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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Hope (Page 3 of 8)

Blog posts about hope.

Philippians – Running to Win the Prize

January 29, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #237 ~

Most of the epistles contain verses or passages on end-time’s prophecy, on the future God has for you and the church. Some epistles, like 1-2 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians, contain entire passages; others, like Ephesians, Philippians, and 1 Peter, have verses here and there, prophetic truths weaved in the fabric of the text, sovereignly and purposely placed there by God.

Many Christians read their Bible but skip over and ignore verses like these that speak of our future on earth and in heaven. Why? Maybe they don’t know what they mean, or don’t see how they fit in the context of the passage, or just don’t think they are relevant. But these verses about our future are critically important for how we live our current life on earth. That’s because a key ingredient for how we live in the present is having hope for the future.

Life can be very difficult, stressful, and wearing, and hope helps you to be encouraged, energized, and to keep persevering. What does it mean to have hope? You are convinced that the best is yet to come; you believe that God has the most wonderful future planned out for you; you are expecting God to bless you, to pour out His goodness upon your life in the ages to come; you are looking forward to being in heaven with Jesus and fellow believers and in a new glorified body.

As a Christian, you need hope, you need something to look forward to. That’s why God placed all these prophecy verses in His word, ones that enable you to see the future and that motivate you to keep living for Him. It’s worth it to sacrifice your life for God, to carry out His work, for it brings glory to Him and results in you being rewarded in the future. Your life on earth has direction and a destiny, and hope keeps you hopeful, keeps you looking ahead to a much more glorious time.

I think of athletes running a race, and they are looking ahead. They are running for a reason. They have a goal, there’s a finish line, an end to the race. They know there’s a prize, a trophy, if they stay on track, if they compete “according to the rules” (2 Tim. 2:5), and win the race. Paul talks about this when he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.” 2 Tim. 4:7-8

So too, the Bible talks quite extensively about your life in the future, for God wants you to know how He will bless you for running “the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). That’s why it’s necessary for you to understand prophecy passages and verses. Today, we will be looking at all the prophecy verses in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, ones that I am sure will instruct and encourage you.

Philippians 1:6 – “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” This gives the big picture of your salvation, that it began at a point in time (justified), and will be carried out, will be completed on the Day of Christ (glorified). When God saves, He justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies – He saves completely and eternally. Rom. 8:28-30

Philippians 1:9-11 – “… so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness…” Living for God means being holy and making wise decisions, resulting in you being fruitful now, and being rewarded in the future, on the day of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:10

Philippians 1:20-23 – “… to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.” There’s a spiritual tension you experience in life, continuing to live for Christ on earth, which means bearing fruit for Him, or wanting to be with Christ in heaven, which is better for you. Either way, whether you are on earth or in heaven, Christ will be exalted and you will be blessed.

Philippians 2:9-11 – “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus Christ is now exalted over all powers and beings, but only in the future will they all bow down to Christ and confess Him as Lord. This will take place during the millennial kingdom, when “the Lord will be King over all the earth.” Zech. 14:9

Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do all things without grumbling or disputing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation… so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain.” We will know that our earthly work was successful on the day of Christ, that people we loved and influenced lived godly lives, and then we will rejoice.1 Cor. 15:58

Philippians 3:11 – “… in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” Paul was looking forward to the resurrection of the dead, which occurs on the day of Christ, for then he and all believers would be glorified, would become like Christ, and be with Christ. Phil. 3:20-21

Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” At some point in the future, God will call you home to heaven, either when you physically die or are raptured. You are to keep pressing ahead, to keep working for Christ until that time, knowing that it will be worth it, for then you will be supremely blessed and rewarded. 2 Tim. 4:6-8

Philippians 3:20-21 – “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conforming with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” You don’t know whether you will physically die and go to heaven or be raptured and go to heaven. Either way, at the coming of Christ, you and all believers from all time will be glorified, will receive brand-new bodies, ones like Christ’s. 1 Cor. 15:21-23, 40-42

Philippians 4:4 – “The Lord is near.” This can mean that the Lord is near in a spiritual sense, or that the Lord is near in a physical sense. That we now live in the end-times means both are true. We can say that Christ is near, and that the day of Christ is near. Amen! John 14:1-3, 16-17

Living for Christ (witnessing – Phil. 1:12-13, suffering – Phil. 1:29, serving – Phil. 2:3-4, being holy – Phil. 2:14-15, pouring out your life – Phil. 2:17, pressing on – Phil. 3:14, praying – Phil. 4:6, going hungry – Phil. 4:12) is to be done with hope in mind, in view of the fact that this part of your life will soon be over, that Christ will return, rapture the church, glorify the believers, give out rewards, judge the sinners, save a remnant of Jews, and begin reigning over the world with you. Hope needs to be an essential part of your daily thinking, for having hope will help you to truly live for Christ, bear fruit for Christ, and bring glory to Christ. Jude 24-25

P.S. Sad to say, but many Christians don’t understand hope, and how successfully running the race for Christ relates directly to knowing the wonderful future God has in store for you. Might God increase your hope, and then you will have a more fruitful and God-glorifying life. Here are three good posts about hope – “In a Wicked World, You have to Have Hope” , “Your Great Hope and Most Glorious Future” and “Hope: the Who, What, When, How, and Why“.

