Life is So Fragile

Life is so fragile. I woke up this morning reading the tragic news about one couple, missionary friends from the US who had a car accident and went to be with the Lord. Few weeks ago, we also received a report that a Korean missionary family of 6 members had a tragic accident on their way north of Cambodia.Their vehicle had a head-on collision with a tourist bus. The couple died with their 2 children, 1 had her arm amputated and was sent back to their homeland with another surviving sibling. Life is so fragile.

Life is short. It's like a mist that passes by. A person maybe here now and gone the next day, minute, second or in a twinkling of an eye. With a perspective like this, we can look at life differently as something so valuable and should not be wasted. Every minute of every day should be considered as an opportunity to make the most of it, to enjoy it, to share it with the people we love, to appreciate it and be thankful to the One who gave it. Our time in this world is temporary, fleeting and brief. Each day that is given to us is a gift and each day that has gone cannot be brought back.

Life is a gift from God. How we live it is our gift back to God. We were created for a purpose, we're not here by accident. There is a reason for our existence. We are here for a greater purpose and a higher reason. Unless we realize this, our lives will be dull, boring, meaningless, a chasing after the wind as the book of Proverbs keep on reiterating.

Life in this side of eternity is fragile. But God's design and desire is for us to have life unending, eternal. Death is not God's original plan for mankind. He created us to live with Him throughout eternity. In creation He breathed into man the breathe of life and man became alive. But because of sin, death entered and man died. Since then, all mankind succumb to this life's interruption called death. But the story doesn't end that way. The good news is, death has been conquered.

Hearing news about death, and especially tragic death just like what I mentioned above, can cause so much sorrow in our hearts and more questions in our minds. But there are verses in the Bible that inspire and give hope when talking about death. It came from the mouth of the One who overcame death Himself and by His powerful words commanded the dead man back to life again. John 11:25-26, Jesus said to Martha, the sister of the dead man Lazarus, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Life is indeed fragile. You are here now. You may be gone tomorrow. But those who have faith in Jesus, death is not the end of life. For He promised that those who believe in Him, though they die, they will continue to live. And those who are alive and have believed in Him will never die - there is what we call the Rapture of the believers when Jesus comes again. But what about those who died already? There is also the upcoming resurrection of the dead back to life. By then, life is not fragile anymore. And there will be no more death. Now let me ask you my friend and dear reader, do you believe this? If yes, well and good. If not, I'm encouraging you to read God's Word, believe in Jesus - the resurrection and the life. Trust Him now, tomorrow may be late.

It's So Hard to Go to Hell?

If you want to go to hell, I bet it would be so difficult. Surprised? Just read on. There are a few hard to deny truths you need to hurdle and overcome before you can get there. But before going any further, I would like to make an assumption that you already believe in a literal hell as there is a real heaven. These are not according to my write ups (as I've posted two articles already about heaven), but the reality of heaven and hell are clearly written in the Word of God, the Bible. If you truly believe in God, for sure you also believe in what He says. For the word of the Lord stands firm forever. Two profound truths declare that, "heaven and earth will pass away but His words will endure forever,'' and ''God cannot lie."

Hell is as real as heaven is. It's a place of endless torment, agony, pain, sorrow, loneliness, and the like. It's a place described in the Scriptures where fire is not quenched and worms don't die. It's a place of continuous thirst because there's no water; and yes as the song popularized it, there's no beer in heaven, and let me add, as well as in hell. Sorry guys. It's a place so hot and uncomfortable because there's no air conditioning system. It's a place where one can't rest nor sleep. There's no laughter nor singing there but only whining and cursing. Many jokingly say that they're not afraid to be in hell because they thought that if one is dead he stops existing and therefore can't feel anything. Is it true? According to Jesus in Luke 16:19-31, the story of the rich man and Lazarus, when they both died, they can still feel, speak, reason, see and know what is happening to them and around them. They are fully aware and wide awake.

Now why do I say that it is so hard to go to hell? Some may argue my statement because some scriptures are also saying that, ''wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter into it.'' and ''it's easier for a camel to enter in the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven." These scriptures have been quoted out of it's true context many times. Yes, many will be going to hell not because it's easier to go there than in heaven, but it would be because they chose to be there.

