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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Discernment (Page 1 of 3)

Blog posts about discernment.

God Promised “The Land” To Israel

November 10, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #290 ~

There’s been strong disagreement and violent protests and a deadly war about whether the land between the River and Sea is Israel’s or Palestine’s. Now we can debate all year about what man thinks, but it’s critically important that we settle this matter by finding out what God states in His word. When we do this, it’s undeniably clear that God promised this land to Israel, and not to anyone else – and God keeps His word. Here are many of the verses:

* Genesis 12:1-3 – “The Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’”
* Genesis 13:14-15 – “The Lord said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.’”

* Genesis 15:6-7 – “Abram believed the Lord, and it was credited to him as righteousness. He also said to him, ‘I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.’”
* Genesis 15:18 – “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying. ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.”

* Genesis 17:6-8 – “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Caanan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
* Genesis 26:3-5 – “Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and your descendants I will give all these lands which I swore to your father Abraham. I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed…”

* Genesis 28:13-15 – “The Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’”
* Genesis 35:10-12 – “‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name…’ God also said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you… The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.’”

* Genesis 50:24 – “Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’”
* Exodus 32:13 – “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

* Numbers 34:2-12 – “When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders. Your southern sector shall extend from the wilderness… As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea… This shall be your northen border: you shall draw a line… For your eastern border you shall draw a line… This shall be your land according to its borders.”
* Leviticus 18:24-28 – “Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. The land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants… You are to keep My statutes… and shall not do any of these abominations (Lev. 18:6-23)… so that the land will not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you.”  

* Leviticus 26:42 – “I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will also remember My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.”
* Deuteronomy 9:4-6 – “Do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.’ No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you… to accomplish what He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

* Joshua 1:4 – “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.”
* Psalm 105:8-10 – “He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Issac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statue, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’”

What do we learn from these verses?
1. God promised that He would give some land to Abraham and his descendants.
2. This promise was unilateral, was made by God Himself. God will most certainly carry out His promise to the Jewish people, and no one will be able to stop Him.  
3. God’s promise to the Jewish people is an everlasting covenant, one that will never be cancelled or revoked, Jewish people will be living in this land forever.
4. God repeated this promise many times and to different people because He wanted to make sure that others, like you and me, understood it and were convinced it was true.
5. The geographical boundaries of this land are clearly stated in God’s word.

6. The Jewish people did nothing to deserve this land. It was purely a gift from God. 
7. Nothing in God’s word says this land is for the Palestinians or anyone else.
8. Other nations lived in this now “disputed” land before the Jewish people were there, but because of their sin, God judged them and drove them out. God is holy and loving, and His plan is for His people to possess this land for themselves and forever.
9. The great blessing that God promised to Abraham and his descendants has not yet been fulfilled, but it will be in the coming kingdom ages.
10. This great blessing is for cultural and ethnic Jews who are believers, who are Jews physically, and spiritually, who are righteous because of their faith in God. 

God created the Jewish people and promised them a special piece of land that they are to possess for all eternity. And this is an amazing truth, an incredible story. Many verses powerfully and incontrovertibly establish this truth, but this is only the beginning of our discussion about this land. In coming posts, we will look at the rest of the story.

You will learn that there is much more in God’s word about this land, history-proven truths that take us from those beginning days of 4,000 years ago up to the present time, and on into the future. These truths and facts of history will help us understand that only Israel has the God-given right to the most important piece of land in the world.

God’s working with the Jewish people these last 4,000 years is solid proof that He is God, that He is true to His word, and that He is lovingly, powerfully, and sovereignly carrying out His plans. And God will fulfill His promises for the good of His people and for His purposes and glory. Here is the end of the story – “You will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be over. Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I might be glorified.” Isaiah 60:21

P.S. It saddens me to hear people all over the world who don’t know what they are talking about when it comes to what God says is Israel’s land. I encourage you to reread the above verses so you can have strong convictions about His plans for His people. I also encourage you to take the time to read all my articles on “Replacement Theology: It’s Not True” – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

The Prophets’ Punishing End-Times’ Message!

May 27, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #277 ~

The prophets’ punishing message is particularly relevant as we think about what’s now happening to the United States? The border is being overrun, there’s two-tiered justice, massive debt problems, unchecked crime, the fentanyl crisis, evil rulers, families falling apart, children under attack, homelessness, human trafficking, socialism, communism, countries turning against us, etc.

Habakkuk 1:3-4 sums up what I know many of you have been thinking: “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. The law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.” It’s the prophets that explain why all this terrible but justified evil is now occurring in our country!

The news media surely doesn’t give you any answers. The real problem isn’t the economy, the schools, the government, the border, the climate, etc. You must get past the surface to the heart of the problem, and it’s the prophets that tell you our root problem is spiritual in nature – it’s sin, it’s turning from God to idols. And what you are now witnessing in our country are the consequences of our sin, God’s righteous judgment of our wicked ways. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Romans 1:18-32

The prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi, make up one fourth of the Bible, a major portion of God’s word, and they need to be read to understand this present time. They illustrate the sinful condition of countries and cities and how God punished them. Thus, they give us wisdom, enabling us to see and sort out what’s now going on in our own country and in our own cities. “Jerusalem has sinned greatly… Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins.” Lamentations 1:8,5

The prophets tell us that sin, at its core, is two sins – it’s rejecting God and turning to false gods, it’s forsaking God and loving other gods. “They went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty… My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:5, 13). “Nations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin.” Hosea 10:10

This double sin, this root sin, results in many other sins. There’s drunkenness (Is. 5:22), denying justice for a bribe (Is. 5:23), rebellion, stubbornness (Jer. 5:23), arrogance, overeating (Ezek. 16:49), cursing, lying, stealing, murder, adultery (Hos. 4:2), idolatry (Hos. 4:12), disobedience (Jonah 1:3), rejecting God’s law (Amos 3:4), laziness (Amos 6:1), love of food, wine, and music (Amos 6:4-6), coveting, defrauding (Mic. 2:2), hating good and loving evil (Mic. 3:2), divorce (Mal. 2:14-16), robbing God (Mic. 3:8), etc., etc. The sins that took place over 2500 years ago are, for the most part, the same sins now being committed in our own country.

God must punish all sins for He is holy – He can’t just let them go. “I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). And the prophets specifically tell us how He punished these sins. Here are some examples: “a lion from the forest will slay them” (Jer. 5:6); “sickness and wounds” (Jer. 6:7); “their houses shall be turned over to others” (Jer. 6:12); “I’m bringing disaster on this people” (Jer. 6:19); “neighbors and friends will perish” (Jer. 6:21); “an army is coming – they are cruel and show no mercy” (Jer. 6:22-23); “I will ruin her vines and fig trees” (Hos. 2:12).

