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.

Wisdom for the Tongue

Some of us often find ourselves regretting what we have said and wishing to take back the words that we have uttered. Indeed,  animals and some violent humans can be tamed, but not the tongue. The Bible book of James says, "But the tongue, not one of mankind can get it tamed. An unruly injurious thing, it is full of death-dealing poison."

Nevertheless, we can gain more control over this small body member. Here are some Bible principles that can help us.

Proverbs 10:19

"In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly."

The more we talk, the more we make mistakes. So it's wise to always "keep our lips in check" or think before we speak.

James 1:19

"Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath."

We should listen closely to what others say and show that we are genuinely interested and respectful. If someone hurts or provokes us with thoughtless words, we must try to be "slow about wrath" by not reacting in kind. And if we find it hard to be slow about wrath, it's helpful to pray to God for his holy spirit's fruit of self-control.

Proverbs 25:15

"A mild tongue itself can break a bone."

Mildness has strength. It can break a bone in the sense that if we answer mildly to those who oppose us and speak bad about us, we may be able to overcome their hard and inflexible opposition and may win their heart.

So these are the "wisdom from above" (James 3:17) that can help us speak words that are dignifying, endearing and upbuilding. 

Source:

Awake magazine, November 2010

Why Read the Bible

Some people think that the Bible is just like all other ancient books that are being treasured as literary masterpieces. True, the Bible is a very old book, but unlike other books that are esteemed for their literary values, the Bible has retained its power to touch lives through the ages. Hence, the Bible is a living book. This is not surprising because countless evidences prove that it is the Word of God, which God himself imparted to men who put it down in writing for the benefit of mankind's generations that are yet to come.

There are so many reasons why we should read the Bible, but I will only mention four of them by quoting the Bible itself.

Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is alive and exerts power, and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart."

2 Timothy 3:16,17

"All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

Romans 15:4

"For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope."

John 17:3

"This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."

These are what God's Word can do for us personally. We can see how beneficial it is for us, not only now but also throughout eternity.

If we think that the Bible is not reliable, or that it's not really God's Word, it only shows that we haven't really read the entire Bible yet and that we haven't carefully examined it yet in conjunction with world events and scientific facts. And this is one more reason why we should read the Bible.

Those who have read it and followed its teachings have experienced remarkable changes in their lives and their outlook regarding world condition and the future. They have been experiencing true happiness and satisfaction, along with a bright hope that keeps them energized as they move on their journey into the new world which the Almighty himself has prepared for righteous mankind.

Scriptural Tips on How to Drive Sadness Away

1) Talk about it

Proverbs 17:17

"A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress."

We may think of someone we can completely trust, and confide in him/her about what we feel. When we talk about our feelings, we feel an overwhelming relief, knowing that someone knows what we're going through. That will get us out of the pit of sadness.

2) Write about it

Proverbs 3:21

"Safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability,  and they will prove to be life to your soul and charm to your throat."

Putting down our thoughts and feelings on paper when sadness overwhelms us can help us "safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability."

One Biblical example in writing down feelings of deep sadness is King David. We can read his expressions at Psalm 6:6:

"I have grown weary with my sighing;

All night long I make my couch swim;

With my tears I make my own divan overflow."

We can do similarly by keeping a journal and writing down what we feel and what we think may be at the root of our sadness.

3) Pray about it

Philippians 4:6,7

"Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God;  and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus."

We must pray to God about our concerns, pouring out our heart to him and asking him to help us identify the root of our sadness. By doing so, we can have the "peace of God that excels all thought", which "will guard our heart and our mental powers."

4) Let God's Word be a light to your roadway

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my foot,

And a light to my roadway."

Filling our minds with upbuilding thoughts that we glean from Bible accounts can have a positive effect on our thoughts, feelings and actions. So it's beneficial to make it a habit to read God's Word daily.

Based on Awake magazine, September 2010, pages 20-22.

Pouring Out Our Hearts

"Trust in him at all times, O people.

Before him pour out your heart.

God is a refuge for us."

- Psalm 62:8

Sometimes life can be too much. Problems from every corner invade us like enemy missiles aimed toward us. They disrupt our peace and our joy of living. They become like a heavy load that is impossible to carry.We feel suffocated and we don't know what to do. We run to our friends for comfort or get psychiatric help, but still, our problems persist. They drive us crazy, they turn us insane. Too much!  We irrationally decide that we have lost all hopes, that it's useless to go on living. We want to end it all.

Many find themselves immersed in such situation and it's hard to get themselves out of it. But if they make a persistent effort to fight and strengthen their will to live, they will come to be survivors. One way to help themselves is to run to the most reliable Counselor in the universe, just like what the Scripture above shows us. Indeed, trusting in Him at all times and pouring out our hearts to Him can get us into a refuge where we feel secure and unharmed by whatever enemy invasions designed to destroy us.

Even when we are not at all in the thick of such situation, we can always prevent ourselves from getting into it by heeding the psalmist's message. We should make God our refuge by always trusting in Him and pouring our hearts to Him. He is the only one who can perfectly keep us away from harm and can give us LIFE.