Marv Rosenthal – A Servant of God

January 19, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #236 ~

Just recently, Marvin Rosenthal, a servant of God, and my friend, went to heaven to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Marv served the Lord for over 60 years. For the first part of that time, Marv was pastoring churches. Then he began leading ministries that proclaimed the gospel, especially to the Jewish people, and that taught about our hope, the glorious future God has in store for every Christian. There’s no doubt that Marv, by the grace of God, affected and impacted countless numbers of people all over the world, and I was one of them. Let me tell you what happened.

In the summer of 1993, a friend gave me a book written by Marv Rosenthal, the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. I had always been interested in Biblical prophecy, and so I read it with great interest – and it made sense, particularly Marv’s view on Christ’s coming and the rapture, which I now know is God’s view. What struck me and my wife the most was the first chapter, which showed Marv’s love for the truth, and his willingness and courage to teach it no matter the cost.

In the summer of 1994, my wife Marsha and I heard that Marv was doing a three-day prophecy conference at Sandy Cove, Maryland, not far from where we lived. We were excited to go and hear him speak, and his subject just happened to be the book of Revelation. Marv never made it through all 22 chapters, but I tell you, I was not disappointed. I loved his teaching, and his history lessons and stories, and that he patiently answered all my questions. In October of 1995, we were thrilled to be able to go back to Sandy Cove and again hear Marv teach on prophecy – and we learned so much.

My wife and I were so thankful that God wanted us to cross paths with Marv. And it was obvious that God had given us a love for Bible prophecy, and that he was using Marv to help us learn key truths about Christ’s coming, and the rapture of the church. Then we started receiving Zion’s Fire, the magazine Marv and His staff put together. It contained important information about end-times’ prophecy as well as truths about the gospel of Christ and the glory of God, along with encouraging stories about their mission work in Jerusalem.

Thanks to God, and to Marv’s example, I was extremely motivated to study Bible prophecy. Much of my free time in the mid to late 1990’s was spent carefully going over Daniel, Matt. 24, Luke 21, 1-2 Thess., and Revelation – I was learning about the end of the age, the 70 weeks of Daniel, great tribulation, the rapture, the Day of the Lord, and the Antichrist. I was growing in my understanding of our God-planned, God-prophesied future, and even taught a weekly Bible study at my church – and it was on the book of Revelation.

One of the biggest highlights of my life was when Marsha and I went on a Zion’s Hope sponsored tour of Israel in the spring of 1998, one led by Marv and his son David. What a phenomenal time, seeing and walking where Jesus lived, taught, and performed miracles. Of course, Marv was the main speaker, and a great speaker and teacher he was, helping us understand the Biblical significance of the places we visited. Then there was that time when we were sitting together with Marv and David on the roof top of our hotel in Petra, Jordan – we will never forget the specialness of that time.  

In 1989, Marv, his wife Marbeth, and David moved to Orlando, Florida where they set up their ministry, Zion’s Hope. Lo and behold, ten years later I was transferred to a church in nearby Tampa. How wise and good of God, for now we saw Marv more often, went to the Holy Land Experience, and attended prophecy conferences. Not only that, but the new church I was helping pastor (Hope Bible Church), began supporting their mission work in Israel. What a blessing that we could support a church located in Jerusalem that was reaching out to Jewish people.

Since Marv lived so close to Tampa, we started having him come to our church to teach an annual prophecy conference, which went on for nearly ten years. Our little church loved Marv and hearing him teach on prophecy. One thing Marsha and I looked forward to was going out to eat and having fellowship with Marv and Marbeth the night before the conference began. Marv was so loving and kind, for he would always ask how we, our children, and our small church were doing. He genuinely cared about us, which meant a lot to us. We also talked about what was happening in the world as it related to prophecy – Marv had so much insight and discernment, and we were thankful that we knew him personally, and could learn from him.

At a couple of those Sunday morning sessions at our church, he talked about being a servant of God, and truly, that was not just how he thought of himself, but how he lived his life. Over the years, I have witnessed it myself. Ever since he was saved, he has sacrificially served the Lord, used his talents and time to advance the cause of Christ, proclaimed the truths of Christ’s 1st coming and 2nd coming, gave glory to God, and helped men like myself. 