“I will ignore your children” (Hos. 4:6); “a nation has invaded my land” (Joel 1:6); “the people’s joy is withered away” (Joel 1:12); “the seeds shrivel… the grain is dried up… herds of cattle wander aimlessly” (Joel 1:17-18); “I will send fire” (Amos 1:4); “I will destroy the king” (Amos 1:5); “I gave you empty stomachs” (Amos 4:6); “I will send you into exile” (Amos 5:27). In the past, God punished sinners in many ways, and now we are watching God’s diverse and dreaded judgment of the United States. By reading the prophets you can understand what’s taking place, that we are greatly sinning and are being greatly punished by God.

Man’s sin and God’s judgment of his sin are God’s primary messages in the prophets, but there are many other themes. They tell you about God’s identity, that He’s the Lord (Is. 26:4), the Rock (Is. 26:4), the Judge (Is. 33:22), the Lawgiver (Is. 33:22), the Shepherd (Is. 40:11), the Creator (Is. 43:1), the Savior (Is. 43:3), the King (Is. 44:6), the Redeemer (Is. 44:6), the Holy One (Is. 45:11), the Servant (Is. 52:13), and our Husband (Is. 54:5).

The prophets tell you about God’s character, that He’s holy (Is. 6:1-3), wise (Is. 11:2), supreme, powerful (Is. 40:12-31), just, loving, righteous (Jer. 9:24), true, living, eternal (Jer. 10:10), sovereign (Dan. 4:34-35), compassionate and forgiving (Micah 7:19).

The prophets tell you about Christ’s 1st coming, that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), would suffer (Is. 50:6), would be pierced (Is. 53:5), would die to pay for our sins (Is. 53:4-12), would proclaim the good news (Is. 61:1), would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech. 9:9).

The prophets tell you the good news, that God shows you mercy if you repent of your sin and believe that His Son is the Messiah, the Christ who died to pay for your sin. Yes, God is judging this sinful country, but know that He judged His own Son so you could be forgiven, have hope, and be eternally loved. Isaiah 53, Ezekiel 37:23, Micah 7:18-20

The prophets also tell you about Christ’s 2nd coming, and the amazing hope God has for all His people. This is an extremely, eternally important message of the prophets. Sad to say, many people, even believers, don’t see it this way. They believe the truths about Christ’s first coming but not the truths about His 2nd coming, many which are found in the prophets. Much that is said about this hope is easily discovered on the pages of the prophets, but some, like hidden treasure, must be searched for. Here are some verses about this hope: Gen. 12:1-3, 17:4-8; Is. 2:2-4, 4:2-6, 9:6-7, 54:5-8, 61:2b-11, 65:17-25; Jer. 23:5-6, 32:37-44; Ez. 37:22-23; Dan. 2:44-45, 7:13-14; Hosea 1:10-11; Joel 3:16-21; Amos 9:14-15; Micah 5:4; Hab. 2:14; Zeph. 3:14-17; and Zech. 14:9-11.

Here are some final points about reading the prophets and our future:
1. The prophets focus primarily on the Jewish people. There’s nothing specifically in the prophets about the church age. But there are important lessons for all believers, ones that will help you grow in your relationship with God, and in faith, holiness, and hope.
2. The prophets, in general, are predictive. Some of the passages are about their present time and / or the years following. Some are about Christ’s 1st coming. Some are about Christ’s 2nd coming and the kingdom age. Others have a near and a far perspective.

3. If you have not read any of the prophets, I’d recommend you start with the minor ones, like Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Jonah, and then move on to the major ones, like Isaiah and Jeremiah. I will admit, they are not always easy to understand, but ask God to teach you as you read them, and He will.
4. Be looking for the primary subjects in the prophets – God, man’s sin, God’s judgment, the Jews, Christ’s 1st coming, salvation, Christ’s 2nd coming, and hope. 

5. I suggest that you write down the passages that talk about the hope of the Jews. That’s because your hope, your future blessing as a Christian, is in many ways tied to the hope of the Jews. For example, both Jews and Christians will inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11, Matt. 5:5), and together they will be glorifying the Lord. Romans 15:8-12
6. This world is on a fast track to the end of this age, at which time the church will be raptured and the nations will be righteously judged. It’s not just the United States that falls under the judgment of God, but all nations in the world. Psalm 9:17-20; Zeph. 1; Rev. 6:12-17, Rev. 7:9-14, Rev. 8-9

7. One reason why the United States needs to be judged and lose its position as the #1 power in the world is to make way for the Antichrist and his kingdom. I don’t believe it will be long before this takes place, and the Antichrist is ruling this earth, but only for a very short time. Then Jesus Christ will come back to rapture the church, judge the world, save a remnant of Jews, and reign on earth. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 47
8. It is true that the United States is being judged and is going downhill. But remember the story of Jonah, and how God had mercy on that wicked city of Nineveh. As Habakkuk 3:2 says, “In wrath remember mercy.” Pray that God would bring revival. Might Daniel 9:4-19 be our prayer – “We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from your commandments (vs. 4)… O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay (vs. 19).

P.S. I pray that you are awake, alert, and watching. We must not be asleep in times like these. We must be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what they should do, and like John the Baptist who was preparing the way of the Lord. I suggest you read these two posts: “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, and “The Day of the Lord: the Wrath of God on Earth.”

God, Man, Artificial Intelligence, and the End-Times

May 4, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #275 ~

In the past 20 years there’s been a significant growth in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). And just recently the alarm bells have been ringing, telling us to wake up to this exploding AI industry. Every day for the past two weeks, there have been news shows talking about different aspects of artificial intelligence. And there’s a highly competitive AI “tech race” between different companies and between different countries. Some even believe the winner of this race will control the world. Without question, AI is a rapidly advancing technology, one that’s affecting our lives much more than we realize, and will continue to do so.

So what is artificial intelligence (AI)? Wikipedia tells us: “Artificial intelligence is intelligence – perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information – demonstrated by machines – as opposed to intelligence displayed by non-human animals or humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech recognition, computer vision, translation between languages.” That is, AI is speaking of machines, chips, and robots designed by intelligent beings to do one or two intelligent tasks, ones deemed to be helpful to the needs of people and to the growth of our world.

Here are some things that AI can do. Humans drive cars – AI drives cars. Humans fly planes – AI flies planes, and drones. A human plays his favorite song – Alexa plays his favorite song. Humans see – robots see. Humans build cars – robots build cars. Humans write papers – ChatGPT writes papers. Humans have relationships – robots have “relationships”. AI can imitate your voice and create a likeness of your face. There are many, many more examples of how AI is now being used, and an untold number that will be developed in the coming years. 

Let’s now talk about artificial general intelligence (AGI). Wikipedia says: “The AGI concept is that it can learn to accomplish any intellectual task that human beings can perform… AGI has been defined as an autonomous system that surpasses human capabilities in the majority of economically valuable tasks.” When we say AGI, we’re talking about many computers working together to create one super-intelligent computer, one that seems to know everything, is a very quick learner, does all kinds of tasks, ones that are much larger and much more difficult than what AI can do.

AGI is vastly superior to AI. Like humans, AGI can think, reason, learn, plan, sense, listen, understand, communicate, and create. Like humans, AGI has general intelligence – it knows a lot of information and can do all kinds of things. The difference between AGI and humans is that AGI has a super-massive machine brain, and is much smarter, much faster, much more precise, and usually much better than humans in carrying out tasks.

