great today. Every true Christian should prize that privilege of assembling together for instruction from God’s Word as did the brothers in Troas, who, when Paul made a brief visit to them, stayed to listen to what was said even though Paul talked right through the night and the meeting did not end until daybreak. (Acts 20:7-11) When you have the opportunity to meet with the congregation of Jehovah’s people, take full advantage of it. In this be stimulated by the example of David, one of that great cloud of pre-Christian witnesses of Jehovah, who said: “I rejoiced when they were saying to me: ‘To the house of Jehovah let us go.’”—Ps. 122:1.

22. By what means does Jehovah help us to be courageous, and what should be our determination?

²² What wonderful encouragement there is for all who love God to do his will! By means of the Scriptural accounts of the lives of his faithful servants Jehovah has provided a marvelous stimulus for all who love righteousness to take hold of the opportunity to be preachers of the kingdom of God, pointing others to the ‘new heavens and new earth in which righteousness is to dwell.’ (2 Pet. 3:13) Through provisions for them to meet together and preach together with fellow witnesses, he helps them to grow strong and to remain firm in the faith. Through his Word he urges them to persevere in the ministry, to exert themselves vigorously in his service, ‘buying out the opportune time because the days are wicked.’ (Eph. 5:15-17) He extends to them the privilege of approaching him in prayer, and with his spirit he backs them up. If you regularly avail yourself of these divine provisions, you have every reason to be courageous; you will be able to stand “firm in one spirit, with one soul fighting side by side for the faith of the good news, and in no respect being frightened by your opponents. This very thing is a proof of destruction for them, but of salvation for you; and this indication is from God.”—Phil. 1:27, 28.

Finding Joy by Serving God

As told by P. A. Idreos

MY PARENTS are Greeks. I myself was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, in the early part of the twentieth century. Shortly after World War I the place of my birth became a battleground between the Greeks and the Turks. Many thousands of people were taken captive by the Turks, and I was among them—a prisoner of the Turks while still in my teens.

Those were dramatic days. They awakened many questions in my mind. Could it be that I was destined to spend my life