More than anyone else, Marv motivated me to serve the Lord by teaching on prophecy. About 12 years ago, I started a prophecy Bible study at our church – it was on the first Wednesday of every month, and it continues on today. I was glad to be in a position where I could keep studying prophecy and keep teaching it – it was good for me, and I am sure for all the people who have come to it over the years. And it was exactly five years ago, January of 2017, that I began this blog site, ChristsKingdom.org. Like Marv, my desire is for people to know what the Bible says about Christ’s coming and His kingdom on earth. I am absolutely convinced that we are living in the end-times, and I want people to be excited about living for God in these last years before Christ’s return and the rapture of the church.

I am very thankful that God wanted me to meet Marv so I could learn from him, have him as a mentor, be encouraged by him, and know him as a friend, and as a fellow servant of God! What an immense blessing he has been to me – what a precious gift from God! And yes, it wasn’t Marv alone, but God working through Marv, for he saw himself as a weak and humble vessel, and yet one who was filled, empowered, and led by the Holy Spirit.

Just last week, it was time for Marv’s departure from this earth, for the days God had ordained for him came to an end (31,497 days). His work was finished, and so he went home to be with His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How happy and excited Marv must have been to suddenly leave this earth and immediately be in heaven. “How precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Ps. 116:15). I am sure Jesus was glad to meet Marv, and upon his arrival, tell him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.” Matthew 25:23

Just think, on January 8th, 2022, the truth of Heb. 12:22-24 became a life-changing reality for Marv – “You have come to Mount Zion and 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.” It is so encouraging to know that Marv is literally in heaven, with Jesus who loves him so, so much, with all those angels, and with all the saints who have gone on before him.

Marv is undoubtedly filled with love, joy, and peace, and the satisfaction of knowing that he lived a meaningful and God-glorifying life, that he fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). And it won’t be long before we will all be in heaven with Jesus, Marv, and all the saints. Those great rapture verses tell us what will happen – “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 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 in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:16-18). “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.”… “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.” Revelation 19:5-6

P.S. I would encourage you to check out Zion’s Hope, the ministry Marv began – you will find it most instructive and encouraging. Let me also mention three articles I have written that focus on our hope, our wonderful and glorious future – “You Have to Have Hope”, “Being in Heaven with Jesus, and the Believers, and in a New Glorified Body” and “Why Do Believers Die?”

Ephesians 1 – A Big-Picture Prophecy Passage

January 14, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #235 ~

You would never think Ephesians 1 is about prophecy, but it is. In fact, it’s one of the best and most important big-picture prophecy passages in the Bible, going from eternity past to eternity future. It says you will be forever blessed (vs. 3), that you will always be in God’s presence (vs. 4), that all things will be summed up in Christ (vs. 10), that you will receive an inheritance (vs. 11), that you will be glorified (vs. 15), and that Christ has all authority in this age and the next (vs. 21). God wants you to have hope, to be looking forward to “the surpassing riches of His (God’s) grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Your short life on this earth is only the very beginning of a magnificent eternal life. Let’s look more closely at Eph. 1, and as you do, I’m convinced you will be more hopeful and excited about the life God has planned out for you.

Ephesians 1:3. As a heavenly citizen, you have a heavenly Father who has and will continue to lavish you with indescribable blessings (1 Cor. 2:9). These spiritually based blessings affect every aspect of your present and future life, and result in you gladly and greatly blessing your Father.

Ephesians 1:4-8. In eternity past, God chose to make you perfectly holy so He could adopt you as His child, and so you could continually and always be in His sight, in His presence. Everything about your life on earth and in heaven was predestined, precisely and perfectly planned out by God. By the will of God, the grace of God, the wisdom of God, and for the glory of God, and through the work of Jesus Christ you were redeemed, and forgiven of all your sins. God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to this world because He deeply loved you, and because He was determined to show you His love by blessing you on earth and in heaven, now and forever.

Ephesians 1:9-12. Your life on this earth is an infinitesimally small fraction of the glorious future God has for you. Not long from now, at the end of this age and in the fulness of the times, Christ will return to earth to rapture the church, punish the sinners, save a number of Jews, and begin His reign over this world. At that time, all things will be summed up in Christ, for He will be King over all the earth. “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations.” Psalm 47:7-8

God predestined that you be justified, and that you receive eternal life, a special relationship with Him and His Son that lasts forever. He also predestined that you receive an inheritance, an extremely satisfying eternity of serving Him, and the most incredible spiritual, relational, and physical blessings you could ever imagine. “In your presence is fulness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). At the coming of Christ, which occurs in the fullness of the times, you will “obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled” (1 Pet. 1:4), and begin to experience what God planned out for you in eternity past.

Be assured that God “works all things after the counsel of His will.” God, by His power, wisdom, sovereignty, and in accordance with His eternal purpose, is working out all the details, every single aspect of your life. Not leaving anything to chance, He will make sure that you receive all that He has promised and planned out for you, that you will be spiritually, wonderfully, and eternally blessed. This results in “the praise of His glory”, in you eternally glorifying God.

