I was listening to a preacher one day when he said, “I don’t teach on the book of Revelation. It is not my business. I don’t disturb myself about what I don’t understand and what does not look real to me. I only focus on the epistles.” I was startled hearing this from him and I got to understand his stand on the last days. I doubt if he’s preparing his congregation for life after now.

“And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). Friend, there is something about living with eternity in view. It compels and conforms you to live a life that will matter before God both here and after now. Let no one deceive you, life does not end here. This earth is more like a “dress rehearsal” for life after now. We are to live here on earth with eternity in view. If you truly have this hope in you, you would purify yourself and leverage the Grace of God to live a life pleasing to Him.

“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:12). Just as it was in the days of Apostle Paul, there are men in our days who make light of eternity and teach men to do whatever they like here on earth with the assumption that it has nothing to do with how and where they would spend their eternity. You must beware. You must read the Bible for yourself and let the Holy Spirit help you to live ready, pleasing God and fulfilling His purpose for your life here on earth.

A balanced Christian is one who lives to maximize his stay here on earth while at the same time preparing for eternity with God. There is no other way to help a Christian live well here on earth than to help his view of eternity. It is when you set your affections on things above and not on things beneath that you can “mortify your members which are on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-5). That is when you can ‘force’ your life here on earth to comfort to the reality of your life with Christ in eternity.

As you go into today and the remaining days of this year, never forget that eternity with Christ is real. It does not matter how some preachers have deemphasized this truth or how the happenings in the world have made us to lose consciousness of eternity, you need to bring the reality of this truth back into your heart and your daily activities. You need to live prepared and ready for life after now. You need to die daily; to distractions in the world, self and everything that would make you lose your place with God (1 Corinthians 15:31). May the Lord help us. Amen!

© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria