STUDY ARTICLE 37
Obey Jehovah From Your Heart—Why and How?
“We no go ready more-more to put ourself under the Father?”—HEB. 12:9.
SONG 9 Jehovah Na Our King!
WETIN WE GO LEARN? *
1. Why we suppose to obey Jehovah?
WE SUPPOSE to obey, or put ourself under * Jehovah because e give us life. So e get right to tell us wetin we suppose to do. (Rev. 4:11) But another strong reason to obey Jehovah na because the way e de rule na the best. For many years, many rulers don rule other people. But when we compare the way them de rule and the way Jehovah de rule, we see say Jehovah na the best. Jehovah get sense, get love, de show pity and de feel for people pass any other person.—Ex. 34:6; Rom. 16:27; 1 John 4:8.
2. According to Hebrews 12:9-11, why we suppose to obey Jehovah?
2 We de do wetin God like because of our fear for God. But e no want make that one be the main reason why we de do wetin e like. The main reason go be because we love Jehovah, we de see Jehovah as our Papa and e love us. Na that one e want as the main reason why we go do wetin e like. For the letter wey Paul write to Hebrew Christians, e talk say make we “ready more-more to put ourself under the Father” because E de train us “for our own good.”—Read Hebrews 12:9-11.
3. (a) How we de show say we de obey Jehovah? (b) Which questions we go answer?
3 When we try to do everything wey Jehovah want and we no decide by ourself wetin good and wetin bad, we de show say we de obey Jehovah. (Prov. 3:5) When we learn more about different-different fine character wey Jehovah get, this one de make-am dey more easy to do the thing wey e talk. Why? Because this fine-fine character de show for everything wey e de do. (Ps. 145:9) As we continue to learn more about Jehovah, our love for Jehovah go de grow more-more. And when we love Jehovah, we no need to get long list of things wey we need to do and things wey we no suppose to do. We de try learn how to think and feel for the way Jehovah want and we de try to leave bad things. (Ps. 97:10) But sometimes, to obey Jehovah no easy. Wetin make-am hard sometimes? And wetin elders, papa them, and mama them fit learn from the example of Governor Nehemiah; King David; and Mary, the mother of Jesus? This topic go answer this questions.
WHY E FIT HARD US TO OBEY JEHOVAH?
4-5. According to Romans 7:21-23, why e fit hard us to obey Jehovah?
4 One reason why e fit hard us to obey Jehovah na because they born us with sin and so we de make mistake. Because of this one, to obey no be something wey we always want do. When Adam and Eve no obey God and chop the fruit wey God say make they no chop, they choose to decide by theirself wetin good and wetin bad. (Gen. 3:22) Today, just like Adam and Eve, most people no de obey God. They want decide by theirself wetin good and wetin bad.
5 We know and love Jehovah. Even with that one, sometimes we de struggle to do wetin Jehovah want. Apostle Paul struggle too. (Read Romans 7:21-23.) Like Paul, we want do the things wey Jehovah see as the right thing. But we must always fight make our heart no push us to do wrong things.
6-7. Wetin be another reason why e fit hard us to obey Jehovah? Talk one example.
6 The way people de think and de do things for the area wey we grow fit affect us. This one na another reason why e fit hard us to obey Jehovah. The way plenty people de think dey against wetin Jehovah want. So we need to always struggle make we no think like them. Just see this example.
7 For some areas, na normal thing to push young people make they do everything wey they fit do to get plenty money. One sister wey e name na Mary * face this kind problem. Before e learn about Jehovah, e go one of the best school for e country. The family of this sister want make e get work wey the salary big and wey people go fit respect the sister. This sister be want do this kind work too. But, after e don learn about Jehovah and when e love for Jehovah don grow, e change e mind. Even with that one, the sister talk say: “Sometimes I de see way to make plenty money, but I know say that one no go allow me to serve Jehovah the way I de do now. Because of the way my family train me, I de still fight this kind thinking. I beg Jehovah make e help me so that I no go accept work and because of the work I no go do my best to serve Jehovah.”—Matt. 6:24.
8. Wetin we go talk about?
8 When we obey Jehovah, na we de benefit. But apart from that one, when people with authority like elders, papa, and mama obey Jehovah, them de help other people. Some examples for Bible de teach us how to use authority for the way Jehovah go dey happy. Make we talk about some of them.
