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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: God’s Glory (Page 2 of 3)

Blog posts about God’s glory.

Winning the Gold for the Glory of God

August 6, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #223 ~

Could you have ever competed in the Olympic games and won a gold medal, or a silver or bronze for that matter? I could have never done that – I have never been even close to being that athletic, that physically talented. But God wants each Christian to know that they are to run the race He has set before them, and be winners, and then He will give them a “gold medal”, a crown, a prize, a reward. To every Christian, God gives unique gifts and talents that they are to use for Him – and it’s not what or how many gifts or talents God has given you, but are you wisely and wholeheartedly using what He has given you to serve Him? If you do, you will be a winner, and in the coming ages, you will be infinitely blessed and God will be supremely glorified.

Today we will look at how God describes these future, eternal, and glorious blessings.

1. CROWNS. “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day… and to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). In the first century, crowns were the wreaths awarded to winning athletes at the Olympic games. For the Christian, receiving a crown from the Lord means you ran the race God gave you to run, you competed according to the rules, you persevered, and you were victorious (Heb. 12:1, 2 Tim. 2:5, Rev. 2:17). Can you imagine the exhilarating joy you will experience when you receive a crown from the Lord, and when you hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? Being blessed in this way shows that God is very pleased with you, for you gave it your all. The Bible also speaks of the crown incorruptible (1 Cor. 9:25), the crown of life (James 1:12), the crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4), and the crown of rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19), crowns which show God’s hearty approval, but also relate to blessings that He will lavish upon you in the future.

2. PRIZE. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). This is referring to the crown, the wreath an athlete receives for winning an event at an athletic game. This word emphasizes the fact that God Himself is the righteous Judge, the One who rules, who perfectly decides the prize you will receive for your labor of love (2 Tim. 4:8). 1 Cor. 9:24-27 instructs you to “run in such a way that you may win” the prize. It’s good to learn from successful athletes, especially the need to discipline your body, to exercise self-control in all things. Indeed, the Christian life is a long race, a life-time race, a marathon. But remember, God is always with you, watching you all the way, and helping you win the prize He wants you to give you. Psalm 73:23-24

3. REWARDS. “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what He has done” (Rev 22:12). The word “reward” in also translated as wage. John 4:36 says, “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal.” Rom 4:4 tells us, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but what is due.” In Matt. 6:4 we read, “Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” God’s promise is that He will reward you when you work for Him, for that is what is due you, it is what you earned. Now as Christians, we are all in the church, all on the same team, all working for Christ, but each of us “will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). Whereas all Christians will be in heaven with Jesus and in a new glorified body, each of us will be rewarded differently, in accordance with how we, by God’s grace, worked for Him. And those who live full out for the Lord will be richly rewarded for their faithful service to Him. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you… rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Matt. 5:11-12, Heb. 6:10

4. RECOMPENSE. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward (recompense) of in inheritance.” (Col. 3:23-24). This word reward or recompense literally means “a giving back in return” (Vines Exp. Dict.). It’s amazing, and encouraging, that whatever you do, whether working at a job, serving someone, praying for someone, sharing the gospel, raising your child, cooking a meal, cleaning your house, mowing your lawn, etc., God will graciously and generously reward your efforts. It is truly astounding that “whatever you do” for the Lord will be justly compensated, eternally rewarded. As to when, Luke 14:14 says “you will be repaid (recompensed) at the resurrection of the righteous.”

5. TREASURES. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither most nor rust destroys, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19-21). All of you know people who have lots of earthly things, who through the years, have been collecting lots of stuff. “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15). God wants you to invest your life and money wisely, not for this world, but for your eternal future. Now I believe it is a good practice to regularly set aside money for your earthly “retirement,” for that time when you are not fully employed. But you should never love your money and trust in it. You don’t want to be the person who “lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Love God and trust Him (“In God We Trust”) and use your money for His purposes, knowing that He will bless you now and for all eternity.

6. INHERITANCE. “Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34). Can you imagine that? You will inherit the kingdom, and inherit the earth! That’s unbelievable! An earthly heir receives money, property, and goods from his parents, that which may have some worldly value. But Christians are children of God and heirs of God, and will receive an inheritance that has infinite value, which is “imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). Then you learn that you are a fellow heir with Jesus Christ and will share in His possessions. Wow! (Rom. 8:17). God gives you an abundance of verses on this subject because He wants you to be excitedly looking forward to being in heaven with Him, your loving Lord and Father. (Matt. 19:29, Luke 12:32, Acts 20:32, Rom. 8:16-17, Gal. 3:29, Eph. 3:6, Titus 3:7, Heb. 1:14, James 2:5, 1 Peter 1:3-4). Gal. 4:7 – “You are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God.” Just think, you are an heir of God, and He won’t just give you good things, but Himself. “The Lord is my portion.” Lam. 3:2

7. GRACE. “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… made us alive together with Christ… so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace…” (Eph. 2:4-7). Do you see what God is saying, that He wants to show you “the surpassing riches of His grace”? Everything about your future, your inheritance, blessings, crowns, treasures, and rewards, result from God’s love expressed in His grace to you. Your entire and eternal life is wonderfully blessed because of God’s grace. But you are only at the very beginning of your Christian life – you have the rest of this life and the ages to come to experience God’s grace. There’s the 1000-year kingdom age when Christ is reigning over the earth, and then the eternal kingdom age when everything is completely perfect, glorious, and altogether beautiful. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

8. GLORY. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). What an encouraging prayer, that Jesus is praying to His Father so that you may see His amazing glory when you are in heaven. But what is this glory? It’s a big word that speaks of who God and Christ are, their essence and nature, their truth, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, eternality, supremacy, etc. It speaks of their character, their love, holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, righteousness, sovereignty, and mercy, etc. Their glory is also seen in who they are, in what they do, in the creation, in Christ’s life and work, in the lives of believers, in His dealings with unbelievers, in our glorified bodies, in the millennial kingdom, and in the new heavens and earth. And there’s no doubt that God’s glory is directly related to the blessings and rewards He will be giving you. “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:3