The tech race that’s going on now has to do with how AGI can be used for complex human purposes, from developing military strategies, to hacking into another country’s military strategies, to composing symphonies, to counseling people, to enabling robots to carry out household duties, to being a companion and helper for an elderly person, to writing a company’s business plan, to being a “doctor” who makes a complete diagnosis of a person’s health and creates a treatment plan, to surveilling every person in the country, etc. Also know that AGI can teach itself, get smarter, think for itself, figure out what needs to be done, get better at whatever it does, and create more applications, ones it was not initially programmed to do. 

Many thoughts come to mind when I think about AI and AGI:
* Scary, dangerous, a black box, too powerful, out of control, destructive, dehumanizing, life-like, an idol, cyborgs, a digital world, predictable, unpredictable, godlike, and devilish
* Where is AI / AGI headed? Will it know everything about me? Will it do things I don’t want it to do? Will it make me do things I don’t want to do? Will it help me or hurt me?
* Some AGI machines are humanlike. They seem to have a conscience, to have feelings, to be personal, to understand, to be kind, as well as be intelligent. Can a human have a relationship with an AGI robot? Will he become attached to it and love it as a “friend”?

* Some people are saying, “With machines like these, who needs God?”
* Some humans think machines like these can make them godlike. Have you heard what some scientists are saying about putting a chip in your brain, one that’s connected to a larger, smarter AI / AGI brain and, therefore, making you a superman?
* AI / AGI can be a massive information, misinformation, or disinformation tool. How will this affect our educational system? What will our children be learning? How can we ever have confidence in what is being taught?
* If AGI has a desire for perfection and realizes that humans are imperfect, would it ever happen that these machines see humans as unnecessary, and want to get rid of them?

* Will AI and AGI take over our jobs and do our work for us? Will we even need to work? How will this affect individuals and our society at large?
* Elon Musk said, “AI has great power to do good and evil. Better the former.” There’s no doubt that some good will be accomplished by AI / AGI. But people’s hearts are sinful, which means AI / AGI will result in many evil things occurring on this planet.
* Will AGI get to the point where it’s completely on its own, where humans can’t control it, where it lies, cheats, steals, and where it hates humans and wants to hurt them.  
* Will these “smart” machines be godless and say evil things about God, Jesus, or Christians? Will it be a tool of the devil that results in Christians being persecuted? How does this relate to the agenda of the Antichrist? Revelation 13:14-17

This blog site is about end-time’s prophecy, about Christ’s coming. So why am I writing about AI and AGI? Because I believe AI / AGI will be a huge factor in these last years before the return of Christ to rapture the church. So how does God want you to think about AI / AGI? And how could AI / AGI relate to God’s plans in the end-times?

1. God is sovereign over AI and AGI, whether it’s used for good or evil. I believe God will use this technology as part of His plans to fulfill His purposes during the end-times. “… according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” Eph. 1:9-11

2. Man is made in the image of God, but AI is made in the image of man. Man may think these machines are super-smart, but God is infinitely smarter, and He will outsmart both man and machine, for He made the man who made the machine. Gen. 1:26, Ps. 96:4-5

3. God has given man a soul and therefore, man lives forever, in heaven or hell. But man can’t give a soul to AI / AGI machines. These machines are only machines and do not truly live, have no eternal future, and will someday be destroyed. John 3:16, 2 Pet. 3:10

4. God says nothing in His word about AI machines overpowering, destroying, or replacing mankind. God’s purposes, from Genesis to Revelation, are not focused on machines, but on mankind, people made in His image. Gen. 1:26-29; Rev. 2-3, 7:9-10, 19:7-9, 21:5-7

5. Be a watchman, be wise, understand the times, learn from others, and tell others what you are learning. 1 Chron. 12:32, Ez. 3:17, Rev. 13:18

6. Never think that AI, AGI, EMP’s, nuclear war, climate change, super volcanos, gigantic solar flares, great earthquakes, massive meteorites, or a combination of these, will bring about the total destruction of this world. God may use them to judge people, but not in a global way. The Day of the Lord, God’s end-time’s judgment of the world, will be very destructive, and is what an unsaved person should be most concerned about. Revelation 8-9, 16

7. The Beast (Antichrist) will control an unbelieving world by making people worship the “image of the beast” and take the “mark of the beast.” I believe AGI technology will help the Antichrist carry out his plans, specifically as it relates to Rev. 13:15: “It was given to him (the beast) to give breath to the image of the beast, so the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

8. God will severely limit or destroy the ability and effect of AGI if it gets too powerful. Machines will never defeat mankind, and they will never thwart God’s purposes and plans for His people and for this world. Remember what God did to the tower of Babel? Genesis 11:4-9, Psalm 33:10-11

9. Some think their thoughts, voice, senses, experiences, looks, intelligence, and character can be programmed into a robot – and then they will have eternal life, they will live on in this machine after their body dies. How foolish! Man, apart from God, dies and goes to hell! Man, saved by Christ, is given eternal life, goes to heaven, and will receive a glorified body! John 3:16, Phil. 3:20-21, 2 Thess. 1:8-9

10. We don’t need a man-made AGI machine to save mankind. We need Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, a real Savior, for He saves from sin and death, our #1 problem. Those who repent of their sins are spiritually saved. And at Christ’s coming, we will receive a physical body that is perfect, powerful, glorious, and will live forever with Jesus. Romans 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Don’t be concerned, obsessed, or fearful with regards to AI / AGI. Look to Jesus, and trust Him. And love Him and serve Him, for He’s the One who saves you, blesses you, leads you, protects you, and will bring you safely to heaven. “The night is almost gone, and the day is near” (Rom. 13:12). Jesus Christ, the Judge and King, is coming soon. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

P.S. I must say, we live in tumultuous times, but what a time to be alive. Always remember that God is in control, and He is sovereignly bringing about the return of His Son. Here are two other posts that are relevant at this time: “Everything on This Earth is Going to Change”, and “Step by Step Till We See Jesus.”

Afghanistan and America – Lessons to Learn

August 25, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #224 ~

How do you feel about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, and the role of our country? Shocked, bewildered, concerned, angered, betrayed, outraged, disheartened, frustrated, confused, defeated, embarrassed! What in the world is happening?! What is the United States doing, and why? (Yes, I believe we should get out of Afghanistan, but it’s how it’s being done that’s upsetting). But what is God doing? That’s the question that needs to be answered. Anytime something disastrous happens, it’s essential that we look to God and learn from Him. “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is as great as our God?” (Psalm 77:13). What are some of these things that God wants to teach us?