Eph. 1:13-14. God continues to share His plans about the future, specifically as it relates to you. He says that if you have believed in Christ to save you from sin and death, if you have been born again, then you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. God did this, not just to establish and ensure His ownership of you, but to assure you that His plans for you will be fully carried out, that you will be physically redeemed, be delivered from your earthly body and glorified (1 Cor. 15:40-42), and that you will be given an eternal inheritance. The Spirit dwelling in you is a pledge, a guarantee from God that you will be completely saved, that you will receive your brand-new body at Christ’s coming, and that you will be a richly rewarded child of God.  

Ephesians 1:15-19. As a Christian, you have been justified and you will be glorified. But at this time, you are being sanctified, and are to be spiritually growing and fulfilling God’s purpose for your life on this earth. Knowing this, Paul prays for three specific things, our relationship with God, and not surprisingly, our hope, and finally, the power we need to live the Christian life.

These three things are vitally important, and so pray this for yourself and others. Pray that you grow in your knowledge of Jesus, that you have a close relationship with Him. Pray that you have hope, that you understand and are excited about the glorious future God has planned out for you, “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18). And pray that you are experiencing and utilizing the power of God which is in you through the Holy Spirit. “All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

Ephesians 1:20-23. God’s power was most clearly seen when He raised Jesus from the dead, then seated Him at the right hand of the Father. And so Jesus is now in charge – He is Lord and ruler over all powers and authorities, visible and invisible, including the devil and his demons. Thus, you have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. Jesus is ruling and reigning, and not just in this age, but in the coming age, the 1000-year kingdom age when He will visibly, righteously, powerfully, and gloriously be “King over all the earth.” Zech. 14:9

When you look at this chapter it’s obvious that God’s plans for this world, the church, and you, are being carried out. You were justified, you are now being sanctified, and you will be glorified. (Rom. 8:28-30). That we are living in the end-times means it won’t be long before all things are summed up in Christ, and every knee will bow and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:9-11

God wants you to have this hope that’s described in Eph. 1. Be excited about the unimaginable and untold blessings God has in store for you; be serving Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and be giving Him all the glory. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

P.S. I can’t overstate the importance of having an eternal perspective, of seeing the big picture of your life. Here are two other posts that will help you understand God’s overall plan for your life – “The Big Picture: The Present Age and the Ages to Come” and “An Overview of Your Christian Life.” One more thing – this past week, Marv Rosenthal, a dear friend and mentor to me for the past 27 years sped off to heaven to be with the Lord. Marv’s primary ministry was Zion’s Hope – one that focused on end-time’s prophecy and reaching the Jewish people with the gospel. I really encourage you to look at it – “Zion’s Hope” – it is most instructive and encouraging.

I Am Looking Forward To…….

January 1, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #234 ~

As Christians, we must look ahead and look forward to what God will do for us, what we are to do for Him, and what He will be doing in the future. It is this faith and hope in God and obedience to Him that energizes and directs our lives – otherwise, we will get stuck and stagnate, unable to spiritually move ahead in the way He desires. So what does God have in store for your life on this earth? What has He planned out for the world, the church, the Jews, and the unbelievers in the last years of this age and in the ages to come? In the following two sections, I will share with you what I and all Christians should be looking forward to.

In 2022 and in the years ahead, I am looking forward to …
* … experiencing and being satisfied by God’s love! Psalm 90:14
* … loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength! Mark 12:30
* … keeping God’s commands and fulfilling His will day after day! Psalm 119:1-8
* … seeing God fulfill His promises and plans for me and others I know! 2 Cor. 1:20
* … God teaching me from His word! Psalm 119:33-34
* … God causing all things to work together for good! Rom. 8:28-30
* … seeing progress and joy in my life and the lives of others! Phil. 1:25
* … growing in the true knowledge of God! 2 Peter 3:18
* … having good, quality times with God on a daily basis! Psalm 63:1-5

* … walking and being led by the Spirit, and bearing fruit for God! Gal. 5:16-18, 22-23
* … using the gifts I’ve been given for the good of others and the glory of God! 1 Pet. 4:10-11
* … open doors and opportunities for the gospel and godly service! Col. 4:3-6
* … being fitted and built together with believers into a dwelling of God! Eph. 2:21-22
* … hearing that Christ is building His church all over the world! Matt. 16:18
* … seeing God supernaturally save people from sin, death, and the devil! Col. 3:13-14
* … being strengthened by the power of God when I’m weak, sick, or worn out! 2 Cor. 12:9-10
* … having warm and refreshing fellowship with Christians! Romans 12:10