God’s glory is the single most important truth for the Christian, for it relates to everything about God and our life, now and forever. We have been, and will continue, through all eternity, to know, see, and grow in our understanding of the glory of God and Jesus Christ. And then we are to give Them the honor and glory they rightly deserve – “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13

All that we have talked about – crowns, prize, rewards, recompense, treasures, inheritance, grace, and glory – is speaking of the HOPE God has given us with regards to our future. God has given us plenty to think about with respect to what He has in store for us, and that’s because He wants you to be looking forward to the future and being with Him. “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). What our future exactly looks like, we don’t know. (1 Cor. 2:9). Yes, God has given you a general idea, but the specifics won’t be known until you get to heaven, and even then, they will be forever unfolding for all eternity. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” Ephesians 1:18

P.S. An incredibly important and encouraging subject is heavenly rewards, one that most Christians don’t know much about. If you haven’t yet read the previous posts on this subject of how God wants to greatly bless your life in the future, then take the time to read: “God Really Wants to Reward You”, “Earthly Work That Results in Heavenly Rewards”, and “Your Reward is the Lord.”

Your Reward is The Lord!!!

July 14, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #221 ~

In the future, your heavenly Father will show His great love for you by giving you incredible and unbelievable blessings! His plan is to generously reward you for your life of service to Him, a life of godly thoughts, words, and actions. And receiving rewards has nothing to do with your age, abilities, income, race, or what church you attend, but is a result of faithfully living for the Lord. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Colossians 3:23-24

You will be rewarded in many specific ways, but your reward is essentially the Lord! That is, it’s not really what, but Who – Jesus who loves you so much, seen in that He died for you and saved you from sin and death, and is now and forever your Lord, Savior, and Friend. Your life as a Christian is the Lord, for He is everything you would ever need or want. “The Lord is my portion.” Psalm 119:57

Your reward is the Lord, and knowing Him, being loved by Him, and having this eternal relationship with Him. John 17:3 says it simply, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” The definition of eternal life is knowing God and Jesus, having a relationship with Them that lasts forever and ever. When you believe in Christ, you are born again, and you begin this eternal relationship with Him and His Father. This is real living, this is the abundant life, and is seen with Enoch who walked with God (Gen. 5:24), David who beheld the Lord’s beauty (Psalm 27:4), and Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet. Luke 10:39

The disciples had forsaken many things to follow Jesus, and so Peter asks Him what they will get for being faithful to Him. Jesus answers, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms for My sake and the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30). Do you see what it says? God will richly bless you in this life if you are faithful to Him, and then Jesus sums up the age to come by saying that you will have eternal life. And this is the main point, that your reward is the Lord! As a Christian, you now have a relationship with the Lord, and this will get better and better, and then in heaven, you will have a perfect relationship with Him. Think about rewards this way, that it’s not what you will receive but Who, for you will be seeing and spending time with Jesus Christ Himself. “Yet in my flesh I will see God, I myself will see Him with my own eyes… how my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27

Paul was teaching about Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church, that all believers would “meet the Lord in the air.” And what does he say after that? “And so we shall always be with the Lord.” You can’t miss what’s being said, that it’s all about our relationship with the Lord, for “we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:15-18

Jesus was talking to His disciples and could tell they were sad, that something was bothering them, and so what did He say? Jesus spoke about faith, He told them to believe in Him, to trust Him. He also spoke about hope, for He said, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go and prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). Again, what’s most important about your future is that you will always be with the Lord. “Nevertheless, I am continually with You… Whom have I in heaven but You?” Psalm 73:23-26  

When Jesus comes back, He will take you to heaven, to His heavenly home. But heaven is much more than a place, for its focus is Jesus, the most famous and important Person in all the universe. Let’s say you visit a friend at his or her house, but the visit is not about the place – it’s not about the nice home, the beautiful yard, the comfortable couch, or the good food. It’s about the person and spending time with that person – it’s talking, sharing, loving, crying, and laughing. And so too, your future is principally and primarily the Lord, and being with Him, knowing His love, learning from Him, and having close fellowship with Him.

A famous Bible verse conveys the same point. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Your future is summed up as being forever in the house of the Lord, which means being with the Lord, and having a most excellent relationship with Him. My favorite heaven verse says the same thing: “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb. 12:22-24). When you go to heaven, you are going to a place, to a city, to the heavenly Jerusalem. But these verses don’t focus on the place, but on the angels, the church, the Old Testament saints, and most importantly, Jesus Christ and God the Father. Your reward is being in the very presence of God and literally being with Jesus and seeing Their awesome glory, and also being with all the angels and believers.

Rev. 21:3 communicates this as well. “I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.’” Our reward is not just that we will be with God, but that He will be with us. God greatly desires to be with you and me, and all the believers, so much so, that after the millennial kingdom age, the new heaven and new earth will actually be joined together (Rev. 21:10). The holy city, the new Jerusalem, will be our eternal home, and there we will live with Jesus, and experience eternal life, eternal love, joy, peace, goodness, and eternal pleasures. And having a brand-new glorified body will enable us to fully experience all that God has planned for us. 1 Cor. 15:42-44

Never forget that the Lord is your reward, that it’s having a relationship with God and Jesus Christ, knowing and loving and enjoying Them, and Them knowing and loving and enjoying you! Yes, you will receive all these other rewards, these amazing and innumerable treasures, an inheritance beyond belief, and you will be living in that most wonderful house of the Lord – “The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone” (Rev. 21:19), but most of all, you will be with the Lord Himself. Psalm 16:11 says it perfectly, “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

Jesus loves you much more than you can ever imagine! When He prays to His Father, He expresses His deep love for you by sharing His desire to be with you, and to reveal more of His infinite glory to you – “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.” John 17:24

P.S. We love the idea of prizes, presents and gifts, but God really wants you to be looking forward to the rewards you will have in heaven, especially being with Jesus, His Son. Here is an article that I just wrote that lists out over a 100 different verses about these rewards and the incredible future that God has planned out for you – “Your Lord, Your Hope, Your Reward.”

