Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Character (Page 3 of 4)

Keys to Living for the LORD

January 8, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #203 ~

I often think about the future, specifically that most wonderful moment when Jesus Christ returns to rapture the church and take us to our heavenly home. I also think about what leads up to that moment, that most difficult time when the Antichrist is on earth and Christians are going through great tribulation. And to think that God wants us to be alive at this time in history and be part of His end-time’s plans should both excite us and sober us. John 15:16, Acts 17:26

With this God-planned future in view, what should you do? First, you need to know what will be happening. Jesus says, “Behold, I have told you everything ahead of time” (Mark 13:23). That means you need to study prophecy passages like Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, 1 and 2 Thess., and Revelation. I also encourage you to read the posts and articles found on this blog site. Second, read His word and do what He has told you to do. Last week I went over seven key Bible truths about how you are to live: your relationship with Christ, your identify, faith, humility, prayer, purpose, and thankfulness. Today I will look at seven more. 

Obedience. The main way you fulfill God’s purpose for your life is by obeying His commands, many that are very basic, but so, so important. Mark 12:30 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.” John 15:17 – “This I command you, that you love one another.” 1 Pet. 1:16 – “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Prov. 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Eph. 5:18 – “Be filled with the Spirit.” Matt. 6:33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Matt. 28:19 – “Go make disciples of all the nations.” When you carry out these commands God will be glorified, His purposes will be fulfilled, and you and the church will be forever blessed. Psalm 119:1-8

Holiness. As a Christian, you are perfectly righteous in God’s sight, you have been forgiven of all your sins, and you are a saint, which means a holy one. And now you are to live like a saint – you are not to be worldly or sinful, you are not to be angry, bitter, proud, lazy, selfish, dishonest, covetous, impure, or immoral. The main way this happens is by the work of God’s word and the Holy Spirit in your life. “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (Ps. 119:11). Some wonderful results of being holy are peace, a close relationship with God, spiritual growth, and being useful to God. 1 Jn. 5:5-9, 2 Tim. 2:21

Promises. The Christian life isn’t just doing what God wants you to do, but also knowing what He is doing for you. And much of what God does is seen in His promises to you, and the church. Here are some of them: Ps. 23:6 – “Goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.” Ps. 32:8 – “I will lead you in the way that you should go.” Ps. 46:10 – “I will be exalted among the nations.” Matt. 16:18 – “I will build the church.” 1 Cor. 1:8-9 – “God will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Heb. 13:5 – “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” Rev. 22:20 – “I am coming soon.” These promises about the future, the hope God has for you, are crucial, for they help you get your eyes off yourself and onto God, and what He is and will be doing. 2 Peter 1:3-4  

Church. The church, comprised of those who are true Christians, is the body of Christ, the spiritual family of God. It is primarily by the church that God’s truth is taught, His purposes are fulfilled, disciples are made, and there’s spiritual growth. And so you need this family, and by being part of it, there’s real love, joy, fellowship, and encouragement. Be assured, Christ will build His church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matt. 16:18, Eph. 1:3-14

Relationships. God does not want you to be a loner – which is another reason why you need the church. God’s desire is that there are Christians you can be close to, spend time with, talk to openly, give you counsel, pray for you, care for you, and who you can share your life with. But good relationships are godly friendships that go both ways. That is, there must be mutual concern, care, and love. In all this, we are talking about relationships that are committed to Christ, that are focusing on Christ and fulfilling His purposes. Then there will be real blessing, unity, fellowship, and progress for the Lord. Rom. 1:11-12, Col. 4:7-14, 2 Tim. 1:3-4

Character. Life is not just about what you do – it’s also about who you are, that you have godly character. This means being loving, kind, forgiving, patient, truthful, thankful, faithful, hopeful, courageous, rejoicing, loyal, diligent, persevering, a hard worker, and a fighter for what’s right. Of course, only God can build this godly character in your life. By His word, by the Holy Spirit, by prayer, through trials, and by learning from others, you will surely grow in character, you will be more Christlike, you will be effective for God. Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Tim. 4:11

Sacrifice. God did not save you and leave you on earth so you could make a name for yourself. Jesus sacrificed His life to save you from your sins, and so you could sacrifice your life and make a name for Him (Ps. 23:4, Eph. 5:1). When you love people, when you are kind, giving, and patient, then you are sacrificing your life for them, and for Him. Yes, sacrifice can be extremely difficult, but it’s worth it, for the glory of Christ, the good of others, and for your eternal blessing. And it may be that you will sacrifice your life by dying for Christ, that you are a martyr, but remember, He died for you (Rev. 6:9). “I urge you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.” Rom. 12:1. Luke 9:23

Each of these truths are vital if you are to live successfully for God. Ask Him to help you spiritually grow up so you can “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1). As you know, we presently live in a very sinful, troubled, divided, and changing country, and this means great challenges and pressures. But what does not change is who God is, what He plans to do, who you are in Christ, and how you are to live for Him. Never forget that! And so no matter what’s happening now or will be happening in the future, keep looking to Christ. And if you are still on this earth when the Antichrist is revealed and devilishly ruling, don’t be afraid, don’t stress out, just remember to keep doing what God has taught you to do. This is the secret to success! “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you! Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9

P.S. Here is an article that also tells us how God wants us to live: “Spiritual Survival Food for the Coming Tough Times.” My plan for the future is to put up a post every other week, which means the next one will come out on January 22 – it will be all about our magnificent brand new body! But if events come up necessitating a post more often, I will do so.

It’s 2021?!?! – Now What Do We Do?

January 1, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #202 ~

Are you looking forward to 2021? Yes? No? Yes and no? 2020 was a rough and difficult year for many of us. It did not turn out how we expected, with the pandemic, lockdowns, wearing masks, people getting sick, many dying, others losing jobs, not seeing family, and not going to church. All this, coupled with other challenging trials, has led to worry, anger, fear, and frustration. Without question, 2020 was a tough year, a strange year, the kind of year you don’t want to see again. So what do you think about the new year? What do you think is going to happen in 2021? More importantly, what are you planning to do? But most importantly, how are you to live for God when life seems like it’s out of control, when people are becoming increasingly evil, and when the world around you is growing worse and worse?

First, recognize that we live in a sinful, devil-controlled world. There will always be problems, trials, and just plain wickedness. In fact, the closer we get to Christ’s return to rapture the church, the harder life will get. Second, understand that God is sovereign over all things, including every aspect of your own life. Third, remember that God never changes, and the way you are to live for God never changes. Fourth, know what God wants you to know, be who He wants you to be, and do what He wants you to do. And how to live for God, this knowing, being, and doing, is all found in God’s word.

