RESTRICTED?

My mind was caught up with what happened to a friend. Her experience was a common issue of life. I know that her struggle between the nature of the flesh and the truth is truly painful for her or for anyone “to let go and let God”. This article is not to discuss her story either divulge the things I told her. I just pray that the truth that she needed to hear enlightens her heart.

Life in general is never been easy, whatever condition you are in, whatever role you are switch on, decisions & actions are made and carried on. The adage “Decisions can either make or break us” holds true, whichever calls it ends up with.

This friend once said, “Christian life is difficult, your choices are limited and your activity is restricted.” It’s a typical comment coming from a newly born. Probably she has her basis of saying so (I heard similar remark from few people around me) or maybe she hasn’t seen the big picture.

Choices have never been limited, only we choose different path this time and face extra-ordinary happening (not all choose d narrow road, see things along the way). Activity is never restricted, our taste of recreation is the result of our outpouring love for Christ (becoming Christ-like). 1 Peter 2:11 says “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. It maybe unusual, we may not share the same “fun” with the citizens of this world (we are aliens here as it is stated anyway, see Acts 7:6) but we are not sorry.

In my previous article(s), I’ve mentioned sufferings in this world (and expect it). Suffering comes coz we are persecuted. We are persecuted because we are set apart, called out from this world, and we don’t practice the things of this earthly kingdom. Shall we be discouraged then because we will miss a lot of excitement from this planet? Coz we did not enjoy here? I guess the answer is No. Speaking for myself, I should not be discouraged. Jesus gave us a sneak preview of our lives in heaven. Rev 21: 1-4,15-27 says “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.... The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

I don’t want to miss heaven. I rather miss the what-so-called “LIFE” here on earth than fail to have eternal life in heaven. Why? I don’t like to live forever in hell , Mark 9: 48 say "...where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.” And Rev. 20:10 adds “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”