One of My Favorite Prophecy Passages – Romans 8:17-39

November 20, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #197 ~

Romans 8:17-39 starts off by stating that we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,” super-encouraging truths for every Christian. We learn that we will be redeemed and be glorified, that is, be delivered from our sinful body and be given a brand-new one. In addition, we see that this corrupt earth will be set free from sin’s curse and be wonderfully restored. This is our hope and our future, what we ought to be eagerly waiting for, and what will surely and soon take place.

How will this happen? How will we keep going for the Lord during our time on earth, and then get to heaven? We don’t have the power in ourselves to stay strong for the Lord, and in the future somehow transform our bodies so we can then rocket from earth to heaven to be with Jesus. From beginning to end, our salvation is from and for the Lord God Almighty – it’s an awesome and powerful work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 13:14

Romans 8:26-39 explains how this happens, how we will be victorious and glorious Christians. It’s through the Spirit’s sealing, helping, leading, comforting, and by His prayers to the Father on our behalf (Rom. 8:26-27). It’s believing that God is sovereign, that He lovingly, wisely, and continually causes all things to work together for good (Rom. 8:28). “… having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” Eph. 1:11

It’s also knowing that God will faithfully and forever carry out His plans for us (Rom. 8:29-30). In eternity past He foreknew us, chose us, and predestined us, planning out all the details of our lives so we would be eternally saved – “… having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26, Ps. 139:16). At the right time, He caused us to physically be born on this earth, and then He called us, working in our lives so as to lead us to Himself. At the right time God caused us to be born again, forgiving us and giving us His perfect righteousness. He still needs to glorify us, that is, complete our salvation by conforming us to the image of His Son. And never forget that God is God, and what He desires to do, He will do. Do not doubt Him in this – do not question His ability to fully carry out His purposes and plans for your life here on earth. “I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6, 1 Cor. 1:8-9

To strengthen this point, Paul emphatically states a “no” answer question, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31-34). These powerful words, that the living God is for you, mean that no one can truly be against you. God showed you His amazing, out-of-this-world love by sending His Son to die for you, pay for your sins, and be raised again. Now this isn’t some sentimental love God has for you – what Christ did for you is the rock-solid truth, is factual and foundational to His plan to forever save you from your sins, and is truly the single greatest demonstration of His love (Rom. 5:8). Since God did this for you, be confident that He will keep doing whatever it takes to make sure you are successful and safe on earth, and will then be gloriously transformed so you can be with Him in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21). An example of God’s present work is that Jesus Himself is now praying for you, “who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Heb. 7:25

Be assured that no angel, no devil, no demon, not you or anyone else, can change or thwart God’s personal and eternal plans for you. How can anyone condemn you for any unrighteous thought, word, or deed when Christ has already died for you and dealt with all your sins? Always remember that you have been perfectly and forever justified by Christ, and that you are now, and will be, continually and eternally loved by God. Psalm 103:8-17

As much as anything, God wants you to be 100% convinced that nothing will ever stop Him from carrying out all His plans for you, and therefore, nothing will ever stop Him from loving you. “Who will separate us from the love of God?” (Rom. 8:35-37). This question hits at the heart of God’s motivation to save you from your sins, which is His unconditional and unfailing love for you. “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3). And when tough times come your way, remember the gentle and compassionate love that God has for you. (Matt. 11:28-29). “I have come to know and have believed the love that God has for me.” 1 John 4:16

Paul then uses some very strong words to describe the trials you may experience as a Christian – tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. God gives you these worst case scenarios so that if any of them happen, you still know that He loves you and will get you through the devilish darkness of this evil age and make sure you make it all the way to heaven so you can be with Jesus. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever.” 2 Tim. 4:18 

To further convince you that nothing can separate you from God’s love, Paul gives a more comprehensive list, specifically mentioning death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things related to the past, present or future, things geographically, or any created thing. (Rom. 8:38-39). As a Christian, you may be afraid of someone or something; you may doubt whether you are really saved; you may think some grievous sin will keep you away from Jesus and out of heaven; you may feel like the devil is too strong for you; you may feel like God has left you; or you may be so discouraged by circumstances that you think God doesn’t love you anymore. A great many Christians have been afflicted and harmfully affected by thoughts like these. That’s why it’s imperative to hang onto these truths from Rom. 8:17-39, for you will need them, especially when times are much harder than they are now. Psalm 13, Matt. 24:4-14

That we live in the end-times means life will grow increasingly difficult, for there will be birth pains, false teachers, a wicked Antichrist, betrayal, and great persecution. Always remember that you are a child of God, that you have hope, that the Spirit is praying for you, that your Father’s plans for you will be fulfilled, that Jesus died and rose again for you and is also praying for you, and that God Himself really loves you. “Keep yourselves in the love of God… to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

P.S. What a joy to know that God is faithfully working in our lives, that He is control, that His plans for our lives will be carried out, and that in the future we will be glorified, and greatly glorify God. Here are two encouraging posts to read – “God Is In Charge of Everything,” and “God Will Keep You Strong to the End.”

A New Earth for the Kingdom Age

October 9, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #191 ~

What’s going to happen to this earth? Will there ever be a nuclear holocaust that affects the whole world? Will a massive meteor shower suddenly wipe out the world? Will there ever be climate change so severe that it results in the destruction of this earth? Will a huge geomagnetic storm wreck the entire planet? Will this physical earth stay like it is, or will it somehow and someday dramatically change, or be changed? I am sure many of you have thought about questions like these. In this blog post, I usually focus on the future of people, but what about the future of this planet? What does God have to say about this? This is what He tells us:

Romans 8:19 – “The anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” This word “creation” isn’t referring to mankind, but rather to this physical earth, to animals, plants, rivers, seas, fish, plains, mountains, heavenly bodies, etc. Figuratively speaking, the creation is longing and waiting for that time when believers are revealed and seen by the world, and then everything will change for the good.

