REAL FAITHYour Key to a
Happy Life
1 Does God Care About Us? 3
2 What Is Real Faith? 4
3 Practical Counsel That Improves Lives 6
4 Who Is God? 10
5 Appreciating Godâs Matchless Qualities 12
6 What Is Godâs Purpose for the Earth? 15
7 What God Promised Through the Prophets 18
8 The Messiah Appears 20
9 Learning From Messiah the Leader 22
10 Exposing the Enemy of Faith 24
11 Showing Real Faith Today 26
12 Show That You Have Real Faith! 28
13 Real Faith Leads to Everlasting Happiness 30
CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
Photo Credits: Page 13, bottom: Todd Bolen/BiblePlaces.com; page 25, globe: Based on NASA/Visible Earth imagery
ďż˝ 2010Monominoto Seisho Sasshi KyokaiAll Rights Reserved
PublishersMonominoto Seisho Sasshi Kyokai
2010 Printing
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwideeducational work supported by voluntary donations.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-languageNew World Translation of the Holy ScripturesâWith References
Real FaithâYour Key to a Happy Life English (rk-E)
TODAYâS world is full of prob-lems.Wars, natural disasters, sick-
ness, poverty, corruption, and oth-er evils afflict millions of people. You
too may face daily worries. Who canhelp us? Does anyone care?
We can be sure that God truly cares.In his Holy Word, he states: âCan awife forget her suckling so that sheshould not pity the son of her belly?Even thesewomencan forget, yet Imy-self shall not forget you.âďż˝
Is that not comforting to know?Godâs love is far greater than a moth-erâs tender compassion for her baby
ďż˝ See Isaiah 49:15 in the Holy Scriptures.
âone of the strongest human emo-tions. Never will God abandon us! In-deed, he has already come to our aid ina marvelous way. How? By showing usthe key to a happy lifeâreal faith.
Having genuine faith will make youhappy. Such faith will help you toavoid many problems and to deal suc-cessfully with problems you cannotavoid. It will also draw you close toGod, bringing you peace of mindand heart. And real faith leads to awonderful futureâeverlasting life inParadise!
But what is real faith? And how canyou cultivate it?
1 Does God Care About Us?
Godâs love for us isgreater than that of amother for her baby
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 3
HAVING real faith is more than just be-lieving that God exists. There are mil-lions of people who believe in Godyet deliberately do wicked deeds. Suchâfaithâ is like counterfeit money. Itlooks real but is actually worthless.What, then, is real faith?
Real faith is based on accurate knowl-edge of the Holy Scriptures. These in-spired writings tell us the truth aboutGod and enable us to get to know him.They reveal his laws, purposes, andteachings. These teachings include:
Ë God isone.Hehasnoequal.Ë Jesus isnot AlmightyGod.He is
Godâs prophet.Ë Godcondemns idolatry in all its
forms.
Ë Humans face a comingdayofjudgment.
Ë Countless deadhumanswill beresurrected toParadise.
Real faith moves us to do fine works.Such works honor God and also bene-fit us and others. These fine works in-clude such things as
Ë worshippingGod.Ë cultivating godly qualities
âespecially love.Ë rejectingevil thoughts
anddesires.Ë maintaining faith inGod
despite trials.Ë teachingothers about
God.
2 What Is Real Faith?
Like money, faith must bereal to have value
We can be sure that God has keptthe Holy Scriptures in a pure form forus today. God Almighty can protecthis own book. His Word states: âThegreen grass has dried up, the blossomhas withered; but as for the word ofour God, it will last to time indefinite.ââIsaiah 40:8.
God Safeguards His Word
4 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
How Can You Cultivate Real Faith?
Ask God for help. The prophet Mosesprayed toGod: âMakemeknow, please,your ways, that I may know you, in or-der that Imay find favor inyour eyes.âďż˝God heard and answered his prayer.Mosesbecameanoutstandingexampleof faith. God will also help you to cul-tivate real faith.
Make time to study the Holy Scriptures.Inspired Scriptures, including the To-rah, the Psalms, and the Gospels, maybe found in the Holy Bible, the mostwidely translated and distributed book
ďż˝ Exodus 33:13.
in the world. Do you have a copy ofthese inspired writings?
Apply the counsel of the Holy Writingsin your daily life. Faith, like a muscle,grows through use. As you exerciseyour faith, it too will grow. You willsee firsthand that Godâs advice works.Indeed, the practical counsel foundin the Holy Scriptures has improvedcountless lives. Read on to considersome examples.
How Would You Answer?
Ë Real faith is based on what?
Ë Real faith prompts what finedeeds?
Ë How can you cultivate real faith?
Real faithproduces good
works
Faith, like amuscle, growsthrough use
IMAGINE that a new doctor movedinto your area. At first you may be a lit-tle wary of him. But what if some ofyour friends sought his help and theirhealth improved dramatically? Mightyou not consider consulting that doc-tor too?
In some ways, the Holy Scripturesare like that doctor. Some people arewary of consulting them. But whenthey apply the wise counsel foundtherein, their lives improve dramati-cally. Consider some examples.
Resolving Marriage Problems
âEarly in my marriage, I felt that Du-mas, my husband, neglected me,â re-calls Sumiatun. âIn frustration, I oftenscreamed abuse at him, hurled objectsat him, even hit him. Sometimes I gotso worked up, I fainted.