Psalm 119:87 – “They almost destroyed me on earth, but I have not forsaken Your precepts.” Psalm 119:92 – “If Your laws had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Psalm 119:143 – “Trouble and distress come upon me, but Your commands give me delight.” Psalm 119:157 – “Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from Your statutes.” Do you see that we need God’s word in the midst of persecution, troubles, and affliction? Regardless of how many trials you face, the answer is to always keep trusting God and obeying His word. Holding on to God and His truth is the means to being truly safe and strong and being able to stay the course. No matter what happens in 2021, God and His unchanging word will keep you on the road He has planned out for you. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

Here are seven truths you need to understand and apply to your life this year and for all time:
1. Your Relationship with God. Focus on your relationship with God. Know who He is, that He is the living God, your Creator, Lord, and Savior. Get to know Him, for He is loving, kind, wise, sovereign, holy, faithful, forgiving, gentle, and powerful. Love Him with all your heart. Worship Him. Enjoy Him. Stay close to Him (Ps. 63:8). Be satisfied by His love (Ps. 90:14). Spend time with Him (Phil. 3:10). Think of how Jesus got alone with His Father (Mark 1:35), how Mary sat at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:40-42), and how Enoch walked with God. Gen. 5:21-24

2. Your identity. Believe what God says about you, not what the world says. Your identity is not about your race, color, sex, looks, build, upbringing, job, the money you have, the neighborhood you live in, or the things you own. It’s knowing that God Himself is your Creator, that you did not evolve from some animal, but that He made you in His own image. It means you have a soul, are eternal, are God’s most important creation, and are made to have a meaningful purpose in life. It means knowing you are a saint, a child of God, His servant, a temple of the Spirit, and a member of the church. These powerful and unchanging truths result in you realizing that you are special to God, and will help you fulfill His will for your life. Gen. 1:27, Eph. 1:4-5, 1 Cor. 6:19-20

3. Thankfulness. God commands you to thank Him, for it’s the right thing and a good thing to do. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Ps. 136:1, 1 Thess. 5:18, Col. 1:11-12). God has done so much for you, and if you don’t thank Him, you are ungrateful, you will be grumbling, and you won’t be spiritually happy – you will be miserable. Being thankful leads to more blessings, more fruitfulness, a positive attitude, and being a good witness.

4. Humility. Being humble is a result of knowing God for who He is, that He is the Lord God Almighty. It means you see who you are in relationship to Him, that He’s infinitely greater than you, that He’s your Master, and therefore you are His servant. Here are some benefits to being humble: you will fear God; you will praise God; you will pray to Him; you will serve God and others; you will learn from God and others; you will have good relationships; and you will be infinitely blessed. Always remember – “humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” James 4:10, Matt. 23:12

5. Faith. When you have faith, you are relying on God and not on yourself “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord” (Jer. 17:17:7-8). You are to trust God, even when you go through trials (1 Pet. 1:6-7). You are to depend on Him to love you, and to give you wisdom, strength, and direction in life. Spiritual success, along with grace, peace, joy and hope, all come from having faith, from believing God and His word. Heb. 11:6, Rom. 15:13

6. Prayer. A person who is praying has faith, is believing that God actually hears and answers His prayers (1 Jn. 5:14-15). With respect to Elijah it is said, “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16b). About Epaphras, Paul said, “(he is) always laboring earnestly in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12). At all times and in all situations, pray to God, and then you will be useful to Him, blessed by Him, and at peace. Neh. 2:4, Dan. 6:10-11, Phil. 4:6-7

7. Purpose. The Bible records many stories of people who did God’s work, and so too, He has given you work to do. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10). And Jesus Christ is our #1 example – “I brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). As part of His team, as a member of the church, God has special assignments He wants you to carry out, and oftentimes it relates to the spiritual gift He has given you (1 Pet. 4:10). Ask God to show you the work He has planned out for you; be willing to do what He wants you to do; and obey His commands, for they will outline and lead you in the work He has for you.

Who knows what will happen in 2021? People sure don’t know – none of us can predict the future. But God, our heavenly Father, knows exactly what will be taking place in our little world as well as throughout this world. Yes, life can be hard, and may even be more difficult in 2021 than it was in 2020. In fact some who are reading this may be here when the Antichrist is ruling the world and bringing great tribulation. But no matter what happens, you need to always and in everything keep looking to Him. There is no question that God, working through His word and the Spirit, will enable you to be and do all that He wants this year and in the years ahead, all the way to the end of your life on this earth. “Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Psalm 73:23-25

P.S. What a blessing to have a new year! Of course, we know that our lives and our time is for God and His purposes. Here is a good article on time – “The Time of My Life,” and more instructions about how we are to live for God now and in the future – “What Does God Want Me to Do in the End-Times?”

End-Time Lessons from 1st Thessalonians

September 18, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #188 ~

Two questions come to mind when I think about the end-times – what’s going to happen, and how are we to live. 1 Thessalonians answers both these questions, for the truths of this epistle are given in the context of Christ’s 2nd coming. Written in the 1st century, this epistle is instructive to Christians during the entire church age, but it’s especially important for those living in the 21st century. That’s because we now live in the end-times which means Jesus Christ will soon return to rapture the church. As you go over these lessons from 1 Thessalonians, think of how they apply to you at this time, but also if you happen to be alive during Daniel’s 70th week, in those last few difficult years before the coming of Christ.

1. Be filled with God’s grace (1 Thess. 1:1, 5:28). Every day of your life on earth you need grace, that Spirit-given ability and strength to be and do all that God wants. You need God’s grace in every situation, every relationship, and every trial. You need His grace to love others, to work at a job, to share the gospel, to serve the saints, to suffer for the Lord, and to endure to the end – and God will give you all the grace you need. 2 Cor. 9:8, Heb. 4:16, James 4:6

2. Share the gospel (1 Thess. 1:4-7). The gospel message, that everlasting truth of God’s mercy and love, that Christ died and rose again to pay for all your sins, must be fixed in your mind and heart, for it is a spiritual spring bringing forth living water, enabling you to live fully for Him. As you are transformed by the power of the Spirit, you will be a witness for Christ to the world around you, even in times of tribulation. Matt. 24:9-14, 28:19-20

3. Work for God (1 Thess. 1:9, 4:11-12). Don’t be lazy, but use the abilities God has given you to meet your needs and help meet the needs of others. As a member of the church, you have a special gift that you are to employ in serving one another, and in carrying out God’s plans on earth. He has work for you to do, whether it relates to a secular job, doing your part in the church, sharing the gospel, or just praying. “Do business with this until I come back.” Luke 19:13, Eph. 2:10, 1 Peter 4:10-11

4. Wait for Jesus. Hope is an essential ingredient for spiritual growth, and perseverance, especially in the end-times. What is hope? It’s looking forward to the future blessings God has in store for you. Four aspects of your hope are described in this epistle: being with Jesus (1 Thess. 1:9, 4:17), being with loved ones who are Christians (1 Thess. 2:19-20, 4:13-17), being delivered from wrath (1 Thess. 5:8-9), and being glorified (1 Thess. 5:23-24).

5. Learn from believers (1 Thess. 2:1-14, 5:12-13, 5:25). God has lovingly and sovereignly placed Christians in your life so as to help you “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” You can’t make it on your own! You need to learn from the words and examples of others, in areas of love, faith, holiness, gentleness, and suffering. Don’t forget to show your appreciation to those who are leading you, and pray for them.

