Journey to Heaven–A salmon is anadromous, which means it can adapt to both freshwater and saltwater environment. After spending a couple of years in the freshwater during the time of fry, they make their journey to the ocean to live the rest of their life in the saltwater. This process is called ‘smoltification’. During this period, they go through huge changes in the internal functions of their body. They regulate the amount of urination, intake of sodium, etc. In this way, they can adapt to their new environment as adolescent.
After living about 1~7 years in the ocean, which varies according to species, they finally make their final journey back to home. This is the last and long journey fraught with many dangers. During this journey they have to face many obstacles and difficulties such as predators, rapids, fishers, etc. Even though it is a dangerous journey, they bravely travel sometimes thousands of miles to find their home. Also somehow they have an amazing sense of direction for an unknown reason and find the exact river they came from and follow back to the place where they were originally born.
At the last stage of their life, they make this homeward journey to complete their mission. Now what they have to do is to change their body function back again to adapt to the freshwater. This time their body works reversely to take in more salt. The cells in their gills pump in more salt to match the salinity of their body. When this process is done, they can go all the way back to the original stream they came from. There they spawn to give new life to its young and die.
Our Journey Back To Eternal Home In Heaven
Our Life In This World Of Sea
Journey to Heaven–This journey of salmon tells us a lot about our life in this earth. Even though forgotten, once we lived in heaven. Because of our sins, however, we came to this earth. The moment we left the heaven, everything changed. Our body had to go through many internal changes. We had to take off our glorious robes and had to put on this weak and inferior clothes to live on this earth.
Just like the salmon, which continuously pumps salt out from its body to live in the ocean, we have to work hard to survive on this earth. It is because this is not a favorable place for us to live in. It is because this is not our true home. We did not know why we should go through many hardships and pains on this earth. We just accepted them because we thought life is always like that. Life is always full of pain. Instead of complaining, just accept it and try to adapt to it.
Our Eternal Home
Journey to Heaven–Through the bible, we come to know all the answers for all the ‘whys’ we used to have in our mind. We were once in heaven, the most beautiful place as angels. (Proverb 8:22, Job 381, :21) And the reason why we had to come down to this earth, the sea of sorrow and pain. (Isa 14:12, Eze 28:12) We left our home and living as “aliens and strangers” on this earth. (Heb 11:13, 1Pe 2:11) Also the bible let us know that we have to go back to our home. (Phil 3:20)
We were once drinking the salt water which causes pains in us without knowing the reason. Now the bible teaches us that we do not belong to this earth. And now is the time for us to go back to our eternal home in heaven where there is no pain, no sorrow, no death.
To go back home to the upstream in the river, first a salmon must change its body constitution. Its body has to go through huge changes in its physiological and hormonal functions. Now we are in a spiritual estuary where the homeward bound journey starts. To go upstream, first we have to change our body constitution to match the freshwater.
Just like a salmon going upstream overcoming difficulties, we have to make our journey back to have overcoming any obstacles.
The Journey To Eternal Home In Heaven
Born Again Into A New Life
Journey to Heaven–Just like a salmon in an estuary must adapt to the freshwater by making necessary changes in their body, we have to go through the same process. God’s people who received the words of God must now change themselves so that they can adapt to the words of God. Today, the freshwater which gives us a new life is flowing from the Spirit and the Bride.
Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
The water of life coming from the Heavenly Mother Jerusalem has power to give life to the dying souls.
Ezekiel 47:8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
All the creature living in the sea of pain, sorrow and death can live because of the living water that makes the salt water fresh. To fulfill this prophecy, the Heavenly Jerusalem God the Mother came down to this earth as the bride of Christ and pouring down on us the living water to give us life. Now we should accept the living water coming from God the Mother and change ourselves to adapt to the new environment.
Homeward Bound Journey
Journey to Heaven–The homeward bound journey of a salmon is not easy. During the time they face a lot of dangers and difficulties. And only those who overcome all these things finally can go back home and end their journey. In the same way, the bible teaches us that we will face a lot of hardships and difficulties on this earth to go back home.
Act 14:22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Paul, who said the verse above, lived up to his word by going through many hardships and difficulties. Many obstacles were laid in front of him to make him stumble and fall. However, he overcame all the difficulties. Nothing could stop his journey to the heavenly home.
