Melinda Mills

I wonder even if anyone sees anything wrong with goals being set. I thought everyone would give their best - so I don't see how they could be set by someone else. What does the account of the widow teach?

Whether Jesus knows now or not he does not wish us to know. Jehovah does not wish us to be skin savers. He wants genuine Christians who love Him and his Son. (Matthew 24:42-44) Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it. Jesus has conquered the world and is dwelling in unapproachable light. No one can harm him. He has life in himself (immortality). He has nothing to worry about. It is we who have to prove ourselves faithful under death or to the end of this system, with serving Jehovah with eternity in view. It is not unreasonable to believe that Jesus know the day/date of the end, as he has begun his ride to conquer all his enemies. A person who goes on a journey usually has an idea of when he will reach his destination. But that is for Jesus, not for us. We have to prove our selves ready, always having oil in our lamps, doing the things commanded with a good motive. Verse 44 above was addressed to Jesus' disciples and it said that "the Son of man is coming at an hour that YOU do not think to be it." So let us do the work willingly and with good motive and leave the end to Jehovah and Jesus.

The article is a good reminder to Witnesses, as I understand that quite a few persons have divorced on unscriptural grounds (Matthew 19:9) and have remarried, making them de facto adulturers. There is no higher authority on marriage than Jehovah and by extension his son Christ Jesus. At Jesus' transfiguration Jehovah told the limited audience of apostles, "This is my son the beloved, Listen to him". *** Bible Citations *** Matthew 19: 9,10: " 9  I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him: “If that is the situation of a man with his wife, it is not advisable to marry.” 11 He said to them: “Not all men make room for the saying, but only those who have the gift. " (Hebrews 13:4)" Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers." A word to the wise.\

*** w67 2/1 pp. 80-83 pars. 4-12 Servants of God Full Time *** 11 There are many who, after honestly appraising their personal circumstances, do not find that they can be regular pioneer ministers, devoting one hundred hours each month to the field ministry. But this does not necessarily mean that they love God less. If their being ministers of God truly affects all their activities in life, they, too, are full-time ministers. When faced with pressures from the unbelieving world, they are just as firm for what is right as are their brothers and sisters who are able to devote more time to the field ministry. Their hearts are in Jehovah’s service, and they have a zealous share in it every month. They, too, are grateful to God that he has counted them worthy by permitting them to have a share in the ministry, and they ‘buy out the opportune time’ from other pursuits to seek first God’s kingdom. See 1 Corinthians 10: 31; Matthew 23:8 -suggested scripture references - mine Italics mine

If you say that someone could give someone else a run for their money, you mean you think they are almost as good as the other person. ( In this case what I imagine Eve might like like.)

The very fact that they found these shows that there are thousands more just as attractive. They are not the world's most beautiful women.. They are simply the ones that are in the limelight in a certain sector. In my opinion, the Moroccan girl could give Eve a run for her money, but the others are all lovely.

*** it-2 p. 790 Resurrection *** But is the old body reassembled in the resurrection? or is it a precise replica of the former body, made exactly as it was when the person died? The Scriptures answer in the negative when they deal with the resurrection of Christ’s anointed brothers to life in the heavens: “Nevertheless, someone will say: ‘How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort of body are they coming?’ You unreasonable person! What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies; and as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but a bare grain, it may be, of wheat or any one of the rest; but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds its own body.”—1Co 15:35-38. The heavenly ones receive a spiritual body, for it pleases God for them to have bodies suitable for their heavenly environment. But those whom Jehovah pleases to raise to an earthly resurrection, what body does he give them? It could not be the same body, of exactly the same atoms. If a man dies and is buried, by process of decay his body is reconverted into chemicals that can be absorbed by vegetation. Persons may eat that vegetation. The elements, the atoms of that original person, now are in many persons. In the resurrection it is obvious that the same atoms cannot be in the original person and in all the others at the same time. Neither is the resurrected body necessarily one constructed to be the exact duplicate of the body at the moment of death. If a person has had his body mutilated before death, will he return in the same way? That would be unreasonable, for he might not be in a condition even to hear and to do “those things written in the scrolls.” (Re 20:12) Say a person died from having the blood drained from his body. Would he return without blood? No, for he could not live in an earthly body without blood. (Le 17:11, 14) Rather, he would be given a body as it pleases God. Since God’s will and pleasure are that the resurrected person must obey the “things written in the scrolls,” it would have to be a sound body, possessing all its faculties. (Even though Lazarus’ body was already partially decomposed, Jesus resurrected Lazarus in a whole, sound body. [Joh 11:39]) In this way the individual could properly and justly be held responsible for his deeds during the judgment period. Yet the individual would not be perfect when brought back, for he must exercise faith in Christ’s ransom and must have the priestly ministrations of Christ and his “royal priesthood.”—1Pe 2:9; Re 5:10; 20:6.