* … God giving me all the grace and peace that I need! Eph. 1:2
* … saying no to sin and becoming more holy and Christ-like! 1 Peter 1:14-16 
* … resisting and standing firm against the schemes of the devil! Eph. 6:10-11
* … God delivering me out of trials and trouble! Psalm 18:1-3
* … God protecting me from the enemy, and rescuing me from every evil deed! 2 Tim. 4:18
* … seeing God do amazing, marvelous, and brand-new things! Isaiah 43:19
* … needing the Lord and trusting Him as I go through life and hard times! 1 Peter 1:6-9
* … carrying out and completing the work God wants me to do! John 17:4

In the last years of this age and / or in the ages to come, I am looking forward to …
* … the gospel being preached all over the world! Matt. 24:14
* … the 70th week of Daniel, and all that God will be doing during that time! Daniel 9:27
* … prophesied events being fulfilled for Christians, Jews, and unbelievers! Matt. 24:3-33
* … cosmic disturbances and the great earthquake, the end of the age! Rev. 6:12-14
* … Christ’s coming and the gathering of believers to Himself! Matt. 24:30-31
* … physically dying or being raptured, and forever being with Christ! 1 Thess. 4:13-17
* … receiving a brand-new, immortal, powerful, and glorified body! 1 Cor. 15:40-42
* … that time when we will fully, always, and perfectly love the Lord! Mark 12:30
* … being with believing friends in heaven and in our heavenly homes! Heb. 12:22-24

* … when God will justly punish wicked sinners and evildoers! Psalm 37:12-15
* … seeing the salvation of a large remnant of Jews! Rom. 11:25-27
* … watching Jesus Christ rule and reign as King over the whole earth! Psalm 47:6-8
* … reigning with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom! Rev. 5:10
* … seeing God spiritually and physically bless Israel during the millennial kingdom! Psalm 67
* … the rivers clapping their hands and the mountains singing together for joy! Psalm 98:8
* … seeing Christ enact perfect justice during the millennial kingdom! Psalm 72:8-14
* … all the nations worshiping and glorifying the Lord! Psalm 86:9

* … the whole world being full of God’s glory! Isaiah 6:3
* … the entire earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord! Hab. 2:14
* … every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! Phil. 2:11
* … the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and on the earth! Eph. 1:9-11
* … the devil being cast into the lake of fire and being punished forever and ever! Rev. 20:10
* … when there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain! Rev. 21:4
* … being with Jesus and fulfilling our glorious and eternal purpose! Eph. 2:10
* … being with all the angels and saints and praising God forever and ever! Psalm 145:1-2

As Christians we should never say we don’t know what is going to happen. We don’t know all the details, but we know in general what will be taking place. Indeed, the purposes, plans, and prophecies of God will most certainly be carried out. This should encourage you and fill you with hope, for it means a future filled with blessings, and the satisfaction of knowing that God will be greatly glorified. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Be looking ahead, and be looking forward to 2022, to all the years of your life, and to the ages to come. And be like Paul who said, “I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14

P.S. As we start this new year, here is an article that should motivate you to use the time God has given you – “The Time of My Life.” Here is another post that tells us that God has predicted the future, and told us what needs to happen before Christ’s return and the rapture of the church – “Bible Prophecy Enables Us To See the Future.”

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.”

The Truth About Rewards, The Heavenly Prize

July 26, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #222 ~

My plan was to write a post and list out a number of verses about rewards and the incredibly glorious future God has in store for us. But I discovered there are many more verses than I thought, close to 150 of them. And so, I wrote an article – “Your Lord, Your Hope, Your Reward.” I encourage you to take the time to read and think about these eternal truths for, without question, they will help to spiritually strengthen your life. I have no doubt that they will give you a heartfelt hope about your future which will increase your love for God in the present, resulting in a more blessed, fruitful, and successful Christian life.

Many of you are watching the Olympics. Might these earthly games be a motivation to you to win heavenly prizes, eternally satisfying and God-glorifying rewards. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win! Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Take the time to go through “Your Lord, Your Hope, Your Reward.”

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.”

Earthly Work That Results in Heavenly Rewards

July 2, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #220 ~

We all understand the importance of work, for this is how we survive, how we make a living, how we buy food and clothes, pay bills, and provide for our family. But first and foremost, you are to work for God. He is your Master – “it is the Lord Christ whom you serve”, and He will reward you for “from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col. 3:24). Knowing we are to work for God while we live on earth, and that we will be eternally rewarded in heaven is most encouraging.

