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Category: Hope (Page 6 of 8)

Blog posts about hope.

“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done”

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #130 ~

Life can be hard, very hard, sometimes seemingly impossible. There can be personal struggles, family conflicts, work difficulties, church problems, physical ailments, and even great persecution. What can encourage you and help keep you going is knowing and experiencing the love of God. In this post, my primary focus is how God will show you His love in the future, what we call hope. I’ve talked a lot about this hope, because far too many Christians don’t know much about it. Hope for your life is essential. It’s like flour for a cake, for if you don’t have flour, you are not going to have a cake. And if you don’t have hope, your Christian life will be flat, without the purpose, direction, drive and energy God wants you to have. Today I want to look at a major part of this hope, the millennial kingdom. What does God want you to know about it?

* The millennial kingdom will last exactly one thousand years, a fact which Revelation 20 repeats six times. Compared to the length of your present life on earth, this next age will last a very, very long time. To illustrate – if you live to the age of 80, your life during the millennial kingdom will be 12.5 times longer than your present life on earth. Or think about it this way – 80 years is only 8% of 1000 years. Revelation 20:1-7

* Jesus Christ will reign as King over the earth during the millennial kingdom. When you think about many of the bad leaders in today’s world, this is extremely good news, for we will soon have a perfect Ruler, one who is holy, powerful, loving and sovereign over all things and all people. Yes, Christ is King now, but He’s behind the scenes. But then, He will be King in a visible, personal, direct, and most glorious way. Zechariah 14:9, Psalm 2:7-9

* Satan, that most evil devil, will be gone from the earth, locked up for the entire 1000 years, which means he will have absolutely no influence on this earth. He won’t be prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. He won’t tempt anyone to sin. He won’t have his forces of darkness on earth, and therefore, won’t be able to unleash his demons with all their sinful schemes and false teaching. Revelation 20:1-3

* All believers from this present age will possess brand new bodies, like that of Jesus Christ, Himself. These will be powerful bodies, immortal bodies, glorified bodies, and spiritual bodies. Completely free from sin and all manners of corruption, these perfect and magnificent bodies will enable you to be and do all that God wants. 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, Philippians 3:20-21

* All glorified believers will be perfectly worshiping Jesus Christ. Can you imagine being able to always love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength? Think what it will be like to worship the Lord, to sing to Him and give Him all the honor, praise and glory that He deserves. Think about being part of a heavenly choir that is perfectly and harmoniously singing praises to our Lord, Savior and King. “Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth.” Psalm 47:6-7, Revelation 5:13

* All glorified believers will be perfectly serving Jesus Christ. You will be able to serve Christ during this kingdom age in much greater and more productive ways than you are doing now. “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things” (Matthew 25:21) “You will be in authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17). “He who keeps my deeds to the end, to Him will I give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26). I am really looking forward to this time when we will, effortlessly and wholeheartedly, be working for Christ, fulfilling His purposes, and bringing Him glory. Ephesians 2:7-10

* This kingdom age will be a good age. Now we live in an evil age, which is the way it has been since Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin. During this entire age, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). But once Jesus Christ begins ruling, it will be a good age, for Satan will be gone, and the work, holiness, goodness and glory of Christ will be profoundly seen, dramatically affecting the whole world. Not only that, but you, I, and a great number of glorified believers will be assisting Christ, reigning with Him, serving Him, and fulfilling His purposes. Galatians 1:4, Revelation 5:10  

* There’s this present age, the coming millennial kingdom age, and then the eternal kingdom age. Do you see that we are getting close to the end of this age, and will soon be living during the millennial kingdom age? Be encouraged and very thankful that God “has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7). Let’s pray: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven… For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:10, 13

P.S. This post is for everyone, for we all need godly hope. But in particular, I am thinking of those who are hurting, who are ill, who have chronic ailments, who need present grace, but also, need the hope of future grace. Might we live for the Lord today, but be looking ahead to the glorious future that He has for all who believe in Him. There is more on this next week.

The Right Way to Think About Your Life

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #129 ~

How you think about your future dramatically affects how you live your life in the present. Some people don’t think much at all, with the result that their minds are empty, or are filled with worthless things. (Psalm 119:36-37). Others think in sinful and worldly ways, in ways that aren’t pleasing to God (Ephesians 4:17-19). There are those who live in the past, proud about what they did, or mad about some real or supposed injustice, but we are to forget what lies behind (Philippians 3:13). There are those who are worried, fearful and anxious about what might lie ahead. They have the “what ifs”. (Matthew 6:34). Then there are some so focused on the future that they are not living in the present. Many of these are dreamers (Ecclesiastes 11:4), people who have not learned how to live today in light of the future, their life on earth and life in heaven.