I fear you are losing your faith. Don't be like Peter who started to walk on water and then sank.

Iranian kingdom halls?

Russell appears to be grappling with the notion, (scripturally presented), that anointed Christians constitute the "body of Christ", in the context of Christ being termed the Head of that body, yet located in a different realm.. He also weaves in Paul's words regarding the transformation of humans "I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed in you" (Gal.4:19) and other such expressions. He appears to attach more significance to illustrative vocabulary concerning the earthly position of anointed Christians than is scripturally warranted. -- Gone Away Based on Gone Away's digest, I am adding two cents. (I have not been able to read all.) Russell, like Paul, sacrificed a lot for the good news. However he was clearly wrong if he appeared to be roping himself into that unique sacrifice that Jesus gave. No other person could have done it. The person had to be one who could replace Adam, a man made perfect by God. (Deut 19:21) None of the anointed is perfect in the flesh, though righteousness is credited to them. No imperfect man could give a ransom for another imperfect man. (Psalm 49:7, ? None of them can ever redeem a brother Or give to God a ransom for him, 8 (The ransom price for their life is so precious That it is always beyond their reach); (Romans 6:8-11) 8 Moreover, if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is no longer master over him. 10 For the death that he died, he died with reference to sin once for all time, but the life that he lives, he lives with reference to God. 11 Likewise you, consider yourselves to be dead with reference to sin but living with reference to God by Christ Jesus. No one of the anointed can say he has no sin, so that he could offer himself as a sacrifice for sins. (1 John 1:8-10) 8 If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 2:1, 2) My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. 2 And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s. No other human sacrifice is required. But God is well pleased with our bearing Kingdom fruit, including the fruit of lips (Hebrews 13:15, 16) 15 Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that make public declaration to his name. 16 Moreover, do not forget to do good and to share what you have with others, for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices. ==== Perhaps Russell had a similar feeling to Paul? (Galatians 4:19) my little children, for whom I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed in you. Similar thoughts (in my opinion): (2 Corinthians 11:28) 28 Besides those things of an external kind, there is what rushes in on me from day to day: the anxiety for all the congregations. (2 Corinthians 11:1, 2) . . .! 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ. . . Ephesians 4:11-16) And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, 12 with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, to build up the body of the Christ, 13 until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man, attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ. 14 So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes. 15 But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. 16 From him all the body is harmoniously joined together and made to cooperate through every joint that gives what is needed. When each respective member functions properly, this contributes to the growth of the body as it builds itself up in love. N.B. Russell's knowledge was imperfect, but gave him enough zeal to make a start in the restoration of true worship; at one point the apostle Paul's knowledge was imperfect too, though greatly superior to Russell's but he did very well in spearheading the work when redirected by Jesus and his letters are still guiding us today. However, Paul said he was looking as though through a metal mirror but eventually would know accurately and face-to-face. Very encouraging! (1 Corinthians 13:12, 13) 12 For now we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face-to-face. At present I know partially, but then I will know accurately, just as I am accurately known. 13 Now, however, these three remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.

Just posting this to see where it fits into the topic, if it fits in. Just thought of it. (Hebrews 11:26) because he considered the reproach of the Christ to be riches greater than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward. (Refers to one being sent on behalf of Jehovah, not to Jesus himself.)