Do you think about how God wants to richly reward you for your work for Him? Do you realize that your heavenly reward from God for working at a job is infinitely more than your earthly pay for working at that job (Eph. 6:5-8)? Do you understand that being rewarded relates not to whether your earthly employer sees you working, but knowing that your heavenly Father sees you working all the time (Matt. 6:3-4)? Do you realize that being rewarded has nothing to do with whether you are young or old, single or married, slave or free, rich or poor, black or white, sick or healthy, employed or unemployed, or retired (Luke 2:36-38)? Do you know that being rewarding is not so much about what abilities you have, but how you faithfully use your abilities (Matt. 25:21)? Do you see that working for God is not a part time thing or 40 hours / week, but a 24/7 week and years of godly living? Think about how God wants to greatly reward you for a lifetime of service to Him. “In keeping them, there is great reward.” Psalm 19:11 

What specifically can you do to be rewarded by your Father? “Whoever gives a cup of water to drink because of Christ… he will not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41). “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great” (Luke 6:35). “Sell your possessions and give to charity” and then you will receive “an unfailing treasure in heaven” (Luke 12:32). “Give to the poor”, “pray”, “fast”, for then “your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18). Seek God for “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). If people “insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me… your reward in heaven is great” (Matt. 5:11-12). By doing these things for the Lord, you will be wonderfully and everlastingly blessed.

The above verses clearly state how you can be personally rewarded for working for God. But keeping other commands also results in you being rewarded. Here are some of them: “let your light shine before men” (Matt. 5:16); “go make disciples” (Matt. 28:19); “love one another” (John 15:17); “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15); “overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21); “look out… for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4); “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness…” (Col. 3:12); “devote yourselves to prayer” (Col. 4:2); “encourage one another” (Heb. 3:13); “be holy yourselves in all your behavior” (1 Pet. 1:15); “as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another” (1 Pet. 4:10). Yes, it takes time and effort to do these things; yes, you need to sacrifice your life, and sometimes suffer; but it’s for the glory of God, the good of others, and for your eternal benefit. There is no doubt that God will make your earthly work extremely and eternally worthwhile, that your work for Him in this world will result in untold and unbelievable treasures in heaven. 

In the Bible, there are many examples of godly people loving and serving the Lord. There’s Enoch walking with God, Noah building an ark, Abraham being obedient, Moses enduring ill treatment (“he was looking to the reward” – Heb. 11:26). There’s Rahab welcoming the spies, David conquering kingdoms, and others being stoned, sawn in two, and put to death with the sword. There’s Deborah being a leader, Jael killing Sisera, Ruth being loyal, Esther being courageous, and Mary being humble. There’s Peter preaching, Peter’s mother-in-law serving, Mary Magdalene loving Jesus, John writing the revelation, Anna praying, Stephen being fearless, Dorcas making all those clothes, and Paul being an apostle to the Gentiles (“there’s laid up for me the crown of righteousness” – 2 Tim. 4:8). There’s Prisca and Aquila risking their lives, Mary and Persis working hard, and Epaphroditus being a minister to Paul. All these saints will all be greatly rewarded for their love and service to God. Might the lives of these who served God in the past motivate you to serve Him in the present. “… fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” Rom. 12:11

What do you need to do to receive eternal rewards from your heavenly Father? “Whatever you do, do your work heartily… knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col. 3:23-24). Wow! It’s whatever you do! This means that every single thing you think, say, or do has potential to be rewarded by God. “Whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord (Eph. 6:8). “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done” (2 Cor. 5:10). These truths about rewards shows God’s incredible love for you, that He really wants to bless you forever for all you do for Him during your short time on earth? “In Your presence is fulness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11

“Whatever you do” – think about this for your own life. It can mean singing to the Lord, saying a quick prayer for a friend, joyfully doing the dishes, cheerfully mowing the lawn, faithfully doing the laundry, dutifully caring for your children, having lunch with a believer, diligently working at your job, wisely using your money, trusting God when you are sick, giving to a person in need, being kind to a stranger, compassionately caring for your elderly parents, encouraging someone who is discouraged, patiently driving in heavy traffic, lovingly texting a friend, thanking God for the weather, rejoicing when faced with a trial, attending a mid-week Bible study, etc., etc., etc.

What’s important is not just doing “Christian” things, but doing them for God with a right heart and right motives. “Wait until the Lord comes who will bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts, and then each man’s praise will come to him from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). What do these motives relate to? Paul speaks of “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you” (1 Thess. 1:3-4). It’s having faith in God, relying completely on Him. It’s doing what you do because you love God with all your heart and want to please Him. It’s having hope, knowing that your reward is not on earth, but in the future and in heaven. It’s walking with the Lord Jesus and God the Father, knowing that you are always with them and they are always with you, and that they always love you and see you. And “your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:4

Remember what Jesus told us, “I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12). That we are now living in the end-times means Christ is coming back very, very soon, and so it won’t be long before you receive your reward from Him. “The time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” Revelation 11:18

P.S. As Christians, we know that we are to be working for God every day of our life. But many different things can short-circuit our desire to serve Him. One of them is worry and anxiety, which affect all of us to some degree or another. I recently finished a two-part series that talks about about how God wants us to give us victory over our worries, over being nervous: Do Not Be Anxious and Anxiety, Worry and Stress. I encourage you to take the time to listen to them.