First, God is sovereign, He is in charge. We need to know that God has control over all people, events, countries, and rulers. No person and no President can do what he wants apart from God’s decrees, apart from His will. Anything that happens is always in accordance with His perfect, eternal, and glorious plans. Rest and rejoice in the fact that God is sovereign over all the actions and words of every single person in the world, including all those in Afghanistan and the United States. “God does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” Daniel 4:35

Second, God is holy and just. He is altogether righteous and must punish all sin. Therefore, God deals with all the evildoers in Afghanistan, in His way and in His time. But there’s a ton of evil in the United States too, and it’s because of her awful sin that she is declining in power, status, and influence around the world. This downhill slide that’s been going on in our country the past 90 years is explained in Rom. 1:20-32. It starts when the people reject God (vss. 20-23) which leads to immorality (vs. 24), then to homosexuality (vs. 26), and then to depravity (vs. 28 – people saying evil is good and good is evil – Is. 5:20). Fret not, for God is righteous, and He will not be mocked – in due time, He will punish all sinners who rebel against Him. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth.” Romans 1:18

Third, God is good, that is, He works all things together for good in the lives of Christians. You may be upset or saddened when you think of Afghans and Americans being persecuted for their faith but, remember, God is working this out for their good, and His glory. And pray for them. In the United States, we are seeing increasing crime, rising inflation, border problems, Marxism being taught, the continuing Covid crisis, and again, God is in complete control, and is working all this out for the good of the Christians. He is helping us grow in character (Rom. 5:3-5), is causing the spread of the gospel (Mark 13:9-11), and is carrying out His end-time plans. “In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:10-12

Fourth, God is merciful. Whenever I hear about some calamity, I think of the gospel and how God desires to show mercy to those in trouble, and I am not just talking physically, even though that is desired in this Afghan situation, but spiritually. He wants the afflicted and hurting to know that their real problem is not the war, a fire, a hurricane, a virus or whatever, but their sin – and death that results. What people ought to be really concerned about is sin and death. And Jesus Christ is the only answer, sent by His Father to this earth to die on the cross and rise again from the dead to pay for the sins of all the people who would repent of their sins and believe in Him alone for forgiveness and eternal life. When you hear that people are experiencing problems of any kind, then pray that they would turn to Christ, and that God would have mercy on them, and save their souls, and bring them into His eternal family. “Jesus Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

Fifth, this is God’s will, part of His eternal purpose. All that is now happening, whether it’s in Afghanistan, the United States, or in your own life, is part of God’s end-time and eternal plans. God is wisely and faithfully working in the life of every single person, directing every single event, and working in every single church and every single country, all which is leading to that most glorious time when Christ returns to rapture the church. “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet, and they will gather together His elect.” Matthew 24:30

Specifically, what is happening, and what are His plans?
1. This present conflict is part of the birth pains. Jesus told us that wars (Afghanistan), along with plagues (Covid), earthquakes (Haiti), famines (Africa), and economic problems (inflation) would happen in the end-times and would increasingly get worse before Christ’s coming. “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines.” Luke 21:10-11, Rev. 6:5-6

2. The United States needs to lose her position as the #1 global superpower so that, sooner or later, Antichrist’s kingdom can come to power. This nation is in spiritual decay, witnessed by her moral, political, financial, academic, and international decline. This nation is experiencing big-time domestic and foreign problems, solid and sobering evidence that God is judging her for her sin, leading to her downfall. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days – you would not believe if you were told… I am raising up the Chaldeans… You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge.” Habakkuk 1:5-6, 13

3. These recent events in Afghanistan are leading to changing global power structures and new alliances among nations, which, as God predicts, must happen before the rise and rule of the Antichrist. This once great nation, now in grave danger, is visibly going down, and this will have a dramatic impact on the present world order. I don’t believe it will be long before that devilish beast, the Antichrist, is revealed and becomes dictator of the world. “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast (Antichrist) for one hour.” Revelation 17:12

4. Israel, the most important nation in the end-times, will definitely feel the effects of these recent events. That’s because anti-Semitic nations have been ordained by God to be her enemies (Psalm 83), and are presently being emboldened. You can’t imagine how happy Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, etc., are to see the United States, the “Great Satan”, leaving that part of the Mideast. In the months and years ahead, we will see these countries more united than ever before in their fight against Israel and the United States. They truly want to wipe them off the map – but God is sovereign, and His purposes will prevail. “The Lord nullifies the plans of the nations… the counsel of the Lord stands forever… blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12

5. God wants you to serve Him and help Him fulfill His purposes. As a Christian, you are a key player in what God is and will be doing in this world. Like a piece of a puzzle, He is fitting you together with others, and using you to bring about His end-time plans, Christ’s return to earth, the rapture of the church, and the day of the Lord. “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed… Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Romans 13:11-12

I have spoken of God’s character and purpose, which you must know if you’re to be a hope-filled, Spirit-filled, Christ-glorifying believer. But what are you to do? First, love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). Second, don’t be distracted by the evil that’s happening in the world, and thereby keep you from doing the work God wants you to do (Neh. 6:1-4). Third, trust God, believe that He is in control, is building the church, and will use you for His purposes (Eph. 2:20-22). Fourth, obey God’s commands, use your spiritual gifts, and do your part in making disciples and building the church. Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20

P.S. There’s lots God wants you to know about the end-times and the coming of Christ. Three posts that relate to this particular post that I would encourage you to read are: “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, “What Needs to Happen Before Christ’s Return?”, “Truths You Need to Know about the End-Times.“

The Worst Lies and the Most Important Truth

March 17, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #209 ~

There are all kinds of lies in this world: 
– the little lies a person tells another person,
– the lies of slandering and smearing, 
– the lie that having lots of money means you are successful, 
– the lie that life means having lots of possessions,
– the lie that you need to be entertained by movies, TV, and sports,
– the lie that alcohol and drugs satisfy you and makes you happy,
– the lie that says human beings evolved from lower life forms,
– the lies and spin we hear in the news media, the fake news,
– the lie that outward beauty is more important than inward beauty,
– the lie that being popular is important,
– the lies we hear in movies and music,
– the lie that sex outside of marriage is okay,
– the lies of Hitler that led to WW2 and millions of people dying,
– the lie that the government can solve our problems,
– the lie that our coastlines will someday be flooded because of climate change,
– the lie that there is no male or female, no man or woman,
– the lie that gender is subjective,
– the lies many people make when they do their taxes,
– the lies we see and hear in advertising, 
– the lies we see in deepfake technology, in manipulated videos,
– the lies we are told about our history,
– the lies and propaganda we hear from politicians,
– the lie that skin color makes you more, or less, important than others,
– the lies taught in critical race theory,
– the lie that abortion is not wrong, and
– the lie that feelings are more important than facts.  
These are just some of the lies you may have heard, and there are many, many more.