WETIN ELDERS FIT LEARN FROM NEHEMIAH
Elders de join to work for Kingdom Hall, just as Nehemiah work with the people to build Jerusalem again (Check paragraph 9-11) *
9. Which situation Nehemiah face?
9 Jehovah don give elders one important work. The work na to care for e people. (1 Pet. 5:2) Elders fit learn plenty things from the way Nehemiah treat Jehovah’s people. That time, Nehemiah get plenty authority because e be governor for Judah. (Neh. 1:11; 2:7, 8; 5:14) Just think about some problems wey Nehemiah face. E find out say the Jews don begin use the temple do things wey Jehovah no like. And they no de contribute to support the Levites as the Law talk. The Jews no obey the law about Sabbath. And some of them marry women from other nations, and this nations no de worship Jehovah. Governor Nehemiah go need to handle this kind hard situation.—Neh. 13:4-30.
10. How Nehemiah handle the situation wey e face?
10 Nehemiah no use e authority to force the people make they follow e own ideas. Instead, e pray with all e heart and beg Jehovah for help and e teach the people Jehovah’s Law. (Neh. 1:4-10; 13:1-3) Nehemiah still humble e self to work with the people, and e even join them to build the walls of Jerusalem again.—Neh. 4:15.
11. According to 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, how elders suppose to treat brothers and sisters for congregation?
11 Maybe no be the same problems wey Nehemiah face elders go face. But plenty ways dey wey elders fit imitate Nehemiah. For example, them de work hard to help their brothers and sisters. And they no de allow their authority make them feel say they better pass their brothers. Instead, them de treat their brothers and sisters with love. (Read 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8.) Elders dey humble and they really love the brothers. Because of this one, them dey kind when them de talk to brothers and sisters. One brother wey e name na Andrew don serve as elder for many years. E talk say: “I don see say when elders dey kind and de treat people well, that one de touch people their heart. This different-different character de make brothers and sisters for congregation to obey the elders.” Another example na one brother wey e name na Tony. E don serve as elder for long time and e talk say: “I de try to follow the advice for Philippians 2:3 and I de always do my best to see other people say they better pass me. This one de help me make I no force them to obey me.”
12. Why e dey important make elders dey humble?
12 Elders must dey humble, just as Jehovah dey humble. Even though say na Jehovah high pass as ruler for heaven and earth, e de “bend-down” to raise “humble people from the dust.” (Ps. 18:35; 113:6, 7) The truth be say, Jehovah really hate-am when person no dey humble.—Prov. 16:5.
13. Why elders need to “control [their] tongue”?
13 Elders go still need to always “control [their] tongue.” This one go still show say them de obey Jehovah. If they no do like that, this one fit make them talk for harsh way if person no show them respect. (Jas. 1:26; Gal. 5:14, 15) Andrew wey we don talk about before, talk say: “Sometimes, I don feel like say make I use bad word talk to brother or sister for congregation because I feel say e no show me respect. But I don think deep about the example of servants of God for Bible. Their good example don help me see say na important thing make person dey humble and gentle for heart.” Elders de show say them de obey Jehovah when they love the brothers and sisters, and dey kind when them de talk to them. They go still treat other elders for the same way.—Col. 4:6.
THINGS WEY PAPA THEM FIT LEARN FROM KING DAVID
14. Which work Jehovah don give family heads and wetin Jehovah want make they do?
14 Jehovah don give papa the work to be head for the family. God want make papa teach, direct, and correct e children. (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 6:4) But the head of the family no go use e authority anyhow. Na Jehovah make family, so Jehovah go judge family heads for the way they use their authority. (Eph. 3:14, 15) Family heads go show say them de obey Jehovah when they use their authority for the way wey Jehovah go happy. If they study about the life of King David, they go learn plenty things.
The way papa de pray, go show e family say e dey humble
(Check paragraph 15-16) *
15. Why King David na good example for family heads?
15 Jehovah no only put David as family head, e still put David as head for the whole nation of Israel. That time, the power wey David get as King really plenty. Sometimes, e no use the power well, and e make serious mistakes. (2 Sam. 11:14, 15) But e show say e de obey Jehovah because e accept correction. E pray to Jehovah with all e heart. And e try e best to obey wetin Jehovah talk. (Ps. 51:1-4) Another thing be say, David really dey humble. E no only take advice from men, but e still take advice from women. (1 Sam. 19:11, 12; 25:32, 33) David learn from the mistakes wey e do. This one help David put e worship to Jehovah as the first important thing for e life.