6. Suffer for God (1 Thess. 1:6, 2:14, 3:1-5). Jesus Christ suffered for you, and what a privilege that you can now suffer for Him. Your suffering may relate to trials, conflicts, sharing the word, work situations, persecution, or health issues. In those last few years before Christ’s return, Christians will experience great tribulation, but this will last only a short time, and then your Savior will return to take you to Himself and then on to heaven. Acts 14:2, 2 Thess. 1:5-10

7. Have faith (1 Thess. 2:13, 3:1-10, 5:8). True faith is not trusting your own wisdom or feelings, but trusting the Lord and His word, depending on Him and His promises. To fulfill God’s will and live successfully for Him, you have to have faith, for it’s the means of grace, growth, and godliness. As times get harder, as you go through tribulation, your faith will be tested, but God will help you to keep trusting Him. Luke 18:8, 2 Cor. 5:7, Heb. 11:6

8. Love God and one another (1 Thess. 1:3, 2:7-8, 3:6, 3:12, 4:9-10, 5:8). The divine love God puts in your heart keeps you laboring for Him, enables you to be close to others, and motivates you to share the gospel. This agape love for others is seen when you are giving, forgiving, forbearing, patient, kind, compassionate, and committed. “May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another.” John 15:17, Col. 3:12-13, 1 John 4:19 

9. Be holy (1 Thess. 4:1-8). “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” Now that you are saved from the penalty of sin, might you be saved from the power of sin, and soon enough, by death or by rapture, you will be saved from the presence of sin. By faith and by grace, fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Live holy and wholly for the Lord, and then you will “see” Jesus and be a powerful witness for Him. Heb. 11:24-27, James 4:1-10, 1 Peter 1:16

10. Know the truth of the rapture (1 Thess. 4:14-17 – 5:1-7). God wants you to know some of the details about Christ’s coming, and what happens when Christians are raptured. Here is what you learn: a) The rapture occurs at Christ’s coming. b) Christ will bring with Him the believers who have already died. c) Just before the rapture, you will hear the shout of the Lord, the voice of the archangel, and the sound of the trumpet. d) The dead in Christ, believers who have already died, will be glorified a split second before the raptured saints are glorified. e) The raptured saints will be caught up with the dead in Christ, and together, they will meet the Lord in the air. f) Believers who are alert and sober won’t be surprised by Christ’s coming, but unbelievers will be completely caught off guard. g) The rapture takes place just before the day of the Lord, which is the outpouring of God’s wrath upon the unbelievers. Matt. 24:29-31

11. Rejoice, pray, and give thanks (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Being glad in the Lord, asking for help, and being grateful in all things, proves that you really know Him and His character, and are trusting Him. These godly qualities, essential for your own peace of mind, your witness, and the Lord’s work, should be in your life today and for the rest of your life on earth, and especially when the Antichrist is ruling this world. Phil. 4:4-7, Rom. 5:3, Rev. 13

12. Know that God is faithful. This means you are confident that God is with you and will keep you going for Him, and then at the end of this age, will rescue you from this world, glorify you, bring you to Himself, and then take you to heaven. “Faithful Is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” 1 Thess. 5:23-24, 1 Cor. 1:8-9, Jude 24-25

I love this epistle, for it tells us how we are to be living for the Lord now, and at all times, and especially if we are on earth during Daniel’s 70th week, those last few years before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. If you are not living according to the truths in 1st Thessalonians, you won’t be a strong soldier for Christ – you’ll be weak, sad, selfish, proud, tired, fearful, angry, discouraged, and ineffective. Remember, you are in training so you can be a good servant and soldier for Christ, your Commander in Chief. “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness… since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:7-8). Might you please the One who enlisted you in His service. 2 Timothy 2:4

P.S. My desire is to do all I can to make sure you are ready to live for the Lord at all times, but especially in the end-times, and in particular, during the time of great tribulation and suffering. Here are two detailed articles that give you lots of good instruction about how to be living for the Lord. “Your Spiritual Service: A Member of the Special Forces” and “Spiritual Survival Food for the Coming Tough Times.”

What Keeps Me Going To The End

September 11, 2020 /

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By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #187 ~

How do you keep going for the Lord? How do you persevere? What enables you to get through the tough times of life? If you are one of the raptured saints, how will you make it through the great tribulation? These are extremely important questions, and the answer is simple – by having a close relationship with God. I became a Christian in the early 1970’s, and I give God all the credit for keeping me going since that time, for those 48 plus years. Today I want to tell you how God has helped me to stay close to Him and keep living for Christ.

* Getting time alone with God. Every morning, after I get up and get awake, I go to a quiet place and read something from the Psalms, the Old Testament, and the New Testament, and then I pray. “She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word… only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part.” Luke 10:39-42

* Being in God’s word. My main priority in life is God’s word – I couldn’t make it without Him teaching me from His word, whether it’s truths I need to know, promises I need to believe, or commands I need to obey. “O how I love Your law!” (Ps. 119:97). “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

* Crying out to God. To me this means being open with God and telling Him when I am sad, tired, anxious, confused, or discouraged. It also means asking God to meet my needs or the needs of others. I am so glad I can go to God for all the grace, wisdom, and peace that I need. “I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalms 57:2, 62:8

* Walking by faith. I have learned not to live by feelings, circumstances, relationships, or how our church is doing, but to rely and depend on God, on His word and strength. “Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:4). “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7, Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 11:6

* Being satisfied by God. Only by seeking and seeing God have I been truly satisfied. Food, pleasures, games, people, and possessions have not satisfied me, but Christ has, for He is the bread of life. “Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth?” (Ps. 73:25). “The Lord is my portion” (Ps. 119:57). “To live is Christ.” Phil. 1:21

* Being satisfied by God’s love. I don’t look for the love of people, but the love of God. His love has been wonderful, continual, and perfect, and has satisfied me like nothing else. “Your love is better than life” (Ps. 63:3). “Satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love” (Ps. 90:14). “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.” 1 John 4:16

* Knowing the living God. When I say knowing God, I mean knowing in my mind and believing in my heart that He is my Creator, Lord, Savior, and King, and that He is holy, wise, loving, good, patient, forgiving, powerful, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and sovereign. What a tremendous blessing to actually know God! “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God” (John 17:3). “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.” 2 Peter 3:18

* Staying away from sin. By no means am I perfect, but God has helped me to say no to sin, to not listen to or give in to worldly and fleshly temptations. I know that I can’t be close to sin and close to God at the same time. “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity” (Ps. 119:37). “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy in all your behavior.” 1 Peter 1:15

* Loving, worshiping, and thanking God. I love God, and that’s because He first loved me (1 John 4:19). His Son Jesus died and paid for my sins and now I’m righteous, forgiven, a child of God, and will be forever with Christ and all the angels and saints. Loving God is heart-satisfying and soul-warming, the most important thing I do. “Praise the Lord… for it is pleasant and praise is becoming” (Ps. 147:1). “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” Psalm 103:2

* Obeying God. Obeying God’s commands is how I have carried out His plans, how I have fulfilled His purpose for my life. When I obey God, I usually feel close to Him, and know His love in a much fuller way. “I obey Your statutes for I love them greatly” (Ps. 119:167). “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me, and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to Him…” John 14:21, 23

* Going through trials. Trials are not fun, are not enjoyable. But in these times, God has revealed Himself to me in a special way, showed me His love, and comforted me with His word. Here’s my favorite trial passage – “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Bring joy to Your servant… In the day of my trouble, I call to You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:3-7

* Seeking Him. By this I mean getting extra time with God, usually once a month. For many years now, I’ve been going to a camp or motel room with my Bible, a few books, and some pen and paper. Getting away from the world and from people, and having this special, alone time with God is one of the best things He has helped me to do. “I love those who love Me and those who seek Me will find Me” (Prov. 8:16). “Come with Me by yourself to a quiet place.” Mark 6:31

* Being shepherded by the Lord. The Lord is my shepherd, and He knows me perfectly, and through the years He has made me lie down in green pastures, led me besides still waters, restored my soul, guided me in paths of righteousness, has always been with me, and has loved me every single day. That my Shepherd does these things keeps me strong and keeps me going for Him. “I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know me.” John 10:14, Psalm 23:1

* Drawing near to God. God wants me to be close to Him, and I want to be close to Him. As I seek Him, as I go after Him, as I spend time with Him, He draws near to me, and is close to me, and loves me all the more, and He teaches me, encourages me, and makes Himself known to me. “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8, James 4:8

* Learning from the Psalms. My favorite book in the Bible is the Psalms. It has helped me immensely in my relationship with God, and I believe will greatly help you in your relationship with God. The following verses I have memorized, personalized, and say often to the Lord, for they help me to think rightly, stay strong, and be close to Him – Psalms 9:2, 20:7, 23:1, 23:6, 26:3, 27:14, 31:19, 40:8, 46:10, 56:3, 57:5, 63:2-3, 86:11, 90:14, 105:4, 115:1, 118:14, 119:32, 119:67, 119:76, 119:92, 119:112, 139:23-24, 143:10, 145:1-2.