Jehovah meant to rule over mankind but the human pair listened to Satan who told them they could be happy doing their own thing. So they rejected Jehovah's rule over them and obeyed Satan. Satan is really the one who sponsored man's rule over man. Rev 13:1,2 shows that the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns represents human rulership sponsored by Satan, since it shows that the wild beast gets its power and authority from the dragon, Satan the devil. Matthew 4 which we just did at the meeting shows Satan offering Jesus of all people the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would do one act of worship to him, Satan. Thus, Satan shows that the kingdoms of the world are really his. However sometime after man's rebellion Nimrod, a hunter in opposition to God, began to build cities in order to rule over people. "*** it-2 p. 503 Nimrod *** Observes the Cyclopædia by M’Clintock and Strong: “That the mighty hunting was not confined to the chase is apparent from its close connection with the building of eight cities. . . . What Nimrod did in the chase as a hunter was the earlier token of what he achieved as a conqueror. For hunting and heroism were of old specially and naturally associated . . . The Assyrian monuments also picture many feats in hunting, and the word is often employed to denote campaigning. . . . The chase and the battle, which in the same country were connected so closely in aftertimes, may therefore be virtually associated or identified here. The meaning then will be, that Nimrod was the first after the flood to found a kingdom, to unite the fragments of scattered patriarchal rule, and consolidate them under himself as sole head and master; and all this in defiance of Jehovah, for it was the violent intrusion of Hamitic power into a Shemitic territory.”—1894, Vol. VII, p. 109." God did not agree to this scheme and scattered those people from there all over the earth by confusing their language. In the 16th century B.C.E. when Israel was formed as a nation, it in time asked for a king, in imitation of the pagan nations around. Jehovah meant to rule over his people by having priests, judges and prophets to enforce his laws. So when they asked for a king Jehovah warned them of the consequences of having human rulers, and told Samuel that they were not rejecting him Samuel but they were rejecting him Jehovah as king. However, the Davidic line of kings of the tribe of Judah were said to be sitting on Jehovah's throne, and continued to represent Jehovah having a kingdom on earth. (1 Chronicles 29:23) And Solʹo·mon sat on Jehovah’s throne as king in place of David his father, and he was successful, and all the Israelites were obedient to him. (1 Kings 11:36) To his son I will give one tribe, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself as the place to put my name. In time Jesus came to the earth (Gal 4:4) and started the preaching work, and commanded true Christians to continue this work of preaching and teaching until the end.(Matt 24:14;28:19,20) Christians would then be a public spectacle needing protection from the state. They would need freedom of association, freedom to share beliefs and freedom of conscience. Authorities are usually able to guarantee such protections. Guided by Holy Spirit the apostles wrote letters concerning our attitude towards these human authorities. The apostle Paul said at 1 Timothy to pray for governments that we may be able to focus on our work and that men of all sorts of people will hear the good news of the Kingdom and put themselves in line for life. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, 2 concerning kings and all those who are in high positions, so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness. 3 This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, 4 whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. For any project to progress and come to fruition there must be order in the environment. (That's why there is so little food in war years - farmers cannot do their work without fearing for their lives and people overrunning that they are doing.) Same with the preaching work - it needs good order to progress. Then Paul showed what attitude Christians should have toward these authorities; also the obligations of Christians, as follows: (Romans 13:1-7) Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves. 3 For those rulers are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you want to be free of fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear, for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword. It is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath against the one practicing what is bad. 5 There is therefore compelling reason for you to be in subjection, not only on account of that wrath but also on account of your conscience. 6 That is why you are also paying taxes; for they are God’s public servants constantly serving this very purpose. 7 Render to all their dues: to the one who calls for the tax, the tax; to the one who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to the one who calls for fear, such fear; to the one who calls for honor, such honor. Jehovah can maneuver anyone or anything to do his will. He once cause a donkey to talk to a wicked prophet. He can maneuver or put in the hearts of authorities whatever he wishes that will cause his work to be accomplished. We saw that in the case of the Persian empire using Queen Esther and Mordecai how he preserved his people from extermination; with the Roman empire with its good roads and ships to enable travelling throughout the empire, enabling missionary journeys and establishing congregations throughout the empire. We saw the Emperor causing people to travel so Jesus could be born in the city it was prophesied he would be born in; in other words, whoever has the means and the authority to facilitate God's work, Jehovah will that one to do so. He is the King of the Universe. Proverbs 21:1 speaks of this: (Proverbs 21:1) A king’s heart is like streams of water in Jehovah’s hand. He directs it wherever He pleases. In the great tribulation he is also going to put in the hearts of these authorities to destroy the "harlot", false religion. (Rev 17:16,17) So Jehovah allowed governments to exist and keep things going so the warning and harvesting work could go on until his time to bring to an end all human rule. (Dan 2:44; Eccl 8:9) He does not sponsor human rule, but he can use governments or individuals in governments to accomplish what he wants.

