By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #47 ~
Have you ever wondered if you are going to make it to the end? And when I say “make it”, I mean, continuing on, staying the course, persevering, serving the Lord to the very end, whether that means to the end of your life, or to the end of this age. I will admit that sometimes I wonder. As you know, the Christian life can be extremely difficult, for there are spiritual battles and Satanic attacks, and times when you are discouraged, overwhelmed, physically exhausted, or just weary of the fight.
In the past two months we have been looking at what will be taking place before the coming of Christ – the birth pains, increasing lawlessness, the downfall of the United States, apostasy and betrayal, that evil Antichrist, etc. Then you add this to the above mentioned everyday struggles, and you realize it’s a rough road leading up to the rapture of the church. But isn’t this what God has planned for the church, and for you, too? And if this is what God wants, then surely He will give you all the grace you need. Never forget that God is your heavenly Father, you are His cherished child, and He loves you much, much more than you can ever imagine. Surely He will keep you, strengthening and sustaining you, helping and holding you, and if need be, carrying you across the finish line. Your heavenly Father will never leave you, but will be with you always, and make sure you are safe and sound, all the way from earth to heaven.
Let me share some promises to assure you of your great and glorious victory:
– Philippians 1:6 – “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ.” Do you see this, and do you believe this, that God began His good work in you, and will make sure He completes it on the day of Christ, at the return of Christ and the rapture of the church?
– 1 Corinthians 1:8 – “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Never forget that God will keep you strong, keeping you going to the end of your life or to the end of this age, whatever He has planned for you.
– 2 Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom.” Here’s this great promise of protection, that God will rescue you from all the human and devilish evils of life, and then bring you safely to heaven.
– Jude 24-25 – “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority…” Here is a heart-assuring promise, that God will keep you from stumbling, and will literally and supernaturally bring you from earth to heaven and into the very presence of God.
– Romans 8:30 – “And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.” This “Golden Chain”, as some call it, from predestined, to called, to justified, to glorified, cannot be broken. What God planned for your life in eternity past, that you be glorified, will finally be fulfilled at the coming of Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:24
How does this happen? What are the means by which God will make sure you keep persevering as a Christian, then are taken off this evil earth, and into the wonderful presence of Jesus? Yes, it is by these promises. But it is also by God’s grace, by the teaching of God’s Word, by Christ interceding for you, by the Spirit working in you, by the church helping you, by Christians encouraging you, and by angels ministering to you. Matthew 24:13
But you also need to look to Jesus. “Consider Him who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself so you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). Remember Jesus and all that He went through just for you, which shows you how much He loves you. Remember that He died for you, was raised again for you, now lives for you, and prays for you – He loves you so, so much. I think of Moses and how “He endured as seeing Him who is unseen” (Hebrews 11:27). There’s no doubt that God will enable you to endure all the way to the end, and then, “We shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17
As you can tell, I am not going to sugarcoat your future on earth. Yes, it is going to get very hard. As Paul said, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven” (Acts 14:22). At this time there is tribulation, and in the coming years, there will be great tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22). But isn’t this our time to live for the Lord, and do the work He has called us to do? What an honor and privilege to be picked by Him to be part of the end times’ team that’s ushering in the return of Christ. Remember these promises, and fix your eyes on Jesus, being convinced of His love for you and that He is with you all the way to heaven. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword… But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:35-37
P.S. An encouraging article that you will want to read, which is related to today’s post, is You Have to Have Hope!