Doomsday May Not Be What You Think

Is Doomsday a thing of the future that scares you?

Would it completely destroy the inhabited earth and finally put mankind to extinction?

Would it take place the way the movies portray it?

Well. it may not be what you think nor imagine. The following link will show an in-depth analysis regarding doomsday. It will also show what's really in store for humans.

Doomsday May Not Be What You Think

Life is Worth Living

Many people share the sentiment expressed in this popular line, "To live is to suffer." Some try to get rid of their suffering by taking their own lives. Is suicide really the answer to one's problems? Or are there reasons to keep living?

These two succeeding links will address these questions.

Here, we can find out what leads to suicide.

Why People Give Up on Life

This link will answer the question, What can be done to create a more positive outlook that will generate a measure of zest for life?

You Can Find Help

A United World - Is it Possible?

Is there any hope that our world will ever be united? Frankly, yes! But the source of true unity is not man  or man-made religions.

"The Bible contains God's promise that the world will be unified but not by man's efforts. The Creator, who purposed that mankind would live in peace worldwide, will accomplish what man cannot. To some, all of that might seem far-fetched. Yet, God's purpose from the very beginning has been for mankind to live in peace and harmony. Many Scriptures in the Bible give evidence that bringing the human race into a unified condition is still God's purpose. Consider just a few examples:

"Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire." - Psalm 46:8,9

"They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain;  because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea." - Isaiah 11:9

"He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it." - Isaiah 25:8

"There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell." - 2 Peter 3:13

"He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." - Revelation 21:4

Are these promises reliable? How can we make sure? Find out by following this link:

People Worldwide Are Being United - How?

Who Has Come to Know the Almighty?

Many people raise several questions about God, his godship, his existence, his creations, etc. Some have been satisfied with the answers they have found while others have given up searching for him after failing to find him.  

It's helpful to bear in mind that although the Bible clearly describes God's qualities, there are some things about God that remain unfathomable for us. They are too deep for us imperfect humans to understand. No matter how deeply we try to think of them, we can never fathom them.

Here are some Scriptures that give us insight on the kind of Person the Almighty is. 

"As for the Almighty, we have not found him out;

He is exalted in power,

And justice and abundance of righteousness he will not belittle."

-Job 37:23

"Jehovah is great and very much to be praised,

And his greatness is unsearchable."

- Psalm 145:3

"Everything he has made pretty in its time. Even time indefinite he has put in their heart, that mankind may never find out the work that the true God has made from the start to the finish." 

- Ecclesiastes 3:11

"O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!"

- Romans 11:33

"Yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness and the mightiness and the beauty and the excellency and the dignity; for everything in the heavens and in the earth is yours."

- 1 Chronicles 29:11

"Look! God himself acts exaltedly with his power;

Who is an instructor like him?"

- Job 36:22

“Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing."

- Isaiah 40:26

These are just a few of the Biblical passages that describe our Creator. The knowledge that we have gleaned from His written Word is sufficient for us to believe in Him, trust in Him and have confidence in His promises. Anyway, someday, in His own due time, our desire for deeper knowledge of Him will be satisfied. 

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.

A Return to Youthful Vigor

"Let his flesh become fresher than in youth;

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor."

- Job 33:25

This is an expression of hope that a loving Creator has extended to mankind. It points out to his will that humans  never get sick and grow old. He stated this purpose through a prophetic drama that revolved around the life of an ancient God-fearing man named Job. In this real life story, God's foremost enemy, Satan the Devil, inflicted Job with a malignant disease which sent Job to agony. In the end, Job kept his integrity and didn't let this adversity turn him away from God, which is a blow to Satan. Because of his faithfulness, God rewarded him by giving him back all his material losses in double quantity, and cured his illness to the extent that he looked much younger and stronger.

Since this is a prophetic drama, it definitely has a future fulfillment. Throughout his written word, God has made known his purposes for mankind in several ways. One of these purposes is that He will make righteous people go back to their youthful vigor.  This is especially comforting for those who suffer physical illnesses and the old ones who are afflicted by the ravages of old age. 

Actually, all of us can benefit from this promise because we are all affected by health problems and old age, and most of us wish  that we remain physically young. Our Creator too has never wanted us to get sick, grow old and die. That's why He provided for us a way out of such afflictions. We can learn about this by carefully examining His Written Word, which is like a personal letter of a loving father to his children. Only by studying His Word that we are able to comprehend why life is like this now, which is opposed to God's purpose , and what lies ahead in the future.

Right now, world conditions point to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies relating to these days, which the Bible calls "the last" days. These events herald the coming of the new world that our Creator has promised. Soon, everything will change for the better, and mankind will live a wonderful life for all eternity.

For a clearer understanding, the following Bible verses can be helpful.