Romans 8:20 – “The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope…” Why is creation anxiously longing? Because it was subjected to futility, to vanity, to emptiness. That is, the creation does not presently exist as God intended it to be. A long time ago, when Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden (Gen. 1-2), everything was good, and in fact, everything was perfect. Then Adam and Eve sinned, and they spiritually died, and all creation was cursed (Gen. 3). The world was no longer perfect, and it was not creation’s fault, it was man’s fault. But God was sovereign over man’s sin, for his sin and its consequences are part of His eternal plan for mankind and creation.

Romans 8:21 – “… the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Because of Adam and his sin, the physical earth has been corrupted. There is decay, disease, and death. There are forest fires and fire ants. There are tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. There is pollution and there are poisons. Animals fight other animals, and birds sing in a minor key. And when I was recovering from back surgery this past June, my garden rapidly filled up with weeds. These are just a few examples of a world that has been cursed and corrupted because of man’s sin.

Romans 8:22 – “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pain of childbirth until now.” The creation is in an impossible situation, for it is still enslaved to corruption, and therefore is groaning and grieving. Though this verse was written about 2000 years ago, the creation is still suffering the pains of childbirth. But God is faithful to His promise, and that He has gathered a great number of Jewish people back to Israel means we now live in the end-times, and it won’t be long before the birth of a renovated and remodeled earth.

Here are some important things to know about you and planet earth:

1.People living on earth should be good stewards and, environmentally speaking, take care of this earth. We should do what we can to keep the air and water clean. We should not be wasteful, but conserve and reuse what God has given us. Gen. 2:15
2. The problems in our physical world are partly because people are not good stewards, but primarily because of Adam’s sin resulting in God’s curse upon this planet. Gen. 3:17-18
3. Even though the earth is physically corrupted, we still see the beauty, goodness, and glory of God. The creation is a visible testimony of God’s power and divine nature. Psalm 104, Rom. 1:20
4. Man should not worship the world, but only the One who created the world. Rom. 1:20-23

5. As much as we should be good stewards, man must realize that he cannot fix this world, he cannot reverse the curse and the resulting corruption. For example, during this age, there will always be spring and summer (life) followed by fall and winter (death). Rom. 3:23, Gal, 1:4
6. Neither man nor creation will bring ultimate destruction to this world. The destiny of this earth is not in the hands of man, but in the hands of God. Eph. 1:9-11, Rev. 8-9, Rev. 21
7. After believers are glorified, the world will be set free from the curse of sin, and the corruption we now see and experience (Rom. 8:21). This occurs at “the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:20), which will happen at the beginning of the next age. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Col. 3:4  
8. Man’s restoration to righteousness will result in the restoration of the earth. Rom. 8:17-25

Acts 3:19-21 – “… and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things.” When Christ returns from heaven, He will restore, will set in order all things, which includes the creation. In Matt. 19:29 we read, “… you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The word “regeneration,” used in Titus 3:5 to refer to the new birth of Christians, is used here to refer to the rebirth of the earth at the time of Christ’s second coming. As Jesus told the apostles, this will take place when God is “restoring the kingdom to Israel.” Acts 1:6

What will this new earth be like? “Although it will not yet be a totally new earth (Rev. 21:1), it will nevertheless be wonderfully superior to the present fallen and unredeemed earth.” (John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew 19:28 – p. 204). This earth will be dramatically different during the 1000-year kingdom age, when Christ reigns over the world, the twelve apostles rule over Israel, and the believers reign over the rest of the earth (Rev. 5:10). Indeed, this present earth is “waiting eagerly” for the “revealing of the sons of God.” Rom. 8:19

The Old Testament describes what this restored earth will look like. Psalm 65:8-9 – “You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy. You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You enrich it greatly.” Psalm 67:6 – “The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.” Psalm 96:11 – “Let the heavens be glad and the sea rejoice.” Psalm 98:8 – “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” Isaiah 35:1, 7 – “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom… The scorched land will become a pool.” Isaiah 55:12 – “… The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before You, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 65:17 – “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” Isaiah 65:25 – “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.” Joel 3:18 – “In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah will flow with water.” Habakkuk 2:14 – “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” This is great news! The creation really has something to look forward to, but so do the Christians. Rom. 8:23 – “Not only this, but also we ourselves, 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.”

P.S. It is so wonderful to know that we have a future, and that this earth also has a future. There is much in the book of Psalms about what God has in store for us, the Jewish believers, and this planet. You can learn a lot more about this by reading my three articles on Psalms and how it relates to prophecy – here is one of them: “Prophecy Psalms for the Jews and for You – Part 2.”

Raptured, Redeemed, Revealed – And a Restored Earth

October 2, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #190 ~

What a magnificent and glorious salvation we have been given! And God gets all the glory! As Christians, we have been saved from the penalty of sin, are now being saved from the power of sin, and will soon be saved from the presence of sin. The book of Romans, more than any other epistle, best describes our salvation. From justification to sanctification to glorification, it gives us the big picture, telling us how we were saved by Christ, are to grow by the Spirit, and will be glorified by God. As always, our focus in this blog post is the future, and it’s Rom. 8:17-30 that tells us what God has in store for us, and what we should be eagerly waiting for.

From Romans 8:14-17 we learn we are children of God, that we are His spiritual sons and daughters, that we have been adopted into His family. That we can have an intimate relationship with God, our heavenly Father, is a most wonderful blessing and experience. Now we are at the very beginning of this relationship, this eternal life, but it will continue on forever, and only get better and better and better.

Romans 8:23 says, “having the first fruits of the Spirit… waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Eph. 1:14 tells us, “you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession.” 2 Cor. 5:5 says something similar, that “He who prepared us for this very purpose (redemption) is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.” Your Christian life has just begun, and you are not yet fully saved, for what God planned for you back in eternity past has not yet been realized. But God gave you the Holy Spirit as a pledge, as a guarantee that your salvation will be completed. The apostle John says it this way, “now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 3:2 

Did you get that? “It has not appeared as yet what we shall be.” The world doesn’t know who we are, and even we don’t have a full grasp of who we are, and will be. As Christians, we are still encased in this sin-prone body. Rom. 7:14-15 tells us, “I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin… I am not doing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” Rom. 8:23 says, “Even we ourselves groan inwardly.” 2 Cor. 5:4 reminds us, “For indeed, while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened…” We still sin, cry, get sad, get tired, suffer, get sick, feel pain, and still grow old – that is, we are not yet acting like perfect children of God., like we were created and saved to be. 

