What Is The Good News?

Three questions are considered in this article:

1. What is the news from God?
2. Why is the good news urgent?
3. What should we do?

The answers can be read here: What Is The Good News? 

You can also enjoy listening to an audio recording of the article.

Can We Create a Better World?

Many today are longing for a world that's free from hardship, wickedness and suffering. Some people engage in noble works in an attempt to create a better world. Politicians have high hopes in making this world a better place to live. But will they be able to attain their goals?

Here are two quotes worth pondering over.

"Real change comes heart by heart, not election by election, because our primary problems are not economic and political but moral and spiritual." - Cal Thomas, columnist & author

"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." - Daniel 2:44

The link below will expound on these quotations and help us analize what it takes to create a better world. 

Can You Make the World a Better Place?

Relief and Blessings for Those Crying for Help

Imagine this:


"O God, give your own judicial decisions to the king,
And your righteousness to the son of the king.
May he plead the cause of your people with righteousness
And of your afflicted ones with judicial decision.
Let the mountains carry peace to the people,
Also the hills, through righteousness.
Let him judge the afflicted ones of the people,
Let him save the sons of the poor one,
And let him crush the defrauder.
They will fear you as long as there is a sun,
And before the moon for generation after generation.
He will descend like the rain upon the mown grass,
Like copious showers that wet the earth.
In his days the righteous one will sprout,
And the abundance of peace until the moon is no more.
And he will have subjects from sea to sea
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
Before him the inhabitants of waterless regions will bow down,
And his very enemies will lick the dust itself.
The kings of Tar′shish and of the islands—
Tribute they will pay.
The kings of She′ba and of Se′ba—
A gift they will present.
And to him all the kings will prostrate themselves;
All the nations, for their part, will serve him.
For he will deliver the poor one crying for help,
Also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper.
He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one,
And the souls of the poor ones he will save.
From oppression and from violence he will redeem their soul,
And their blood will be precious in his eyes."
- Psalm 72:1-14

These are the heartwarming words penned by King David of ancient Israel. They paint a vivid picture of how God understands our lamentable situation and how he is going to relieve us from it. 

Although this refers to the kingship of David's son Solomon, it is prophetic of what God himself will do under the rulership of his anointed Son and King, Jesus Christ. Hence, this song provides foregleams of what is in store for all those who are crying for help, that is, all humans who are suffering. The God of superb mercy and loving-kindness is certainly going to act in our behalf.

What a refreshing and inspiring assurance!

A Facet of Life in the Future

“For with rejoicing you people will go forth, and with peace you will be brought in. The mountains and the hills themselves will become cheerful before you with a joyful outcry, and the very trees of the field will all clap their hands."

-Isaiah 55:12 

By reading our Creator's Written Word, we can visualize the kind of life in the future that our loving heavenly Father has prepared from the beginning. Throughout the Bible, both the Old  and the New Testament, we can read about His unfading promises which He expressed over and over again through His faithful servants, who in turn, penned them down for  the benefit of the future generations. Such written promises were meant to give us hope and joy while we are  living temporarily in this bedarkened world. 

As a  caring Father, He wants us to enjoy eternal life in a world free of all the problems that we are experiencing right now. That is why He made all those promises that we read from His Word. In fact, He has already fulfilled most of His promises, and only a few remaining ones are now in the process of fulfillment. And we are confident that He will keep all His words because He himself said,

"For just as the pouring rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens and does not return to that place, unless it actually saturates the earth and makes it produce and sprout, and seed is actually given to the sower and bread to the eater, so my word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it." (Isaiah 55:10,11)

Soon, we will experience the realization of one of His promises which is mentioned above. How wonderful it feels to put ourselves in that resplendent and joyous picture. We will rejoice along with the natural creations, and together we will celebrate the REAL LIFE in the REAL PARADISE that God has meant for us.

Does God Really Care About Us?

Since we live in a world full of cruelty and injustice, many people feel that there is no God, or if there is, he doesn't care about us at all. Many religious leaders teach that the sufferings we experience are God's will, a teaching that turns people away from God and makes them more alienated from him, let alone hate him.

The truth is, God never causes wickedness and sufferings. Job 34:10 says, " Far be it from the true God to act wickedly, and the Almighty to act unjustly!" 