May God help you to stay close to Him. Without question, your relationship with God is the single most important thing in your life, for it affects you and everything you do. Being close to the Lord is the only way you can truly love the Lord and live for Him, in these days, and in times of tribulation, and let me add, in times of great tribulation. “I love You, O Lord, my strength.” Psalm 18:1 

P.S. I cannot stress enough the importance of your relationship with God. As you keep loving and seeking Him, you will stay close to Him, and know that He is not only your Lord, but your best friend. Here are two posts that tell you a little more about my life and my relationship with Him: “The Rapture, A Love Story”, and “God’s Time Frame For Your Life.”

“If the Foundations are Destroyed…” – Psalm 11

July 17, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #179 ~

This has been a very difficult year for the United States – I can’t believe all that has happened so far! I am wondering if God’s patience with US is coming to an end and if, in fact, He has withdrawn His sin-restraining hand from US. Of course, we don’t know all that God is doing, but His word does tell us what we are to know and do. For example, there’s Psalm 11, which is most enlightening, and essential in helping us understand the present condition of our country, as well as learn how God deals with both good and bad people, the righteous and the unrighteous.  

Verse 1 tells you that you need to take refuge in the Lord. At times, you may feel like you need physical refuge, that you need to get away from your problems by escaping to a safe place. But no, your biggest problem is not physical, but spiritual – it’s your sin, and the answer is to take refuge in the Lord, to trust in Him. Only because of Jesus’ death and resurrection can you find spiritual safety, salvation from your sins, this merciful and eternal deliverance from God’s wrath. “His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 2:12

Verse 2 talks about our enemies, those who are unrighteous and wicked. These unbelievers don’t fear God (Psalm 36:1), hate God and hate us (John 15:8), love to do evil (John 3:19), and don’t think God sees them. And they don’t want to be seen by people, and so they “shoot in darkness at the upright.” They work behind the scenes, try to stay hidden, and embed themselves with other people, for they do not want to be exposed (Eph. 5:11), stopped, and arrested for their evil activity. Psalm 10:8-11

The result, the cumulative effect of the enemies’ work is summed up in verse 3 – “the foundations are destroyed.” This is sobering and shocking, and is describing the present state of our country, that our spiritual foundations are being torn down. We may not have seen this coming, but this devastating work is clearly obvious. It’s now seen in our churches, families, schools, businesses, government, media, and music. Our laws, rules, morals, and values, that which hold us together, are being changed and replaced with that which is just plain godless, evil, and of the devil. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thess. 2:7). This should grieve and sadden our souls for, at this time in history, we are actually witnessing the foundations of our country being destroyed. “They know nothing… They walk about in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.” Psalm 82:5-8

The question I have, and assume most of you have, is then stated: “What can the righteous do?” What do we do about all the problems taking place, the pride, lies, hate, crime, violence, disrespect, and lawlessness in our country? What do we do when people say evil is good and good is evil? (Isaiah 5:20). Thankfully, God gives us the answers in vss. 4-6, and it’s not what the righteous are to do, but what God is doing. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of these few verses, for they will help you think rightly as you observe this evil on earth. And this evil will not just continue, but will increase, and then the Antichrist, that most lawless man, will come and rule the world, after which Christ will come to rapture the church, and then begin His 1000-year rule on this earth. Matt. 24:12, 2 Thess. 2:1-10

What are the answers? What do we need to know, understand, and believe? That God is not oblivious, ignorant, and just going “to sit on His hands” when it comes to the evil now being seen on these earth.
* 1st, God is in His holy temple, which means He is holy, supreme, and altogether different than those living on earth. He is pure, righteous, and hates man’s sin.
* 2nd, God is on His throne, which means He is sovereign, and that nothing happens that He does not allow or authorize. Man cannot do just what he wants, for God is in control and, by His power and wisdom, predestines the actions of man. Dan. 4:35
* 3rd, “His eyes behold.” God is omniscient, and sees and knows every single thing that the righteous and wicked are doing on this earth. Proverbs 15:3
* 4th, God doesn’t just see, but He tests, He examines both the wicked and the righteous, and this is for the purpose of judging, and then punishing or rewarding (Eccl. 12:14). And God hates those who love violence. This is strong language, but it’s the truth. Because God is holy, He hates those whom He knows will not turn from their sin and turn to Him for mercy and forgiveness.

But it’s not just that God hates sinful man but, because He is just, His punishing wrath must be poured out upon these unrighteous, unrepenting, unsaved sinners of the world. The language speaks of fire, the kind of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, that will be seen during the day of the Lord, and that sinners will feel for all eternity. “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire… these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt. 25:41,46

Finally, there’s verse 7, my favorite. “The Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.” God is righteous, and He loves you, His righteous one, and the righteous things you do. Then there’s that encouraging and wonderful truth, that you “will behold His face.” As Christians, you know the Lord and have a relationship with Him, and by faith, you see Him now, but by sight, you will literally see Him in the future. It cannot get any better than this! Job 19:25-27, Psalm 17:15

These are powerful, life changing, grace and peace giving truths, and you need them today, and for your entire life, up until that time when you physically die, or are raptured, and taken to heaven. You shouldn’t be confused, upset, worried, sad, angry, or feel defeated about what’s going on in our country. Believe the truths of this little Psalm, that God is on His throne, that He is holy, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, and judges, and will punish the wicked, those who “freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Psalm 12:8). Whether the enemy is attacking you or the foundations are being destroyed, always remember that God gives you refuge (vs. 1), and a relationship with Him that lasts forever (vs. 7).

P.S. I am not one to give you false hopes. I am compelled to tell you the truth about the last years of this church age, for God wants you to know what is going to happen, and to be ready for it. Here are two other posts that speak about our future – “It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better” and “Christians Go Through Tribulation.”

Important Lessons On The Hope God Has For You!

July 3, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #177 ~

In my early years as a Christian, there was an often-asked question, “What happens when a believer dies?” The usual answer was, “Well, he goes to heaven.” Being in heaven is a correct answer, but it’s elementary, it’s simplistic. In the past 25 years, I have learned that there’s much more than just heaven. And I thank God for teaching me wonderful truths about our future, the hope that is for all Christians. On this blog site, I have talked a great deal about our hope, but since it is so critically important for our lives, I am compelled to keep teaching on it. My purpose today is to share with you a number of truths about this hope that God has given you.  