Yes, the Holy Spirit lives in us, and because of Him we give off some spiritual light. There’s a little truth and holiness in us, and we do bear some fruit, like love, joy, peace, patience, etc. At the present time, we do have a little of God’s glory in us, for “we all, with unveiled face, beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). Be encouraged, for if you are a true Christian, you are indeed growing, and going “from glory to glory.”

A Christian is now a little bit like Christ, but soon will be a lot like Christ, for “when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). That “we will be like Him” when we see Him is truly miraculous and most encouraging. What this means is that when Christ comes back, all Christians still on earth “will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). Then we will be raptured and “glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17), be bodily “redeemed” (Rom. 8:23), experience “freedom” from sin (Rom. 8:21), and then be revealed as “sons of God” (Rom. 8:19). (Vines Dict. correctly defines the redemption of our body as “the deliverance of the believer from the presence and power of sin, and of his body from bondage to corruption, at the coming of the Lord Jesus.”)

This is not just good news, this is great news, for when we see Jesus, our salvation will be complete, we will be perfect, and we will be with loved ones who “have fallen asleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:13-14)! It’s not just the Christians on earth who will be glorified at Christ’s coming, but all believers who have already died and gone on to heaven. “The Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17

This is our future, what will be taking place not long from now. God wants us to be “waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:23). Every Christian should be looking forward to this, expecting this, hoping for this to happen. “In hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” Romans 8:24-25

But there’s much more, “for the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God,” for then “the creation itself will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:19, 21). It’s not just man who has experienced huge consequences because of his sin, but an entire creation has been corrupted because of his sin (Gen. 3:17-19). Only when Christians are revealed as sons of God at the start of the next age will this creation be restored and then filled with the glory of the Lord (Col. 3:4). “… that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of the restoration of all things” (Acts 3:20-21). “The whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

P.S. God has given us so much wonderful detail about our future, for He wants us to have hope and to be encouraged by what He has planned out for us. This article will really help you understand more what God has in store for you – “Being in Heaven With Jesus, and the Believers, and in a New Glorified Body.”

Your Hope of a Great and Glorious Inheritance!

September 25, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #189 ~

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:16-17a). That Christians are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Jesus Christ seems too good to be true. But it is true! In the book of Romans your entire salvation is explained in detail. Rom. 1:18 – 8:16 speaks about the past, your justification, how you became positionally holy, and about the present, your sanctification, how you can be practically holy. But Rom. 8:17-30 talks about your hope, that you are an heir of God, and that you will be perfectly holy and gloriously blessed in the future.

“… if children, heirs also, heirs of God” (Rom. 8:17a). One of the incredibly great blessings of being a child of God is that you are an heir of God. An earthly heir receives from his parents or relatives an earthly inheritance, whether its money, property, or some personal or prized possessions. But we are talking about you being an heir of God, the One who is Creator, Lord, and now your heavenly Father. This means that God Himself is your portion (Ps. 119:57), that He is your Father and you are His child (Rev. 21:7), that He wants to have intimate fellowship with you, that He loves you personally, intensely, and eternally, and wants to bless your life far more than you could ever imagine. How exciting and wonderful to be a child of God and an heir of God!

“… if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17a). You are not just an heir of God, but a fellow heir with Jesus Christ. And Christ is an “heir of all things” (Heb. 1:2), and all things means everything in this world. The Father said to Jesus, “I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (Ps. 2:8). As a child of God, you will receive not just a fraction but a full share of Christ’s inheritance. To think that Christ will fully share with every believer His inheritance is beyond belief, but it’s the truth! As Christians we will be like Christ (1 John 3:2). We will reign with Christ (Rev. 5:10). We will share in the glory that Christ received – “The glory which Thou has given Me I have given to them” (John 17:22). Like Christ, we will inherit the earth – “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:3). And we will inherit “a new heaven and a new earth” – “He who overcomes will inherit all these things, and I will be His God and he will be My son” (Rev. 21:1, 8).

“We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:10). The Greek construction of “we have obtained an inheritance” does not mean you have already received this inheritance, but that it’s guaranteed, it’s certain to happen. Being an heir of God is what your heavenly Father predestined and planned out for you a long time ago. “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). You cannot fathom how much your heavenly Father loves you – and He shows you His love by greatly blessing you in this age, but even more so, in the kingdom ages to come. 

“… the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:14). When you became a Christian, you received the Holy Spirit – and He’s the down payment of your inheritance. A major aspect of this inheritance is that you will be redeemed, you will be given a powerful, immortal, spiritual, and glorified body (1 Cor. 15:42-44), which takes place at the rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-53). Being blessed in this wonderful way brings God tremendous glory. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.” Eph. 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). Once you are born again, you have a living hope, this expectation, this confidence that you will “obtain an inheritance.” This inheritance is “imperishable”, for it is eternal in nature and can never be destroyed. It is “undefiled” which means it is perfect and can never be corrupted or marred by sin. It “will not fade away”, for it will never lose its magnificence, beauty, or glory. Peter goes on to say that you “are protected by the power of God for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:5), and this is God making sure that you will be given this inheritance in the future. Even the angels serve you, further ensuring you that you will receive this inheritance. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” Heb. 1:14

“He saved us… according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit… so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement” (Titus 3:5-7). What can we conclude?

