible reading.
Now we’ve come to the final book
of the Hebrew Scriptures,
Malachi.
Let’s see what we can learn
about Jehovah “as a refiner.”
I can’t believe we’re already
at the end of these 12 prophets!
I know.
These Family Worship sessions have flown by.
Do you know what I really appreciated?
That point about researching the conditions
that existed at the time
each book was written.
For sure.
So, what stood out to you in Malachi?
Well, Malachi’s prophecy
is not only the last book
in the Hebrew scriptures
but it’s also the last chronologically.
And yet, after all of Jehovah’s patience
and correction from the previous prophets,
the Israelites had fallen right back
into practices Jehovah hated—again.
Yeah, those first two chapters
really expose what was happening.
The people were disrespecting Jehovah,
offering lame sacrifices,
some were even abandoning their wives
—possibly for false worshippers.
And the priests?
They were fine with it all.
Honestly, if it were me,
I think I would’ve given up on them.
But that’s not what Jehovah does.
That’s why he sent Malachi.
Exactly.
You know, as I was reading,
specific words started to stand out to me.
It’s amazing how much meaning you can unlock
just by noticing the specific wording.
Definitely.
So, what were the words
that stood out to you?
Chapter 3, verse 3
says Jehovah would “sit as a refiner . . .
and . . . cleanse the sons of Levi.”
Those two words, “refiner” and “sit,”
got me thinking.
Oh, yeah?
Well, I searched those terms
in the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY™
and, after some digging,
I found this reference.
It says:
“The ancient process of refining took time.
“Therefore, the refiner would often ‘sit,’
“waiting until the liquid metal reflected
“like a highly polished mirror
and he could see his image in it.”
That made me think:
‘Isn’t that exactly what Jehovah was doing
with Israel all along?’
He let them go through trials,
corrected them,
and sent his prophets time and again.
He was patiently refining them spiritually.
Isn’t that just like Jehovah?
Even when people disappoint him,
he never treats his people in a harsh way
and isn’t quick to give up on them.
He sits, patiently refining.
He did it with Israel,
and he does it with us today.
Refinement can come
in the form of counsel from God’s Word
or his representatives
or from a trial we’re going through.
The counsel may hurt,
or the trial may be intense,
and it might last longer than we’d like,
but these things can refine us spiritually.
That’s true.
But why?
What do you think that says
about Jehovah as a person?
That Jehovah sees the potential in people.
So even though the refining process
might be intense,
it’s because Jehovah sees
what we can become.
So could we say that Jehovah’s refinement
isn’t punishment but it’s love?
Yes.
In fact, Malachi was inspired
to open his book with the statement:
“I have shown love to you people.”
But let’s keep going with that.
This 2018 Watchtower
had great questions for meditation,
like: “How does this make me feel?”
and “How can I apply [this]?”
I like that.
Those are great questions for meditation.
And thinking about it,
when we get counseled
—yeah—
sometimes it stings.
But remembering that Jehovah corrects us
because he loves us
—that makes it easier to take.
It’s because he sees
who we can become even when we don’t.
And for me, I ask myself:
‘Am I really submitting
to Jehovah’s refinement?
‘I see some aspects of my personality
I need to improve,
‘but how often do I pray to Jehovah about it?
‘Do I take the counsel that I receive
from the Bible and from the organization
‘and let it settle deep down,
‘or do I ignore it?
‘Or when Jehovah lets me go through a trial,
‘do I focus on the trial and get bitter,
‘or will I let it refine my inner qualities
like mildness and patience?
What is Jehovah helping me
to see about myself?’
Good questions.
You know, high heat and time
bring impurities to the surface.
So when a trial, persecution,
or stressful situation
lasts longer than we expect,
it’s uncomfortable.
It can bring out deep feelings
and motivations we didn’t know we had.
I know that’s happened to me.
And honestly, I didn’t react so well.
I said things I regretted.
I felt things I didn’t like.
It’s discouraging.
I thought I was
further along spiritually than that.
I’m sorry.
I totally get that.
But, you know, that’s why
this word picture is so reassuring.
Jehovah knows our imperfections
are going to come out.
He expects it.
But that’s not what he’s focused on.
He’s focused on the gold.
So when Jehovah helps us see a weakness,
we can try to view it as an opportunity
to work at getting rid of that weakness,
not as a reason to give up.
Good point.
Jehovah may let me
go through something uncomfortable
because he knows what I can become.
Imagine how he feels when he sees
his qualities reflected in you and me.