That last sentence gives the key as to how we are to think about our lives, that we need hope, that we need to live today in view of the future God has for us. Thinking like this gives us the big picture with the right mindset. And only God’s word can give us this perspective, this overview of our life. There’s the soul-soothing, 2-part perspective of Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” There’s the eternal perspective of Romans 8:30 – “These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Many other verses summarize our lives, and in particular, express the hope that God has for us: Philippians 1:6, 3:12-21; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 15:20-28 

Then there’s Colossians 3:1-4, one of my favorites. It instructs you to set your mind on things above, on things of God, on things talked about in His Word. You are not to set your mind on things of this world, and be worldly. You are to live for Christ, and you are to think about the future, when Christ will be revealed, and you will be raptured. You are to also think about being revealed with Him in glory, when you will reign with Him during the millennial kingdom. This is the right perspective, a godly perspective, living for Christ today, and looking forward to living for Him in the future.    

The reason I write about hope is because Christians need hope. As you know, all successful people have hope. A person working at a job looks forward to getting paid. A student studies hard and expects to get good grades. An athlete practices with a view of winning the next game. A Christian serves the Lord, knowing it will result in blessing in this age and in the ages to come. As a child of God, you have to have hope, which means you need to know and be convinced of what your Father tells you in His Word about your future.

What is this hope? Well it’s not just thinking about the rapture, and the events leading up to it. That thinking is incomplete, and sadly, many Christians have this short-sighted mindset. It’s also knowing you will see Jesus for the first time, and be with Him forever. It’s knowing you will be glorified, and receive a brand new body. It’s knowing you will never be sinful, sad, sick, tired, or in pain again. It’s knowing you will be with believers, especially with loved ones you knew on earth. It’s knowing you will be in heaven, in a perfect place, and in a perfect home. It’s knowing you will be perfectly serving Christ during the kingdom age. It’s knowing that you will love God like never before, praising Him and singing to Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I think about these things. Now I don’t think about them all the time, but they are on my mind every day. I have to say, I really look forward to this wonderful future; I get excited about what God has in store for me; and I long for that time when my hope will become reality, when I will leave this earth and this evil age, and be in heaven with Jesus.

I want to say a few more things about the future, specifically the time between now, 2019, and the age to come, that magnificent millennial kingdom age.
* I think about how we now live in the end-times, which means it won’t be long before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. In my opinion, it’s not a few years from now, and not centuries from now, but decades from now. Matthew 24:33
* I think about the upward call, meaning I will either die and be with Jesus in heaven, or be raptured and then be with Jesus in heaven. Philippians 3:14
* Throughout history, believers have been dying and going to heaven, and a great many have already been there hundreds and even thousands of years, but that won’t be true for us. The fact that we live in the end-times means we won’t be staying in heaven very long before we come back to earth with Jesus Christ and the other believers, and begin our 1000-year reign with Him. Reigning with Him will be glorious! Isaiah 6:3

We should be thrilled and thankful that now is our time to live. Might we be thinking and living like Paul, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead… toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14). “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

P.S. This post, like many others, is about hope. In conjunction with this post, it would be helpful for you to read the post, “You Need Hope To Get Through Life,” and the article, “You Have To Have Hope!”

The Order of End-Time Events

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #125 ~

Bible prophecy tells us what will happen in the future, not every single detail, but what God wants us to know. This foretelling of coming events is an amazing and encouraging part of His word. You should be extremely excited by the fact that you can know what will be taking place in the years leading up to Christ’s return to earth. But God doesn’t just tell you what events will be taking place, He also tells you when they will take place. By saying “when”, I don’t mean the exact date when they will take place, but rather, the chronology of these upcoming events. To really understand Christ’s coming, and to fully live for Him in these end-times, you need to know the order of these future events.