Actually, God has a loving purpose for humans. That is why Jesus taught us to pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let...your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." (Matthew 6:9,10) God cares so deeply about us that he has made arrangements to provide ways in order to fulfill his purpose. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) The fact that Jesus has already given his life for us guarantees that soon, all wickedness and sufferings will be gone and that righteous mankind who put faith in God and Jesus will attain eternal life in the new world.

While waiting for the fulfillment of God's purpose, we can make our lives meaningful and satisfying right now, knowing that God cares about us. When we experience adversities or when the wickedness around us becomes too much to bear, this Scripture helps a lot: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;  while you throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6,7)

Preparing for the Future

Most people today have their minds set on acquiring much material things and make it big in the world. They spend most of their time and energy in working just to have it all or to be economically better off than their friends and neighbors. 

Sometimes, their being busy with such material endeavors leaves them no time for their spiritual needs, which is of paramount importance for a person to have a really meaningful and satisfying life. It's true that material things can do good for our survival, but these cannot give perfect health, extend our lives, keep us away from sickness and accidents, and the likes. 

On the other hand, spiritual riches can benefit us in so many ways even while we live in this wicked and suffering-infested world. They can make our lives truly worth-living and satisfying. Most of all, they can lead us to a future filled with all the things that our hearts desire; to a new paradisaic world where all people will be righteous and perfect and will live eternally just as our loving Creator has purposed it to be. 

It is therefore more important to work harder on acquiring spiritual riches first, that is, pursuing the will of God and abiding by it, than to acquire material things that cannot save us at all and that will be done away with. That means our future, a future that will last forever.

The Scripture below is worth-meditating on.

"For what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? " - Matthew 16:26

A Treasure Worth More Than Gold and Silver

"Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself.  It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy."

- Proverbs 3:13-18

A man of wisdom possesses the kind of treasure that preserves his life not only now but throughout eternity. Unlike material treasures that may give a measure of protection but at the same time endangers the life of one who has them, wisdom is for all time a protection. It can direct one to the right path, away from the alluring and deceptive  byways and highways of this world where most people have been misled. A wise man knows that danger lurks in those ways and thus avoid them. He follows the way of wisdom from above, which is the perfect way. In doing so, he procures true riches and glory, peace and happiness. Most of all, he keeps walking in pleasantness as he moves on to his life's journey into the wonderful future that the Giver of such wisdom has prepared for him. And he will enjoy life to time indefinite.

A Good Name Is Better Than Riches

"A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born." - Eccl. 7:1.

One who lives a truly worthwhile life is making a name or a good reputation for himself. To live a worthwhile life means spending one's life in pursuit of the more important things that are essential for survival and for personal spiritual well-being. This also involves the doing of God's will, helping our fellowmen to live a truly meaningful and satisfying life, and giving hope to the less fortunate ones through the good news that our loving Father wants all of us to know, and through practical help.

Doing such things can enrich a person's life and can make a good reputation in God's eyes, which is more valuable than riches. (Matthew 6:19-21) Even when one dies, he keeps living in the hearts of those who know him. Most of all, he lives in the mind of the Almighty Father who promised to reward him with wonderful blessings in the future for maintaining a good name.

Our Reasons for Joy

A song declaring several reasons why one may be joyful amid the troubles and sufferings on this earth.

Music Video: This is the Way

Seeing the Future Through Faith

"Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld."

- Hebrews 11:1

Mankind's future seems uncertain, especially in view of world conditions that are getting worse each passing day. Many spend their lives just to "live and let live", believeing that this life is all there is, followed by nothing.

However, as what I've stressed in my previous blogs, there is a wonderful future that lies ahead of us. It may be hard to believe, considering that it's an ancient promise and that mankind has been waiting for too long for its realization.

Here now is where faith comes in. It's believing in something that we cannot see and knowing in our heart that it's there, or it will come. That is why the quote above says that "faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for." If we have faith, we don't doubt at all that our hopes will become realities.

Who Can Protect Us?

"My God is my rock. I shall take refuge in him,

My shield and my horn of salvation,
my secure height."

- Psalm 18:2

Like a mighty secure rock that offers protection, God is a protector for those who run to Him for refuge. He protects them from influences that might damage their spiritual well-being, delivers them from oppression and distress prevalent in this world and provides them with  the opportunity to have everlasting life in the future.

