FALLING FLOWERS
"because 'All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you." - 1Pet 1:24-25
Beauty fades, charm is deceitful, wealth vanishes, fame goes away, death happens, fashion changes, glamour passes, buildings crumble.... And so many more, but only the Word is unchanging.
In the midst of an evolving world and ever moving scenes, we are not guaranteed of everything to be constant, man is on a loosed chase, we are going round circles and cycles, yet nothing is guaranteed...
There was a time when the priesthood of the family of Eli was known for glamour and glory, they were revered by everyone, the future looked secured, their children had guaranteed jobs of being priest forever, Eli fed fat, his children became proud... But just in one day, the glory changed, the smiles ended, the laughter turned to weeping ICHABOD started!
Can man ever have a guaranteed future? Can one beat his chest that the generations after him will sustain the glory. What is the lot of man in a world of vanity?
There is just one thing that can never be extinct, there is just one thing that will keep on living and keep us living for eternity, even heaven and earth will pass away, I mean heaven will surely pass, but this ancient word, handed down to us will come to pass.
THE WORD AGAINST THE EARTH
"In response Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' And His disciples heard it." - Mark 10:14
Will this simple word come to pass? How can a tree that has been standing for years not bear fruit again? It's life cycle is long and they may wonder what kind of pronouncement that was that Jesus made. Some people know a location because of the tree planted there, some places are in our memory because of a small flower there... But Jesus just cited the things to come.
Dear friend, this world will all pass away, the buildings will no longer be where there used to be, that house will crumble, the memory of a location will be reduced to ashes and rubbles...and it has to be so because the the earth cannot stand against the Word that created it.
The vanity of this world that we hold on to as if the world will forever remain, the meaningless strife we have because of wealth will all perish with this world. If Jesus has spoken it that this world will pass away, how come we are so keen on memorials. Think about the new heaven and the new earth!
"Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." - Psalm 119:89
As Jesus spoke those words that day, it became settled in heaven and of course it just had to come to pass. No one could or can alter the settled words of God. The temple Solomon built was with the intention that it will last forever, but alas it was burnt!
The only thing that will survive this world and still surviving the earth is the Word, if we don't take note of this, we will pass away unto futility, we will grope in the darkness of ignorance. The word though simple, the word though complex, the word maybe archaic will stand generations yet to come and stand even when generations stop coming.
THE DOER WILL ABIDE FOREVER
"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." - 1John 1:17
Yes, it is possible to live forever, it is exciting to know that the doer of the word will only sleep when the breath is taken away, it is a beautiful thing to know that if we shun the ephemeral things of the world and embrace the ever-abiding word, we will live forever.
Why not? The word will become flesh in us and since the word can never die, we will never die, of course, it has happened before and is still happening, O Stephen only slept, the Word tells us that we shall not all sleep, we will wake up in rapture to continue to live just because we did and still do the Word.
It is with blessed hope that I know that the believer will outlast this world-class world. O so beautiful to know that I will outlast things and yes they will fade away. O, even as I live the Word and do the Word, it is possible that my outward man is perishing but I know that the inward man is intact and being renewed for my after life with God!
"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." - Psalm 1:3
And when I do the Word, though I am like a tree planted, but I am not a man-made tree, I will not wither my flowers will not fall away, I will live with relevance on earth yet because I'm the planting of the Lord, I will outlast the world.
Over the years, the lifespan of man had been on the average of 80 and so it stays. How can things outlast us? We were created to outlast these things and that should be the drive of all believer, if we live by the ever-abiding Word we will outlast the earth.
"For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." - Heb 4:8-9
Your death shouldn't be your end, it shouldn't lead to torments in hell, it shouldn't be a hopeless phase, no! Your departure here should rekindle our hope of a blessed life yet to come. I speak this truth with gladness of heart and conviction of soul, how I wish you understand!
PURIFY YOURSELF IN HOPE
"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1John 3:2-3
If you want to abide forever, if you want to live forever, if you don't want to just perish or pass away with this earth, then there must be a hope ignited within you. Such a hope will help purify you in expectation for what is to come.
Can I tell you that those who are not hopeful for a life after now will not have a life after now, those who have heard this word spoken today, just as the disciples heard Jesus speak, should know that it is their believe against the Word, and of course the Word will come to pass.
If you don't cleanse yourself with the Word, you will pass away with the world, if you don't purify your life, you will pass away before the earth passes away.
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." - 2Cor 7:1
Without holiness no one will see the Lord, for blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see the Lord. What shall be revealed in us will be revealed through the purity in us.
The same Word that will abide is the same agent of cleansing, it is the same Word that will make us clean, it is in the doing that all doubts are cleared and all hope is raised, it is this same Word that gives an assurance that we will abide forever.
CONCLUSION: Popular author Sydney Sheldon said nothing last forever, yes but God has said the Word will last forever and will also make you last forever!