But how can you know the order, the sequence of future events? How will you be able to see that Christ’s return is getting closer and closer? By understanding this timing tool, this time-frame called Daniel’s 70th week. Here’s what you need to know about this 70th week. It’s still future. It’s exactly seven years long. It bridges this present age with the next age. It’s a time period during which many major prophesied events will occur:
* At the beginning of this 70th week, this man, who will be known as the Antichrist, will make or confirm a covenant, a treaty, between Israel and other nations. Daniel 9:27
* At the 3½ year mark of this 7-year week, the Antichrist will be revealed and seen by Christians and Jews for who he really is, the most devilish man to ever live. Daniel 9:27
* Sometime during the second half of this 7-year period, Christ will come and rapture the church, and gather all believers to Himself. Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
* During the last part of Daniel’s 70th week, just after the rapture of the church, God’s righteous wrath will be poured out upon this most sinful earth. Revelation 8-9, 16
* At the end of this 70th week, Jesus Christ will return, save a large remnant of Jews, establish Himself as King, and shortly thereafter, begin His 1000-year reign over the earth. Zechariah 14:9, Revelation 11:15

It’s 2019, and Daniel’s 70th week is still future. This coming “week” will be one very long “week,” a destructive and deadly seven years, a time when there will be spiritual warfare between God and Satan like never before. For many of you, this will be your time to live for the Lord, to serve, fight and suffer for your King. God wants you to be ready for this prophecy-packed 70th week, to know what events will be taking place and when they will be taking place. Now this 70th week, this 7-year divine calendar, doesn’t give you all the details, but it will help you know what and when future events will be happening.

There’s something else that will enable you to understand the order, the chronology of coming events, and that’s timing words and phrases. Here’s a list of them from Matthew 24:4-40: “beginning, then, at that time, end, when, then, then, then, immediately after, then, then, when, when, before, until, then.” The word “then” is a timing word which means, “soon after that, next in order of time” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). “When” means, “at or during which time” (M.W.D).  “Until” means, “up to the time that” (M.W.D.) You have to see and understand these timing words if you are going to know when prophetic events take place, that is, the order they will occur in the time leading up to the return of Christ.

Most prophecy passages contain timing words and phrases. In 1 Corinthians 15:23-28, there’s “in his own order, after that, then, when, when, until, last, when, when, then.” In Luke 21:7-33, we find “when, when, when, take place first, follow immediately, before, when, then, then, in those days, until, then, when, drawing near, is now near, when, is near.” When you study prophecy, you need to be looking for these words and phrases. Recognizing these timing words, and knowing the timing tool, Daniel’s 70th week, are two important keys to understanding the order, the sequence of end-time events.

In these end-times, God wants you to be a watchman (Psalm 130:6, Ezekiel 3:17). This means knowing what His word says about prophetic events, and then waiting and looking for them to happen. To be a good watchman, you must know the chronology of end-time events. Then when you see these events taking place:
* you will have more faith in God because you can see that He is keeping His word;
* you will have more peace because you see that all is going according to God’s word;
* you will be all the more convinced and excited that Jesus Christ is coming back;
* you will have greater joy and hope, for you know you will soon see your Savior;
* you will be more motivated to share the gospel with the lost; and
* you will want to tell other Christians what God is doing, how He’s carrying out His plans for the return of His Son, and that it won’t be long.

I encourage you to study all the New Testament prophecy passages. Grow in your convictions about the end-times, the coming of Christ, the rapture of the church, and all of God’s plans for the ages to come. And be a watchman. Then you will be “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

P.S. Here are two more posts that will add to your understanding about the timing of future end-time events: Daniel’s 70th week, One of the Keys to Understanding the End Times and The Timing of the Rapture.

Salvation Instead of Wrath – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #119 ~

The young church at Thessalonica had a great interest in learning about Christ’s return and the future God had for them. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul taught that at Christ’s coming, all believers who had died throughout history would be resurrected, and all believers still living on earth would be raptured, and then together they would meet the Lord in the air. But Paul had much more to say about God’s end-time plans for the believers and the unbelievers, and so he continues to teach them.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Paul knew they did not need to know about times and seasons, about dates and events, for he had already taught them these things. “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” Right after the Christians are raptured, this day of the Lord, God’s cataclysmic judgment, will devastate this evil world. And “they”, the unsuspecting unbelievers, will be totally caught off guard. With the Antichrist ruling the world, “they” will be saying “peace and safety,” and be “eating and drinking” (Matthew 24:38). But “they” will be deceived, for it’s a pseudo peace. Suddenly the skies will darken and there will be a great earthquake, and “they” will try to run and hide, but there will be no escaping “the wrath of the Lamb.” “Then destruction will come upon them.” Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 8-9