âWhen Dumas began to study theHoly Scriptures, I mocked him. But se-cretly I listened in on his studies fromthe next room. One day, I heard someverses read: âLet wives be in subjectionto theirhusbands as to the Lord . . . Thewife should have deep respect for herhusband.â (Ephesians 5:22, 33) Thesewords touched my heart. I asked Godto forgive me for abusing my husband,and I prayed for His help to become abetter wife. Soon Dumas and I werestudying the Scriptures together.â
The Holy Scriptures also say: âHus-bands ought to be loving their wives
as their own bodies.â (Ephesians 5:28) Sumiatun relates: âLearning thesethings affected us both. I began tobring Dumas a cup of tea when hecame home from work and to speak tohim in a kind way. Dumas, in turn,showed me more affection and helpedme with the household chores. Weboth worked to âbecome kind to oneanother, tenderly compassionate, free-ly forgiving one another.â (Ephesians4:32) In turn, our love and respect foreach other steadily grew. Now we havebeenhappilymarried forover40 years.The wise counsel in Godâs Word savedour marriage!â
3 Practical Counsel ThatImproves Lives
Dumas andSumiatun
6 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
Controlling Anger
âI had a violent temper,â says Tayib.âI got into many fights and oftenthreatened others with a gun. I alsobeat my wife, Kustriyah, knocking herto the ground in a rage. Many peoplefeared me.
âOne day, I read Jesusâ words: âI amgiving you a new commandment, thatyou love one another; just as I haveloved you.â (John 13:34) I was deeplymoved, and I determined to change.When anger welled up inside me, Iprayed toGod forhelp to staycalm.Myanger soon subsided. My wife and I ap-plied the counsel of Ephesians 4:26,27: âLet the sun not set with you ina provoked state, neither allow placefor the Devil.â We read the Scripturesand prayed together every night. Thisswept away the tensions of the day anddrew us closer together.
âNowI amknownas amanof peace.My wife and children love and respectme. I have many friends, and I feelclose to God. I am a truly happy man.â
Overcoming Drug Abuse
âI ran with a gang of youths, was aheavy smoker, and regularly spent thenight collapsed in the street, drunk,âsays Goin. âI also used and sold illicitdrugsâmarijuana and ecstasyâwhichI kept hidden under my bulletproofvest. Although I looked and actedtough, I lived in constant fear.
âThen someone showed me thisscripture: âMy son, my law do not for-get . . . because length of days andyears of life and peace will be addedto you.â (Proverbs 3:1, 2) I yearned fora long and peaceful life! I also read:
Kustriyah and Tayib praytogether every night
Goin
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 7
âSincewehave thesepromises, belovedones, let us cleanse ourselves of everydefilement of flesh and spirit, perfect-ingholiness inGodâs fear.â (2Corinthi-ans 7:1) So I quit drugs, cut off my as-sociation with the gang, and startedserving God.
âI have now been drug-free for over17 years. I enjoy good health, a happyfamily, good friends, and a clear con-science. And instead of lying in thestreet drunk, I sleep peacefully in bedevery night.â
Conquering Racial Prejudice
âAs a teenager, I lived a life of crime,ârecalls Bambang, âand most of my vic-tims belonged to an ethnic minoritythat I hated.
âIn time, however, I began search-ing for God. My search led me to agroup thatmet to study theHoly Scrip-tures. There, I was greeted warmly bypeople of the very ethnic background
that I hated! I also saw that withinthe study group, different races mixedfreely and happily. I was amazed! Ithen understood the scripture thatsays: âGod is not partial, but in everynation the man that fears him andworks righteousness is acceptable tohim.ââActs 10:34-35.
âToday, my heart is no longer poi-soned by prejudice. Some of my bestfriends belong to the ethnic group Ionce hated. Through the Holy Scrip-tures, God has taught me to love.â
Abandoning Violence
âWhile still a teenager, I was jailedthree timesâtwice for stealing andonce for brutally stabbing a man,â saysGaroga. âLater, I joined a rebel groupand killed many people. After the con-flict ended, I ran an extortion racket asa crime boss. My bodyguards accom-panied me everywhere. I was a violentand dangerous man.
Bambang now enjoys happyassociation with people ofdifferent races
âThen, one day, I read this scrip-ture: âLove is long-suffering and kind.Love is not jealous, it does not brag,does not get puffed up, does not be-have indecently, does not look for itsown interests, does not become pro-voked. It does not keep account of theinjury.â (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5) Thosewords touched my heart. I moved to anew area, studied the Scriptures, andapplied their counsel in my life.
âNow I am no longer a violent man.Instead, I am respected as a teacher ofGodâs Word. My life has true directionand purpose.â
Godâs Word Exerts Power
These and countless other experi-ences prove that âthe word of God isalive and exerts power.â (Hebrews 4:12) Its counsel is simple, practical, andupbuilding.
Can the Holy Scriptures help youtoo? Yes, they can, with whateverproblem you may be facing. âAll Scrip-ture is inspired of God and beneficialfor teaching, for reproving, for setting
things straight, fordisciplining in righ-teousness, that themanofGodmaybefully competent, completely equippedfor every good work.ââ2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
Therefore, let us consider some ba-sic teachings found in the Holy Scrip-tures.
What Do You Think?
Ë Which of the above experiencesimpressed you the most? Why?
Ë How can the Holy Scriptures helpyou?
Garoga is no longer a violentman but a respected teacherof Godâs Word
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 9
PEOPLE worship many gods. But theHoly Scriptures teach that there is onlyone true God. He is unique, supreme,and eternal. He created everything inheaven and on earth, and he gave uslife. Therefore, he alone is worthy ofour worship.
God has many titles but only onepersonal nameâJEHOVAH. God toldMoses: âThis is what you are to say tothe sons of Israel, âJehovah the God ofyour forefathers, the God of Abraham,the God of Isaac and the God of Ja-cob, has sent me to you.â This is myname to time indefinite, and this isthememorial ofme togenerationaftergeneration.â (Exodus 3:15) The nameJehovah appears some 7,000 times inthe Holy Scriptures. As Psalm 83:18says about God, âyou, whose name isJehovah, you alone are the Most Highover all the earth.â
No human has ever seen God. Godtold Moses: âYou are not able to seemy face, because no man may see meand yet live.â (Exodus 33:20) God livesin the heavens and is invisible to hu-man eyes. It is wrong to make or prayto an idol, picture, or symbol of God.Jehovah God commanded throughthe prophet Moses: âYou must notmake for yourself a carved image or aform like anything that is in the heav-ens above or that is on the earth un-derneath or that is in the waters underthe earth. You must not bow down tothem nor be induced to serve them,
because I Jehovah your God am a Godexacting exclusive devotion.â (Exodus20:2-5) Later, through the prophet Isa-iah, God said: âI am Jehovah. That ismy name; and to no one else shall Igive my own glory, neither my praiseto graven images.ââIsaiah 42:8.