All lies are wrong, sinful, and attacks against truth, but some lies are far worse than others. You see, the worst lies have to do with spiritual truths, with God’s truth. And why? Because what you believe about God’s truth has a direct bearing on whether you go to heaven or hell, are saved or damned, are forgiven or guilty, are blessed or punished, are with Jesus in heaven, or are eternally consigned to a dark, lonely, and most painful place. Without a doubt, believing God’s spiritual truths is the most important and impactful thing you can do in life. “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

The devil, “the father of lies” (John 8:44) wants people to believe his lies, and not God’s truths, in particular those that relate to whether you are spiritually and eternally alive or are spiritually and eternally dead. The devil’s lies regarding God’s truths are pure evil, deceptive, deadly, and, at times, contradictory. (Many unbelievers, like the devil, are two-faced, double-minded hypocrites, saying one thing one day and another the next day, all to suit their evil desires – Ps. 119:113). What are some of these lies?
– That there is no God,
– that there is no devil,
– that there is no spirit world,
– that man is basically good,
– that there is no such thing as sin, only mistakes,
– that there is no right or wrong, no absolute truth, that everything is relative,
– that God does not know, see, or care what you do,
– that you can do whatever you want for there are no consequences,
– that you aren’t guilty if you do something wrong,
– that Jesus is not God, and not the Son of God – He was just a good man,
– that Jesus never existed,
– that Jesus sinned and therefore, was not perfect,
– that God is cruel, merciless, powerless, forgetful, and unforgiving,
– that there is no heaven,
– that there is no hell,
– that only a few people go to hell, like Hitler, Stalin, and Castro,
– that there is a heaven, but no hell,
– that this life is all there is, and so eat, drink, and be merry,
– that the Bible is not God’s word,
– that there are many errors and contradictions in the Bible,
– that Jesus did not die on a cross to pay for people’s sins,
– that Jesus was never raised from the dead,
– that to be saved you need to do good works,
– that to be saved you need to believe in Jesus Christ plus do good works,
– that if your good works outweigh your bad works, then you will go to heaven,
– that there are many good religions and therefore, many ways to heaven, and
– that everybody goes to heaven.

It’s shocking and sobering that there are all these lies, and many more besides? But why does the devil lie? Because he hates God and the truths of God, and he doesn’t want people to believe these truths and be saved – he wants people to suffer forever in hell. The person who believes the devil’s lies with regards to God, Jesus, man, and salvation is deceived and is downing a spiritual poison, one that is eternally deadly. Sadly, these lies have been believed by billions of people all over the world. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel” (2 Cor. 4:4). “The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matt. 7:13-14

The devil is extremely deceptive, for “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” and “his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Some servants of the devil actually look, talk, and act like they are real pastors and ministers, but they are fakes, hypocrites, blind guides, wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 5:15, Matt. 23). They are the worst kind of liars and therefore, the most dangerous people, for they seem to be sharing the truth with people about how to get to heaven when, in fact, they are telling people lies that lead them to hell. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in… You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?” Matt. 23:13, 33

Thankfully, God has given us spiritual truth, spiritual absolutes, and it’s found in His word. And it’s truth that’s good, right, holy, loving, perfect, and precious, truth that restores the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, and endures forever (Ps. 19:7-10). It’s truth you need to know, understand, and believe. The most important of all spiritual truths is the truth of the gospel. If you’re a Christian, if you’ve been forgiven, if you’re going to heaven, if you’ll be with Jesus, then thank God that He opened your heart to believe this gospel truth, that salvation is a gift from God, and is for those who repent, and believe that Jesus died and paid for their sins, and then rose again. Without a doubt, the truth of the gospel makes all the difference in your life, for only it can enable you to have an eternally satisfying and encouraging relationship with God Himself.

A great spiritual war engulfs this entire world, and it’s a fierce battle for the truth. The devil’s #1 weapon is his lies, and God’s #1 weapon is His truth, which is clearly spelled out in His Word. As a Christian, make sure you know the spiritual truths of God and aren’t being led astray by the lies of the devil. And don’t be distracted by and focusing on the other lies, like those mentioned in paragraph one. Remember, your primary purpose as a Christian is not to counter the lies you see in the world, those in our schools, media, culture, government, etc. That’s not how Jesus and Paul spent their time when they lived on earth. Your job is to learn spiritual truth, live the truth, correct spiritual errors, like those in paragraph three, and share the truth, especially the truth of the gospel. “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6). “… speaking the truth in love…” (Eph. 4:15). And if you’re a pastor, remember that your number one priority is preaching and teaching God’s word (2 Tim. 4:1). “The overseer must be… holding fast the faithful word… so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Titus 1:7, 9 

The most important truth for any person is the truth of the gospel, what Christ did for us at His 1st coming, and how we can be saved from sin and have eternal life, this most wonderful relationship with God Himself. In this blogsite, I have talked about the gospel again and again. But the principal reason for this site is end-time’s prophecy, the truths about Christ’s 2nd coming. And it’s the truths about Christ’s 1st coming that are foundational to His 2nd coming. At His 1st coming, Christ was glorified and resurrected from the dead, and at His 2nd coming, all believers from all time will be glorified and gathered to Jesus. At His 1st coming, Christ told us about His 2nd coming, and events leading up to it. And it’s Christ’s 2nd coming that begins the fulfillment of 100’s of prophecies and promises from both the Old and New Testaments, those with regards to Jews and Gentiles, and how we will together glorify our great God and Savior. Romans 15:8-11

Of course the devil lies about prophetic truth as well. I am not going to list out the devil’s many lies about our most amazing and glorious future, but only to say that his #1 lie is that Jesus Christ is not coming again. And there is absolutely no truth to this lie, for truly, Christ is coming again, and it won’t be long from now. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37

P.S. God wants you to be discerning, to recognize the difference between the truth of God and the lies of the devil. Here are two articles that give you many truths about our future – “Thirty Important Truths About the Second Coming of Jesus Christ” and “50 Truths God Wants You To Know About the Rapture.”

The Truth of God and the Lies of the Devil

March 5, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #208 ~

A country that does not live by the truth will sooner or later cease to be a country. God has designed us to live by the truth, whether it’s in our personal lives, relationships, churches, jobs, society, or government. Seeing progress and success in any of these areas relates directly to the understanding and application of specific truths, facts, laws, principles, or realities. For every aspect of life, truth is foundational and fundamental. The heartaches and hardships a person experiences often result from not knowing and living by the truth. And the problems we see in our country, the greed, corruption, conflicts, crime, and unrighteous policies result from this too, most specifically because of the lies of the devil.

There are countless examples of how people need to live by the truth. There is anatomy and physiology, truths about your body. There are proteins, carbs, and vitamins, truths about the foods you eat. There is low pressure, high pressure, and humidity, truths about the weather. There are truths about leadership, taxes, and borders, and how governments should function. There are truths that relate to the law, to judges, juries, and the need for witnesses to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” There are truths that relate to raising a child, cooking a meal, building a house, driving a car, or growing a garden.

The truth is that you cannot live without the truth. For example, what happens if you don’t believe the law of gravity and you jump off a cliff? What happens if you don’t believe principles about budgeting and you keep buying things on credit? What happens if you don’t believe truths about relationships, about being kind, patient and forgiving? There is truth that relates to every single person and thing in the world. And if you aren’t living in accordance with the truth, then you will be living by lies and your life won’t make sense – it will be filled with problems.