1 Thessalonians 5:4-5. “But you brethren are not in darkness…” Paul makes a clear and marked contrast between the Christians and the unbelievers who are living in the end-times, for “they” refers to the unbelievers, but “you” refers to the believers. “You” are not in darkness. “You” will escape God’s judgment. The day of the Lord won’t overtake “you.” This day of the Lord will not be like a “thief in the night” to “you.” And why won’t Christians be caught off guard and surprised by the sudden coming of Christ? Because they are children of God, “are sons of light and sons of day,” and know all about the “times and seasons” leading up to Christ’s coming. Not only that, but they love Christ and are serving Christ, and are looking forward to His return. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, 11. What Paul communicates in these verses are clear, concise instructions as to how Christians should live at all times and, particularly, in the end-times. It is the 21st century and “salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). I’m convinced God is now raising up an army of godly Christians who have insight, and know what they should do in these last years before Christ’s return.
* We should not be asleep, we should be awake and alert in both mind and heart. We should not be unaware of, nor indifferent to, what God’s word says about the events associated with Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. We should be watchful and discerning Christians, ones who are rightly assessing what is happening in the world around us. And we should be excitedly living for Christ and looking for His return. 
* We should be sober, and not be drunk. We should not be wrongly influenced by worldly indulgences and sensual pleasures that dull our mind and soul, and our love for God. We should be serious, self-controlled Christians, living all out for God by diligently doing all the work He wants us to do. 1 Peter 4:7-11
* We should put on the breastplate of faith and love, for this is our spiritual protection, our means of standing firm against the schemes of the devil. We should trust God by trusting in His word, in His promises, and in His power. We should love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and love our neighbors. Ephesians 6:10-18, Mark 12:30

* We should put on our spiritual helmet, which is the hope of salvation, for hope motivates us and helps us to endure for the Lord. We should know all about our future, being glorified, with Jesus, with other believers, and reigning with Christ in the millennial kingdom. We need to know that the best is yet to come. Psalm 84
* We should encourage one another, and all the more as the day of Christ draws near. We are tempted, we sin, we get weary, we get discouraged, and we need one another and need to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24-25
* We should build one another up. By both word and example, we are to disciple others, care for others, and help others spiritually grow up and make progress in their lives, character, and work for God. Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-16

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10. “God has not destined us for wrath…” How incredibly merciful and amazing that God enables us to escape His punishing wrath. Oh, we may go through momentary, light tribulation, but we will experience no “day of the Lord” at the end of this age, and no painful “lake of fire” that lasts forever. We will experience just the opposite, a perfect, wonderful, glorious and eternal future, with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and all the saints. Whether we are awake (alive when Christ returns), or asleep, (have died before His return), we will obtain “salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.” As Christians, we will soon be glorified, and then forever live together with Jesus. “Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18

P.S. A post that helps you understand what God wants Christians to do in the end-times is “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?” A post that tells you more about what happens to the non-Christians in the end-times is “The Day of the LORD: The Wrath of God on Earth.”

The Resurrection and the Rapture – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #118 ~

An essential and critical passage to understand with regards to Christ’s coming, the resurrection and the rapture of believers is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Here is what it says:
Verse 13: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” Paul wrote this passage because of confusion in the Thessalonian church as to what would happen to fellow believers who had physically died, or as was said, had fallen asleep. He didn’t want anyone to be uninformed or in error with regard to the truth of the resurrection, and how it related to their own lives, and the lives of loved ones who had already died.

Verse 14: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” To clear up their confusion, Paul begins by declaring the foundational truth of Christ’s death and resurrection, which is the basis for the resurrection of all believers. Paul links the resurrection of Christ with the future resurrection of those who had already died, which would include both Old Testament and church-age saints. God’s plan is for all these believers to be resurrected, and return with Christ when He comes back to heaven, which is further explained in verses 15-16.

Verse 15a: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord…” Before Paul continues, he emphasizes the truthfulness and extreme importance of this passage by saying that what he was sharing was not his or any man’s idea, but rather “the word of the Lord,” the actual word of God.

Verse 15b: “that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord…” Paul is stating that the resurrection of believers occurs at the coming of the Lord, which he also says in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23: “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep… after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” This word “coming,” from the Greek “parousia,” is the most common word used in the New Testament when speaking about Christ’s return, appearing over 20 times. It is a noun which means presence, and therefore speaks of the presence of the Lord.