Some people believe in God butmay view him as unknowable and un-approachable, someone to fear ratherthan to love. What do you think? IsGod interested in you personally? Canyou really get to know him, even drawclose to him? Let us see what the Scrip-tures say about Godâs personal quali-ties.
4 Who Is God?
Ancient Dead Sea Scrollscripture manuscript showing
Godâs name
10 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
How Would You Answer?
Ë Why should we worship God?
Ë What is Godâs name?
Ë Why should we not use idols orsymbols to worship God?
Ë How does God use his holyspirit and angels to accomplishhis will?
The Law was given through theprophet Moses as âthe word spoken
through angelsâ
How does God accomplish hiswill? One way is by sending forth hisholy spirit. Godâs spirit is, not aconscious being or an angel, but hisinvisible active force, the limitlessenergy that he projects to accomplishwhatever he chooses. God used thisforce to create heaven and earth.âBy the word of Jehovah the heavensthemselves were made, and by thespirit of his mouth all their army.â(Psalm 33:6) Genesis 1:2 explains thatwhen the earth was still covered withwater and God was preparing the earthfor human habitation, âGodâs activeforce was moving to and fro over thesurface of the waters.â God then usedhis holy spirit to create all forms of lifeon earth.
God also uses angels to carry outhis will. God created them to live inheaven with him. Angels are verypowerful. They convey divine messagesand perform other important tasks.For example, the Scriptures refer to theLaw given through the prophet Mosesas âthe word spoken through angels.âGodâs angels also help his servants onearth. In fact, the Scriptures call Godâsangels âspirits for public service,sent forth to minister for those whoare going to inherit salvation.ââHebrews 1:14; 2:2.
Godâs Holy Spirit andHis Angels
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 11
THE Holy Scriptures reveal Godâsmany wonderful qualities, enabling usto get to know him. For instance, theScriptures tell us of Godâs four main at-tributesâpower, justice, wisdom, andlove. Let us consider each of them.
Limitless in Power
Jehovah told Abraham: âI am GodAlmighty.â (Genesis 17:1) His poweris matchless, limitless, and inexhaust-ible. By his power, God created the en-tire universe.
God never misuses his power. He al-ways uses it in a controlled and pur-poseful way. He perfectly balances hisuse of power with his justice, wisdom,and love.
Jehovah generously uses his powerin behalf of his faithful servants. âHiseyes are roving about through all theearth to show his strength in behalf ofthose whose heart is complete towardhim.â (2 Chronicles 16:9) Are you notdrawn to this powerful yet caring God?
A God of Justice
âJehovah is a lover of justice.â(Psalm 37:28) He always does what isright and fair according to his ownper-fect standard.
God hates injustice. He âtreats nonewith partiality nor accepts a bribe.â(Deuteronomy 10:17) He opposesthose who oppress others, and he actsin behalf of the vulnerable, including
âanywidowor fatherless boy.â (Exodus22:22) God views all humans withoutprejudice. âGod is not partial, but inevery nation the man that fears himand works righteousness is acceptableto him.ââActs 10:34, 35.
Jehovahâs justice is perfectly bal-anced. He is never too lenient, nevertoo harsh. He punishes unrepentantwrongdoers but extends tender mer-cy to repentant ones. âJehovah is mer-ciful and gracious, slow to anger andabundant in loving-kindness. He willnot for all time keep finding fault, nei-ther will he to time indefinite keep re-sentful. He has not done to us evenaccording to our sins; nor accordingto our errors has he brought upon uswhat we deserve.â (Psalm 103:8-10)God also remembers and rewards thefaithful acts of his loyal servants. Doesnot the God of such justice merit yourtrust?
5 Appreciating GodâsMatchless Qualities
God is mightyin power
12 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
A God of Wisdom
Jehovah is the Source of all wisdom. âO thedepth of Godâs riches and wisdom and knowl-edge!â (Romans 11:33) His wisdom is un-rivaled and infinite.
Godâs wisdom is clearly seen in physical cre-ation. âHowmanyyour works are,O Jehovah!âexclaimed thepsalmist. âAll of them inwisdomyou have made.ââPsalm 104:24.
Godâs wisdom is also revealed in the HolyScriptures. King David wrote: âThe reminderof Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexpe-rienced one wise.â (Psalm 19:7) Just imagineâyou can draw on Godâs boundless wisdom!Will you take advantage of that opportunity?
âGod Is Loveâ
Jehovahâs principal attribute is love. âGod islove,â the Scriptures tell us. (1 John 4:8) Lovemotivates and guides all he does.
God shows his love for us in countless ways.He gives us good things. âHe did good, giving
God is impartial
Godâs creative wisdominspires awe
The Holy Scripturescontain Godâs wisdom
you rains from heaven and fruitfulseasons, filling your hearts to the fullwith food and good cheer.â (Acts 14:17) Indeed, âevery good gift and everyperfect present is from above, for itcomes down from the Father of thecelestial lights.â (James 1:17) Throughthe priceless gift of the Scriptures, Godreveals the truth about himself andteaches us his loving laws and princi-ples. âYour word is truth,â said Jesus inprayer.âJohn 17:17.
God also helps us in our trials.âThrow your burden upon Jehovahhimself, and he himself will sustain
you. Never will he allow the righteousone to totter.â (Psalm 55:22) He for-gives our sins. âYou, O Jehovah, aregood and ready to forgive; and theloving-kindness to all those callingupon you is abundant.â (Psalm 86:5)And he even offers us everlasting life.âHe will wipe out every tear from theireyes, and death will be no more, nei-ther will mourning nor outcry norpain be anymore.â (Revelation 21:4)How will you respond to Godâs love?Will you love him in return?
