What is Provoking the Age of Rage?

No doubt, many of us don't feel comfortable being around with people who are always angry, or those who cannot control their rage. Perhaps, we keep asking, Why are these people so angry? Sometimes, we don't see any reason why they are that angry or wrathful.

The following link will help us understand. It also mentions some guiding principles that help us manage anger and avoid rage. This article is highly beneficial for all of us. Please follow the link.

What is Provoking the Age of Rage?

Bible Morality is the Best Morality

Many honest-hearted people lament the worldwide decline of morality. There are those who have completely lost their moral sense. Bible's morality, which used to be considered as a valuable guideline in determining what is right and what is wrong is being pushed aside. Or it could be that many people are unaware that God's Word, the Bible, and its morality are still practical today.

Bible-based morality includes honesty, integrity and faithfulness in marriage. A married couple living on the Swiss-German border discovered that learning to live according to Bible morals made them happier. As far as they are concerned, "there is only one guideline for all aspects of life. That guideline is the Bible."

In the following link, we can see ample evidences showing that Bible morality is certainly the best morality. We can clearly understand the meaning of this proverb, "Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20001101/article_02.htm

Wonderful benefits await those who read this, let the message sink in their hearts and make an effort to apply it.

Scriptural Principles to Help Reduce Stress

"Do not become righteous overmuch, nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you cause desolation to yourself?"

 - Ecclesiastes 7:16

Application: Don't expect perfection of yourself and others.

photo by Charlene N.K.

"That YOU may make sure of the more important things, so that YOU may be flawless and not be stumbling others up to the day of Christ,  and may be filled with righteous fruit, which is through Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise."

 - Philippians 1:10,11

Application: Set appropriate priorities.

photo by Charlene N.K.

"For bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come."

 - 1 Timothy 4:8

Application: Get regular exercise.

photo by Charlene N.K.

"For you have made me rejoice, O Jehovah, 

because of your activity;

Because of the works of your hands I cry out joyfully.

How great your works are, O Jehovah!

Very deep your thoughts are." 

- Psalm 92:3,5

Application: Enjoy God's creation.

photo by Charlene N.K.

"Eventually, having sent the crowds away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. Though it became late, he was there alone." 

- Matthew 14:23

Application: Make some quiet time regularly.

photo by Charlene N.K.

"Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind."

 - Ecclesiastes 4:6

Application: Get sufficient relaxation and sleep.

photo by Charlene N.K.

Source: Awake magazine, June 2010

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 Promise of Refreshment

"For he has satisfied 

the dried-out soul;

And the hungry soul he has filled 

with good things."

-Psalm 107:9

Our constant daily struggles can make us weary. Pressures and anxieties lie on our shoulders like heavy loads, gradually sapping us of energy. We want to do other things that we truly enjoy but it may not be possible because of the numerous responsibilities that we should primarily accomplish. 

Added to our endeavors to make a living, we also encounter problems with our fellows which can be discouraging and can drain us of what strength is left in us. Our soul becomes "hungry" and "dried-out", as the Scripture says.

Nevertheless, our loving Father has this promise of saturating or fully satisfying us. He sees to it that we can maintain good spiritual and emotional health which are vital for us to keep our joy amid difficulties. Such godly joy prevents us from losing our power to go on living and succeed in whatever we do.

Again, we can see from this passage that God is interested in our feelings as individuals, and he assures us that he will refresh and satisfy us. But for us to benefit from this loving assurance, we must have full trust in him and run to him for assistance. Only then can we truly feel and understand the import of this promise.

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.

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.

Evildoers Will Not Prevail

"Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers.

Do not be envious of those doing unrighteousness.

For like grass they will speedily wither,

And like green new grass they will fade away."

- Psalms 37:1,2

Throughout the world, wickedness and lawlessness prevail, which cause the peace-loving and righteous ones to be troubled at heart. They wish that evildoers would be eliminated. Others develop hatred for such persons, willing them to go to death.

On the other hand, there are also those who have become rich or prosperous by engaging in some illegal money-making activities (unrighteousness). It looks like those who engage in such questionable practices are more blessed.

But not really, because the Scriptures above shows that such persons will speedily wither and fade like the grass. They will not prevail forever to ruin the peace of the righteous ones. They may be here now in this world, but in the near future, they will be gone forever.

