The End Of The World

When will the end of the world be?

When
... many false Christs abounds.
... there are wars and rumors of wars.
... there are famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

Then there will be the beginning of sorrow for believers.
... There will be tribulation and persecution.
... They will be hated by all nations.
... Many will be offended.
... Many will betray one another.
... And many will hate one another.

Then there will be more confusion, distress and pain for believers:
... Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
... Lawlessness will abound.
... And the love of many will grow cold.

But Christians must endure to the end to be saved.

And the gospel must be preached in all the world as a witness to everyone.

Then the end will come.

The Fruitless Tree

A fig tree dried up at the word of Jesus.

There was nothing on it but leaves, and the Lord Jesus said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."

Every tree with fruits, in or out of seasons, is good. We would like to keep trees that produce abundant fruits; we would normally cut down trees that produce little fruits or no fruit at all.

The Lord Jesus was hungry. But the fig tree was fruitless.

The Lord Jesus cursed the fig tree, and the fig tree withered away.

It is a lesson for us.

A Christian life without the fruits of the Spirit is a useless life.

When there is an outward show without an inward change, we can be sure that it is an empty and fruitless life.

A Christian life that has lost its testimony and power is an useless life. It might be once filled with glory and hope; it has now lost its glory and power.

Some churches are like that. They are now no more places for worship. They have become business centers, social spots, and leisure grounds.

The Lord Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."

John the Baptist had lived a good life. The general public had regarded him as a prophet. His testimony was clear and convincing.

The disciples marveled at our Lord's doing. They were wondering how was it that the fig tree withered away so soon.

If we are faithful and prayerful, we will receive what we ask for.

A fig tree without fruits is a useless tree.

A church that is not good for worship is worthless.

A christian life that has lost its testimony is a wasteful life.

How would you live your life?

Our Good Shepherd

Like King David, it is good to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus is our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23).

A good Shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him.

A good shepherd scouts out the territory and shows his sheep a path which avoids the dangers ahead.

A good shepherd feeds and waters his flock regularly.

A goods shepherd watches over and defend his flock against wild animals and robbers.

A good shepherd shears his flock, and not to skin it.

A good shepherd cares for his sheep, especially when they are sick and diseased.

A good shepherd is willing to give his life to save his flock.

And he always makes sure that he does not lose any of his sheep.

And the Lord Jesus is that Good Shepherd who even died for us on the cross.

Like sheep, we are easy prey for hungry wolves.

Like sheep, we are prone to wandering about aimlessly.

Like sheep, we sin and lose our way.

Like sheep, we are in need of a good shepherd to guard us and to keep us in the fold.

Like sheep, we are often overconfident in our own abilities, and begin to believe we can manage our lives without God's help.

But then, we are so prone to accidents and in the process injure ourselves and spend countless hours unable to rise again.

Like sheep, we need a Good Shepherd.

We need Someone we can trust...

We need Someone who will genuinely care for us...

We need Someone who will lay down His life for us...

The Lord Jesus is our Good Shepherd.

And we shall lack nothing.

He makes us to lie down in green pastures.

He leads us beside the still water.

He restores our soul.

He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

The Lord Jesus is indeed our Good Shepherd.

Dreams Are Not Just Dreams

We talk about dreams, many of them. It is a topic that many of us would love to talk about when we are with our family and friends. And there are also times when we are alone and unoccupied, we would dwell on our dreams and fantasies for hours.

Everyone has dreams; there is no need for denial. I have yet to hear from someone who doesn't have a dream that he or she would want to fulfill. Someone once told me, "a person who doesn't dream doesn't know where he or she is going." And I think it is true.

We all have our thoughts, our emotions, our daily routines and experiences. Sometimes, when everything runs smoothly and exactly the way we want, we would be happy. But there are times when life is rough and tough and suck, that we wish it can be better.

Some of us love to talk about our fantasies and nightmares. We would spend hours talking about our pleasant and nightmarish experiences. Life can be pretty interesting joining those who appreciate life, though it can be rather frustrating and depressing mixing with those who are forever so pessimistic about their outlook of life.

Some of us love to dwell on the reality of life. We hate the cruelty, unfair treatments, harshness, and futility of life. We wish our lives can be better. We want our desires met and our fantasies fulfilled. We often would want to look for a quiet corner where we can find our peace, comfort, and strength in our difficult times.

Some of us talk about having objectives and set goals. And I think this is good if they are planned and carried out properly. Too very often we have people who have planned so much but have actually done so little, and those who have work so hard without much planning.

Some of us talk about knowing our true selves and our heart's desire. We must learn to know our strengths and limitations. We all know that we are talented but not in every field. But we always have this desire of wanting to improve ourselves and enjoy our lives to the fullest.

Dreams are not ordinary; they can be real and powerful. Imagine how incredible it is when our dreams turn into reality.

Dreams are good and should be present in every soul. Dreams keep us alive; dreams get us going; and dreams give us hope for the uncertain future.

I have my dreams. They are not ordinary dreams. They are life changing dreams. They keep me motivated and hopeful; they give me strength and confidence to go on for a better life.

Dreams are not just dreams.

What To Do Next?

Sometimes our lives can be so stressful when we don't know what to do next. We have to keep up with so many important commitments in life. We have to deal with many appointments. And we always seem to have a very busy schedule, etc. Sometimes, when we are free to take a break, we bemoan the fact that we seldom have time exclusively for ourselves.

Life can be very rough and tough when we have so many things to consider and reconsider. It can be very stressful and tiring when we have to swim against the tides every time. It will be nice if there is someone we can trust to confide in, and if our loved ones can readily hear and listen to us.

Sometimes it takes a crisis before we are willing to reconsider and reschedule our tasks. Ultimately, we are forced to decide on what to do next and what to do away with for the moment. We just cannot continue to be tossed about by the waves of life.

I was very troubled lately with so many things coming at one time. My schedule was tight, and I myself was stressful and couldn't find the time to breathe properly. Life is too hectic and out of control, and it has greatly affected myself, my family and my relationships.

Then something happened. Somethings I desired very much to do were turned down. Initially, I was very unhappy. But then, after some time thinking through, I felt relieved. I remembered just how it had occupied so much of my time and I had sacrificed so much for it. Now that it is gone, forever, everything is back to normal, and I am able to manage my life again.

But it doesn't mean that life will be smooth going from now on. There are still many obstacles and hindrances in life that can stop me from achieving my full potential and goals. Oh yes! There will still be more struggles and pains ahead.

Our lives can be very simple if we want it to be. It can be very complicated and difficult too. Sometimes we just have to do more thinking and planning. We don't just go ahead with everything we want to do. There must be times for contemplation and reflection. We need not hurry too much and force ourselves to meet the schedule.

Our loved ones and family can assist us with our problems in life. Many of our friends are helpful too. And there are times when circumstances and situations change and we are able to see and do things in a whole new way.

But I believe it is important that we take rein of our lives. We don't want to be influenced and affected by every wind of change. We must always make up our mind on what to do next. We just don't want to be pulled by the nose to do everything and anything.

Life is a continual struggle, and it will never be easy for us to settle down to do what we want. But we must try. We must learn to manage and lead our own lives.

It is our lives.

It is our future.

And it is up to us to decide on what to do next!