Draw Close to God
God wants you to know him well.His Word urges you: âDraw close toGod, and he will draw close to you.â(James 4:8) God called the faithfulprophet Abraham âmy friend.â (Isa-iah 41:8) Jehovah wants you to be hisfriend too.
The more you learn about God, thecloser you will feel to him and thehappier you will be. âHappy is themanâ whose âdelight is in the law ofJehovah, and in his law he reads in anundertone day and night.â (Psalm 1:1, 2) Therefore, keep on studying theHoly Scriptures. Meditate on Godâsqualities and works. Show your lovefor God by applying what you learn.âThis is what the love of God means,that we observe his commandments;and yet his commandments are notburdensome.â (1 John 5:3) Pray, then,as did the psalmist: âMake me knowyour own ways, O Jehovah; teach meyour ownpaths. Make me walk in yourtruth.â (Psalm 25:4, 5) You will findthat God âis not far off from each oneof us.ââActs 17:27.
What Do You Think?
Ë Which of Godâs qualitiesespecially appeals to you? Why?
Ë How can you draw close toGod?
Praying andmeditating on Godâsqualities will drawyou closer to him
15
GOD created the earth to bemankindâs perfect home. His
Word states: âTo Jehovah the heav-ens belong, but the earth he has givento the sons of men.ââPsalm 115:16.
Before he created the first man,Adam, God chose one small part of theearth called Eden and there planted abeautiful garden. The Scriptures statethat the Euphrates and Tigris (Hidde-kel) rivers had their source in Eden.�The garden of Eden is thought to havebeen located in what is now easternTurkey. Yes, the garden of Eden reallydid exist on earth!
God created Adam and settled himin the garden of Eden âto cultivateit and to take care of it.â (Genesis 2:15) Later, God created a wife for AdamâEve. God commanded the couple:âBe fruitful and become many andfill the earth and subdue it.â (Gene-sis 1:28) Clearly, God âdid not create[the earth] simply for nothing, [but]formed it even to be inhabited.ââIsa-iah 45:18.
Adam and Eve, however, rebelledagainst God by deliberately breakinghis law. God therefore put them out of
ďż˝ Genesis 2:10-14 says: âThere was a river issuingout of Eden to water the garden, and from there it be-gan to be parted and it became, as it were, four heads.The first oneâs name is Pishon . . . the name of thesecond river is Gihon . . . the name of the third riveris Hiddekel [or, Tigris]; it is the one going to the eastof Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.â Thelocation and identity of the first two rivers are notknown.
the garden of Eden. Paradise was lost.And the damage caused by Adamâs sinwent further. The Scriptures tell us:âThrough one man sin entered intothe world and death through sin,and thus death spread to all men be-cause they had all sinned.ââRomans5:12.
Did Jehovah abandon his originalpurposeâthat the earth be a paradiseinhabited by happy people? No! Godstates: âMy word that goes forth frommy mouth will . . . not return to mewithout results, but it will certainly dothat in which I have delighted, andit will have certain success in that forwhich I have sent it.â (Isaiah 55:11)Paradise will be restored on earth!
What will life in Paradise be like?Consider the Scriptural promisesshown on the following two pages.
6 What Is Godâs Purposefor the Earth?
How Would You Answer?
Ë What was Godâs original purposefor the earth and man?
Ë How do we know that God willfulfill that purpose?
The dead will be resurrected: âAll those in thememorial tombs will hear his voice and comeout.ââJohn 5:28, 29.
No more old age, infirmity, ordeath: âNo resident will say: âIam sick.â â (Isaiah 33:24) Godâwill wipe out every tear fromtheir eyes, and death will beno more, neither will mourn-ing nor outcry nor pain be any-more.ââRevelation 21:4.
Plenty of good food:âThe earth itself will certainlygive its produce; God, our God,will bless us.ââPsalm 67:6.
17
A Coming Earthly Paradise
Fine homes and satisfying work: âTheywill certainly build houses and have occu-pancy . . . The work of their own hands mychosen ones will use to the full.ââIsaiah65:21, 22.
No more war, crime, or violence:Jehovah âis making wars to cease tothe extremity of the earth.â (Psalm46:9) âThe wicked . . . will be cut offfrom the very earth.ââProverbs 2:22.
THE ancient prophets showed faith inGod. They believed his promises andbuilt their lives around them. Whatdid those promises include?
Immediately after Adam and Eve re-belled in Eden, God promised that hewould appoint someone to crush thehead of âthe serpent,â representingâthe great dragon . . . , the original ser-pent, the one called Devil and Satan,âdestroying him forever. (Genesis 3:14,15; Revelation 12:9, 12) Who wouldthat Coming One prove to be?
Some 2,000 years after giving thatfirst prophecy, Jehovah promised theprophet Abraham that the ComingOnewouldbe adescendantofhis.Godtold Abraham: âBy means of your seed[or, offspring] all nations of the earthwill certainly bless themselves due to
the fact that you have listened to myvoice.ââGenesis 22:18.
In1473B.C.E., Godgave the prophetMoses further information about theâseed.â Moses told the children of Isra-el: âA prophet from your own midst,from your brothers, like me, is whatJehovah your God will raise up for youâto him you people should listen.â(Deuteronomy 18:15) The comingprophet like Moses would thus comefrom among the children of Abraham.
That prophet would also be a de-scendant of King David and wouldhimself become a great king. Godpromised King David: âI shall certain-ly raise up your seed after you [and]establish the throne of his kingdomfirmly to time indefinite.â (2 Samuel7:12, 13) God also revealed that this
7 What God PromisedThrough the Prophets
The promised âseedâ would . . .
descend fromAbraham
be a prophet likeMoses
18 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
descendant of David would be calledâPrince of Peace,â adding: âTo theabundance of the princely rule and topeace there will be no end, upon thethrone of David and upon his king-dom in order to establish it firmlyand to sustain it by means of justiceand by means of righteousness, fromnow on and to time indefinite.â (Isa-iah 9:6, 7) Yes, that righteous Leaderwould restore global peace and justice.But when would he arrive?