In a sense Jehovah's Witnesses are like Alex. They did not stay under the authority of the major religions like the Catholic Church, but examined the matter of what the real authority the Bible said, regardless of the consequences, whereas the majority of persons accept the authority of the Church and its erroneous teachings and refuse to look any further. Hosea 4:6 shows that people will be silenced for lack of knowledge. Second Thessalonions 1: 6-9 shows that people will undergo judicial punishment because of not knowing God and not obeying the good news. The case above shows the good sense of letting the real authority of the Bible speak. God's true sheep know the sound of the truth/his voice. Look at the amazing fruit that resulted when one honest-hearted lady helped her family to know the truth as well.

It is not common where I live. If it is done people might say we are imitating customs that are foreign. Like the large funeral wakes held in countries like Japan and Africa. The programmes usually say the family wants to spend the period after the funeral in quiet reflection. Some family members visit with the relatives at the residence, but the majority of attendees go their own way.

What hierachy? What madness! Not scriptural. Remember the widow? Jesus said she put in more than the others. Unless Jehovah and Jesus don't matter. Elijah thought only he was serving God but God said he had 7000 that did not bow down to Baal. Same today.

It could be that swine were kept by or sold to Gentiles living among the Israelites. See research below for some good points relating to pigs/swine. *** it-2 p. 1049 Swine *** The Israelites generally seem to have viewed swine as especially loathsome. Hence the ultimate degree in disgusting worship is conveyed by the words: “The one offering up a gift—the blood of a pig!” (Isa 66:3) To the Israelites, few things could have been more inappropriate than a pig with a gold nose ring in its snout. And it is to this that Proverbs 11:22 compares an outwardly beautiful woman who is not sensible. Although apostate Israelites ate pork (Isa 65:4; 66:17), the Apocryphal books of First Maccabees (1:65, Dy) and Second Maccabees (6:18, 19; 7:1, 2, Dy) show that during the foreign domination of Palestine by the Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his vicious campaign to stamp out the worship of Jehovah, there were many Jews who refused to eat the flesh of swine, preferring to die for violating the decree of the king rather than to violate the law of God. Whereas some other nations did not eat pork, to the Greeks it was a delicacy. Hence, likely as a result of Hellenistic influence, by the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, there were apparently quite a number of pigs in Palestine, particularly in the Decapolis region. In the country of the Gadarenes there was at least one herd of about 2,000 pigs. When Jesus permitted the demons that he had expelled to enter this large herd, every last one of the animals rushed over a precipice and drowned in the sea.—Mt 8:28-32; Mr 5:11-13. The Cast-Out Demons Who Entered Swine. No fault can be found with Jesus for allowing the demons to enter the swine, especially since certain unstated factors may very well have been involved, such as whether the owners of the swine were Jews, thus being guilty of disrespect for the Law. It was, of course, not required that Jesus exercise foreknowledge as to what the demons would do once they entered the unclean animals. And the demons may have wanted to take possession of the swine in order to derive therefrom some unnatural sadistic pleasure. Also, it might reasonably be argued that a man is worth more than a herd of swine. (Mt 12:12) Furthermore, all animals actually belong to Jehovah by reason of his Creatorship, and thus Jesus as God’s representative had every right to permit the demons to take possession of the herd of swine. (Ps 50:10; Joh 7:29) The demons’ entering the swine manifested their ouster from the men in a very forceful way, thus also making very apparent to observers the harm that came to creatures of flesh that became demon possessed. It demonstrated for such human observers both Jesus’ power over the demons and demonic power over fleshly creatures. All of this may have suited Jesus’ purpose and may explain why he allowed the unclean spirits to enter the swine. Illustrative Use. The inability of swine to recognize the value of pearls was employed by Jesus in illustrating the unwisdom of sharing spiritual things with those having no appreciation whatever of spiritual thoughts and teachings. (Mt 7:6) And in Jesus’ illustration of the prodigal son, the degradation to which a young man had sunk was accentuated by his having to hire himself out as a swineherd, a most despicable occupation for a Jew, and by his willingness even to eat the food of these animals.—Lu 15:15, 16. The apostle Peter compared Christians who revert to their former course of life to a sow that returns to its wallow after having been washed. (2Pe 2:22) However, it is evident that, as relates to the pig, this illustration is not intended to apply beyond the surface appearance of things. Actually, the pig, under natural conditions, is no dirtier than other animals, although it indulges in wallowing in the mud from time to time in order to cool off in the heat of the summer and to remove external parasites from its hide.

