Hey, huns. (: I'm really sorry for not updating. I decided to put my homework aside for the time being. It's taking up too much of my time; including the little time i should use to blog here. So let the temporary neglecting of homework begin.
Chapter 4: Made to Last Forever [Partially taken out from the book and minor editing by Laura]
This life is not all there is. Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal before the real production.You will spend far more time on the other side of death -in eternity-than you will here. It [earth] is the staging area, the preschool, the tryout for YOUR LIFE IN ETERNITY. Life here is just preparation for the next.
At most, one will live a hundred years on earth, but you will spend FOREVER in ETERNITY. Why? Because we're all made to last FOREVER.
We have an inborn instinct that longs for immortality because God designed us, in His image, to live for eternity. We all know that everyone would pass on eventually, and it seems unnatural and unfair. The reason we feel we should live forever is because God made us with such desire.
Eventually, our hearts will stop beating; and when that day comes, our body and time on earth comes to and end, but not us. Our bodies are just places for our spirits to reside in temporarily.
While life on earth offers us many choices, eternity offers ONLY TWO; Heaven? OR Hell? One's relationship with God on earth will determine his/her relationship in eternity. If one has learnt to love and trust God's son, Jesus, he/she will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with Him. But if one rejects His love, forgiveness and salvation, he/she will spendeternity apart from God FOREVER.
Tragically, many will have to endure eternity without God. Not because God wants them apart from Him. We are all His children after all. It's just that many deny His existence.
When one fully comprehends that there is more to life than just here and now, and realises that life is just preparation for eternity, he/she will begin to live differently; living in the light of eternity, colouring how he/she handles every relationship, task and circumstance. Suddenly, the many things that seemed so important before turns trivial and unworthy of one's attention. The closer we are to God, the smaller everything else in life appears.
Living in the light of eternity causes one's values to change. One's time and money would be used more wisely. One places a higher premium on relationships and character rather than fame, wealth, achievements, fun and so forth. His/her priorities are reordered. Keeping up with the "in-things" just do not matter as much anymore.
IF our times on earth were all there is to life, start living it up immediately! We can then forget about being good and ethical, and we can forget all consequences of our actions. We can just indulge ourselves in total self-centeredness because our actions have no long-term repercussions. But -and this makes all the difference- death is NOT the end! Death is not our termination, but or transition into eternity, meaning that there are eternal consequences to EVERYTHING we do on earth. Every act we do strikes a chord that will vibrate in eternity.
The most damaging aspect in contemporary living is short-term thinking. To make the most of our lives, we must keep the vision of eternity continuously in our minds and the VALUE of it in our hearts. There is FAR MORE to life than just here and now. Today is the visible tip of the iceberg. Eternity is all the rest that you don't see underneath the surface.
What is it going to be like in eternity with our creator? The capacity of our brains just can't handle the wonder and greatness of heaven. It would be like trying to describe the internet to an ant, it's futile. Words alone CAN'T possibly convey the experience of eternity.
Even so, God has already given us glimpses of eternity in His word. We know that He is preparing a home for us in eternity; an eternal home. In heaven, we will once again be reunited with loved ones -who are believers-, released from all pain and suffering, and rewarded by our faithfulness on earth, as well as reassigned to do work that we will enjoy doing. We WILL NOT lie around on clouds with halos and playing harps! Instead, we'll have unbroken fellowship with God, and He will enjoy us fo an unlimited, endless forever.
God has a purpose for our lives on earth, but it doesn't end here. His plan involves far more than the few decades we will spend on this planet. It's more than "the opportunity of a lifetime". God offers us an opportunity beyond our lifetimes.
The only time most think about eternity is at funerals, and then it's often shallow, sentimental thinking based on ignorance. One may feel it's morbid to think about death, but actually it's unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider what is inevitable. Only a fool would go through life unprepared for what we all know will eventually happen. We need to think MORE about eternity. NOT less.