The heart of God is for all people, man and woman, boy and girl, young and old to be with Him in heaven. In reality and in the heart of our Creator, hell is not for mankind but is prepared for the Devil and his demons, the fallen angels. But because of the justice of God, man has also been given a choice for him to decide where he wants to be in eternity. Therefore, going to hell is no accident, it's a choice. But you have to face first these hard to deny truths which I called the hurdles in going to hell. These for sure will give you a hard time, but in spite of these and you still want to go to hell, then again it's a choice - your choice.

Here are the following reasons why I think it's so hard to go to hell. You may agree with me or not but here they are. Let's call these the hurdles a person must overcome before going to hell.

The hurdle of conscience. The sense of right and wrong is innate in each person. It is God-given. A personal radar that tells us if one thing is good or not. Many want to ignore the truth about right and wrong, good and evil, righteousness and wickedness, things of God and of the devil. There are those who said that there's no good and bad nor right and wrong, and they live their lives in licentiousness with an adage, "if it feels good then do it.'' But regardless of all these, in the depth of each person's heart and soul is the consciousness of right and wrong. And if you want to go to hell, you have to overcome this hurdle, your conscience. Ignore it, deny it, don't listen to its alarm as it gives you warning that such action will have their corresponding consequences here in this life and in the one to come.

The hurdle of the truth of God's Word. Truth is not relative nor subjective. Truth is true either we believe or deny it. Truth remains the truth even if we don't feel like doing or submitting to it. In our modern and highly technological times, people may argue that what was true before may not be true today, what is truth to others may not be applicable to everyone. In some cases that logic may have some point, just like what people in ancient times believed; they did say that the world was flat but later it was found out and accepted that the world is round, spherical to be exact. But there are absolute truths and principles that do not change through time. One example is the law of gravity. It doesn't matter if a person believe it or not, it's not important if that person lived during the stone age or at this time of the information age, if he jumps off a tree, cliff or building, he will surely fall downward. This law is no respecter of person and time.

In the same manner, the truth of God's words has been reminding each person in every generation that our lives should align with it. We were created and wired to live by God's Word and if we live the other way, we will end up reaping the consequences of our decisions. Man can't say that he doesn't know, for I believe that the God of justice will not allow any person to leave this world without having a consciousness of Someone greater than himself. With the abundance of God's words being preached and taught; in writing and in broadcast, in some way or another reaching even the unreached groups, no one can say he doesn't know about it. And if a person wants to go to hell, I bet he must overcome this hurdle by rejecting the truth and the God of truth.

The hurdle of the Holy Spirit's conviction. The Holy Spirit of God is the one convicting people of their sins. He speaks through our conscience and uses the Word of God to remind and warn us if we are in the wrong path. He teaches, counsels and guides us to live by the truth as what God desires for us. Ignoring the voice of the Holy Spirit means rejection and disobedience. Living away from His counsel will endanger us of something not good. John 16:8 says, "He will come to convict the world of sin, to show the world what has God's approval, and to convince the world that God judges it."

2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."

Let me say it again, it's so hard for a person to go to hell. By the way, as I end this article, let me inspire you with this thought, God created us for heaven, hell is for the devil and his fallen angels. God said in His word that He doesn't want any one to perish but everyone to come to repentance. You may think that because of all the bad things you've done you may not qualify for heaven? The good news is, nobody does. All of us are just the same, we are all sinners in need of a Savior, in need of forgiveness. We all likewise fall short and we all need grace. Yap, grace and mercy are gifts of God to all of us. One last thing with regards to the truths about heaven and hell. You  may forget what I have written but don't forget this: All of us deserve to be thrown in hell, for all have sinned, and sins must be punished, but because of God's mercy He won't if we believe Him. We don't deserve to be in heaven forever but we will be there if we choose to accept and trust Him. For grace simply means, receiving what we don't deserve - heaven. Mercy means, not receiving what we deserved - hell. It's still a choice. Make yours now. Don't ignore the hurdles - your conscience, God's Word and God's Holy Spirit. Make these hurdles your stairway, not downward to hell but upward to heaven.

Is Heaven for Real?

After my article Heaven and Hell are Almost the Same came out, a lot of page views came in within a period of two days. I then felt the need to write about heaven all the more. Many people are asking if heaven is real while others are silently wondering and wishing that somehow it is true. There are those who deny it, doubt it and criticize it. They keep on attacking it, insisting that it doesn't exist and that thoughts about it just came from the imagination of some naive so-called Bible believers.

