THE BIG DIFFERENCE

If there is something as certain as life then it is death. As sure as the life we are holding on today, is the undeniable truth that someday we will all die.  The existence of these things can never be denied. Living life to the full, valuing it as we ought to do and getting ourselves ready for the final day when we are judged make all the big difference. This should all be our prayer Lord, remember to write my name in the Book of Life.

Amen. Hallelujah!

Revelation 20:1-4, 11-21:2

All the dead were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire. 21: 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Have you ever felt so at home in a certain place that you feel like you can stay there for a long time? I did. I have met these people who are so welcoming and accepting and it feels like I can stay with them for the longest time. And to think that these people are the ones I hardly even know, so just imagine how it would feel like dwelling in the house of the Lord as spoken of in today's psalm. We ought to be aware of that big difference always. It is a matter of dwelling in a place where there is eternal life of peace and joy or damnation. Our earthly bodies will naturally yearn for earthly desires which are just bound to last only here on earth. We've got to really get it straightened out and listen to the yearning of our souls which will outlast this world. In heaven we will be glorified magnificently. We will live forever with strength, power, beauty and sharing a new humanity with Jesus. There is no place else we would rather be than in God's dwelling place. We all hope to wear that crown of heaven and take our place in God's kingdom.

We have to go the extra mile always in doing everything in love. For God is love and He is in us. We should also be careful not to taint and mess up ourselves and this is only possible if we take good care of God's dwelling place as suggested in today's psalm. We are the temple or dwelling place of God and this we should know by now and always be aware of. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6a, 8a

R: Here God lives among his people.

2 [3] My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) 3 [4] Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young — your altars, O LORD of hosts, my king and my God! (R) 4 [5] Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. 5 [6] Blessed the men whose strength you are! 7 [8] They go from strength to strength.

I believe that God speaks to us through the daily circumstances and events in our lives. When we see these things happening to us we must consider them as like the fig tree and all the other trees in today’s gospel that served as an indicator of something that is coming our way. It is always good to look back and recall the things that we’ve been through as a form of assessing our lives in order to gain insights, important tips and strategies to be well prepared for something or to really recognize what needs to be done. In the same way that the fig tree became a sign that summer is near, we also must learn how to detect or identify some events in our life that can serve as an aid to guide us to make better decisions with regards to our life. I just realized that these words that I just wrote in relation to the fig tree in the gospel are the very words that I always quote whenever I counsel someone who is having trials and difficulties. What made me remember it even more is the fact the word of God as spoken of in the gospel is the very foundation of our hope and trust in the Lord as it is written, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.”  With this we pray that we continue to hold on to the Lord's promises for in it alone we can trust. We may have said things that we shouldn't have said and can no longer take back but what He said we can have full confidence for we have a God who fulfills His word. We can stand secure. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 21:29-33

29 Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”