16. Wetin family heads fit learn from David?
16 See some lessons wey family heads fit learn from King David: No use the power wey God give you do wetin no correct. When you make mistake, accept-am and when other people use Bible give you advice, accept-am. If you do this one, your family go respect you because you dey humble. When you de pray with your family, tell Jehovah how you de really feel. Then your family go hear how you really want make Jehovah help and guide you. Put your worship to Jehovah as the first important thing for your life because that one dey important pass any other thing. (Deut. 6:6-9) One of the best gift wey you fit give your children na to show them your good example.
THINGS WEY MAMA THEM FIT LEARN FROM MARY
17. Which work Jehovah don give mama them?
17 Jehovah don give mama them one important work inside the family. E don give them some authority to direct their children. (Prov. 6:20) The truth be say, wetin each mama talk and do, fit affect e children for the rest of their life. (Prov. 22:6) See some lessons wey mama them fit learn from Mary, the mother of Jesus.
18-19. If you be mama, which lessons you fit learn from Mary?
18 Mary really sabi the Word of God. E respect Jehovah and e make Jehovah e tight friend. Mary ready to follow the direction from Jehovah, even though say the direction go change everything for e life.—Luke 1:35-38, 46-55.
As mama, when you don tire or you de vex, maybe you need to work hard more to show your family say you love them (Check paragraph 19) *
19 If you be mama, you fit copy the example of Mary for plenty ways. How? The first way na, make you always de study and de pray so that you go dey tight with Jehovah. The second way na, make you dey ready from your heart to accept any change for your life to make Jehovah happy. For example, maybe when you still small, your papa and mama de vex quick-quick and them de talk anyhow to their children. So you too fit think say to train children that way dey normal. And even after you don learn how Jehovah want make mama de treat e children, you fit still de struggle make you dey calm and patient with them, especially when you don tire and they no do wetin you tell them. (Eph. 4:31) For that kind situation, e dey important make you beg Jehovah make e help you. One mama wey e name na Lydia talk say: “Sometimes, I de pray and really beg Jehovah to help me make I no use vex talk to my son when e no obey me. Before I finish wetin I want tell my son, I don even stop and pray inside my heart make Jehovah help me. Prayer de help me dey calm.”—Ps. 37:5.
20. Which problem some mama them de face, and wetin fit help them?
20 Some mama them de face another kind of problem. E de hard them to show their children say they love them. (Titus 2:3, 4) Some women grow for house wey the papa and mama no show the children say they love them. If you grow for that kind family, you no need to do the same mistake wey your papa and mama do. As mama, you fit need to learn how to show and tell your children say you love them. This one go show say you de obey Jehovah. Maybe e fit hard you to change how you de think, how you de feel, and how you de do things. But you fit change, and e go make you and your family happy more-more.
CONTINUE TO OBEY JEHOVAH
21-22. According to Isaiah 65:13, 14, which blessing we go get when we de obey Jehovah?
21 King David know say to obey Jehovah dey important. E write say: “The laws wey Jehovah de give dey correct, the laws de make the heart happy. The commandment wey Jehovah de give dey clean, the commandment de make eye shine. Your servant de get warning from them; plenty blessing dey when they obey them.” (Ps. 19:8, 11) Today, e dey easy to know who de follow and who no de follow the advice wey Jehovah use love give for Bible. Because some people de obey Jehovah, them de “shout with joy because their heart condition dey fine.”—Read Isaiah 65:13, 14.
22 If you be elder, papa or mama, when you obey Jehovah from your heart, your life go de better, your family go happy more-more, and the whole congregation go dey together as one more-more. And the number one important thing be say, you go make Jehovah happy. (Prov. 27:11) Any other blessing pass this one?
SONG 123 De Follow Wetin Jehovah Arrange
^ par. 5 This topic go discuss why we need to obey Jehovah. E don give elders, papa them, and mama them some authority. So this topic go still discuss wetin elders fit learn from the example of Governor Nehemiah; wetin papa them fit learn from King David; and wetin mama them fit learn from Mary, the mother of Jesus.
^ par. 1 WORD WEY WE EXPLAIN: People wey they force to obey other people no de see the word put yourself under (or, submit) as better word. But, servants of God choose to obey God. So they no feel say to put theirself under God na bad thing.
^ par. 7 No be the real name of some people we use for this article.
^ par. 62 OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE PICTURE: One elder and e pikin de maintain Kingdom Hall, just as Nehemiah work with the people to build the walls for Jerusalem again.
^ par. 65 OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE PICTURE: One papa de pray with all e heart as e de lead e family for prayer.
^ par. 67 OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE PICTURE: One small boy don spend plenty hours de play video game and e never finish e house work or schoolwork; the mama don tire as e come back from work, but e still dey calm and use better word correct the boy.