Hmm.
You know,
we can also reflect Jehovah’s personality
in how we view others.
‘Do I see the good in them?
‘Do I see their potential,
‘the version of themselves
they’ll become in the new world?
Or do I just see the flaws?’
Yeah.
‘Can I see what Jehovah loves about them?’
Maybe those personality traits
I find annoying
are actually strengths
in the right assignment.
Great point.
And it’s the same in our marriage.
I want to focus on the gold
and our good qualities,
not on each other’s weaknesses or faults.
No matter how long we’ve been married,
since Jehovah sees
what we’ll become in the future,
that’s what I want to focus on too.
What beautiful treasures just from one verse!
Absolutely.
We learned so much
just by considering the existing conditions,
digging into specific words,
and meditating on how to apply it.
There’s still so much to explore,
like how Malachi’s prophecy
connects to the Messiah.
This is a deep book of prophecy after all.
Yeah.
Malachi was the last prophet
of the Hebrew Scriptures
before the Messiah appeared.
But his message continued to echo.
Malachi leads us to John the Baptizer.
John the Baptizer leads us to Jesus.
Outstanding!
But also, how does this book
highlight Jehovah’s care of women?
Or how does the term “special property”
relate to you and me?
There’s so much here in this book
that I can’t wait to dig into.
Studying these prophets
has been so rewarding.
We’ve seen Jehovah’s loyal love,
mercy, concern, power.
Jehovah’s personality is in every chapter.
We see Jehovah in a whole new light.
So let’s keep digging.
We haven’t even scratched
the surface of God’s Word.
Jehovah is the Great Refiner,
patiently showing us
how to improve as individuals
and as an organization.
Take time to consider,
‘How is Jehovah refining me
to become an even better servant of his?’
We’ve enjoyed 12 different prophets
brought to life
in the Dig for Treasures series.
To produce realistic videos,
production teams must create
the world in which they occur:
an Israelite village,
a modern apartment building,
or any other location.
Have you ever wondered
how our production teams do this?
Let’s find out.
Our main goal in any video
is to actually teach.
And to do that, we have to reach the heart.
And to do that,
we actually have to build
this world that is real
and feels authentic to the audience.
So very early in the process,
we have to decide,
Can we do this on an existing location,
or do we need to build a set?
Since we’re working with donated funds,
we want to make sure
we use these funds efficiently.
We know this is
our friends’ hard-earned money
that they put into donations,
so it is very important
that we make the best use of dedicated funds
when we’re building these sets.
So before we build a set,
we’ll first check
if any existing locations might work.
Sometimes brothers and sisters
in the local area
allow us to use their homes temporarily.
We can use public locations
with the correct permits.
Or we can just shoot on a Bethel property.
In one video, there was a production team
that had a scene that required a hospital.
But rather than building a set
or going to a hospital,
they actually found a window
on Bethel property
that looked perfect.
And they used that
to shoot one portion of the scene
and then added stock footage of a baby.
And that was exactly what was needed
to complete the scene
in just a couple of shots.
For some projects,
we realize we can’t use an existing location,
so then we need to start looking
into building a set.
Once it’s determined that a set
needs to be built for a production,
a production designer
will get together with the team,
and they will determine
what the set needs are.
A director of photography
will work with his team
to create a shot list,
a list of different camera angles
needed to tell the story.
This helps the production designer
to understand what’s going to be in the frame
and where the focus will be for each scene.
That way we only build
exactly what we need to tell the story.
If you come from a building trade,
typically you build things
that are going to last.
With set construction, it’s very different.
We want our product to be quickly installed
and quickly taken down.
You still want it to look good,
but it’s a temporary structure.
We’ll oftentimes build things to look real,
but aren’t necessarily needing to function,
like a kitchen, for example.
We may choose to build a kitchen facade
with the doors and drawers
that don’t open and close.
We’ll also do this with stairwells.
We don’t build second stories on our sets,
but we’ll build a stairwell to imply
that a space exists in the set.
It saves both time and money.
When it comes to building a set,
we often use what we call a flat,
which is just a wall panel
that we can build ahead of time,
or premanufacture.
They’re easy to assemble;
they’re quick to install.
And when we’re done with it,
we don’t have to dispose of it.
After a project, if they paint it
and they put things on the surface,
we’ll take that surface off.
We’ll take out all the staples
or whatever was there before.
We’ll then add a new sheet
of quarter-inch (6 mm) plywood to it.
And now we have a flat
that’s as good as new.