Living by the truth means you need to be a learner. God has given you a brain and a mind so you can learn the truth. And it’s from parents, teachers, friends, books, making mistakes, and observing things that you learn the truth. I remember my grandfather always telling me, “to be successful, you need to be with those who are older and who have done well.” People whose lives are led by lies, who don’t learn and apply truth, will encounter many difficulties and will not grow up in the way God wants. Your whole life, from beginning to end, from birth to death, needs to be lived in accordance with truth. To be truly successful you must keep reading, watching, listening, and learning from others, especially from God.

I have made some general points about truth, but what’s most important in life? It’s spiritual truth, truth that comes from God, truth only He can give you (Ps. 119:33-40). Do you remember when Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” This was just after He told Pilate, “I have come into the world to testify to the truth.” Jesus’ whole purpose in life related directly to the truth, to living the truth and telling the truth. Everything He said was the truth – He never lied, He never spoke falsehoods, He always told the truth. And the truth He spoke was spiritual truth. He could have impressed people with His knowledge of the human body, the stars, or the weather, but that’s not what people really needed to hear. Spiritual truth is what really matters, it’s what’s eternally important, and Jesus was always teaching it. And it related to knowing and loving God, loving others, and living a moral and meaningful life that would be eternally blessed.

Jesus Christ was and is a perfect Teacher, the best in the world! He taught the truth about God and His mercy, man and his sin, and how He would die to pay for our sins so we can be forgiven. This truth is the gospel truth and is the most important and needed truth on earth. “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free (from sin)” (John 8:32). The smartest person in the world can know all there is to know about business, health, or science, but if he doesn’t know the truth about God, Jesus, and salvation, then his life will be empty and futile. “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36

Jesus didn’t just speak the truth – He was the truth. In John 14:6, He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” When people saw Jesus, they saw the truth, One “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). They actually saw God, a perfect human who loved the truth, embodied the truth, and lived by the truth (John 14:9). He was always giving, kind, patient, serving, wise, and compassionate. He always did what was good, right, and true. “Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). God sent His own Son down to this earth because He wanted us to know and see what truth really looked like.

The truth was not just given to us in the person of Jesus, it was also given to us in a book, in God’s word, in the Bible. It’s only by the truth of God’s word that we can spiritually grow up and be all that God planned us to be. “The sum of Thy word is truth” (Ps. 119:160). There are millions of books in the world, many of them non-fiction, many that share various aspects of truth on different subjects. But infinitely more important than all of them is the Bible, for only through it can we learn what we need to know about God, Jesus, the Spirit, salvation, the church, the kingdom age, and how we can be truly loving, kind, and successful Christians. “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation” (Ps. 25:5). “Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Eph. 4:24

There’s something else you need know, and it’s the truth about Satan, the father of lies (John 8), the number one enemy of the truth. Satan hates God, Jesus Christ, and the truth in God’s word – and his primary goal is to promote and proclaim his lies, hoping to hurt, deceive, and control people. He does not want you to believe truth, and especially spiritual truth which is clearly communicated in God’s word. Satan would want you to believe that there is no truth. He would want you to think that a person can come up with his own truth. He would want you to believe that truth does not have to be absolute, that it can be relative. He would want you to think there is no God, no sin, no heaven, no hell, that Jesus did not die and rise again, that salvation is by works, that God did not create the world, that there is no male or female, that Christ isn’t coming back, etc. Satan is the most wicked and evil liar there is, and so watch out – do not be deceived! And remember, truth defeats lies, truth never loses, truth always wins.

It’s quite obvious that Satan is fighting fiercely against God and His truth, and therefore against Christians who believe the truth. And it’s demons working through evil people who carry out His global plan to cancel truth and promote his evil doctrines (1 Tim. 4:1-3). Without question, we are in a ferocious battle for the truth, a battle for the hearts and minds of people, one that will continue until the very end of this age. (Eph. 6:10-12). As Christians we must know and keep fighting for the truth – and we must not succumb to the terrible and deadly lies of the devil, but instead destroy them. “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge (truth) of God.” 2 Cor. 10:4-5

Thankfully, God’s truth will never be silenced or cancelled (2 Tim 2:9). This happens through the church, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), through pastors who proclaim the truth to the people in their church (2 Tim. 4:1-2), and through individual Christians who personally share God’s precious and life-changing truth with others. “Speak truth each one of you with his neighbor” (Eph. 4:25). Might you be faithful and keep living and speaking forth the truth of God, and now more than ever, for we are in the end-times, and Christ will be coming back soon to rapture the church and take us to heaven.

P.S. What a blessing to be a truth-loving, truth-learning, truth-talking person. I encourage you to be reading and studying God’s word, and learning from others, specifically those who are God-appointed teachers. Here are two relevant and encouraging posts to read: “Deception or Discernment”, and “Old Testament + New Testament = Word of God.”

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.

Step by Step Till We See Jesus

March 13, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #159 ~

At this time in history, what the Bible calls the end-times, we need watchmen, people who know what God has prophesied about the present and the future (e.g. the Coronavirus) and are then looking for these things to take place. A watchman for the church needs to know three things:
# 1, that Jesus Christ is coming back to rapture the church,  
# 2, that God has prophesied specific events and general conditions that need to take place in the world before Christ returns to rapture the church, and
# 3, that regardless of whether it’s specific events or general conditions, there are usually steps leading to their fulfillment, what I call pre-conditions. As watchmen, God wants us to be seeing these pre-conditions (#3), knowing they are leading to the fulfillment of these prophecies about the end-times (#2), prophecies that are pointing to the soon return of Jesus Christ (#1). Let me share some examples that will help you understand this.  

First, there are prophesies regarding specific events:
The peace treaty. This prophecy is that there will be the signing or confirming of a treaty between Israel and other nations at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, made possible by the coming Antichrist. (Dan. 9:27). Ever since Israel became a nation, we have been hearing about peace treaties, but so far, no treaty has really worked. Someday, and I believe soon, this Dan. 9:27 treaty will be passed, fulfilling God’s prophecy. Once it is signed and we know it’s signed, then we will realize that Daniel’s 70th week has begun, and that it won’t be long before the church is raptured, and we see Jesus.

The Antichrist. This prophecy is that the Antichrist will be revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan. 9:27). Before we see this prophecy fulfilled, people will be rejecting nationalism and be open to the idea of globalism. That’s because they will be looking for a “savior” who they hope can solve the world’s problems and bring peace. Then we will see a person (probably from the Mideast) growing in power and forming a 10-nation kingdom, and he will be the Antichrist. Once the Antichrist is revealed, discerning Christians will know that the rapture of the church is less than a few years away. Dan. 7:7-8, Rev. 17:17

The temple. This prophecy is that the Jewish temple will be desecrated by the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27, 2 Thess. 2:3-4). Obviously, the pre-condition necessary for the fulfillment of this prophecy is that the temple needs to be built. When you see that this temple has been built in Jerusalem and that sacrifices are being offered by Jewish priests, then you know it won’t be long before this desolation occurs, before the Antichrist sets himself up as “God” in this temple.