God bless you and may you live forever
I love you
Akinsuroju Femi
Beauty fades, charm is deceitful, wealth vanishes, fame goes away, death happens, fashion changes, glamour passes, buildings crumble.... And so many more, but only the Word is unchanging.
In the midst of an evolving world and ever moving scenes, we are not guaranteed of everything to be constant, man is on a loosed chase, we are going round circles and cycles, yet nothing is guaranteed...
There was a time when the priesthood of the family of Eli was known for glamour and glory, they were revered by everyone, the future looked secured, their children had guaranteed jobs of being priest forever, Eli fed fat, his children became proud... But just in one day, the glory changed, the smiles ended, the laughter turned to weeping ICHABOD started!
Can man ever have a guaranteed future? Can one beat his chest that the generations after him will sustain the glory. What is the lot of man in a world of vanity?
There is just one thing that can never be extinct, there is just one thing that will keep on living and keep us living for eternity, even heaven and earth will pass away, I mean heaven will surely pass, but this ancient word, handed down to us will come to pass.
THE WORD AGAINST THE EARTH
"In response Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' And His disciples heard it." - Mark 10:14
Will this simple word come to pass? How can a tree that has been standing for years not bear fruit again? It's life cycle is long and they may wonder what kind of pronouncement that was that Jesus made. Some people know a location because of the tree planted there, some places are in our memory because of a small flower there... But Jesus just cited the things to come.
Dear friend, this world will all pass away, the buildings will no longer be where there used to be, that house will crumble, the memory of a location will be reduced to ashes and rubbles...and it has to be so because the the earth cannot stand against the Word that created it.
The vanity of this world that we hold on to as if the world will forever remain, the meaningless strife we have because of wealth will all perish with this world. If Jesus has spoken it that this world will pass away, how come we are so keen on memorials. Think about the new heaven and the new earth!
"Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." - Psalm 119:89
As Jesus spoke those words that day, it became settled in heaven and of course it just had to come to pass. No one could or can alter the settled words of God. The temple Solomon built was with the intention that it will last forever, but alas it was burnt!
The only thing that will survive this world and still surviving the earth is the Word, if we don't take note of this, we will pass away unto futility, we will grope in the darkness of ignorance. The word though simple, the word though complex, the word maybe archaic will stand generations yet to come and stand even when generations stop coming.
THE DOER WILL ABIDE FOREVER
"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." - 1John 1:17
Yes, it is possible to live forever, it is exciting to know that the doer of the word will only sleep when the breath is taken away, it is a beautiful thing to know that if we shun the ephemeral things of the world and embrace the ever-abiding word, we will live forever.
Why not? The word will become flesh in us and since the word can never die, we will never die, of course, it has happened before and is still happening, O Stephen only slept, the Word tells us that we shall not all sleep, we will wake up in rapture to continue to live just because we did and still do the Word.
It is with blessed hope that I know that the believer will outlast this world-class world. O so beautiful to know that I will outlast things and yes they will fade away. O, even as I live the Word and do the Word, it is possible that my outward man is perishing but I know that the inward man is intact and being renewed for my after life with God!
"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." - Psalm 1:3
And when I do the Word, though I am like a tree planted, but I am not a man-made tree, I will not wither my flowers will not fall away, I will live with relevance on earth yet because I'm the planting of the Lord, I will outlast the world.
Over the years, the lifespan of man had been on the average of 80 and so it stays. How can things outlast us? We were created to outlast these things and that should be the drive of all believer, if we live by the ever-abiding Word we will outlast the earth.
"For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." - Heb 4:8-9
Your death shouldn't be your end, it shouldn't lead to torments in hell, it shouldn't be a hopeless phase, no! Your departure here should rekindle our hope of a blessed life yet to come. I speak this truth with gladness of heart and conviction of soul, how I wish you understand!
PURIFY YOURSELF IN HOPE
"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1John 3:2-3
If you want to abide forever, if you want to live forever, if you don't want to just perish or pass away with this earth, then there must be a hope ignited within you. Such a hope will help purify you in expectation for what is to come.
Can I tell you that those who are not hopeful for a life after now will not have a life after now, those who have heard this word spoken today, just as the disciples heard Jesus speak, should know that it is their believe against the Word, and of course the Word will come to pass.
If you don't cleanse yourself with the Word, you will pass away with the world, if you don't purify your life, you will pass away before the earth passes away.
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." - 2Cor 7:1
Without holiness no one will see the Lord, for blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see the Lord. What shall be revealed in us will be revealed through the purity in us.
The same Word that will abide is the same agent of cleansing, it is the same Word that will make us clean, it is in the doing that all doubts are cleared and all hope is raised, it is this same Word that gives an assurance that we will abide forever.
CONCLUSION: Popular author Sydney Sheldon said nothing last forever, yes but God has said the Word will last forever and will also make you last forever!
God bless you and may you live forever
I love you
Akinsuroju Femi
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