1. Prophecy tells us what will be happening in the end-times, but we also need to know how we should live during these years leading up to Christ’s coming. You can have head knowledge, all this information about the birth pains, the Antichrist, Christ’s return, the rapture, etc., but you also need heart knowledge. You need love, faith, joy, holiness, and you also need hope. Only as you have hope can you truly live, grow, and succeed as a Christian. “Let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thess. 5:8

2. Hope is all about the future, and having hope means you are thinking about the future God has in store for you. Your hope is not about the past or the present, but about a God-planned and glorious future. This truth about hope for the Jews is conveyed in Jeremiah 29:11-12 – “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.’” But the principle communicated here speaks to us, for the plans God has for our future relate directly to the hope He wants us to have today.

3. “Hope for the future” can be a statement or a command. As a statement, “hope” is a noun and is what you need to know. As a command, “hope” is a verb and is what you need to believe. If you have no hope, it’s because you don’t know or don’t believe what God has told you in His word. Having hope means you are hoping for, you are looking forward to God’s promises being fulfilled. “If we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it.” Romans 8:25

4. The hope God has for you is described in His word. That is, having this hope in your heart means you need to know what God’s word says about it. It’s obvious that God does not tell you everything about your future, but enough to excite and encourage your heart. “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” Romans 15:4-13

5. The foundation of our hope is Jesus Christ. The Christian, and all he says and does, now and forever, is to be centered on Christ. All aspects of our hope are related to Christ, whether it’s worshiping Him, serving Him, being blessed by Him, or having fellowship with other Christians. “… Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). “… Christ Jesus, who is our hope.” 1 Timothy 1:1

6. Hope is not about the end-times, about what happens before Christ returns – it’s about what happens at, and after, Christ’s return. Having this hope, knowing and being excited about the great future God has for you, will help you endure all the difficulties you will encounter before Christ’s coming. “… your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess. 1:3

7. Hope is not worldly or fleshly, what you might achieve, but heavenly and spiritual, what only God can give you. And God not only gives you hope, but promises you that He will fulfill His hopes for you, and that’s because He is always faithful. “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely… at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you and He will bring it to pass.” 1 Thess. 5:23-24

8. Having hope, at its essence, is having faith, is believing God’s promises to you about your future. That is, you cannot have hope without faith. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for… By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise… for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:1, 9-10

9. At its heart, hope is an expression of God’s future love for you. God loves you every single day of your life on this earth, but hope tells you how He will wonderfully and perfectly show you His love you in the ages to come. “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Rom. 5:5, Psalm 23:6

10. Hope informs you that your future in a perfect heaven with Jesus Christ will be much better and brighter than your time on this sinful earth. “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4-5). “The day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1

11. If you have hope, then you will be excited about, waiting for, and looking forward to what God has in store for you. Trusting in the people and things of earth leads to disappointment, but what God has planned for you will please and satisfy you like nothing you have ever experienced. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be given to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13  

12. The godly men and women of the past had hope, this faith for the future, for they were looking for the fulfillment of what God had promised them. Having this hope helped them to persevere, to not give up, to keep going for God. “For by it the men of old gained approval” (Heb. 11:2, 6). “By faith Moses… choosing rather to endure ill treatment… he was looking ahead to the reward.” Heb. 11:24-26, Job 19:25-27

13. Having hope does not mean you are just thinking about the future – it means you are living today in view of the future. 1 Thess. 1:9-10 sums up the life of a Christian – “… how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” A godly Christian is both serving the Lord and waiting for Him. 2 Tim. 4:1-2 instructs pastors, “… in view of His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word.” God’s word must be taught with the coming of Christ and His coming kingdom in mind. Matt. 6:9-10

14. Hope keeps you from worrying about the past and being overwhelmed in the present. Having hope is positive, forward looking, and keeps you pressing ahead and making progress for the Lord. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:12-14

15. One reasons for trials is so you grow in hope, so that you look forward to that time when all your difficulties and problems will be gone. This looking ahead will keep you moving ahead and enable you to get through trials, even the present crises in our country. In the middle of the storm, you need to know that the Son will shine again. “Not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance… and hope does not disappoint…” Romans 5:3-5

16. To endure, to persevere, you have to have hope. You will experience difficulties in life, but the hope God gives you motivates you to keep going for Him. This will especially be true during the great tribulation, when you will be hated and persecuted like never before. “They will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name (difficulties)… He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (hope). Matthew 24:9, 31

17. Hope is one of the keys to being holy, to not being fleshly or worldly. Fixing your eyes on Jesus and His coming to make you like Himself and take you to heaven has a holy, purifying effect on your life. “When He appears, we shall be just like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

18. Hope relates to your salvation, for when Jesus Christ comes back your salvation will be complete, for then you will be glorified. The grace to be given you when Christ is revealed is glorifying grace, that which will perfect you, and enable you to perfectly worship and serve the Lord in the ages to come. “…having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved…” Rom. 8:23-24, 1 Thess. 5:8-9

19. Hope is an anchor for your soul. Knowing the certainty and glories of the future helps you through the uncertainties and problems of the present. The winds will blow, and the waves will pound, but the hope of a God-solid future helps secure and stabilize your life in the present. “This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…” Hebrews 6:17

20. What is this hope God wants you to have at this time? It’s being with Jesus (John 14:1). It’s having a powerful, glorious, immortal and spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:42-44). It’s being able to perfectly love and worship God and Jesus (Rev. 5:13). It’s having a heavenly home (John 14:2-3). It’s being with loved ones and other believers (1 Thess. 4:13-14). It’s receiving an incredible inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4). It’s having no pain, sorrow or sickness (Rev. 21:4-5). It’s being greatly rewarded (Matt. 25:21). It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose (Rev. 5:10). It’s having fullness of joy and pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11). Next week’s post will explain these aspects of your hope in more detail.

You need hope! Pray for it, and God will give it to you! “I pray that the eyes of your heart are enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

P.S. This post is dedicated to all my dear friends who have suffered through the years, and having experienced and exhibited the grace of God, are ones who have hope, and are looking forward to being in heaven with Jesus. Here is a related article I encourage you to read, “You Have to Have Hope.”

Becoming Spiritually and Emotionally Strong

May 8, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #169 ~

Our subject is emotions, feelings of fear, joy, anger, peace, sadness, hope, courage, etc. It’s a vitally important subject, one that relates directly to our effectiveness for God. But the emotional part of a person is a bit mysterious. Where do emotions come from? How do they relate to our spirit, mind and soul? How are they affected by our personality, background, experiences, and relationships? I must admit, I don’t have all the answers. What I do know is that God is an emotional being and He made us in His image, and so we are emotional beings. We have this emotional component that’s part of our personhood, our humanness. But how can we be godly and have godly emotions? It’s by having a relationship with God. John 17:3

When I was 18, by God’s grace, I was born again, I became a Christian. I experienced the most amazing miracle and transformation – I became a child of God, a new person in Christ, a temple of the Spirit. Life for me was now different, dramatically, wonderfully, and eternally so. Without Christ, there was fear, guilt, loneliness, sadness, selfishness, emptiness, and emotions that went along with them, emotions that affected my mood and were heard in my words and seen in my actions. Knowing the truth about Christ and what He did for me, that I was saved, forgiven, and loved, greatly affected me. I began to know and experience the love, joy, peace, mercy, and presence of Christ. I had a personal relationship with God that influenced my relationships with people. By no means was I perfect, but I was changing and growing, with a love for God and people, new thoughts, new desires, and new emotions. John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17