2 Corinthians 11:23 I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
Angels Flying in heaven above
Conclusion
Journey to Heaven–When we successfully go through all these process, then we can go to the eternal kingdom of heaven. And just as the bible says we will have eternal glory in heaven. Even though we once lived in this world without knowing any reason and having any proper sense of direction, Father and Mother came down to us and showed us the bright way to heaven.
Just like the salmon, which goes upstream overcoming all the obstacles to go home, let us make every effort in our journey back to the kingdom of heaven. Don’t be troubled or dismayed. Don’t be let down or discouraged. God teaches us to overcome just like he overcame.
John 19:32 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
“Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to swim upstream.”
― W.C. Fields
Hardships And Sufferings
Living or Dead–We are living the life of hardships and difficulties on this earth. Physically, we have to go through many difficult situations. Spiritually, it is the same. Rather the bible teaches us that it is mandatory for us to have sufferings and persecutions in this world. This world is not a favorable place for God’s people because the bible says that this world is under the control of Satan.
Acts 14:21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
The One Who Overcomes
Living or Dead–At the same time, the bible teaches us that we should endure and overcome those hardships and adversities. When we are in a difficult situation, when we feel that there is anything we can do to make things better, when we feel lonely and left alone, when we feel like giving up, God teaches us that we must be victorious by overcoming the hardships just like Our Father and Our Mother and Our brothers and sisters who are going through the same hardships all throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Glorious Day Of Transfiguration
Just Like A Fish Going Upstream
Living or Dead–It is easy to go and follow the stream downward. And even a dead fish can move downward floating on a stream. However, it is only live ones which can swim upward, fighting against the stream. No dead fish can swim upward against the stream.
In the same way, it is easy for us to follow the customs of the world by compromising what we believe and what is good in the eyes of God. But what kind of life would this be in the end? Even though they seem to be alive, actually they would be considered dead by God.
Rather, God teaches that people of God are the living, not dead.
Matthew 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
God teaches that we should be “the living”. Just like the live fish going upstream fighting against the stream, we must make our way toward the kingdom of heaven, making effort to overcome the world as the living one. Then God would be pleased, and would give us imperishable reward in the kingdom of heaven.
Brothers and Sisters, let us be victorious and overcome the world. And let us follow Father Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem in the way of suffering hardships to the end for the glorious victory in the kingdom of heaven.
Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
When the Israelites started the journey to the land of Canaan promised by God, they had to go through many different situations. Sometimes they had to suffer hunger and thirst, and also they had to make a long and seemingly endless journey in the desert without any expectation that they would finish the journey soon. In the time of test in the desert, instead of overcoming the hardships and sufferings believing in the promise of God, they fell into the habits of grumbling and complaining and almost all of them could not enter the promised land and died in the desert.
Our life of faith on this earth is a spiritual journey in a spiritual desert. As in the physical desert where there is not much water or food and where almost everything is lacking, we are living in the spiritual desert where many things are scant and unfavorable and where we have to face many difficulties and hardships. In the journey through the desert, God is training us to make us strong and more obedient and ultimately he wants to give us blessings of the eternal inheritance of the kingdom of heaven after the journey is over. Only those who endured to the end will be able to enter the spiritual Canaan, the promised land of God where there is no sorrow, sufferings, and no death.
Once one pastor I knew told about the cactus faith. In the desert of Arizona, where there is no water or shade under the scorching heat of the bare and unrelenting sunlight, even though all other plants withers and dies under the summer heat of the daytime, the cacti spread their hands towards the heaven and endure all the sufferings in the silent perseverance. It does not complain or grumble, but despite the harsh environment or the lack of necessities it grows tall and strong. Surprisingly, it can live up to the lifespan of 200 years.
When he mentioned about the faith of cactus, he was revealing the truth we must remember. This earth is not the land of plenty or joy to us, but rather it is land of test and suffering to make us strong and obedient to remember and follow the promise of God. When this life of endurance is over, God will grant all the spiritual blessings he promised to those who have overcome. The harder the storm comes and the more unbearable the heat becomes, the more patient we should be depending on God with the mind of prayer and obedience. This was the message what he wanted to tell us:Have the cactus faith and overcome the world.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
When our faith grows and we are made perfect, God who looks into the heart of each man will grant his blessings as he had already promised through the bible. Thanks to Heavenly Father Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem!! Give us the faith of cactus so that we may bear good fruit of patience and endurance.
![[WMSCOG] Living Or Dead?](https://lastadamandeve.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Salmon-Going-Upstream-672x372.jpg)