Revelation 21:3-5                                    
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Isaiah 33:24
Isaiah 35:5,6
John 5:28,29
Psalm 72:16
Psalm 37:10,11,29

When Burdened With Worries....

"When my disquieting thoughts 

became many inside of me,

Your own consolations began 

to fondle my soul."

- Psalm 94:19

When we experience much anguish and "disquieting thoughts", we have the assurance that our Creator understands us in every way. He perfectly understands the debilitating effects that depression and other serious illnesses can have on our imperfect minds and bodies. He knows what causes our disquieting thoughts and how we can best cope under the present circumstances. He even revealed how he will cure depression and other sicknesses forever.

photo by Charlene N.K.

Through the pages of his Word, the Bible, we can find a wealth of comforting and reassuring words  that can give us calmness, consolation and inner joy. Because of God's consolations, we feel like our souls are being fondled or caressed by a loving and protective hand. 

If we make it a habit to spend time reading God's Word daily, we get a daily dose of comfort that relieves us from the burdens of everyday, including our sicknesses. We will also find out how God will put an end to our disquieting thoughts forever and what he has in store for us in the future.

And there will be no worries at all....

Contentment

"Let your manner of life be free of the love of money, while you are content with the present things. For he has said: 'I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.'"

- Hebrews 12:5

photo by Charlene N.K.

Love of money has sent many people to ruin. Because of it, they work hard to the point of jeopardizing their own physical and mental health and neglecting the emotional needs of their families. Some resort to illegal and immoral activities without due regard to their consequences. Others go as far as injuring their fellows and even to the point of killing them. They do anything to gratify their insatiable love for money. And yes, they're never contented at all. They want more and more, just like what this Scripture says:

"A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income. This too is vanity." 

- Ecclesiastes 5:10

On the other hand, those who are contended with what they have live a happier and more satisfying life. They don't have to work so hard but just enough to fill their basic needs. They have more time to be with their families and friends, and enjoy a wholesome association and recreation. They make their days count by spending some time with spiritually upbuilding activities and by enjoying the beauty of creation which our Creator has designed to uplift our spirits.

photo by Charlene N.K.

The last part of the Scripture above is a promise of our Creator  that if we keep ourselves contented, He will never leave us without. He will see to it that we are well-provided for. Yes, for He is the Grand Provider to those who trust in him.

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

Different Races, One Family

All of us, despite our different races, make up one family. Because of this, we should view one another equally and avoid viewing certain races as inferior. It is well to imitate how our Creator and Father views all humans, as expressed in this Scripture:

“God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” - Acts 10:34,35 

If the Sovereign of the Universe himself accepts all kinds of races, shall we not also accept our own fellowmen? Shall we not love them the way God wants us to treat one another? Certainly, it is our duty to love one another. But if we hate certain races, then we are like the one mentioned in this following passage:

"Everyone who hates his brother is a manslayer, and YOU know that no manslayer has everlasting life remaining in him." 

- I John 3:15

More details regarding what both Science and the Bible say about this are found in this link:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200911/article_01.htm

The "Book of Creation" Reveals About God

"For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable." 

- Romans 1:20

One of the greatest evidences that there is God is natural creation. We may not see Him, but everything around us, from the heavens above to the depths of the sea, reveals that there is a Creator who designed all these things. Through them, we can "see" Him, along with His cardinal qualities: love, power, wisdom and justice. 

The book of creation highlights many of His qualities as the Universal Sovereign and Loving Father. Reading this book helps us see vividly his appealing personality, which in turn draws us ever closer to Him to the point that He will become our Best Friend who will never fail us.

For more detailed examination on this subject, please visit this link:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20070815/article_02.htm

We Are Precious in His Eyes

When we lose our sense of self-worth, these two Scriptures remind us that each individual is precious in the eyes of our Creator and Father who deeply cares about us.

 

"Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without YOUR Father’s knowledge.  But the very hairs of YOUR head are all numbered.  Therefore have no fear: YOU are worth more than many sparrows."

- Matthew 10:29-31

"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

He Will Surely Provide for Our Needs

For those who put God first in their lives,  that is, who make the doing of God's will their priority, there's no cause for worry at all concerning their material needs. The Almighty Father knows all their needs, and He will surely provide for them as long as they keep the Father foremost in their lives. Here is the promise:

“Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU. So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness." 
- Matthew 6:33,34

The message is clear: If we put spiritual things first, then all our material needs will be added to us. Millions worldwide have experienced the fulfillment of this promise. They are the ones who strive to serve God first, trusting in His promises, and they have never found themselves lacking in their material provisions. 

This doesn't mean, however, that they don't work at all, and just wait for these material things to drop from heaven. They do work hard, and God blesses their efforts so that they can have what they need materially. That's how God adds to their material necessities. So they don't need to worry about the following day, knowing that God will keep providing for them.

The Way To Invincibility

When we feel that everything is too much for us and that we're too tired to go on and want to give up, the Scripture below can help us re-evaluate our situations, and see that we are not completely down after all.
 

