By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #234 ~
As Christians, we must look ahead and look forward to what God will do for us, what we are to do for Him, and what He will be doing in the future. It is this faith and hope in God and obedience to Him that energizes and directs our lives – otherwise, we will get stuck and stagnate, unable to spiritually move ahead in the way He desires. So what does God have in store for your life on this earth? What has He planned out for the world, the church, the Jews, and the unbelievers in the last years of this age and in the ages to come? In the following two sections, I will share with you what I and all Christians should be looking forward to.
In 2022 and in the years ahead, I am looking forward to …
* … experiencing and being satisfied by God’s love! Psalm 90:14
* … loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength! Mark 12:30
* … keeping God’s commands and fulfilling His will day after day! Psalm 119:1-8
* … seeing God fulfill His promises and plans for me and others I know! 2 Cor. 1:20
* … God teaching me from His word! Psalm 119:33-34
* … God causing all things to work together for good! Rom. 8:28-30
* … seeing progress and joy in my life and the lives of others! Phil. 1:25
* … growing in the true knowledge of God! 2 Peter 3:18
* … having good, quality times with God on a daily basis! Psalm 63:1-5
* … walking and being led by the Spirit, and bearing fruit for God! Gal. 5:16-18, 22-23
* … using the gifts I’ve been given for the good of others and the glory of God! 1 Pet. 4:10-11
* … open doors and opportunities for the gospel and godly service! Col. 4:3-6
* … being fitted and built together with believers into a dwelling of God! Eph. 2:21-22
* … hearing that Christ is building His church all over the world! Matt. 16:18
* … seeing God supernaturally save people from sin, death, and the devil! Col. 3:13-14
* … being strengthened by the power of God when I’m weak, sick, or worn out! 2 Cor. 12:9-10
* … having warm and refreshing fellowship with Christians! Romans 12:10
* … God giving me all the grace and peace that I need! Eph. 1:2
* … saying no to sin and becoming more holy and Christ-like! 1 Peter 1:14-16
* … resisting and standing firm against the schemes of the devil! Eph. 6:10-11
* … God delivering me out of trials and trouble! Psalm 18:1-3
* … God protecting me from the enemy, and rescuing me from every evil deed! 2 Tim. 4:18
* … seeing God do amazing, marvelous, and brand-new things! Isaiah 43:19
* … needing the Lord and trusting Him as I go through life and hard times! 1 Peter 1:6-9
* … carrying out and completing the work God wants me to do! John 17:4
In the last years of this age and / or in the ages to come, I am looking forward to …
* … the gospel being preached all over the world! Matt. 24:14
* … the 70th week of Daniel, and all that God will be doing during that time! Daniel 9:27
* … prophesied events being fulfilled for Christians, Jews, and unbelievers! Matt. 24:3-33
* … cosmic disturbances and the great earthquake, the end of the age! Rev. 6:12-14
* … Christ’s coming and the gathering of believers to Himself! Matt. 24:30-31
* … physically dying or being raptured, and forever being with Christ! 1 Thess. 4:13-17
* … receiving a brand-new, immortal, powerful, and glorified body! 1 Cor. 15:40-42
* … that time when we will fully, always, and perfectly love the Lord! Mark 12:30
* … being with believing friends in heaven and in our heavenly homes! Heb. 12:22-24
* … when God will justly punish wicked sinners and evildoers! Psalm 37:12-15
* … seeing the salvation of a large remnant of Jews! Rom. 11:25-27
* … watching Jesus Christ rule and reign as King over the whole earth! Psalm 47:6-8
* … reigning with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom! Rev. 5:10
* … seeing God spiritually and physically bless Israel during the millennial kingdom! Psalm 67
* … the rivers clapping their hands and the mountains singing together for joy! Psalm 98:8
* … seeing Christ enact perfect justice during the millennial kingdom! Psalm 72:8-14
* … all the nations worshiping and glorifying the Lord! Psalm 86:9
* … the whole world being full of God’s glory! Isaiah 6:3
* … the entire earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord! Hab. 2:14
* … every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! Phil. 2:11
* … the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and on the earth! Eph. 1:9-11
* … the devil being cast into the lake of fire and being punished forever and ever! Rev. 20:10
* … when there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain! Rev. 21:4
* … being with Jesus and fulfilling our glorious and eternal purpose! Eph. 2:10
* … being with all the angels and saints and praising God forever and ever! Psalm 145:1-2
As Christians we should never say we don’t know what is going to happen. We don’t know all the details, but we know in general what will be taking place. Indeed, the purposes, plans, and prophecies of God will most certainly be carried out. This should encourage you and fill you with hope, for it means a future filled with blessings, and the satisfaction of knowing that God will be greatly glorified. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Be looking ahead, and be looking forward to 2022, to all the years of your life, and to the ages to come. And be like Paul who said, “I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14
P.S. As we start this new year, here is an article that should motivate you to use the time God has given you – “The Time of My Life.” Here is another post that tells us that God has predicted the future, and told us what needs to happen before Christ’s return and the rapture of the church – “Bible Prophecy Enables Us To See the Future.”