God Really Wants To Reward You

June 24, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #219 ~

Do you think about how God wants to bless your life in the future? Do you understand that God will eternally reward you for your earthly service for Him? Most people have jobs during their time on earth – they work 40 hours a week or so and get paid for their work. But do you realize how much God will reward you when you are working for Him instead of for yourself? (This includes a mother staying at home whose work is raising her children.) Your reward from God will be out of this world, infinitely more than anything you will ever receive from some job on earth. You may have earthly bank and retirement accounts, but are you storing up “treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys”? Matthew 6:20

This subject of rewards is no small matter, no minor subject in the Bible, but sadly, most Christians don’t know much about it, or if they do, don’t think much about it. They are not focused on future blessings but on present fulfillment. They are thinking about their life on earth, on their jobs, house, money, friends, and fun things to do, but they are forgetting that God wants to greatly reward them in heaven. “Blessed are you who are poor… who hunger now… who weep now… be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven… But woe to you who are rich… who are well fed now… who laugh now… woe to you when all men speak well of you.” Luke 6:20-26

One of the keys to being rewarded by God is desiring to please Him, is realizing that you are not to seek praises from men but are to give glory to Him. “You are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6

God wants to generously reward His servants for the work they do for Him, but it must be done by faith, it must be done by depending on Him, and not by trusting in self or living for self. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, but those who come to Him, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6). “By faith Moses… refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26

God will reward each person’s work. God does not give out family rewards, church rewards, community rewards, only individual rewards. “Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). The work, the faithfulness of each and every individual believer who has ever lived will be tested and judged by Jesus Christ. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

Only a person’s good deeds will be eternally rewarded. If a believer’s works are not done to please the Lord, if they are not done in faith, “if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). I hope you realize that receiving rewards from God has nothing to do with your salvation. And I hope you know that a true believer can never lose his salvation, but he can lose the rewards God wants to give him. By your good and faithful service to God, you will most certainly be wonderfully and forever blessed. “Watch yourselves… that you may receive a full reward.” 2 John 2:8

Isn’t it amazing that God watches you all the time with the mindset to reward you, to eternally compensate you for everything you do? On earth we think of getting paid for the 40-50 hours we work each week, but God is talking about your 24/7 week. Might you have the mindset that your entire life is for God, and that everything you think, say, or do has the potential to be rewarded by Him. We are incredibly blessed to have such a giving and gracious Father, One who carefully observes our life to see how He can personally reward us. “Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:4). “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. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24

The real value of your life will not be known until the future, when Christ returns, and then you will learn what aspects of your earthly work were eternally profitable or only temporally profitable. “Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it (the foundation, who is Christ) remains, he will receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:10-14). Now we live in the end-times, and it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and give us our rewards. He has told us, “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). Knowing that God greatly loves you and wants to richly reward you in the future should super-charge your heart, and motivate you to love Him and live for Him all the more!

P.S. It’s important that you think about how your life after this life will be so dramatically affected by all the rewards God will pour out upon you. And when we talk about rewards, we are talking about one specific of our hope. Learn all you can about your hope, what God has planned out for your future. I encourage you to read these posts from the past –“You Need Hope To Get Through Life” and “Your Great Hope and Most Glorious Future.”

The Resurrection: Death to Life in Spirit — and Body

April 2, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #211 ~

Our biggest problem, by far, is death. People physically die, and all people are spiritually dead – and that’s the truth. Now there are two kinds of death, physical and spiritual – and they are related in that sin is the cause of both. People physically die because of their sin, and people are spiritually dead because of their sin. “The soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1

The sobering truth is that people who are physically alive are spiritually dead, which means they are separated from God and spiritually lifeless, unless they have been spiritually saved. And the person who is not spiritually saved during his life on earth, and then physically dies, will be eternally dead, painfully separated from God forever. What is so sad is that many people don’t understand this enormous spiritual problem of sin and death. They have been deceived by their wrong thinking, and by the devil himself. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving” (2 Cor. 4:4, 11:13-15). Some people don’t even believe in sin, others believe you can sin but there are no consequences, and others think they will be annihilated, will go out of existence when they die, but that’s just not true – these are all deadly errors, much worse than having a physical disease, like Covid-19. 1 John 1:8-10

In our world, most people focus on the physical. There are doctors, nurses, hospitals, special diets, medicines, nursing homes, supplements, gyms, and exercise. None of these are wrong in and of themselves, but “bodily discipline is only of little profit” (1 Tim. 4:8). Most people are overly concerned about physical issues but don’t realize that sin and death are their primary problems. You know that Covid-19 has resulted in global havoc, and has now consumed and controlled people’s lives for over a year. Think of the virologists and immunologists, and the efforts by countries to solve this one little, but big, physical problem. I am not saying we shouldn’t have doctors, nurses, etc., and shouldn’t do what we can to help people be safe and well. The point I am making is that we tend to focus on the physical and not the spiritual. Our far bigger problem is sin, ignoring God, rebelling against Him, disobeying Him, worshiping idols, but not loving Him. And the consequences of not dealing with this deadly sin problem are not just temporal, but eternal, and are not just physical, but spiritual.