The key to all this is the truth and Spirit of God. Jesus tells us, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Before being saved, I was a sad, lonely, quiet, and unfeeling kind of a person. But knowing the truth, that is, knowing Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel, set me free from sin, and changed me, spiritually and emotionally so. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks, so he is.” I began to see that the key to not being led by circumstances and emotions was to be filled up and led by God’s truth and God’s Spirit. John 14:16-17

Here are some examples. Let’s say a Christian is sad. Now I’m not saying he can’t ever be sad, but if that’s how he feels every day, if he’s continually sad, then something’s wrong, and he’s not experiencing God’s truth and power in his life. What he needs to do is think about the truth, that God is loving, kind, forgiving, sovereign, and has good plans for him – and knowing these truths will help take away his sadness. Let’s say a person is lonely and feels lonely, and severely so. He needs to think about the truth that God is with Him, the Spirit is in Him, and that he knows God and can talk to God. And so, if there’s sadness, there can be joy; if loneliness, then fellowship; if hate, then love; if anger, then forgiveness; if fear, then courage; if worries, then peace; if grief, then hope. This spiritual transformation, being godly and having these Christ-like emotions, only happens by God’s word and Spirit. Galatians 2:20

The truth in the book of Psalms is one way God wants to help you be a strong Christian. More than any other book, it talks about having a close relationship with God, and being spiritually and emotionally encouraged by Him. It’s filled with stories about godly saints, their problems and emotions, and how God helped them when life was hard. Here are some examples:

Psalm 13 – “Will you forget me forever?” David felt like God had forsaken him, had left him, had hid His face from him. David felt all alone and had sorrow in his heart. But he trusted God, remembered his salvation, and believed God would show His love to him. Not only that, but David remembered how God had blessed him, and was determined to sing to Him. Psalm 9

Psalm 37 – “Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious…” David was thinking about the enemies’ success, and how they were against him, and he was fretting, envious and angry. What he needed to do was trust in the Lord, do good, delight in the Lord, rest in the Lord, be humble, have God’s law in his heart, believe that the enemy would be defeated, and believe the promise, that he would “inherit the land,” a promise for Christians too. Psalm 67

Psalm 42 – “Why are you in despair, O my soul?” David was in despair, his soul was troubled and disturbed, and he was “mourning because of the oppression of the enemy.” David knew God was his only answer, his only hope, and so he says, “My soul pants for You.” He prayed to God, hoped in God, believing that He would once again show him His love. And he was going to praise God, for he says to himself, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him.” Psalm 43

Psalm 73 – “I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Asaph was a godly man, but he still had troubles. Then he saw the wicked and proud, those who seemed “successful” and were “at ease,” and he became envious and bitter. But Asaph came into the “sanctuary of God” and realized that God was with him, would keep Him safe, guide him, and bring him to heaven, whereas the wicked would not be blessed, but would perish forever. Psalm 1

Psalm 88 – “My soul has had enough troubles… darkness is my closest friend.” This is a very dark Psalm, for the writer has no friends, and feels forsaken, afflicted, rejected and cut off from God, like he’s “about to die.” And the only answer given is that he cried out to God. Sometimes praying and waiting on God is all we can do, knowing that only He can help us. Psalm 100

The Psalms is such an important book, one that we need now, one that is particularly helpful to Christians in the end-times. Times will get tougher, for birth pains will continue, the Antichrist will come, and there will be great tribulation. Read and study the Psalms, for in the difficult days ahead, they will bring comfort, peace, hope, and strength to your soul. Psalm 23

In all this, I am not telling you to focus on how you feel, on your emotions, but I am saying you should focus on loving and obeying God, on being filled with His Word and Spirit, for then you will be spiritually and emotionally strong, and will be what God wants you to be, with the result that great glory will be given to Him. “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever… And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145

P.S. When we talk about our emotions, we need to think of God’s love for us, and here’s an article that speaks about that – “The Father’s Love for His Children.” And here’s a previous post that talks about our love for Jesus – “The Rapture, A Love Story.”

Being Emotional for God in the End-Times

May 1, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #168 ~

In one way or another, we have all been affected by this coronavirus. One thing that has struck me is how people have been so emotional during this time – there’s a whole lot of fear, panic, anger, loneliness, depression, etc. Thus, I felt the need to address this subject of emotions, of feelings. Now all of you had plenty of experience with emotions, whether that’s yours or others. During your life, I’m sure you’ve heard people say things like: “He is very upset.” “She is in a bad mood.” “He showed no emotion.” “He has mixed emotions.” “She’s passionate.” “He’s really sad.” “She cries all the time.” “He hides his feelings.” “She’s happy.” “She’s a basket case.” “She poured out her heart.” “He really cares for her.” “She loves him.” We get emotional. In fact, God is emotional, and He made us in His image. We sure aren’t robots, which is a good thing. Can you imagine what it would be like if there were no emotions, if people had no feelings? Emotions give color, energy, variety, and personality to our lives.

Here are some words that convey emotion: anger, anxiety, boredom, compassion, confidence, confusion, contempt, courage, depression, desperation, disdain, disgust, envy, excitement, fear, fulfillment, gladness, grief, guilt, happiness, hatred, helplessness, hope, intimacy, jealousy, joy, laughter, love, kindness, nostalgia, peace, pride, rage, sadness, shame, surprise, terror, victory, weeping.

The subject of emotions is a huge subject, one that is quite complex, and difficult to figure out. But we need to understand it, at least to some degree, or we can’t live rightly for God, we can’t be all that God wants. My prayer is for Christians living in the end-times to be spiritually solid, mature, “at the top of our game,” and this relates to our emotional state. As we get closer to Christ’s coming, times will get much tougher, and the Christian who controls his emotions, who is self-controlled, will be more effective for God. Jer. 12:5, Titus 2:1-6

This post, by no means, is comprehensive, but I do want to share some general thoughts about emotions, and then make some statements about how to be an emotionally strong Christian.
* God made you an emotional being. Look at Jesus – He was a man of sorrows, He was angry, He had compassion, He cried, He agonized, He loved. And God wants you to be like Jesus.
* Emotions are often on the surface, are what we see, hear and sense, but there’s an underlying reason for how you feel. That is, there’s a direct relationship between how you think and how you feel, between your thoughts and emotions. “As a man thinks so he is.” Prov. 23:7
* Emotions often come from thoughts that are affected and influenced by your personality, experiences, circumstances, relationships, memories, and even the music you listen to. Most importantly, your emotions should be affected by God’s word and your relationship with Him.
* Emotions, in and of themselves, aren’t bad, but they can reveal wrong and sinful thinking.  
* Emotions are expressed through your speech, and are seen in your actions and body language.

* A person cannot always pinpoint how he feels, but it’s not always necessary to know how you feel, “to get in touch with your emotions.” You don’t want to be too introspective when it comes to your feelings. It’s much more important to focus on your thinking than your feelings.   
* Our emotions are often connected to, and intertwined with, other emotions. You can be sad, jealous, lonely and depressed all at the same time. 1 Sam. 18:10-12, Matt. 28:8
* When it comes to your emotions, don’t say, “That’s the way I am.” You don’t want to say you feel a certain way just because of your age, sex, race, color, ethnicity, or personality. There’s a reason you may feel some way, and then there’s usually the real reason, the root of it all.
* Your emotions often affect the lives of people around you, in both good ways and bad.