* An amazing result of being a child of God is that you are an heir of God, which means you have real hope, the guarantee of a perfect and fantastic future. The best is yet to come!
* Being an heir of God means you will be unbelievably rich. You will not be a random forgiven sinner sitting in some far corner of heaven, but you will be a child of God and an heir of God, and be literally reigning and living with Jesus, and sharing in His spiritual and physical blessings.
* That you are an heir of God relates directly to prophecy and His promises about the future and, in particular, His personal and special plans for you. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Gal. 3:29, Gen. 12:1-3
* You may suffer in this life, but remember, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Rom. 8:18
* It’s important to ask God to reveal to you the greatness and the glory of your inheritance. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Eph. 1:18
* Cry out to God, “Abba Father”, and thank Him for how much He has loved you, does love you, and will love you forever and ever. Rom. 8:15, Psalm 86:12-13

P.S. A personal friend of mine and a great scholar in the area of end-time’s prophecy is Alan Kurschner. You would do well to look at his website, Eschatos Ministries, and read some of the things he has written. Just recently, he produced a documentary / movie entitled “7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture.” I would encourage you to take the time to watch this – you will learn a lot, especially as it relates to Christ’s return and the rapture of the church.

Jews and Gentiles Unitedly Glorifying God

August 21, 2020 /

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By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #184 ~

What is your primary purpose in life, and that of all the Jews and Gentiles in this world? It’s glorifying God, worshiping Him, loving Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Indeed, this is a God-centered and soul-satisfying purpose, one that’s found throughout the Bible. “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.” This Old Testament verse, Psalm 86:9, is prophesying about the future. Today I want to look at Romans 15:4-13, a New Testament passage that takes this theme of worship from the past to the present to the future.

In verse 4, Paul is instructing the Christians, telling them that the Old Testament Scriptures (past) were written to encourage us (present), and to help us to persevere (present), so that we have hope (future). This passage starts and ends with hope (vss. 4, 13), which means it’s a very important point. And it’s God who gives us encouragement and perseverance so we might have hope (vs. 5). This hope, the expectation of good and glorious things to come, had been mentioned by Paul in Rom. 5:3, when he said, “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” This hope is looking ahead to that time when Jesus Christ will return and fill the earth with His glory. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

In verse 5, we learn that God wants to unite Jewish and Gentile believers, and why? So “with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 6). There had been open hostility between Jews and Gentiles in the first century, and to some degree there still is, and so Paul addresses this issue by saying, “Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us, to the glory of God” (vs. 7, Eph. 2:11-18). Since Christ accepted Gentile believers, they needed to accept Jewish believers, and vice versa. Why? It is “to the glory of God.” Again, your primary purpose and ultimate priority in this age and in the ages to come is giving glory and praise to God with both Jews and Gentiles. Rev. 5:13, 22:10-14

Paul continues to explain God’s plan for both Jews and Gentiles (vs. 8). We learn that Christ was serving the “circumcision,” the Jews, for He was “to confirm the promises given to the fathers.” How did this happen? When Christ came to earth, He died on a cross and rose from the dead so as to save sinners. This was part of God’s plan to fulfill the promises He had given to Abraham, Isaac, Judah, and all Jewish believers, to “those who are of the faith of Abraham” (Rom. 4:9-16). These verses explain that Christ also came for Gentiles for He wanted them to experience His mercy too, and why? Again, so they would “glorify God” (vs. 9). To further expound on this point, Paul shares four Old Testament verses about both Jews and Gentiles praising God.

Romans 15:9 – “I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name.” (Ps. 18:49). This is directed to the Jews, that they are to openly praise God among the Gentiles, the nations. The Jews’ public worship of God is also to be evangelistic in nature, with the result that some Gentiles will be saved and will worship God with these Jewish believers. “Sing to the Lord, bless His name. Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations” (Pss. 96:2-3, 98:1-4). To a small degree this happened in the past, before Christ’s 1st coming. To a small degree it is occurring now, in this present church age, in that time before Christ’s 2nd coming. But to a much greater degree, it will be taking place in the future, during the millennial kingdom age, when Christ is reigning over the earth.

Romans 15:10 – “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people” (Deut. 32:43). This command to the Gentiles, to the nations, is that they are to be glad, to be exulting, to be rejoicing in the Lord. And surely they are not to be Antisemitic, but are to be rejoicing with Jewish believers. In a limited way this rejoicing occurred in the past; in a limited way it is happening during this church age; and in a much greater and more glorious way, it will be taking place in the ages to come.

Romans 15:11 – “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him” (Ps. 117:1). Like vss. 9-10, this too is an eternal command. Now it is similar to vs. 10, but here it is a command to Gentiles that they are to praise the Lord, and let me say, regardless of how Jewish people may now be hardening their hearts during this church age. At this present time, two things are obvious: a minority of Gentiles are being saved (Matt. 7:13-14), and the vast majority of God-worshiping believers are Gentiles. Romans 11

Romans 15:12 – “There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope” (Isaiah 11:10). This is referring to Christ’s 1st and 2nd comings. Jesus Christ came the 1st time to save sinners and to set up His church, a spiritual kingdom. Again, we see that word hope, and it can refer to the Gentile’s hopes during this church age, but I believe it also, and more so, speaks of their hopes for the future. We know Christ is coming a 2nd time to earth to establish both a spiritual and physical kingdom, when He is ruling in our hearts, but also ruling over the world, over both Jews and Gentiles. Now that we live in the end-times, we know this hope will soon be a reality, that it won’t be long before Jesus is King over this world, and we are glorifying God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Psalm 67:4-5 also confirms this Isaiah 11:10 prophecy – “May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise You, God; may all the peoples praise You.”  

Romans 15:13. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The conclusion of this important big-picture passage is that God wants us to abound in hope! This hope is referring to the return of Christ and the age to come, when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Hab. 2:14). Life can be distressing and difficult (Acts 14:22), and so you need this hope, this realization of a most glorious future. Believing the truth, that Christ is coming, that you will be glorified, and that you will be glorifying God like never before, will result in your heart being filled with joy and peace. Might you be excited about our great God and Father, who loves you so much, the Holy Spirit who is always with you, and Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who is coming soon to take you home to heaven, and then set up His kingdom on earth. “I will extol You, my God, O King. And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:1-2

P.S. There is no more important thing than glorifying God, and we all know that. Might God give us the grace to be excitedly and wholeheartedly praising Him like never before. Two other posts I would encourage you to read on this God-glorifying subject are: “The Most Important Thing for You!” and “The Glory of God – The Most Important of All!!!”