Most people who focus on the spiritual do not have the correct answers, many of whom should know better, like ministers, rabbis, imams, swamis, etc. To sum it up, most of them say that the way to get right with God is by our own efforts, that we need to carry out religious duties, that our good deeds will outweigh our bad deeds, and then we can go to heaven and live forever. But this thinking is not right – it’s terribly wrong and spiritually dangerous, and the results are eternally deadly and extremely painful. People need to know that hell is real, is justly deserved, and a devilish place where sinners are punished forever. “‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil’… these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:41, 46

What then is the answer? The answer is not “what” but “who”? It’s the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He came down to earth about 2000 years ago and become a man and, therefore, a mediator between God and man. Sin is man’s main problem, the cause of both spiritual and physical death, and Christ, the perfect God-man, could pay for our sin. Christ dealt with our sin by taking it upon Himself while dying on a cross, His Father then pouring out His wrath upon His Son instead of upon us. That’s why Christ cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Everyone needs to know that there are only two options – either you pay for your own sin by being punished forever in hell, or Christ pays for it Himself. 

The person who repents of his sin, who sincerely tells God he is sorry he sinned against Him, and believes that Christ took his place and paid for his sin is born again, is forgiven, becomes spiritually alive (Eph. 2:1-5). This is good news, the greatest and most important news in the world, that through Christ we can defeat both sin and death – and it’s because of God’s great love for us. “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jesus Christ didn’t stay dead, and He couldn’t, and that’s because He was God and as God and man, He defeated sin and therefore death, seen when His Father raised Him from the dead. The only answer to our problem of being spiritually and physically dead is Jesus’ death-and-resurrection. And Jesus’ resurrection clearly proves He is the Victor, the Conqueror of sin and death, thereby being the One who can give us both spiritual and physical life. “This man… you nailed to a cross… and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:23-24). And a person who is physically alive on earth becomes spiritually alive when he believes in Christ, and after he physically dies (unless he is raptured), he will be glorified, be given a perfect body, be physically alive forever. (1 Thess. 4:15-17). Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades (hell).” Revelation 1:17b-18

Jesus speaks of our new spiritual life and new physical life this way: “This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). We are spiritually made alive when we believe and are physically made alive when Christ raises us up. Paul says it this way: “These whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom. 8:31). We were justified, spiritually made alive, when we believed in Christ, and are glorified, physically made alive, when the church is raptured “on the last day.” Paul also tells us, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). And you see this gap of time between becoming spiritually alive and physically alive. For Christians, this good work of salvation began in the past when we were born again, and it will be completed in the future when Christ returns to rapture the church.

The greatest chapter in the Bible on the resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15. The main message is that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and therefore Christians will be raised from the dead – and we are talking about physical resurrection and life. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:22-23). Christ’s resurrection took place about 2000 years ago, but our resurrection will take place in the future, “at His coming.” It’s sad that many Christians do not even think about how their salvation is not yet complete. But be excited and filled with hope, for it will happen soon, at the end of this age, at the coming of Christ, which is not many years from now. “…waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved.” Romans 8:23-24

Since we live in the end-times, it won’t be long before Christ’s comes back to glorify us, to give us our brand-new body, to “transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:21, 1 Cor. 15:42-44). This most amazing transformation takes place at the sounding of the last trumpet – “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep (physically die), but we will all be changed (physically glorified), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

How should you live during this church age, knowing this wonderful news about Christ’s resurrection in the past and your resurrection in the future? You are to live a holy life, a brand-new life. “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so too we might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). You are to know that you have the resurrection power of Christ and can carry out all His plans for your life. “I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened, so that you will know… what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:18-20). You are to know the Lord and have this close relationship with Him, daily experiencing His resurrection power in your life. “I count all things to be loss… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” Phil. 3:8-10

Finally, be exceedingly thankful and wholeheartedly working for the Lord, knowing that it won’t be long before you leave this earth and are with Him forever. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

P.S. As a Christian, you need to know and be excited about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and about your resurrection in both spirit and body. Here are three previous posts on the importance and the blessings of the resurrection – “The Resurrection and the Rapture of the Believers”, and “Christ’s Resurrection Means the Best Is Yet to Come”, and “The Resurrection and the Rapture – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.”

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