* Selfishness, anger, or pride in your heart will result in unloving words, actions and emotions. 
* Joy, peace, or gladness in your heart will result in loving words, actions and emotions.
* Some people have a hard time separating how they are feeling from what they are thinking. This can be a negative but can also be a positive, for your humanness needs to be understood as a composite of your spirit, mind, soul (emotions), and body. Mark 12:30
* Emotions can be like “dash-lights” that light up to warn you that something is internally wrong. If a negative emotion keeps popping up, then ask God to help you diagnose the root problem. 
* Be more emotional, more passionate about the things in life that are most important (John 2:17). You don’t want to be like the person who gets “upset about the littlest things.”

We all have fleshly emotions, but shouldn’t we have godly emotions, shouldn’t we be Christ-like in how we think and feel? Of course, the answer is yes, but how does this happen, how can we grow in having godly emotions? Let me share some things that I believe will be helpful.
* Know that God feels for you, has compassion for you. He cares about what you are feeling and why you feel the way you do. Psalm 103:13-14, Matt. 9:36, Matt. 11:28-30, Heb. 2:17-18
* It’s important for you to tell God how you are feeling. Psalm 62:8, Psalm 88, Psalm 119:25-32, Lam. 3:1-18
* Meditate on God’s word, for this greatly affects your thoughts, words, actions, and emotions. Godly emotions come from the heart of a person who is thinking about God’s truth. Godly, truth-based thinking always results in godly and Christ-like emotions. Psalm 1:2, Psalm 119
* Walk by faith, not by sight, not according to your circumstances. Walking by faith, which means God’s word is indwelling you, helps you think and feel in a godly way. 2 Cor. 5:7, James 1:2

* Singing truth-based songs will have a good and positive effect on your mind and emotions. Godly music and godly singing will help you have godly emotions. Psalms, Col. 3:16
* Your emotions are affected by God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit can encourage and enable you, in body, mind and soul (emotions), to fully live for Jesus. Acts 1:8, 4:31, 9:31, 13:2-4
* Being with other Christians is essential to rightly and wholly live for God. We are a church, and we need each other, and being with one another is spiritually and emotionally uplifting. Acts 12:1-12
* Life, first and foremost, is about loving God and loving others. When you live like this, when you focus on God and others, then you will exhibit and express godly emotions. Mark 12:30-31
* The most important emotions relate to loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. You’re to exalt Him, extol Him, praise Him, thank Him and sing to Him. Psalm 145:1-2

God wants you to be an emotionally strong Christian from this day forward to the coming of Christ. This means you need to be filled with God’s word and Spirit, resulting in godly worship, godly character, and godly emotions. He wants all of us to be communicating and emoting love, joy, peace and hope to a lost world. “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart… I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:2

P.S. The key to feeling rightly, to having godly emotions is always God’s word. “How Then Should We Live in the End Times?” is a post that will help you focus on truths that will, undoubtedly, help you live in the way that God wants. “Spiritual Survival Food for the Coming Tough Times” is an article that will also be helpful. Next week, I will continue to talk about living truthfully and emotionally for God.

Thinking Correctly About COVID-19 and Christ’s Coming

April 24, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #167 ~

How are you thinking and feeling about what’s been happening with regard to COVID-19, the coronavirus? These past 6 weeks have been like none I have ever seen before, and I am 66 years old. There’s talk about sickness, death, mitigation, masks, ventilators, vaccines, and herd immunity. There’s talk about jobs, unemployment, financial stimulus, protests, and inflation. There are the different thoughts and emotions of people trying to deal with this. Anxious, frightened, nervous, scared, unsettled, worried. Aggravated, angry, annoyed, mad, upset. Alarming, difficult, disruptive, frustrating, inconvenient, stressful. Bored. Confused. Depressed. Lonely. Questioning. Tired. There is no doubt that people have been affected by this sickening little virus that has spread to 184 different countries. But how are you feeling? How are you thinking? How are you doing?

I cannot help but think that you have been tested by this most unusual trial. I hope you are not thinking and feeling like the people I described in the previous paragraph. As a Christian, God is your heavenly Father, the only One who perfectly loves and cares for you. At times like this, it’s important to look to Him and stay close to Him. Think how He is sovereign and in complete control. Think how He is holy, loving, merciful, faithful, wise, good, compassionate, purposeful, righteous, and truthful. Only as you truly know God will you be delivered from fear, loneliness, anger, stress, and boredom, and be given all the grace and peace you need. Ephesians 1:2 

Now that we live in the end-times, you will continue to need this grace and peace. As Christians, we are blessed and privileged to be alive at this time, in the last years of this church age. It is a period marked by “birth pains,” by events and conditions occurring around the world, God-ordained signs designed to wake us up to the soon coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And this plague, this pandemic, is one of the birth pains, along with wars, famines, great earthquakes, and financial problems. Matt. 24:4-8, Luke 21:8-11, Rev. 6:1-8

I must admit, this pandemic, this present birth pain, has personally affected me. For the first time ever, I feel like I have an idea of what it’s like to go through an end-times’ birth pain. Like an expectant mother literally experiences and feels her birth pains, I am literally experiencing and feeling the effects of this pandemic. Here in Florida, we have not had wars, great earthquakes, or famines. But now there is this pandemic, this plague, affecting our country, my county, my church, and my wife and I – and God is using it to sober us up, to get our attention. These birth pains, these earthly problems, are planned by God to get our attention, to get our eyes off ourselves, and to be living for Him. 2 Chron. 15:1-12, Phil. 1:21

What can we say about these birth-pains, which include this pandemic?
1. These birth pains will continue and will increase in frequency and intensity. This present pandemic will come to an end, but there will be more of them. As much as we would like to say this won’t happen again, Christians must know that these plagues, along with wars, famines, and earthquakes, will continue to take place in the years ahead, leading to the end of this age and the “birth” of Christ, which means the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church.

2. These birth pains will not continually be taking place, just like a mother does not have continuous birth pains, one right after another. They will be happening now and then.

3. These birth pains occur in various places around the world. For example, wars won’t be taking place in every single country. Great earthquakes usually happen in certain areas (“The Ring of Fire”). Famines most often occur in poorer parts of the world. Matt. 24:6 tells us we will be hearing that these birth pains are happening. For example, I do not know anyone who has died from this coronavirus, but I have heard that many have died.

4. We are living in the beginning stages of the end-times (Matt 24:6, 8; Luke 21:9), a time during which these birth pains are occurring, but not intensely so. I personally believe they will go on for about 10, 20, 30 years or more, and then Christ will return to rapture His church.

5. I do not believe, as some say, that the birth pains start at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week. I cannot see how you can fit all these famines, wars, earthquakes, and plagues into a few short years. The very nature of these events, with the exception of earthquakes, is that they occur over an elongated period of time. I believe they have been going on for many years.

6. These birth pains will affect both believers and unbelievers, the saved and the lost.

7. These birth pains will be distressing, disruptive, and death-producing. Revelation 6:8 says that up to one-fourth of the world will die because of them. This sad and sobering state of the world is also described in Matt. 24:28 – “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

8. These birth pains are distinct from God’s wrath, for His wrath will only be poured out upon the unbelievers. Rev. 6:1-8 – birth pains; Rev. 7:9-14 – rapture; Rev 8-9 – God’s wrath.