A People-Blessing, God-Glorifying Kingdom

September 13, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #135 ~

I love Psalm 67, another promising passage that speaks about the future. As Christians, we can apply parts of this Psalm to our lives, but the main focus is on the Jewish people, and God affecting the world through them, especially during the millennial kingdom. But you ask, was this not applicable to the Jews during the Old Testament times? Of course, God’s desire for the Jews was to be a witness to the Gentiles so they too would worship Him, but that happened in a very limited way (2 Chronicles 9:8). This Psalm is primarily speaking of the coming kingdom age when Jesus Christ is King, and ruling and reigning over the world.

Psalm 47, which we looked at last week, was a command to the peoples of the world to praise God, but Psalm 67 is a prayer for the peoples of the world to praise God. Verse 1 starts out as a prayer for God’s mercy and grace, for His face to shine upon “us”, the Jewish people. “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.” God wanted to bless the Jews, to give them what they didn’t deserve. But why? Verse two gives an awesome, far-reaching answer. “That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.” It’s so God’s way and purpose would be made known around the world, with the result that salvation, mercy and deliverance from sin, would be experienced by the Gentiles, by unbelievers in all the nations.

Psalm 96:3-4 amplifies on what will be taking place during this kingdom age: “Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.” With Christ ruling the world, and a large number of Jews and glorified believers proclaiming His gospel message, I am convinced we will have the greatest evangelistic effort ever, with great multitudes turning to Christ and being saved.

What else is being prayed? Verse 3 says, “Let all the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” This too will be answered, for the result of people repenting of their sins and receiving God’s mercy is that they will be praising Him. Isn’t that God’s primary purpose in life, for people to praise Him? Yes, yes, people are to love, worship and praise God with all their heart. “Sing praises to our King, sing praises” (Psalm 47:6). This will definitely take place during the millennial kingdom, for it will be a good and glorious age when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14), and people all over the world will be worshiping the Lord like never before. 

The glory God receives from His people goes hand in hand with the blessing they receive, which is what verse 4 tells us: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” This again is a prayer, a prayer that God will answer. All over the earth, people will be glad-hearted and singing for joy, joy springing from the fact that they know God’s mercy and soul-satisfying love. Not only that, but they are seeing and experiencing God’s righteous rule on earth, “For You will judge the world with uprightness.” Christ will be completely in charge, and through His servants, He will be leading and judging the nations. Lawlessness will not be the way of the world anymore, for Christ will be quickly executing true justice. Just think what it will be like to be serving our Savior and King during this time. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

The prayer continues with verse 5, which repeats verse 3, and for good reason, to emphasize God’s main purpose, that He be whole-heartedly praised by all the people. “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” With this verse, the prayer is completed, and during this millennial kingdom it will finally, and fully, be answered, and we will witness Christ’s wonderful and God-glorifying work.

Psalm 67:6 gives another result of Christ’s amazing and perfect work, that “the earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.” Now we’re talking about agriculture, for the blessings during this kingdom age are not just spiritual but also physical. Psalm 65:9-13 tells us, “You visit the earth and cause it to overflow… You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth… The meadows are clothed with flocks.” The creation, being freed from its slavery to corruption (Romans 8:19-22), will be both picturesque and productive, a beautiful display of God’s work, a glory to God and a blessing to us. “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the fields exult, and all that is in it.” Psalm 96:10-12

The last verse assures us that this prayer will be answered, for “God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.” God will bless both Jewish people and glorified saints, for their good, and so the world will fear Him and give Him glory. Can you imagine being with Jesus Christ and fellow believers for one thousand years? Wow! What a great, God-glorifying time this will be! “Every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11  

P.S. I cannot say it enough, that as Christians, we need to have perspective if we are to rightly live for our Lord and Savior. Here are two previous posts that will help you see the big picture of your life, and of God’s working: “Jesus Christ, the Savior, Judge, Redeemer and King,” and “This Age is Coming to an End, and Then a New Age Will Begin.”

HOPE: The Who, What, When, How and Why

April 26, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #115 ~

WHO has true hope? The Christian, the believer, the child of God, the one who has been born again. God knows you can’t live without it. You have to have it, for this is how He made you, how you are spiritually wired. You need to know that God has good things in store for you. You need to know there’s a reason for living, that He will reward you in the future for your work in the present. Having hope for the next age helps you to persevere in the present age, and successfully make it through this life. Now I’m not talking about worldly hopes, I’m talking about godly hope, a God-promised future, what He clearly tells us in His Word.

WHAT is this hope? What are these things God wants you to be excited about? It’s being with Jesus (John 14:3). It’s being in heaven (Hebrews 12:22-24). It’s being with fellow Christians (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). It’s having a new body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). It’s experiencing no pain or sadness (Revelation 21:4). It’s reigning with Christ (Revelation 5:10). It’s eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11). It’s being greatly rewarded (Matthew 5:12). But more than anything else, it’s being able to wholeheartedly worship God (Psalm 84:4). I can’t wait! “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

WHEN will this hope be realized? When will you begin to see all these good things take place? At the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “… in Christ all will be made alive… those who are Christ’s at His coming.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-23

HOW do you get hope? First, you need to be saved. As soon as you are made right with God and are forgiven of your sins, you have hope. That’s when you know you are going to heaven to forever be with Jesus and all the saints. 1 Peter 1:3-4 says that God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance … reserved in heaven for you.” Once you are born again, you have hope, this present certainty that you will receive a heavenly inheritance, this confidence that you will be incredibly and eternally blessed.