Early contractions coming before or during the eighth month are a danger sign, indicating that something is wrong with the woman or the baby - e.g. the womb not expanding or some other ailment. There is nothing normal about that. That is premature and a hospitalization event, sometimes meriting a Caesarean section. So I don't think Jesus would be talking about that - he would be considering what is the usual thing.

Nice points from both of you. For my son I had an intuitive feeling that something was about to happen but no significant signs, e.g. broken amniotic sac or contractions. Since I was tired only, I checked myself in just before sunset and had the baby just after midnight , although the nurse told me I was not in labour. Just to show that sometimes one can't go by the normal signs. Still shows you have to be always ready, as you are expectant.

"Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thess. 5:2, 3) "A woman is pregnant for 9 months, but pangs of distress or contractions usually start occurring during the last 3 months." The scripture above is more true to life. Pangs of distress usually come instantly and unexpectedly at the end of the last trimester - a day or two before or a few hours before. The metaphor in Matthew 24:8 is still fitting as the conditions were distressful ever since the beginning of the last days since 1914. Distressing things would be happening concomitantly with happy things like celebrations, etc. We had a joyous, sumptuous wedding last weekend but we also had a shooting, an ongoing volcanic eruption, a plane crash around the same time.

Had to caution a few brothers that were sending out thoughts on Facebook and a few places on the matter of looking for God's intervention in human affairs "whenever it is that they are saying "Peace and security!" around the time (a few weeks ago) America seemed to be making progress in securing peace between North Korea and the West. I reminded them about Jesus' words at Matthew 24:42-44, as follows: "(Matthew 24:42-44) Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it." At the transfiguration Jehovah told Jesus' disciples to "Listen to him". These sayings are from the same source, Jehovah, but we have to be sober and not run off with one but not weighing the other. We know the season we are in, but we will not be able to work out the precise period of the end. No matter what we see now, the end is going to take us by surprise. We should obey Jesus and prove ourselves ready. No one knows when a thief plans to come. Jesus stated that it was at an hour that "you do not think to be it", referring to his disciples. So let us to take note but be modest, sober and most of all, ready. So the question above is really timely.