There Won't Be Any Beggars If...

....Everyone would live a righteous life.

Well, I'm not referring to those who have become rich because they have worked hard or received some inheritance or the likes.

This is about those who may not have the advantage of having a job due to some complicated situations, those who may not have guts and impetus enough to live a better life, or those who have lost hope, feeling that the world conditions are too much for them.

The following quote shows us that the righteous ones will never be left entirely, even their offspring. This is the observation of an ancient king, which is also confirmed by my personal observation and experiences.

"A young man I used to be, I have also grown old,
And yet I have not seen anyone righteous left entirely,
Nor his offspring looking for bread." - Psalm 37:25

Being righteous here means keeping the laws and guidance of our heavenly Father, who is ever loyal to those who completely trust in Him. We can develop such trust by carefully examining His Word and exerting efforts to apply in our lives the righteous principles that we have learned from it. Then our loving Father will always be there to guide us and provide for our spiritual and material needs in different ways.

Meditations

Meditating on these verses can uplift our spirits and empower us to keep on living in righteousness amid this troubled world.

Wholesome Reflections

Tired? Why not sit down for a while and relax? Let the beauty of nature soothe your weary mind and body. Then meditate on some wholesome things that can be of great benefit to you, such as those metioned in the following quote.

"Whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things." - Philippians 4:8

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.

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.

How To Make Your Family Life Happy

The Book That Answers Life's Big Questions

"READ any newspaper. Look at television, or listen to the radio. There are so many stories of crime, war, and terrorism! Think about your own troubles. Perhaps illness or the death of a loved one is causing you great distress. You may feel like the good man Job, who said that he was “drenched with misery.”—Job 10:15, The Holy Bible in the Language of Today.

Ask yourself:

• Is this what God purposed for me and for the rest of mankind?
• Where can I find help to cope with my problems?
• Is there any hope that we will ever see peace on the earth?

 The statements above comprise the introduction of this book that's well distributed and read throughout the world. This book, entitled What Does the Bible Really Teach?, has benefited millions of honest-hearted ones searching for answers to life's perplexing questions. Their lives have undergone big changes as they took to heart the message and made efforts to apply what they have learned. They have found true happiness and satisfaction, peace of mind, solutions to their problems, and the hope of a wonderful future.

This book explores the following questions and gives accurate answers based on the Book of all books - God's Word, The Bible.

• Why do we suffer?
• How can we cope with life‘s anxieties?
• How can we make our family life happier?
• What happens to us when we die?
• Will we ever see our dead loved ones again?
• How can we be sure that God will fulfill his promises for the future?

This link directs us to this book, and we can read its content without purchasing it at all. 
http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_00.htm

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived Affects Us and our Future

Who has not heard of the greatest man who ever lived, Jesus Christ? Or about "The Last Supper" or The Lord's Evening Meal?  Indeed, Jesus is known throughout the world as the Great Teacher and the Miracle Worker. Even those who don't have faith in him acknowledge his existence and his role in history.

A few days ago, I asked some university students if they believed in Jesus. They replied, "No." I then followed up my question with, "But have you studied about him in some of your subjects, like history?" This time they answered yes. And some of them expressed their desire to learn more about him.

From this single incident, we can see that Jesus has indeed carved an indelible image of himself on the pages of history, which the whole world can clearly see. Even though many people deny his existence, the innumerable effects of his past existence to the world today are indisputable. 

Now, many people throughout the world remember the events that took place before and after his death. They commemorate the day when he gave his life in our behalf. He willingly sacrificed his life so that we will attain the wonderful future that his Father has promised to His human creations from the beginning. It is an eternal life which became possible only through Jesus' ransom sacrifice.

But even now, his life, teachings and death have greatly influenced and benefited us in many ways. Only those who truly search for him and his Father, and those who keep following them, will perfectly understand the wonderful benefits that come from the knowledge that they acquire as a result of their search.

The link below will direct us to a very interesting and soul-stirring article concerning the effects of Jesus' life and death to us. Spending just a few minutes to read it will be a life-changing experience.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/19980315/article_01.htm

A music video about living in wisdom

 "Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me." -Proverbs 27:11