Is heaven for real? Is there a place really called heaven? Some say heaven is here on earth if we can make this world a better place to live in. If we learn how to love each other, be considerate to one another, accept the uniqueness of each person, race and color of skin. If we do not hate and covet, if we strive to live in peace and extend helping hands to those who are in need, then we can experience real heaven on earth. Sounds familiar and too good to be true. How we wish that the world we have now is the one we have just described. But in reality, our world now is very far from it.

There are those who believe and say that a place called heaven is real but it is reserved only for a few. It's not for everyone but for the elect who are chosen and qualified because they have fulfilled a particular requirement. If this would be the case, woe to the rest of humankind, to the majority who can't make it there but are doomed to another place or destination called hell. We will talk about hell in my next article but let's focus first on this intriguing place named heaven.

A lot of questions are often asked concerning the after life, the unseen world and the destination of man after death. In each heart of a person of any generation, is a deep-seated question about man's eternal destination or existence after his physical death. Philosophers, psychologists, scientists, religious scholars tried to explain, debate, defend and denounce man's eternal state and destination, including heaven.

Now, I want to share not just an opinion but a conviction. You are not obliged my dear reader to agree with me nor am I convincing you to believe on what I believe. If you want to remain a skeptic or a doubter after reading this blog article, it's okay with me. I would still appreciate your effort and time for dropping by. I want to assume that there is that longing in your heart and mind to be convinced of the reality of this wonderful place. Personally, I had this curiosity before that stirred up the hunger for the truth. So I searched for the truth about heaven and after a lot of readings and meditations, I weighed things, which one to believe - is heaven a fact or just a fiction.

I've heard a story about two philosophers from ancient time having a conversation about the existence of God. One is a believer of God and the other is not. The believer said to his colleague, "If I believe in God and at the end of my life there is no God, what will I lose? But what about if God is indeed real, I will gain everything. On the other hand, if you don't believe in God and at the end you are right, you gain nothing but if God is real and does exist, you lose everything." In the same manner, talking about heaven, I would rather believe that it is real on the basis of God and His word, the Bible. In case we reach the end of our lives here on earth and there is indeed no heaven and no God at all, what shall I lose? But if there is, I shall gain everything and live truly happy ever after. Am I making sense?

The Scriptures have a lot of verses backing up the reality of heaven as a wonderful place prepared not for a selected few but for all who choose to believe on it and to the God who promised it. I don't want to make this article long, (maybe for some this is long already,  pardon me for I guess writing about heaven would probably require an eternity?) but let me site few verses about heaven and how a person can go there.

Revelation 21:1-5, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'''

John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'''

According to the Scriptures quoted above, heaven is real and God who promised it can be trusted. His words are true. Many times we doubted God's words because we have our own bad experiences from our fellow man whose promises failed us. We are familiar with the saying that goes, "Promises are made to be broken." But with God my friend all His promises are made to be fulfilled.

How can a person make it to heaven? Not through any religion or dogma nor by being and doing good. If these would be the case, how will you know that you've done enough good already? It's not by following certain prerequisites nor abiding in some to-do lists. You and I can enter heaven and enjoy that place through Jesus alone, believe Him and His claim saying, He is the way, the truth and the life. He even added in that verse a profound truth often missed out by many, He further said that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Now last question, where is His Father? The answer is very familiar to most of us, we pray this, ''Our Father, who art in? HEAVEN. Hope to see you there.

To read more inspirational write ups kindly visit and purchase Live a Happy Life eBooks at. www,royalpearlbooks.webs.com. Thank you

Heaven and Hell Are Almost the Same?

A little boy was wondering about the difference between heaven and hell, so he asked his grandpa to explain it to him. The elder man sat down and told him a story,

“Hell is no less than heaven itself, but the big differences are the people and their attitudes in those places,” he said.

“A man was led by an angel and first showed him what hell was like and afterward revealed to him heaven as well. In hell, he saw masses of people sitting around a very long table filled with different kinds of delicious foods. As he beheld the scenery, he saw chaos everywhere and it seems that everyone was doing his own thing. He could sense anger, jealousy, competition, hatred, cursing, disorder and the like. He wondered why people in this place behaved in such manner and it seemed that everybody was starving in spite of all the food on the table. He wanted to ask the angel what was wrong, when suddenly he observed that these people could not really eat the food before them because each were given a spoon and a fork that measured about three feet long. The angel told him they could not use their hands for eating, but were only allowed to use those unique kinds of utensils. If they won’t, they would be punished. So every time one attempted to get food from the table, he could not feed himself because of the super-long spoon and fork. The man could see the frustrations on these people and came to realized that it was the reason for the non-stop commotion in that place called hell.”