This Is The Way

"And your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way. Walk in it, YOU people,” in case YOU people should go to the right or in case YOU should go to the left." - Isaiah 30:21

Following the direction of our loving heavenly Father will surely lead us to a successful and satisfying life now even amidst this world's "dismal jungle" where we can easily get lost sans proper direction. This way is called the way of life because it will take us to the kind of life that our Creator has meant for us. Most of all, this way extends to the New World where we will attain the real life that will last forever, which is the purpose why God created us and put us in this planet.

We only need to listen to His voice and obey His instructions in order to get there. And we can do this through careful examination of His written Word, the Holy Scriptures, which He gave to us like a letter of a loving father to his children.

When Wickedness Will be Gone

Peace-loving ones long for the time when the wicked ones will no longer exist to make troubles in this world. Considering the endless reports worldwide about some crimes and violence, it looks like the wicked ones are flourishing and their acts of lawlessness are unstoppable. Is there hope that such wicked acts will be eliminated? The following Scripture assures us that someday, we will enjoy living in peace without any interruption.

"Just a little while longer,
and the wicked one will be no more;
And you will certainly give attention to his place,

and he will not be.

But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth,

And they will indeed find their exquisite delight
in the abundance of peace."

- Psalms 37:10,11

For more information and details, please visit this site:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20080801/article_01.htm

Spring's Promise

After  a long sleep in winter, natural creations wake up to a new day. Once again, colorful vegetation is alive and exudes in fresh beauty. Young plants begin to burst out in an explosion of colors that paint the entire surroundings. The atmosphere gives off a kind of beauty that brings delight to the heart of appreciative humans. To them, the new season is a reminder that there's a loving Creator who put all these wonderful things on earth to make us happy and enjoy our lives.

Such change in season also brings to mind the Creator's promise to make all things new in the future. This old world will be cleansed of all elements that destroy the beauty of this planet, and will be replaced by a new world order where righteous mankind will attain perfection and eternal life. 

 

This is the  essence of paradise. Not just  a beautiful surrounding filled with colorful flowers, but a wonderful place where wickedness, sickness and death are non-existent. It's a place where people can truly enjoy life without any worries at all. (Revelation 21:3-5)

 

Indeed, it's a new beginning, the awakening of all things wonderful...like SPRING.

Guidance to Peace and Righteousness

Living in true peace and righteousness can  be hard today, especially with all the troubles prevalent in the world. However, God's Word, the Bible, provides us with an updated guidance on how to attain peace and righteousness.  If we desire to have a more meaningful life, we should take time to read this all-time practical book and reflect on its divine messages, which are beneficial for us now and throughout eternity.

"This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit [yourself], the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk. O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." - Isaiah 48:17,18

The Truly Happy People

In this world filled with troubles, people often find themselves unhappy. Some who may be happy eventually realize that their happiness is shallow and short-lived. 

However, there are people who feel deep and lasting happiness despite all the adversities that they are subjected to. They are happy because they know that all sufferings and problems on earth will vanish. They have confidence their Father's promise to put an end to all these bad things that are taking place in the world.  To them, this world and everything in it will soon pass away, and real life will be in that wonderful future that God has prepared for them. 

Hence, they are a happy people. Their Father has chosen a marvelous inheritance for them: eternal life in Paradise...soon!

"Happy is the nation whose God is Jehovah,
The people whom he has chosen as his inheritance."
-Psalm 33:12

Finding Refuge In These Calamitous Days

Recently, calamities have been striking the whole world, leaving thousands of dead and injured people in their wake. Bible prophecies show us that world condition will become worse in these last days. Calamities and wickedness keep on escalating  and battering mankind. Many people are now living in fear. They become hopeless and unsure of the future. Hence, we all need to find refuge somewhere.

This video will help us to see where to find refuge, comfort and hope.

Life Is Short, But We Can Make It Last Forever

This video shows how we can make our life count now and extend it throughout eternity.

 

Worship That God Approves

Are all religions pleasing to God?

How can we identify the true religion?

Who are God’s true worshipers on earth today?

The way we worship God means either life or death for us. Read more by following the link below.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_15.htm