"However, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not that out of ourselves. We are pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement; we are perplexed, but not absolutely with no way out;  we are persecuted, but not left in the lurch; we are thrown down, but not destroyed." 
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

 

Adversities may drive us to the limit of our capacity to cope, but even before we reach that border, we can discover that all is not lost, that it is not actually the end of what we can do. We can feel that we have more power to face all these trials, and that power is being constantly recharged as long as we look to the true Source of such power, the Creator and Sovereign of the Universe. Our power as imperfect humans can diminish, but the power that we get from God keeps building up  as more trials come to attack us.It is this "power beyond what is normal" that can make us INVINCIBLE.

Oh The Beauty of Our Creator's Law!

One reason why I love to read God's Word and share its message to others is  that of the wonderful benefits that it brings to me personally. It gives me joy that can help me cope with adversities. It makes my life beautiful amidst all the ugly things in the world that invade our lives. It gives light to my path and brightens up my days as I strive to follow its wise instructions. It makes my life meaningful and entirely satisfying.

If God's Word does wonderful things to me, I'm sure that it also works beneficially for others who truly desire to be guided by the best Instructor in the whole Universe.

"How I do love your law!
All day long it is my concern.

Wiser than my enemies your commandment makes me,
Because to time indefinite it is mine.

More insight than all my teachers I have come to have,
Because your reminders are a concern to me.

With more understanding than older men I behave,
Because I have observed your own orders.

From every bad path I have restrained my feet,
For the purpose that I may keep your word.

From your judicial decisions I have not turned aside,
For you yourself have instructed me.

How smooth to my palate your sayings have been,
More so than honey to my mouth!

Owing to your orders I behave with understanding.
That is why I have hated every false path."

- Psalms 119:97-104

Adding Meaning to Our Lives Permanently

Most of us are interested in the meaning of our existence. But if we take a closer look at how short life is and full of misery, it seems like our existence is meaningless. It's like these lines from Shakespeare's Macbeth:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player         
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”—Macbeth, Act V, Scene V.

But our existence need not be like that. We can make it significant by first acknowledging the fact that humans are not the true center of meaning. "Our Grand Creator is that center, and any real meaning to our existence logically involves him and depends upon him. To find such meaning and the deep satisfaction it brings, we need to come to know the Creator and bring our lives into harmony with his will." (Creator book published by WTBTS)

It is therefore vital to turn to the Creator for guidance in order make our lives meaningful. Psalm 90:12 says, 

 “Show us just how to count our days in such a way that we may bring a heart of wisdom in. Satisfy us in the morning with your loving-kindness, that we may cry out joyfully and may rejoice during all our days. And let the pleasantness of Jehovah our God prove to be upon us.”

These three phrases here ,‘Satisfied in the morning.’ ‘Rejoicing during all our days.’ ‘God’s pleasantness on us’, signify a truly meaningful life which is brought about by turning to our Creator and revolving our lives around him. We can only understand and experience the deep impact of this if we apply godly wisdom in our lives.

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.

How to Draw Close to God

"Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you."

-  James 4:8

The above Scripture is an assurance that we can cultivate an intimate relationship with the Most High.

Here are some ways:

* Read His Written Word, the Bible, daily to get to know Him better.

* Establish  regular communications with Him through prayer.

* Make Him happy by following His guidance which He gave for our lasting personal benefit.

* Keep feeding on His abundant "spiritual" foods.

* Associate with those who love Him wholeheartedly.

* Tell others about how loving and wonderful He is as a Friend and Father.

* Spend time to "read" His book of creation, that is, examine His natural creations and analyze what they tell us about the Creator.

* Try to imitate His qualities.
etc.

One will discover that there's no better friend in the whole universe than our Heavenly Father. He is the only one who perfectly knows our deepest thoughts and feelings, and all our needs. If all others leave us, He is always there, and will always be our FRIEND forever.

Will Our Home Planet Continue to Be Ruined?

The whole world expresses concern about the recent oil spill that has brought extensive destruction to our planet. Many are still not aware how enormous and grotesque the effect has become. Some are apprehensive about how much more damages it may yet bring in the future.

It's not only the oil spills that have caused alarm to humans, but also the other exploitations of our natural resources in the name of money. The earth is being made sick by stripping it of its precious elements. In turn, humans are also forced  into a predicament where there seems to be no way out for them. They are unsure of what the future may bring. Will unscrupulous humans continue to wreck their own home planet?

The world's greatest and most reliable book of prophecy reassures us that the Almighty God and Creator will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth." -Revelation 11:18

He wants this precious planet to be restored to its original condition just as He purposed it to be. It will again become a pristine and peaceful habitation for all righteous mankind who submit to His Sovereignty. Everyone will take good care of this home planet and preserve its natural beauty forever.