The angel Gabriel later told Godâsprophet Daniel: âYou should knowand have the insight that from thegoing forth of the word to restoreand to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes-siah the Leader, there will be sevenweeks, also sixty-two weeks.â (Daniel9:25) Those were 69 weeks of yearsâ7 years eachâthat totaled 483 years.They ran from 455 B.C.E. to 29 C.E.ďż˝
ďż˝ See pages 197-199 of the book What Does the Bi-ble Really Teach? published by Jehovahâs Witnesses.
Did the Messiah, the prophet likeMoses and long-awaited âseed,â reallycome in 29 C.E.? Let us see.
How Would You Answer?
Ë What will the promised âseedâof Abraham do to Satan?
Ë What did God promise throughMoses?
Ë What did David learn about theâseedâ?
Ë What did the angel Gabriel tellDaniel?
come inDavidâs line
arrive in 29 C.E.
crush theserpent, Satan
MORE than 500 years after Danielprophesied, Godâs angel Gabriel ap-peared to a young virgin girl namedMary, a descendant of King David.âGood day, highly favored one,Jehovah is with you,â Gabriel told her.(Luke 1:28) Mary, however, was afraid.What could Gabrielâs greeting mean?
âHave no fear, Mary, for you havefound favor with God; and, look!you will conceive in your womb andgive birth to a son, and you are to callhis name Jesus,â Gabriel explained.âJehovahGodwill givehim the throneof David his father, and . . . therewill be no end of his kingdom.â (Luke1:30-33) What wonderful news! Marywould give birth to the Messiah, thelong-awaited âseedâ!
The following year, Jesus was bornin Bethlehem. That night, an angel an-nounced to local shepherds: âLook! Iam declaring to you good news of agreat joy . . . because there was born toyou today a Savior, who is Christ theLord, in Davidâs city.â (Luke 2:10, 11)Later, Jesusâ family moved toNazareth,where he grew up.
In the year 29 C.E.âthe very yearthat the Messiah was due to ap-pearâJesus began serving as Godâsprophet, when he was âabout thirtyyears old.â (Luke 3:23) Many peoplecame to realize that he had been sentby God. They said: âA great prophet
has been raised up among us.â (Luke 7:16, 17) But what did Jesus teach?
Jesus taught people to love and wor-ship God: He declared: âJehovah ourGod is one Jehovah, andyoumust loveJehovah your God with your wholeheart and with your whole soul andwith your whole mind and with yourwhole strength.â (Mark 12:29, 30)He also said: âIt is Jehovah your Godyou must worship, and it is to himalone you must render sacred service.ââLuke 4:8.
Jesus urged people to love one anoth-er: âYou must love your neighbor asyourself,âhe said. (Mark12:31)He alsosaid: âAll things . . . that you want mento do to you, you also must likewisedo to them; this, in fact, is what the
8 The MessiahAppears
Gabriel told Mary thatshe would give birth to
the Messiah
20 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
âMessiahâ and âChristâ both mean âAnointed One,â that is,one appointed to a position by God. God gave life to Jesus,the Messiah. By means of a great miracle, God caused Jesusto be born to Mary without a human father.
Why did so many people put faith in Jesus? The followingare just a few reasons:
Ë He based his teachings on the Holy Scriptures.
Ë His teachings and his example attracted lovers of truthand justice.
Ë He performed many miracles by means of Godâs power.
Ë He fulfilled many prophecies recorded in the HolyScriptures.
Who Is Jesus, the Messiah?
Law and the Prophets mean.ââMat-thew 7:12.
Jesus zealously told others about GodâsKingdom: âI must declare the goodnews of the kingdom of God, becausefor this I was sent forth,â he stated.(Luke 4:43) Why is Godâs Kingdom soimportant?
The Scriptures teach that GodâsKingdom is a heavenly governmentthat will rule over the earth. Jesus, theMessiah, is its God-appointed King.The prophet Daniel foresaw that inheaven God would give the Messiahârulership and dignity and kingdom.â(Daniel 7:14) That Kingdom will es-tablish Paradise earth wide and rewardGodâs servants with everlasting life. Isthat not the best of news?
How Would You Answer?
Ë What did Godâs angel Gabrieltell Mary?
Ë What prophecy was fulfilled in29 C.E?
Ë What did Jesus teach?
Ë What is Godâs Kingdom, andwhat will it accomplish?
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 21
GOD foretold that he would appointthe Messiah as the Leader for all peo-ples. God knows what kind of lead-er we really need and chose the bestLeader possible. What sort of Leaderdid the Messiah prove to be? A mightygeneral? A skilled politician? A wisephilosopher? According to the HolyScriptures, the Messiah was a very spe-cial prophetâJesus Christ.âMatthew23:10.
God made sure that Jesus was bornperfect, holy. Further, Jesus resisted Sa-tanâs every effort to corrupt him. Inword and deed, Jesus flawlessly reflect-ed Godâs perfect use of power, as wellas Godâs justice, wisdom, and love.Considerhow we can learn from Jesusâexample.
He used his God-given power to helpothers. Jesus really cared about peo-ple, and he generously used his powerto fill their needs. âI feel pity for thecrowd, because . . . they have nothingto eat,â he said. (Mark 8:2) Then Jesusmiraculously fed the large crowds thathad come to hear him teach.
Jesus also traveled about, teachingand âcuring every sort of disease andevery sort of infirmity among the peo-ple.â (Matthew 4:23) Understandably,multitudes followed him, and âall thecrowd were seeking to touch him, be-cause power was going out of him andhealing them all.â (Luke 6:19) Indeed,
Jesus came, ânot to be ministered to,but to minister, and to give his soul aransom in exchange for many.â (Mat-thew 20:28)ďż˝ How many human lead-ers show such a self-sacrificing spirit?