The boy then asked his grandpa, “So what did the man see in heaven? Was there an abundance of food, too?” The old man smiled, “Like what I've said, it’s almost the same. Plenty of special and delicious foods at the long table as far as the eye can see. Lots of people sitting, facing one another, each with the same 3-feet-long spoon and fork. But in heaven, the man noticed a big difference in the behavior of the people. They seemed to be enjoying the food, chatting and laughing while eating; and they seemed to be fulfilled and satisfied with the kind of life they had. While he was contemplating and trying to figure out the difference, he witnessed how they used their long spoon and fork to get food from the table, and instead of feeding themselves, they're feeding the person in front of them." 

Things to Learn

• Of course, real heaven and hell as described by the Word of God are far different from what you've just read when referring to the actual places. But the kind of people going to both places has the same behavior and attitude as they had in our story.
• Living for self is one hindrance for a person to go to heaven.
• Selfless living on the other hand is the first step in a man’s journey towards happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction in life.
• A surrendered life to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to be the Lord and Savior will qualify the person to enter the real heaven.
• Hell is so terrifying not only because of the unending and unquenchable fire that a person will suffer (based on what God says in His word), but also the agonizing and depressing atmosphere of hatred, anger, jealousy, cursing, confusion and turmoil of the self-centered people there.
• Giving and sharing with others what you have, brings joy and satisfaction.
• Putting the need of others ahead of yours is so rewarding.

Live a Happy Life 

Galatians 5:20, ''I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

2 Corinthians 5:15, ''And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.'' 

Christ died for us so that we could live for Him and for others. Blessed are those who understand and practice this in their lives. They shall be called true citizens of heaven. If we have this attitude and live a selfless life instead of a selfish one, we can make our homes, communities, countries and our world more like heaven than hell. Let's do it.

Question: How can you demonstrate selfless living today?

To read more inspirational write ups kindly visit and purchase Live a Happy Life eBooks at. www,royalpearlbooks.webs.com. Thank you

Forgive? Do You Know What's Been Done?

Forgiveness. A very ancient word but a must-needed decision in our times. It is a challenge for those who want to live a life of real freedom from past hurts, pains, unfair treatment and biased judgments. When one forgives, the first person released from bondage is not the one who caused the pain but instead the one who has been hurt - you and me. When one forgives it doesn't take away the pain immediately but it's when the healing starts. When there is real forgiveness, there is the letting go of the past, how painful it may have been so that going forward could be possible towards a brighter future. Forgetting goes hand in hand with forgiving which ushers the start of foreseeing good things.

Forgiving others of what they've done is not easy. The deeper the hurt the harder it is to forgive. The greater the damage the longer time is needed for repair. Time truly heals as they say, but  the process of healing depends on how quick one decides to forgive. Holding on to personal grudges affects the mind that stores past memories. Thinking about the past affects one's present behaviors.

What will it cost you when you forgive? Before looking into that, let's take a look first at the cost of Jesus' forgiveness when He chose to bear all our sins, our disobedience and rebellion. All of these for sure were very painful for Him. It cost Him excruciating pain, deep sorrow, heaviness of heart and mind as heavy as the cross on His back. He suffered insults, betrayal, rejection, criticism and false accusations. He was shamed, mocked, blasphemed, despised, spit upon, they tore His clothes off from His tired body and forcefully placed a crown of thorns upon His head.

He came to do good. He did numerous miracles to show His love and concern for people but still they killed Him and hanged Him on the cross in the midst of criminals and under the heat of the scorching sun. While hanging there, thirsty, hungry, lonely, in so much pain, bleeding and dying, He has spoken these timeless words of forgiveness to the ones who did all of those to Him. "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing'' Luke 23:34. He did nothing wrong but willingly received all our wrongs and was punished. But still He forgives.

Forgiveness costs Jesus His life and His heavenly comfort. He came from heaven to earth to do His Father's will. He also had a choice. He could have stayed in His palace and enjoyed  being served and worshiped by countless of angels. Why bother to come down and suffer just to pay for our shortcomings? But He made His choice, He came for us, suffered for us, died for our sins. What is He showing to us? The example of forgiveness. So that we will do to others what He's done to us. We don't deserve it, we are not worthy of it but still He forgave and still forgives.

