As the 2012 Olympics came to a close, the voice of John Lennon rang out loud and clear for all the world to hear:

Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try
No hell below us; above us only sky
Imagine all the people; living for today.

Imagine there's no countries, It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too
Imagine all the people, living life in peace.

Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger - A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people, sharing all the world...

Imagination, Dreams, Socialism, Utopia: but not reality.

Our sovereign King offers His people something far better in this earthly life: His love and comfort, strength and hope.  Hope that will be fulfilled when He welcomes us into His glorious eternity.

As the world marches onward toward a totalitarian world system, we are likely to face loss, hatred, persecution and suffering. After all, Jesus has called us to share in His suffering. But with the suffering comes an ever sufficient supply of strength, endurance and joy in Him!

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

kudos to Crossroads for allowing me to gleen their fields.