He reflected Godâs justice. Jesus ad-hered to the letter and the spirit ofGodâs law. As the Scriptures had fore-told, he said, in effect: âTo do yourwill, O my God, I have delighted, andyour law is within my inward parts.â(Psalm 40:8) Jesus treated allârich andpoor, male and female, children andadultsâwith dignity, respect, and im-partiality, as God does. Once, Jesusâdisciples reprimanded parents whowere bringing their children to Jesus.But Jesus said: âLet the young childrencome to me; do not try to stop them,for the kingdom of God belongs tosuchlike ones.ââMark 10:14.
He displayed divine wisdom. Jesus hadkeen understanding of people. âHehimself knew what was in man.â(John 2:25) When Jesusâ enemies sentmen to arrest him, even these ac-knowledged: âNever has another manspoken like this.â Where did Jesus gethis wisdom? He explained: âWhat Iteach is not mine, but belongs to himthat sent me.ââJohn 7:16, 46.
He showed godly love. Jesus also hadtender compassion for people. A man
ďż˝ For a discussion of the ransom, see chapter 5 ofthe book What Does the Bible Really Teach?
9 Learning From Messiahthe Leader
22 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
who was âfull of leprosyâ begged him:âLord, if you just want to, you canmake me clean.â Moved with pity,Jesus âstretched out his hand andtouched him, and said to him: âI wantto. Be made clean.â And immediatelythe leprosy vanished from him.â (Luke5:12, 13; Mark 1:41, 42) Jesus truly de-sired to relieve that poor manâs suffer-ing.
Does Jesus care about you too? Jesushimself answers: âCome to me, all youwho are toiling and loaded down, andI will refresh you. Take my yoke uponyou and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and youwill find refreshment for your souls.ââMatthew 11:28, 29.
Jesus is the best Leader we couldpossibly have. As such, he urges us:âLearn from me.â Will you accept hisheartwarming invitation? Doing sowill lead to a happy life.
How Would You Answer?
Ë What position did God giveJesus?
Ë What qualities did Jesus display?Which qualities appeal most toyou?
Ë What invitation does Jesus ex-tend to us?
Jesus generouslyhelped others
Jesus loved children
Jesus compassionatelyhealed the sick
LONG before Jehovah God made theearth, he created angels in heaven. Intime, however, one angel began to de-sire the worship that rightly belongsonly to God. By acting on that desire,he made himself Satan, meaning âRe-sister,â that is, one who resists God.How did Satan act against God?
Satan tricked Eve into disobeyingGod. Cunningly, he suggested thatJehovah God was withholding some-thing good by forbidding her to eatfrom a particular tree. He brazen-ly called God a liar and implied thatEve should reject Godâs guidance,saying: âGod knows that in the veryday of your eating from it your eyesare bound to be opened and you arebound to be like God, knowing goodand bad.â (Genesis 3:5) Eve foolishlybelieved Satanâs lies. She broke Godâslaw and influenced Adam to do thesame. Ever since, Satan has been anenemy of all those having real faith.And he has continued to deceive peo-ple down to this day. How?
Corrupted Faith Spreads
Satan used idolatry and human tra-ditions to corrupt the children of Isra-el. Jesus, the Messiah, told their reli-gious leaders that because they taughtâcommands of men as doctrines,âtheir worship was in vain. (Matthew15:9) When that nation rejected theMessiah, God rejected them. Jesus told
them: âThe kingdom of God will betaken from you and be given to a na-tion producing its fruits.â (Matthew21:43) Jesusâ followers then becameGodâs favored people.
Satan next worked to corrupt Jesusâfollowers. Did he succeed? Jesus fore-told what would happen in a prophet-ic illustration. In the illustration, aman sowed fine wheat in a field. Later,an enemy sowed weeds in among thewheat. Both crops were left to growuntil harvesttime. Then the weedswere separated from the wheat and de-stroyed. But the wheat was gatheredinto the ownerâs storehouse.
Jesus then explained to his discipleswhat the illustration meant. He him-self is the Sower. âAs for the fine seed,âhe went on, âthese are the sons of thekingdom;but theweeds are the sons ofthe wicked one, and the enemy thatsowed them is the Devil. The harvest isa conclusionof a systemof things, andthe reapers are angels.â (Matthew 13:38, 39) Jesus likened his true disciplesto wheat. But Satan sowed false disci-ples, like weeds, in among these truefollowers of Jesus. Thus, as Jesus him-self foretold, during the centuries af-ter his death, false disciples appeared.These promoted apostate teachings,such as the Trinity, the idea that thereare three persons in one God. The falsedisciples also began to practice idola-
10 Exposing the Enemyof Faith
24 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
try and to meddle in politics. Only a few re-mained true to Jesusâ teachings.
Real Faith Is Preserved
However, as Jesus explained, eventually achange would occur. Godâs angels would sep-arate out those without real faith to be de-stroyed. Then, those having real faith wouldbe easier to identify. Finally, Satan the Devil,the original enemy of faith, would also be de-stroyed. Yes, real faith would triumph!
But how can you identify people who havereal faith today? We will discuss the answer tothis question next.
How Would You Answer?
Ë Where did Satan come from?
Ë How has Satan tried to corruptfaith?
Ë Explain Jesusâ illustration ofthe wheat and the weeds.
Satan used a serpentto mislead Eve
Satan has used idolatryand human traditions
to mislead people
Godâs angels aresearching for
people who desireto have real faith
MANY people today claim to havefaith. But Jesus taught that few peoplewould have real faith. He said: âBroadand spacious is the road leading offinto destruction, and many are theones going in through it; whereas nar-row is the gate and cramped the roadleading off into life, and few are theones finding it.ââMatthew 7:13, 14.
How do people today show thatthey have real faith? âBy their fruitsyou will recognize them,â Jesus said.âEvery good tree produces fine fruit,but every rotten tree produces worth-less fruit.â (Matthew 7:16, 17) Thus,real faith produces âfine fruit.â It mo-tivates people to display godly quali-ties. How do they do so?
Make Proper Use of Power
People who have real faith use theirpower andauthority tohonorGod andto benefit others. Jesus taught: âWho-ever wants to become great amongyou must be your minister.â (Mark 10:43) Similarly, men of faith are not ty-rants, neither outside nor inside thehome. Theycherish their wives, assignthem honor, and lovingly respond totheir needs. The Scriptures say: âYouhusbands, keep on loving your wivesand do not be bitterly angry withthem.â (Colossians 3:19) âHusbands,continue dwelling in likemanner withthem according to knowledge, assign-ing them honor as to a weaker vessel,
the feminine one, since you are alsoheirs with them of the undeserved fa-vorof life, in order for your prayers notto be hindered.ââ1 Peter 3:7.
On the other hand, a wife who hasreal faith âshould have deep respectfor her husband.â (Ephesians 5:33)Wives should âlove their husbandsâand âlove their children.â (Titus 2:4)Fathers and mothers who have faithspend time with their children andteach them Godâs laws and princi-ples. In the home, workplace, and else-where, they treat others with dignityand respect. They follow the Scrip-tural counsel: âIn showing honor toone another take the lead.ââRomans12:10.
Godâs servants observe the Scriptur-al injunction: âYou are not to accepta bribe.â (Exodus 23:8) They neverabuse their position for selfish gain.Rather, they look for opportunities tohelp others, especially those in need.They heed the advice: âDo not forgetthe doing of good and the sharing ofthings with others, for with such sac-rifices God is well pleased.â (Hebrews13:16) Therefore, they experience thetruth of Jesusâ words: âThere is morehappiness in giving than there is in re-ceiving.ââActs 20:35.
Uphold Godly Justice
People of faith willingly obey Godâslaws, and for them âhis command-
11 Showing Real FaithToday
26 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
ments are not burdensome.â (1 John5:3) They know that âthe law ofJehovah is perfect . . . The ordersfrom Jehovah are upright, causing theheart to rejoice; the commandmentof Jehovah is clean, making the eyesshine.ââPsalm 19:7, 8.
Real faith also moves them to re-ject all forms of prejudice. They donot elevate one race, country, or socialclass above another, but instead, theyimitate God. âGod is not partial, but inevery nation the man that fears himand works righteousness is acceptableto him.ââActs 10:34, 35.
Real faith moves people to âconduct[themselves] honestly in all things.â(Hebrews 13:18) A person who hasfaith also avoids harmful gossip andslander. About the sort of personwhom God approves, the psalmist Da-vid wrote: âHe has not slandered withhis tongue. To his companion he hasdone nothing bad.ââPsalm 15:3.
Reflect Godly Wisdom
Those who have real faith base theirbeliefs solely on the Holy Scrip-tures. They believe that âall Scrip-ture is inspired of God and beneficialfor teaching, for reproving, for set-ting things straight, for disciplin-ing in righteousness.â (2 Timothy 3:16) In their relationships with others,they reflect âthe wisdom from above,âwhich is âchaste, then peaceable, rea-sonable, ready to obey, full of mercyand good fruits.â (James 3:17) Theyshun ungodly traditions and spiritismand âguard [themselves] from idols.ââ1 John 5:21.
Show Genuine Love
The prophet Moses said: âYou mustlove Jehovah your God with all yourheart and all your soul and all your vi-tal force.â (Deuteronomy 6:5) Peopleof faith show that kindof love forGod.They respect Godâs name, Jehovah.They âgive thanks to Jehovahâ andâcall upon his nameâ in faith. (Psalm105:1) Godâs servants also heed hiscommand: âYou must love your fellowas yourself.â (Leviticus 19:18) They re-ject violence and strive to âbe peace-able with all men.â (Romans 12:18)Figuratively, they âbeat their swordsinto plowshares and their spears intopruning shears.â (Isaiah 2:4) As a re-sult, they âhave love among [them-selves]â and enjoy a global brother-hood. (John 13:35) Can you identifysuch people today?
How Would You Answer?
Ë What identifies people whohave real faith?
Ë How do people of faith reflectGodâs qualities in regard to
power? wisdom?
justice? love?
REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE 27
GOD warns his servants to expect testsof faith. His Word says: âBe watchful.Your adversary, the Devil, walks aboutlike a roaring lion, seeking to devoursomeone.â (1 Peter 5:8) Howmight Sa-tan try to destroy your faith?
Satan may use others, even yourloved ones, to pressure you not to lookinto the Holy Scriptures. In this re-gard, Jesus foretold: âA manâs enemieswill be persons of his ownhousehold.â(Matthew 10:36) Well-meaning fami-ly members and friends may be un-aware of the wonderful truths foundin Godâs Word. Or they may fear whatothers think. However, the Scripturessay: âTrembling at men is what laysa snare, but he that is trusting inJehovah will be protected.â (Proverbs29:25) If you stop learning from theScriptures in order to please men, willthat pleaseGod? Certainlynot!On theother hand, when we show real faith,God helps us. âWe are not the sort thatshrinkback todestruction, but the sort
that have faith to the preserving aliveof the soul.ââHebrews 10:39.
Recall the experience of Dumas, re-lated earlier. At first, his wife mockedhim for his faith. But later she joinedhim in learning from Godâs Word.Likewise, if you persevere in doingwhat is right, you may influence yourfriends and loved ones to do the same.In many cases, an unbelieving fami-ly member has been âwon without aword through the . . . chaste conductâand âdeep respectâ of one who showsreal faith.â1 Peter 3:1, 2.
Satanalso tries tomakepeople thinkthey are too busy to study the Scrip-tures. He would like the pressures oflifeâpersonal concerns and worriesabout moneyâto âchoke the wordâ inyour case so that your faith âbecomesunfruitful.â (Mark 4:19) Reject such ashortsighted view! The Scriptures say:âThis means everlasting life, their tak-ing in knowledge of you, the only trueGod, and of the one whom you sent
12 Show That You HaveReal Faith!
Have you experiencedthis kind of opposition?