*** dp chap. 12 pp. 204-205 Strengthened by a Messenger From God *** [Box on page 204, 205] Angelic Guardians or Demonic Rulers? WE CAN learn much from what the book of Daniel says about the angels. It tells us about the role they play in carrying out Jehovah’s word and the effort they put forth to fulfill their assignments. God’s angel said that on his way to speak to Daniel, he was hindered by “the prince of the royal realm of Persia.” After contending with him for 21 days, the angelic messenger was able to proceed only with the help of “Michael, one of the foremost princes.” The angel also said that he would again have to fight that enemy and possibly “the prince of Greece.” (Daniel 10:13, 20) No easy task, even for an angel! Who, though, were these princes of Persia and Greece? First of all, we note that Michael was called “one of the foremost princes” and “the prince of you people.” Later, Michael was referred to as “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [Daniel’s] people.” (Daniel 10:21; 12:1) This points to Michael as the angel assigned by Jehovah to lead the Israelites through the wilderness.—Exodus 23:20-23; 32:34; 33:2. Lending support to this conclusion is the disciple Jude’s statement that “Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body.” (Jude 9) Michael’s position, power, and authority made him truly “the archangel,” meaning “the chief angel,” or “the principal angel.” Most fittingly, this lofty position can be applied to none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, before and after his life on earth.—1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 12:7-9. Does this mean that Jehovah also appointed angels over such nations as Persia and Greece to guide them in their affairs? Well, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, openly stated: “The ruler of the world . . . has no hold on me.” Jesus also said: “My kingdom is no part of this world . . . my kingdom is not from this source.” (John 14:30; 18:36) The apostle John declared that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) It is clear that the nations of the world never were and are not now under the guidance or rulership of God or Christ. While Jehovah permits “the superior authorities” to exist and maintain control of earthly governmental affairs, he does not appoint his angels over them. (Romans 13:1-7) Any “princes” or “rulers” over them could be placed there only by “the ruler of the world,” Satan the Devil. They would have to be demonic rulers rather than angelic guardians. There are, then, invisible demonic forces, or “princes,” behind the visible rulers, and national conflicts involve more than mere humans. ===== Also we are certain the world powers get their power from Satan the ruler of the demons. Read Rev 13:1,2 (Revelation 13:1, 2) And it stood still on the sand of the sea. And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, but on its heads blasphemous names. 2 Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority. Light and darkness do not cooperate together. Italics, mine.

Who would want to resist and hold up an angel who was sent BY GOD on an urgent mission to an old man in need but a desperately wicked and strong spirit person?

Demons having remorse? You are greatly mistaken. They are willful in what they do, just like Satan. They are stored up for destruction for many centuries. Read the books of Genesis, Jude, and Revelation. However they may sometimes appear to be doing good things. They have many strategies to fool people: (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) 9 But the lawless one’s presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents 10 and with every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth that they might be saved. 11 So that is why God lets an operation of error go to them, that they may get to believing the lie, 12 in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Peter 2:4) 4 Certainly God did not refrain from punishing the angels who sinned, but threw them into Tarʹta·rus, putting them in chains of dense darkness to be reserved for judgment. We are presently doing the Bible Reading in the Gospels. What did Jesus do when the demons sought to help by identifying Jesus as the Son of God (they know him of course - they used to be in heaven together at one time). He always rebuked them and did not accept help from them. The apostles did the same. (Mark 5:2-13) . . .And immediately after Jesus got out of the boat, a man under the power of an unclean spirit met him from among the tombs. 3 His haunt was among the tombs, and up to that time, absolutely no one was able to bind him securely, even with a chain. 4 He had often been bound with fetters and chains, but he snapped the chains apart and smashed the fetters; and nobody had the strength to subdue him. 5 And continually, night and day, he was crying out in the tombs and in the mountains and slashing himself with stones. 6 But on catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down to him. 7 Then he cried out with a loud voice: “What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I put you under oath by God not to torment me.” 8 For Jesus had been saying to it: “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.” 9 But Jesus asked him: “What is your name?” And he replied: “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” 10 And he kept pleading with Jesus not to send the spirits out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of swine was feeding there at the mountain. 12 So the spirits pleaded with him: “Send us into the swine, so that we may enter into them.” 13 And he gave them permission. With that the unclean spirits came out and went into the swine, and the herd rushed over the precipice into the sea, about 2,000 of them, and were drowned in the sea. (Acts 16:16-18) 16 And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination, met us. She used to furnish her masters with much gain by practicing the art of prediction. 17 This [girl] kept following Paul and us and crying out with the words: “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are publishing to YOU the way of salvation.” 18 This she kept doing for many days. Finally Paul got tired of it and turned and said to the spirit: “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, anyone practicing magic, anyone who looks for omens, a sorcerer, 11 anyone binding others with a spell, anyone who consults a spirit medium or a fortune-teller, or anyone who inquires of the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable practices Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you. A word to the wise.

"It is precisely what Jesus was referring to when when he said that we should look to specific persons as our leaders or teachers." You may wish to review this sentence in the context of what you are speaking about.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/global/love-in-action-hurricane-irma-maria-relief-work/ Nice video report on JW.org website. Thanks for emailing me about this.