18. What assurance and help do we get on this matter from the Bible?

¹⁸ There is no cause for panic, because we are not trying to please man; rather, we please God, as emphasized at Galatians 1:10: “Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I would not be Christ’s slave.” And again, at 1 Thessalonians 2:4: “Just as we have been proved by God as fit to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, as pleasing, not men, but God, who makes proof of our hearts.” There is no cause for alarm, for God through his Word, the Bible, has supplied the principles to use in everyday handling of these small matters. “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

19. (a) How would you go about increasing happiness? (b) Are small matters unimportant? Why do you so answer?

¹⁹ With this view of our service to God, we have within our reach the opportunity of increasing our happiness. If you attended one congregation meeting a week last year and you arrange your life to attend two meetings a week this year, you will double your happiness. If you were privileged to share six hours a month in the service and now can devote seven and a half hours, you will be adding 25 percent to your happiness. Now if you reach out for responsibility and are appointed a servant in the congregation, you will be multiplying your happiness many times over. Think of how many times a day you have the privilege of making decisions in favor of Jehovah’s will. Small things, yes, some so small they go unnoticed or are easily stepped over, yet they are there. Cultivate the habit of making these decisions in accordance with God’s Word; you cannot possibly calculate the increase in happiness available to you. And then, cap it off with this promise: “The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.”—Prov. 10:22.

Why Two Covenants for Kingdom Power?

A COVENANT can be either an agreement between two parties or a legal promise on the part of one party to do something for another. Once made in a legal and binding manner, there would seem to be no reason to duplicate or repeat a covenant. Yet in the Bible we find that God made two covenants to give kingdom power to his Son, Christ Jesus. One was made through David and another with Jesus Christ who was prefigured by Melchizedek. Why was this done? Are the two covenants identical?

DAVIDIC COVENANT

God’s covenant with King David reads, in part, as follows: “When your days come