Like the nine months we all spent in our mothers' wombs were not an end in themselves but preparation for life, this life is preparation for the next. If one has a relationship with God through Jesus, he/she doesn't need to fear death for it is the door to eternity. It will soon be the last hour of our times on earth, but it won't be the last of us. Rather than being the end of our lives, it will be our birthdays into eternal life, into ETERNITY.
Measured against eternity, our times on earth is just a blink of an eye, but the consequences of it will last forever. The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next. We should realize that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus.
Now:
Point to Ponder: There is more to life than just here and now.
Verse to Remember: This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever. 1 John 2:17 [NLT]
Question to Consider: Since i was made to last forever, what is the one thing i should stop doing and the one thing i should start doing today?
My answer is what i'm starting to do now; sharing!! Sharing on what little information we know on the word of God is one way to serve Him. And one of my first few steps will be by sharing on the fruits of the spirit;
• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control
Also by sharing WHAT the fruits of the spirit are, WHY should we follow it, and HOW it can and will affect our lives. Let those who don't know come to know and understand. It's one of the many ways to let their hearts open up to God. As for what i should stop doing, it's going against ANY of the nine fruits of the spirit as elaborated a little below.
• Love
By loving everyone unconditionally. Jesus loves us, altho' we continuously sin, over and over again. In the book of Matthew 5:43-44, it's written; You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Also, Jesus loved us so much as to die on the cross for our sins. Think a little, will anyone of us love another SO MUCH as to die nailed to the cross like Jesus did..?
• Joy
One can have righteousness without joy. One can have peace without joy. You cannot have joy without both righteousness and peace. And when i say righteousness, i mean not righteousness through wealth but righteousness by faith as well as all other positivity. Also, Psalm 43:4. So then, cheer up. Start taking a series of steps that will make you glad. Force yourself to enjoy life with His grace. The Lord of hope will certainly fill your heart with inexplicable joy.
• Peace
By giving others the peace Jesus gave us. Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. John 14:27. And by having peace of mind, peace of the heart, and tranquility of the soul for our ownselves before instilling it in others. A clear mind produces clear thoughts, a clear heart produces unhardened feelings, a clear soul produces nurtured inner-strength.
• Patience
In Psalm 86:15, But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. [NIV]. Here, it is CLEARLY written that God is "slow to anger". Meaning that He is patient. We sin and repent repetitively. I believe that if it were us, we would just get fed up eventually when people keep making the same mistakes then asking for forgiveness. We would probably just ask, "Can't you just LEARN from your mistake and NOT repeat it again!?" But here is One who just puts up with us that way and whose patience is crystal clear. Should we not follow such an example, too..?
• Kindness
Being kind to others is what God wants us to do. Even to our ENEMIES. In the Gospel of Luke, Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6:35-36. In 1 John 4:19 is "We love because God first loved us", right..? Shouldn't we all be kind then, because God was first kind to us!
• Goodness
Sometimes, many of us feel the feelings of loneliness/sadness/etc, and we feel like no one around is the right person to talk to. But because God is good, we can talk to Him and find comfort in Him. All said in Epehsians 1:6,Because God is good, we may have comfort in addressing Him, for being accepted in His beloved Son.
• Faithfulness
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 [NIV]. We have all heard and read, Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You in Matthew 7:12. God has ALREADY proven that He is faithful towards us. He provides us with what we need when we need to be provided. Now, it's our turn to do our part and in turn be faithful to Him.
• Gentleness
Peter said, But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15. Of course God wants us to be gentle. But not only for when we're coming up with a reason for the hope we have in us, but also in whatever we do, we do with gentleness. We are here to obey God's word. So let's all abide by it.
• Self-control
We Christians aim to be Godly to please God. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 2 Peter 1:6. Self-control is lead from KNOWING GOD. So what say you when you feel the urge to lash out at someone, or mutter a curse, or punch someone in the face when that someone gets on your nerves..?
That was really very long and i'm really sorry 'bout that!! It's probably longer than Chapter 3 and i don't think i've typed so much before. The time taken up for typing plus the time taken for doing research equals to *wow*. Praise God for internet connections!! (:
~Laura~
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