The mark of the beast. This prophecy is that people, to openly buy and sell, must take the mark of the beast, the Antichrist (Rev. 13:16-17). Before this prophecy is fulfilled, people will be wanting their identity and personal information to be more protected, so much so that they are willing to take this mark. There will also need to be a massive, super-secure system that can hold all this information and make all these transactions. As you know, sophisticated technological advances are being made in this area, like the implantation of chips in animals and people. For the first time in history, we are realizing that it is feasible for this prophecy to be fulfilled.

Second, there are prophecies regarding general conditions: 
Increasing lawlessness. This prophecy is that lawlessness will increase in the end-times. (Matt. 24:12). It’s obvious to me and everyone I talk to that lawlessness is getting worse, that there’s more corruption, crime, lying, disrespect, and immorality than 50-60 years ago. It’s true that there’s always been evil in the world, but now that we live in the end-times, we know this prophecy will be fulfilled. Wickedness will get worse and worse, and then the “man of lawlessness,” the Antichrist, will take over the world. 2 Tim. 3:1-5

Apostasy. This prophecy says there will be a great apostasy before Christ’s coming (Matt. 24:10, 2 Thess. 2:3). Most people my age (66) are aware that there are far less churchgoers than there were 60 years ago. It’s quite clear that churches are getting weaker, that God and the gospel are not popular, false teaching is spreading, and the religion of secularism is growing. When we get closer to Christ’s coming, God will send a delusion resulting in most unbelievers being deceived and rapidly falling away from their religions and so-called churches. This apostasy, this falling away of people from fake churches and false religions, will pave the way for the Antichrist to be worshiped all over the world. Rev. 13:3-4

Great persecution. This prophecy says great tribulation and persecution will be directed against Christians in the end-times (Matthew 24:9, 21). Ever since the church started, for close to 2000 years now, she has been persecuted. At this time, our society, academia, media, culture and the government are increasingly anti-God and anti-gospel. It won’t be long before laws will be passed with the sole purpose of silencing gospel-preaching Christians. Then, when the apostasy takes place and the Antichrist is in charge, hate for Christians will suddenly and dramatically increase, and there will be great persecution, and many Christians will be martyred, but many will live to be raptured. Rev. 12:17, 13:7

Realignment of countries. God prophesied that there will be a ten-nation, Antichrist-led kingdom in the end-times. This means we will see the decline of the United States resulting in her no longer being a world super-power. Coinciding with that, there’ll be the realigning and reforming of countries in Europe and the Mideast, fulfilling God’s geographical plan for the end-times, leading to the Antichrist’s takeover of the world. Daniel 2, 7; Ezekiel 38:1-6

Preaching the gospel. This prophecy is that the gospel will be preached to all the nations, and then the end (of the age) will come (Matt 24:14, 28:19-20). At this time, we are all aware that the gospel is being preached and that disciples are being made in nations all over the world, “even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Indeed, Jesus Christ is building His church, and once His work is fully completed, then this age is over, and He will immediately return to earth to take God’s children home to heaven. (A positive and related note is that people from 117 different countries and territories have viewed posts on this blog site in the last year.)

There are three important things watchmen need to know about the future: #1, Christ is coming back to rapture the church. #2, God prophesied that many specific and non-specific things would happen before Christ’s return. #3, Observant Christians will see the pre-conditions, the step by step working of God, leading to the fulfillment of these prophesies.

Might you be seeing these pre-conditions as they are happening, realizing that they are part of God’s purposeful and providential working in the world, leading to the fulfillment of His end-time’s prophesies. I have no doubt that God wants you to see this divine process, and the continual progress He is making in bringing about Christ’s return to rapture the church. Mark 13:23, Hebrews 10:25

P.S. My continued desire and prayer is that you have a good understanding of what needs to take place before Christ comes back. Here are two other posts that will help you learn what needs to happen before the return of Christ – “Bible Prophecy Enables Us To See the Future” and “What the Bible Says About the Future.”

Being a Watchman for the Church in the End-Times

March 6, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #158 ~

God has lovingly and wisely given us His prophetic word, His plans for the future. Now that we are in the closing years of this church age, it’s imperative that we read “and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3). But we also need to be watchmen, ones who 1) study God’s word to find out what He wants us to know about the future; 2) teach this prophetic truth to other Christians; 3) see these prophecies fulfilled in the world around us; and 4) tell others they are being fulfilled, thereby encouraging one another that Christ is coming soon to rapture the church. Study, teach, see and tell – this is what it means to be a watchman. But what should you do to become a watchman for the church in the end times?

* Ask God to give you understanding. God is your Teacher and, through the Holy Spirit, will reveal His truth to you as you seek Him and study His word. Prov. 2:3-7, Luke 24:44-45

* Study the primary prophecy passages. God told us ahead of time what will be taking place in the coming years, and we need to study His word to find out what He wants us to know. Here are the main subjects: end-time events, Christ’s coming, the rapture, the day of the Lord, the salvation of the Jews, and the age to come. To learn about these things, study Dan. 7-12, Matt. 24, Luke 21, Romans 11, 1 Thess. 4:13-18 – 5:11, 2 Thess. 1-2, and Revelation.

* Understand the chronology, the order of end-time events. God knows exactly what He is going to do and when He is going to do it. He has not told us all the details, but He has given us a general plan, a good outline of the end-times. There is a lot of confusion as to what and when things will happen, and this should not be. Be a teacher and a watchman so you can help others clearly understand the chronology, the divine sequence of end-time events.

* Learn the timing words and look for them, for they help you see the overall chronology of end-time events. Frequently used ones are “then, before, after, immediately, at that time, until, when, end.” For example, when you study Matthew 24, you will notice these timing words, which help you to know what happens when, and how one event leads to another and to another, until that time when Christ returns to rapture the church.

* Study the prophecy terms. When you study a subject, there are particular terms that need to be understood, and so too with prophecy. Here are some examples: end-times, birth pains, apostasy, Daniel’s 70 weeks, Daniel’s 70th week, Antichrist, seals, trumpets, bowls, abomination of desolation, Day of the Lord, Christ’s coming, rapture, and millennium. I encourage you to study the list of Key Terms, for that will help you understand them.

* Know that we are now living in the end-times. That millions of Jewish people have gathered back to their land, to Israel, is the main reason we know we are living in the end-times. When you study prophecy, you realize it cannot be fulfilled unless the Jews are back in their land. Not only that, but during these end-times, God’s work with the church coincides with His work with the Jews, leading to Christ returning to rapture the church and save a remnant of Jews. Ezekiel 36-37; Dan. 12:4, 9; Rom. 11:25-27

* At this time in history, we are at that stage called the “beginning of birth pangs” (Matt. 24:8). Many events characterize this stage of the end-times – wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and financial distress. It must be noted that these events aren’t occurring in every country but are happening in various places around the world. Now some say these “birth pangs” only occur during Daniel’s 70th week, but I believe they have been going on for over 100 years and will continue into this still future 70th week. As these things take place, the watchman needs to reassure fearful Christians that “those things must take place, but that is not yet the end” (Matt. 24:6). These “birth pangs” are signs from God that we are in the end-times, that Christ’s coming is drawing near, but will not happen right away.