Pray for Godâs help
Associate with otherswho have faith
forth, Jesus Christ.â (John 17:3) Yes,continuing to learn more about Godand Jesus, the Messiah, is essential togaining everlasting life in Paradise!
Think of Moses, who was a memberof Egyptâs royal household. He couldhave pursued wealth, fame, and pow-er. Yet, Moses chose âto be ill-treatedwith the people of God rather thanto have the temporary enjoyment ofsin.â Why? âHe continued steadfast asseeing the One who is invisible.â (He-brews 11:24, 25, 27) Yes, Moses hadstrong faith in God. He put Godâs in-terests ahead of selfish pursuits, andGod blessed him richly. If you do thesame, God will bless you too.
Satan may try to prey on you in avariety of ways. But you need not be-come his victim. Godâs Word urges us:âOppose the Devil, and he will fleefrom you.â (James 4:7) How can youoppose him?
Keep studying the Holy Scriptures. ReadGodâs Word every day. Study its teach-ings. Apply its counsel. By doing so,you will âtake up the complete suit of
armor from God,â with which you canresist Satanâs attacks.âEphesians 6:13.
Associate with people who have realfaith. Search out others who read,study, and apply the Holy Scriptures.Such ones âconsider one another toincite to love and fine works, . . . en-couraging one another.â They willhelp you to grow in faith.âHebrews10:24, 25.
Draw close to Jehovah. Pray for Godâshelp, and trust in him. Never forget,God wants to help you. âThrow allyour anxiety upon [God], because hecares for you.â (1 Peter 5:6, 7) âGodis faithful, and he will not let you betempted beyond what you can bear,but along with the temptation he willalso make the way out in order for youtobe able to endure it.ââ1Corinthians10:13.
Satan taunts God, saying that noone will continue to serve Him if itmeans suffering trials. But you havethe opportunity to prove that Satan isa liar! âBe wise,â God says, âand makemy heart rejoice, that I may make a re-ply to him that is taunting me.â (Prov-erbs 27:11) Yes, be determined to showthat you have real faith!
How Would You Answer?
Ë How might Satan try to under-mine your faith?
Ë How did Moses show real faith?
Ë How can you endure trials offaith?
29
âTHE righteous oneâby means offaith he will live,â say the Holy Scrip-tures. (Romans 1:17) These words con-tain a thrilling promise that involvesyou. In what ways?
After completing his work on earth,Jesus, theMessiah, ascended toheavento be with God. As his disciples lookedon, âhe was lifted up and a cloudcaught him up from their vision.â(Acts 1:9) In heaven, God appointedhim as a mighty heavenly King. In thenear future, Jesus, âthe Son of man,âwill arrive âin his glory, and all the an-gels with him, then he will sit downon his glorious throne. And all the na-tions will be gathered before him, andhe will separate people one from an-other, just as a shepherd separates thesheep from the goats.â (Matthew 25:31, 32) When will this occur?
The Holy Scriptures foretell a peri-od of worldwide trouble that would bethe sign that the Messiahâs judgmentof the nations was imminent. Jesus ex-plained what that sign would include:âNation will rise against nation, andkingdom against kingdom; and therewill be great earthquakes, and in oneplace after another pestilences andfood shortages; and there will be fear-ful sights.ââLuke 21:7, 10, 11.
Today, we can clearly see Jesusâwords being fulfilled. Soon, Jesus willcome to destroy the wicked. Finally,even Satan will be destroyed! Earth
will become a global paradise. All peo-ple will live in peace with one anotherand even with the animals. âThe wolfwill actually reside for a while with themale lamb, and with the kid the leop-ard itselfwill lie down, and the calf andthemanedyoung lionand thewell-fedanimal all together; and a mere littleboy will be leader over them. They willnot do any harm or cause any ruin.â(Isaiah 11:6, 9) âNo resident will say:âI am sick.â . . . At that time the eyesof the blind ones will be opened, andthe very ears of the deaf ones will beunstopped.â (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5) Eventhe dead will be resurrected. âJehovahwill certainly wipe the tears from allfaces,â and âdeath will be no more,neither will mourning nor outcry norpain be anymore.â (Isaiah 25:8; Reve-lation 21:4) Godâs original purpose forthe earth will then be fulfilled. What awonderful prospect!
Keep Growing in Faith
What sort of people will God rewardwith life in Paradise? People of faithâreal faith!
Remember that real faith is basedon accurate knowledge of Godâs Word.Therefore, continue to get to knowGod and Jesus better!
Real faith is backed up by righteousworks. Godâs Word states: âFaith with-out works is dead.â (James 2:26) Bydoing such good works, you will re-
13 Real Faith Leads toEverlasting Happiness
30 REAL FAITHâYOUR KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE
flect Godâs marvelous attributesâpow-er, justice, wisdom, and love. Keep onstriving to develop these godly quali-ties!
Cultivating real faith will bring yourich rewards. Indeed, it is your key to ahappy lifeâboth now and on into aneverlasting future! How Would You Answer?
Ë Where is Jesus now?
Ë How do we know that Jesus willsoon come to judge the nations?
Ë When Jesus arrives, what willhe do?
Ë How can you keep building yourfaith?
Todayâs problems showthat the Messiah will
soon judge the nations
People of faith will enjoyParadise forever!
rk-E
Millions of people have found satisfying answers to thesequestions by studying the Holy Scriptures. You can too.
Have You Ever Wondered?Ë What is the truth about God?
Ë How can you make your family life happy?
Ë Why are there so many problems in the world?
Ë Why does God allow suffering?
Ë What is Godâs purpose for the earth?
Ë Where are the dead?
Ë How do angels affect us?
Ë How can you draw close to God?
Would you welcome more information?You may contact Jehovahâs Witnesses at www.jw.org.