Some of these flats that we’ve had,
we’ve been using for over nine years.
When we’re building a new set,
we often want to take into consideration
what it can be reused and repurposed for.
For example,
when we were filming the Hezekiah,
“O Jehovah, . . . I Trust in You” drama,
a request was made to reuse
and repurpose as much of the materials
as we could.
Flash forward to almost a decade later,
we’re still reusing and repurposing
those same materials.
So our department has been actively looking
at how to reuse and repurpose resources
for a long time.
For example, one of the sets from Josiah
was reused in Nehemiah
and the David series.
We also had a set
that was used as a modern-day classroom,
then repurposed for a vintage classroom,
and later for a South American home.
We’ve even built a Kingdom Hall set
that has been utilized
for many different productions.
It actually is sized for video production,
which means we can make it look full
with about 30 people,
unlike a real Kingdom Hall location.
The library in the back
has also been repurposed
to portray other locations.
For example, we’ve been able to make it
look like a bedroom in someone’s home
or an interview location.
When reusing a set
for a different production,
there’s always the concern
that the audience is going to recognize it
from a previous video.
That’s where set dressing comes in.
With a few strategic changes,
we can really transform a space
and allow viewers
to think that it’s
a completely different set.
Designing accurate and impressive sets
is rewarding,
but finding creative solutions
to challenges the team is facing
or bringing simplicity
to an otherwise complex process
can be even more rewarding.
It’s a real pleasure to be surrounded
by so many brothers and sisters
who are so talented and creative
in being able to solve problems.
They take the simplest looking location
and turn it into something
that looks fantastic on camera,
but they’re doing that all
so they can help teach
their brothers and sisters.
It’s a beautiful thing.
What a blessing from Jehovah our videos are!
Maybe we’ll all watch them
a little differently
now that we’ve seen
how much effort and creativity
go into building the places we see on screen.
In this month’s broadcast,
we’ve seen how we can use our memories
to better please Jehovah
by adapting to change,
by doing good for others,
and by allowing Jehovah to refine us.
For this month’s postcard,
we go to Cambodia.
Cambodia,
located in the heart of Southeast Asia,
is known for its vibrant culture and cuisine.
In bustling markets,
locals gather fresh ingredients
to prepare a beloved staple, amok trei,
a famous fish curry
wrapped in banana leaves.
Traveling beyond the cities,
the country reveals its natural beauty.
You’ll find powerful waterfalls
in the northeast,
impressive wildlife like the Asian elephants
and giant ibis in the protected forests,
and beautiful lotus fields
in nearly every province.
Cambodia is also home to zircon gemstones
with a distinct color called Ratanakiri blue.
To achieve this unique hue,
artisans subject the stones to intense heat,
permanently transforming them.
In the late 1950’s,
missionaries arrived
to begin sharing their beliefs.
By 1965,
missionaries,
such as George and Carol Crawford,
needed to leave the country
due to the instability
that was occurring at that time.
In fact, for a time,
religious activities
were impossible to carry out.
Due to this,
there were no Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cambodia
for almost 25 years.
But Jehovah didn’t forget
the honesthearted ones in Cambodia.
In 1993,
Jehovah’s Witnesses
received legal recognition,
and missionaries were welcomed back.
Today, 33 years
after the activity was resumed,
there are already over 1,200 Witnesses,
including hundreds of brothers and sisters
from around the world.
Drawn to the beauty
of the people and the country,
they currently conduct 1,400 Bible studies.
It’s not hard to understand
why many who have visited
have quickly come to love
the happy, sincere people
they’ve found there.
Recently, the country’s very first
School for Kingdom Evangelizers was held.
Twenty brothers and sisters
benefited fully from the school,
including a missionary couple
who had been longing
for such an educational opportunity
ever since graduating from Gilead in 1999.
The younger Cambodian brothers and sisters
studied together
with experienced missionaries.
Two of the graduates were assigned
to the Chbar Ampov Congregation.
This congregation assists
with the remote territory of Svay Rieng,
some 120 kilometers, or 75 miles, away.
The remote group
connects to meetings virtually,
and publishers from Chbar Ampov
travel there periodically
to share their beliefs
and encourage their brothers and sisters.
The publishers
of the Chbar Ampov Congregation
and the Svay Rieng group
send their warm love and greetings
to the worldwide brotherhood.
Isn’t it encouraging to see
how our brothers in other lands
are busy praising Jehovah?
From the world headquarters
of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
this is JW Broadcasting.

JW Broadcasting—November 2026