Second, you need to know what God’s word says about hope. Romans 15:5 tells us, “through … the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” The Scriptures describe your hope. I just mentioned nine different aspects of your glorious hope, all explained in God’s word. But it’s not just knowing what God says, it’s also believing it. It does you no good to know your future if you don’t believe it to be true. The saints of old had faith-based hope, for they believed what God told them about the future He had planned for them. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” Hebrews 11:1

Third, God gives you trials to increase your hope. Now God gives present grace to get you through these trying situations. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). But God also gives you the hope of future grace. “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:13). This hope of a perfect future helps you get through your present trials, for you know that God will greatly bless you in the ages to come. Your momentary light afflictions are producing for you “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Fourth, it’s good to ask God for hope. Here is Paul’s prayer: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 2:18). It’s a work of God in the heart of a Christian that enables him or her to have hope. We can easily set our minds on earthly things, but it’s a God-given hope that sets our minds on heavenly things, on a wonderful future He has already prepared for us. So how do you get hope? By being saved, by reading God’s word, by learning through trials, and by prayer.

WHY do I say all this? Why do I keep writing about hope? Because it’s vitally important for your life, a quality that is lacking in the lives of many Christians. Think of the five essential nutrients for the growth and health of the physical body – proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Each of these are critically needed, or else your body won’t function properly, will get weak and sick. So too, hope is needed for you to be a spiritually healthy Christian. When you have hope, you’ll be able to persevere (1 Thessalonians 1:3), you’ll grieve rightly (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), you’ll have a godly perspective (1 Thessalonians 5:9), you’ll be more holy (1 John 3:3), you’ll be spiritually anchored (Hebrews 6:19), and most importantly, you’ll be more excited about seeing and being with Christ (1 Timothy 1:1). Indeed, the gospel message is hope-full, for it is good news, not just now, but forever. “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. I strongly encourage you to read my two recent posts on hope, for they go along with this one. “You Need Hope to Get Through Life” and “Your Great Hope and Most Glorious Future.” I cannot emphasize enough the importance of godly hope for your life, and for all Christians.

Your Great Hope and Most Glorious Future

April 12, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #113 ~

Think of your life on this earth as one single dot on a piece of paper, and the rest of your life as the distance from that one dot to the end of the universe. That’s a long, long way, impossible for your human mind to really comprehend. I use this analogy to help you visualize the never-ending length of your life, but more-so, the supreme and godly character of it. Your finite life on this earth is very small compared to the infinite and incredible future God has planned for you. As Christians, we often focus on our present life, and therefore are short-sighted, failing to rightly see the rest of our eternal life. What we need is Biblical hope, for it speaks about our amazing, magnificent, awesome, perfect, wonderful, spectacular and heavenly future. Romans 5:1-5, 8:29-30, 15:13

How do you get this hope? First, you need to read God’s word to know what this hope is. Second, you need to believe what His word says about this incredibly blessed future. That is, you need faith, for “faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1). Third, you need to be looking forward to your hope being fulfilled. Remember when you were a child and you were looking forward to Christmas, and you couldn’t wait for it to come. What we are talking about is better than a billion Christmases! How do you know that you have this godly hope in your heart? When you know, believe, and are looking forward to the glorious future God has in store for you! Hebrews 11:10-16

Titus 1:2 also talks about this, for it says, “in the hope of eternal life.” Your Christian life starts when you are saved, but the fact that it says “eternal” means it never stops, but goes on forever and ever. That it says “hope” means God wants you to be actively thinking about your eternal life, your life after this life. He wants you to be interested in, and excited about, this magnificent future He has designed for you. He wants you to be looking ahead to the best life you could ever imagine. Yes, God has perfect plans for your present life, but you need to live your life in light of eternity, in view of His perfect future for you. This Son-brilliant backdrop of your life on earth is an all glorious and most-blessed eternity. Having this perspective of your eternal life will undoubtedly and dramatically affect how you live your important, but short, life on this earth. Colossians 3:1-4

Let me give you a preview of this fantastic future God has for you, for you need to think about your life after you leave this earth, when you will not be cramped or hindered by your flesh. In the future, your life will always be for God the Father, with Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. You will never sin, never mourn, never get tired, and never get sick. You will fully know the wonderful love of God, and you will always and perfectly love Him. You will always be experiencing His abundant joy, peace, goodness and strength. You will always and perfectly love every person, and continually be blessed by sweet, soul-satisfying fellowship. You will be most-encouraged by your time with Christian friends from earth, as well as time with all of God’s children, and angels too. Life will be full of purpose, pleasures, and more than anything else, praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It will be eternal life, for it will be eternal and it will be life; and it will be glorious, life like God always intended, for you and all His people. John 17:24

I have saved the best for last. 1 Timothy 1:1 speaks of “Christ Jesus, who is our hope.” Your life in the coming ages isn’t just about seeing people, going places and doing things. It will primarily be centered and focused on Jesus Christ. This verse says Christ is your hope, which means Christ is your life, in the future and forever. This is the most important reason why God wants you to be longing for your heavenly future. Yes, life is good now for “to live is Christ,” but “to die is gain” means life will be supremely better because you will be with Christ. Might you be hoping, might you be expecting to, soon and forever, be with Jesus, your Savior, Lord, King and Friend, the One who loves you more than anyone else in the world. I encourage you to be looking forward to that time when you will be with Jesus, and be with Him forever. “Eternal life is this, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

Let me conclude with a key command about hope: 1 Peter 1:13 says, “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Why does God tell you to fix your hope on Christ’s return? Because:
* that is when all that you have hoped for will begin to be fulfilled;
* then your salvation will be complete, for you will be immortal and glorified, that is, fully saved;
* you will finally see Jesus (unless you physically die before the rapture);
* the church age will be over, and for the first time, all the saints will be with Jesus;
* “to die (or be raptured) is gain,” which means the next and better phase of your eternal life will begin;
* you will be given a special measure of grace, enabling you to be all that God wants you to be in heaven and on earth, and for all eternity.
* then “… I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

P.S. I am in the middle of a series of posts on hope, which is essential for your Christian life. I encourage you to read my article on hope, “You Have to Have Hope,” as well as the post I just put up last week, “You Need Hope to Get Through Life.”

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