I have written a number of blogs instructing us how we need to live during these end-times when this pandemic, in particular, and these birth pains, in general, are taking place. Take time to read them if you have not yet done so. Here is a summary of the main themes:
– You are not to be afraid or worried but are to trust God and keep doing His work. Psalm 37:3
– This pandemic is a spiritual alarm clock, and is to wake up Christians so they draw close to God, and realize that His Son is returning soon. Rom. 13:11-12, Heb. 10:37
– This pandemic is designed by God to teach you, but is also part of His plan to reconfigure countries and economies, leading us to globalism and the coming of the Antichrist. Dan. 2:21
– It is important for you to see how this pandemic fits in with the big picture, and will be followed by more birth pains, Daniel’s 70th week, and the coming of Christ. Matt. 24:4-14
– As a Christian, don’t love the fun, food, and games of the world, especially now that we are living in the end-times and can see that Christ is coming soon. Use your spiritual gift, work with your church, help “make disciples of all the nations,” and remember Jesus’s promise, “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 24:14, 25:14-23, 28:19-20

P.S. I wrote this post because many Christians don’t think right and, therefore, don’t feel right. (“As a man thinks, so he is” – Prov. 23:7). Your response to this Coronvirus Pandemic relates directly to your thinking about God and your understanding of the end-times. The article (#45) I just put up is an expansion of this post. Also, make sure you read my recent posts on this subject, particularly “From the Coronvirus to Christ’s Coming and the Rapture,” and “The Coronavirus – Fear and Panic, or Faith and Peace.”

Trials and the Coronavirus – Lessons We Need to Learn

April 3, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #164 ~

The coronavirus is very small, and yet has resulted in a very big trial that’s affecting millions of people around the world. God wants to use this trial, or any trial for that matter, to train His children. Now that we live in the end-times, we will encounter “birth pain” trials, like this coronavirus plague, and for many Christians in the future, the trial of “great tribulation.” That’s why you need to understand the nature and purpose of trials, for they are one of God’s means to help you be a growing, mature, and fruitful Christian.

What is a trial? It’s a difficulty, a pressure, a problem, an affliction, a test from God (James 1:3), a humbling circumstance (James 1:9). It can be internal or external in nature. It can be physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, or any combination of these. Trials are hard, painful, unpleasant and distressing. The Bible passage that best explains what God wants you to learn about trials, in my opinion, is 1 Peter 1:3-9. Starting at verse 6, let’s see what it says:

1. God says you have trials “now” which means you only go through trials during your life on earth. Jesus told the disciples, “In this world you have tribulation” (John 16:33). Paul said, “We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Being saved doesn’t mean you will have no problems, that life is a bed of roses. All of you can testify to the fact that you have had trials. And when you leave this earth and are in heaven, then all your trials will be over, forever gone. Amen!!! Rev. 7:15-17, 21:3-4

2. God says trials last only “a little while.” Some trials, humanly speaking, are very short, lasting an hour or two, or a month or two. Some are longer, lasting for many years. But what you need to know is that your entire life, in view of all eternity, is very short, for “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while” (James 4:14). Therefore, your earthly trials will not last very long, are only “momentary troubles.” 2 Cor. 4:17

3. God says trials are “necessary.” God is not careless, unthinking or unloving. He is all-loving, all-wise and knows exactly what He is doing in your life. Indeed, the trials you go through are personally planned and designed by God for you, and are necessary, are some of His primary tools to help you spiritually grow up and become a mature Christian.

4. God says we are “distressed” by trials and, as other translations say, result in grief or sorrow. Trials are hard, painful, and can be extremely wearing on your body and soul. In 2 Cor. 1:8-9, Paul describes how he and Timothy felt when they were going through a trial – “We were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves.” Have you ever felt this way? Some of your trials will be the most difficult and distressing experiences you will ever go through.

5. God says there are “various” trials, which means there are all kinds of trials. There are job trials, financial trials, family trials, marriage trials, school trials, relational trials, church trials, health trials, weather trials, car trials, etc. There are personal trials, trials unique to you. In the Bible we read about Joseph being sold by his brothers, Job physically suffering, Moses leading the unruly Jews, David being chased by Saul, Jesus being punished for our sins, and Paul being in jail. Then there’s this unique coronavirus trial, unlike anything we have ever experienced, designed by our Father to teach us lessons we need to learn.

But why do we have trials? Because your Father knows best, knows that trials are necessary for your Christian life. Here are some of the main reasons why you go through trials:

1. It’s for your faith (1 Peter 1:7). Having faith, which means you are trusting God and His word, is more valuable than all the money in the world. God gives you trials so your faith, your reliance on Him, grows and gets stronger. When you continue to trust God as you go through a trial, then you are persevering, are patiently enduring. Rom. 5:3-4, James 1:2-3

2. It’s so you grow in your love for God (1 Peter 1:8, James 1:12, Deut. 13:4). As a Christian, you love God, which is the most important thing you are to do. But the trials you go through will test your love for God, and will result in you loving Him all the more. 

3. It’s so you grow in hope. 1 Peter 1:3-4 gives you the big picture of your salvation, that you were born again in the past, have a living hope in the present, and will realize this hope in the future. You need hope, you need to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you have no trials, when everything will be perfect, and you will be blessed in heaven. Fix your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus is revealed (1 Pet. 1:13) for then you will see Him, your salvation will be complete, and you will receive a brand-new body. 1 John 3:2

4. It’s for the salvation of your soul, for your spiritual growth (1 Pet. 1:9). Besides faith, hope and love, God tells us other essential ingredients that we need to be mature and fruitful:
– You need God’s grace. Going through trials reveals your spiritual weakness and your need for God’s grace and power so you can, in a Christ-like way, persevere and get through them. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9
– You need to obey God. Trials are designed to teach you to obey God, to keep His word. “Before I was afflicted, I went astray but now I keep Your word.” Ps. 119:67, 71
– You need to be holy. God gives you trials to teach you not to sin, to do what is right, to be holy. “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” Heb. 12:4-11
– You need to be comforted. Our lives are about others, and the comfort you receive from God when you go through trials is to be shared with others who are going through trials. “… who comforts us in all our affliction so we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-11
– You are to rejoice. Twice you are told to greatly rejoice (1 Pet. 1:6, 8), which means it’s very important. As you understand the past, present and future of your Christian life, as you see how your trials are an important part of God’s work in you, then you will greatly rejoice – you will be a glad-hearted, spiritually-happy Christian. James 1:2, Rom. 5:3-5

5. It is so Christ lives in you. As a Christian, your life is not about you, but about Jesus Christ living in you. God gives trials so you turn to Him and trust Him. When you do this, then the Holy Spirit works in you, and Christ is revealed in and through your life. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves… we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:7, 11). When you encounter a trial, remember that it’s not about you, but about Christ being manifested through your life. Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21

God is your teacher, and you are His student. Be a good student and a fast learner, and grow from the trials God so lovingly and wisely gives you. At this present time, might God help you go through this coronavirus trial gracefully, obediently, lovingly, hope-fully, and joyfully. And for many of us, our Father is training us for the future, for the tough times we will face in the last years leading up to Christ’s return to rapture the church. “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer.” Psalm 144:1-2

P.S. Trials are such an important part of our lives, and we must see God behind the trial, in that He is sovereign and wants to teach us through them. Here is a helpful post on trials – “Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation.” Here is a comprehensive article on this subject – “A Biblical Perspective on the Trials of Life.”

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