Now let's make this more personal. I hope after reading this article you will still visit my blog site and you will still consider me as your friend. Here we go, what will it cost you if you forgive? Though how deep the hurt and how hard it could be, forgiveness will cost you your pride. Yap, you read it right. Pride. Why would you hold on to things that hunt you and hurt you if you can free yourself? Let's be honest, is choosing not to forgive those who have offended you makes your life happier and easier? You may say that I don't really know what you've been through, which may be true but do you want to wallow in situations and circumstances which you cannot undo? Why not release forgiveness, learn from what happened, trust the justice of God to defend and vindicate you. You can't do anything to that which is of the past but you can do something today that would give you a better future. Do forgive.

I can write more but I think I've made my point my friend and dear reader. I'm writing this article because I myself have been into a lot also, and I've been to both sides: I've experienced being forgiven many times and have forgiven others as well. One last thing I would like to say about forgiveness. If you choose to do it. It's worth it. Do it now and free your self.

To read more inspirational write ups kindly visit and purchase Live a Happy Life eBooks at  www.royalpearlbooks.webs.com. Thank you.

Does God Really Care?

1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you."

Does God care? If He does why do things happen this way? If He cares, why do I need to face this problem, this sickness, this brokenness, this loneliness, this circumstance? These questions and a lot more  have become very familiar in our days and in every generation. In this article I will do my best to convince you and let you know that God does care...for you.

Life is a cycle. Some days you feel so high up in cloud nine, other days you feel like your dumped down under. There are days you consider you're in heaven and days as if you're in hell. That's life. 

Life is like seasons. Sometimes you feel so alive like spring, so hot and excited like summer, so afraid and uncertain like fall and so cold, numb, hopeless, gloomy, bored and lifeless like winter.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going is one popular adage we say often. But what about those who are not tough? Those who are weak, discouraged, unmotivated, those who lost their passion in life? What about those times when you feel like  nobody cares, you feel so alone, when nobody knows what you are going through and no one is asking how are you.

In times of confusion, doubts, uncertainties and worries. In times of hardships when you feel like being pressed. In times of chaos. In times of  personal and relational battles where you feel you cannot fight anymore. The struggles never stop and you feel you don't have the strength left. In times when your are in your lowest point and others are happy about it. Then in the deepness of your soul you're asking, "Does anybody care?" and "Does God really care for me?" 

If you're asking these questions, allow me to show you some verses from the Bible that can help you realize that God does care.

Does God know what you are going through? Hebrews 4:13, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight..."

Does God sympathize with your feelings and weaknesses? Hebrews 4:14-15, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who have been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin."

Does God help when you are tempted? Hebrews 2:18, "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Does God give counsel when you are confused? Psalm 1:1-2, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Proverbs 2:5-6, "then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Does God give direction when you don't know which way to go? Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." John 14:6, "Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Does God cry when you're crying? John 11:33, "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." John 11:35, "Jesus wept."

I can quote more and more scriptures to show you my friend and dear reader that indeed God knows what is happening in your life right now and at the same time God cares for you and He wants to let you know that He is always there for you. Either you can feel Him or not, either you are convinced of it or not, but the fact remains, that our God cares, period. 

He cares because He loves you. He cares because He treasures you. He cares because He has a wonderful plan for your life. He cares because in all of His creation, you are unique, one of a kind, so special, so valuable. He cares because your life, your soul is worth more than all the wealth of the world. He cares because He knows from whom you were likened to - in His very own image and likeness. He cares because He has set eternity in your heart and just like Him you are an eternal being - you will exist forever. He cares because He knows that all hardships and struggles you are going through at the moment, you will outlast them all, for they are only temporary and you are for eternity.

Will I go on convincing you that God really cares? Or all of what I've already written is enough? Okay, one last point before I end this article. God does care otherwise, He would not have given up His very own life for you on that Calvary's cross. But He did. He willingly stretched forth His hands, allowed the Roman soldiers to nail them, to send a message to you, to me and to all of us that God really care.

To read more inspirational write ups kindly visit and purchase Live a Happy Life eBooks at  www.royalpearlbooks.webs.com. Thank you.