* Know the other signs and prophesied events, and how they fit in with the end-times. There will be a peace treaty, apostasy, increasing lawlessness, great persecution of Jews and Christians, the revealing of the Antichrist, the desolation of the temple, the mark of the Beast, and world-wide preaching of the gospel (Dan. 9:27, Matt. 24:9-14, 2 Thess. 2:1-9, Rev. 13). As a watchman, it’s important for you to see the pre-conditions, things leading up to these aforementioned events. Here are some examples: that the Antichrist will rule this entire earth means the United States will decline from her position as the world’s #1 super-power; that the temple will be desolated means it first has to be built; that there will be apostasy means we will see the continued downgrade of the visible church, the so-called church; that the gospel will be preached to all the nations means we will continue to see this happen in the years ahead. The end-times’ watchman is a God-loving, truth-studying, clear-thinking saint who understands the times (1 Chron. 12:32). He sees what is taking place around the world, connects it to God’s prophetic word, and then tells others how it relates to Christ’s return and the rapture of the church.

* Learn about Daniel’s 70th week, a future, seven-year time-frame packed with prophetic activity. Know the main events taking place during this week, the peace-treaty at the beginning of the week, the revealing of the Antichrist at its midpoint, the rapture taking place sometime during the last half of this week, and the salvation of the Jews at the end of the week. Once we are at the midpoint, then we know with certainty that it’s only a matter of time (less than 37 months) before Christ comes back to take us home to heaven.

* The final sign to occur before Christ’s coming is the heavenly lights being darkened. At this time the rapture is both imminent and immediate, for in a matter of seconds, you will see your Savior in the clouds, be suddenly snatched off the earth, be joyfully reunited with other believers, be perfectly glorified, and then forever be in Jesus’ glorious presence.

* “This generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). One generation of people, a select and special number of Christians on earth, will see all these things spoken of in Matthew 24. It might be you, your family, your friends. For God’s sake, be a good student and know these things written in Matthew 24 and other prophecy passages. Be a watchman and be looking for God’s word to be fulfilled, and when it does, tell others what it means, and that it won’t be long before Christ comes back to rapture the church. Be “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

P.S. When the Coronavirus and other major calamitous events take place, it’s important to know clearly what God says about the future. God does not want you to be afraid, but to be confidently and excitedly looking ahead to Christ’s coming. Here are two posts that will help you understand what God wants you to know: “What Needs to Happen Before Christ Returns?” and “What the Bible Says About the Future?”

Why Don’t Churches Teach on Prophecy?

November 8, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #143 ~

When I talk to Christians, I often ask them whether the subject of the end-times and Christ’s 2nd coming is taught in their church, and most of the time they say it’s not. And when they say it’s not, it’s either that they don’t teach it all, or they don’t teach it accurately. But why is that? Why don’t churches teach on prophecy, or if they do, not in the way God would want them to? Let me list some of the reasons:

1. They say, “Christ’s 2nd coming is not going to happen for a long time, and therefore, we don’t need to teach it.” They look out at the world, and it seems everything is going along as it always has been. Their thinking is similar to the mockers of 2 Peter 3:4 who say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” They fail to see that the Jews are back in their land, the number one sign that we are in the end-times. But Jesus and the apostles taught about prophecy way back in the 1st century, and here we are, about 2,000 years later, and “the night is nearly over; the day is almost here” (Romans 13:12). It’s time to teach on prophecy because it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church.

2. They say, “Prophecy is confusing, hard to understand.” It is true that there is some complexity when it comes to comparing prophecy passages, seeing how the Jews fit in, learning what will be happening, and understanding the sequence of end-time events. That’s why Christians need to ask God for wisdom, and take the time to study this relevant subject. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells pastors, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” When you diligently study the word, God will show you vital truths regarding His Son’s return. In fact, Daniel 12:9 says that God’s prophetic word will be unsealed in the end-times, meaning God will supernaturally be opening our minds and revealing His truth about Christ’s return. I am convinced God will give us insight and clarity when it comes to learning what will be taking place in the years leading up to Christ’s coming.

3. They say, “In the church there are many views on prophecy, and to teach on one position will cause problems and it’s not worth it.” A pastor may fear that if he teaches one particular position, then some who have a differing opinion will be critical, unhappy, and may even leave the church. Some Christian leaders have told me, “It’s not a hill worth dying on.” But teaching the truth before God and before man is the right thing, the only thing to do. My experience over the years is that when you prayerfully and humbly study God’s word, you will discover the singular and primary prophetic truths you need to know. The truth must be taught, and as we carefully study the subject of prophecy, we will gain convictions, and be able to properly teach our families and churches.

4. They say, “Prophecy is not that important of a subject. The truths about the gospel, salvation, the church and spiritual growth are much more important.” Many suggest that truths about Christ’s return are not essential or relevant, but are electives, just 2nd tier topics. Yes, I agree that the gospel is the primary subject, but now that we live in the end-times, prophecy is also a primary subject, for Christ’s coming, which is right around the corner, will affect every Christian in the world. The many truths about Christ’s return must be required learning for every Christian. What are you going do to do when you are experiencing birth pains, and are going through great tribulation? We are living in the calm before the storm, and now is the time to study God’s word so we can be ready for the rough road ahead. For you pastors, it is your duty to teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Do you remember that Paul taught young Thessalonian church about Christ’s 2nd coming, and even wrote two follow-up letters to them? Bible prophecy is an incredibly important subject, and God wants to teach it to you, and you don’t want to fail, for you are to teach it to others.

5. They say, “Christ already came the 2nd time, around 70 AD, and that most prophetic truth has already been fulfilled, and therefore, it doesn’t need to be taught.” People and pastors who think this way are not properly interpreting God’s prophetic word, but instead are allegorizing, spiritualizing, and saying words mean something when they don’t. I won’t take time here to refute their false claims (read my Replacement Theology articles). Take God at His word, and study Matthew 24, Luke 21, 1 Thessalonians 4, Revelation 6-22, and then you will know that Christ has not yet come. There are 100’s of verses about Christ’s 2nd coming that will be literally fulfilled, some stating how He will actually appear in the skies above us, and then take us home to heaven. Jesus Christ has not yet come, but He will, and very soon.

It greatly concerns me that this important subject of end-times prophecy is rarely taught in our churches. This should not be, for more than any other time in history, this is when we need to understand it. A world of Christians need to know what God says about it, and be looking forward to seeing Him and being with Him forever. I am praying for pastors all over the world to wake up, and be motivated to study and teach the subject of Christ’s coming (Ezra 7:10). Here are some instructive verses, and notice how they directly relate to our future, to prophecy: “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2

P.S. This post is about the present-day importance of learning about prophecy. Two men who have greatly helped me understand God’s word as it speaks about prophecy are Marv Rosenthal and Alan Kurschner. I encourage you to check out their websites.

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