By saying, “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord,” it’s obvious that Paul thought he might be alive on earth at Christ’s coming. But it’s about 2000 years later, and we are now living in the end-times, which means the truth of His coming is more relevant and applicable to our generation. I am both amazed and excited to think Christ’s coming could take place in our lifetime. I believe many Christians now living on earth will remain, that is, be ones who survive great tribulation, and are here when Christ returns. And that Paul says these believers will “remain until” means the resurrection of the believers is the very first event to occur at “the coming of the Lord.”

Verse 15c.will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” The believers who have already died, and are now in heaven, will be resurrected before the resurrection of those still living on earth. I believe there will be only a split second or two between their resurrections, but nevertheless, all believers who have died will have the honor of being glorified, of getting their new bodies, before those on earth.

Verse 16: “For 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.” God tells us what will be taking place just before the resurrection of all the believers:
1) The Lord Jesus Himself descends from heaven. Luke 21:27
2) As Jesus descends, He gives out a loud shout, a loud command heard round the earth. Jesus is not just announcing His coming, but is commanding believers to come to Him.
3) The archangel’s voice is clearly heard, joyfully proclaiming the coming of Christ.  
4) The trumpet of God is also signaling the coming of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:52
5) The dead in Christ, as stated in verse 14, will arise, that is, be resurrected, and as stated in verse 15, will arise first, before the Christians who are still living on earth.

Verse 17: “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.” Paul goes on to tell us God’s plan for the resurrection of the believers living on earth:
6) The believers who are alive and remain on earth at Christ’s coming will be caught up. This phrase, “caught up”, from the Greek “harpazo”, means to be forcibly taken, to be seized, and is also translated as raptured. At Christ’s coming, all believers who are on earth will suddenly be lifted off the earth, be raptured, and immediately be resurrected.
7) All the Christians being taken from the earth will be gathered together with the believers who had just been resurrected. Mark 13:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1
8) All the resurrected believers, those who were in heaven, and those who were on earth, will meet the Lord in the air. How wonderful this will be, for all believers from all time will now be with the Lord, and be with Him forever! The coming of Christ, the glorification of all believers, and that they are finally with Christ, is the great climax and conclusion of this age, and the beginning of God’s glorious plans for the rest of eternity.

Verse 18: “Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” Now that we know these things, what should we do? We are to comfort and encourage other Christians by telling them that they will be resurrected, glorified, and fully saved, at Christ’s coming. We are to tell them that they will be reunited with all believers who have ever lived, but most importantly, will be with the Lord forever. Should we not be excited about this, and looking forward to this, and “encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near?” Hebrews 10:25

Simply stated, all believers from Old Testament times and from the church age, will be resurrected, will be glorified, at the coming of Jesus Christ, and will be with Him forever. This is great news, wonderful news, magnificent news! Amen!

P.S. The Resurrection and the Rapture are two very important and related subjects. Here are two posts and an article which will give you further understanding: The Rapture of the Christians at the Second Coming of Christ, The Resurrection and Rapture of the Believers, and The Rapture of the Church.

Converging Hopes for Jewish and Gentile Believers

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #117 ~

When we look back through history, we see that Jewish believers had hope for the future. Abraham was “looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Job stated, “at the last He (my Redeemer) will take His stand on the earth” (Job 19:25). Hannah knew that “the Lord will judge the ends of the earth” (1 Samuel 2:10). David said confidently, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). When writing about the Son of Man, Daniel knew “His kingdom will be an everlasting Kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (Daniel 7:27). These Jewish saints all had hope, for they were looking ahead, and looking forward, to God’s purposes being fulfilled. But they had an incomplete picture, for God had not revealed to them all that He was planning to do in the future.

What about the saints in the early church? It’s obvious that they learned much more about this hope, the glorious plans God had in store for His people. Peter (1 Peter 1:3-5, 10-13), John (Revelation), Matthew (Matthew 24), Luke (Luke 21:7-36), Paul (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:9), and James (James 5:7-9), all wrote about the coming of Jesus Christ. This divine revelation, in addition to what the Old Testament saints had written, gave them a much clearer picture of Christ’s return and specific events preceding it. Like the believers before them, these 1st century Christians also had hope, for they were anticipating the fulfillment of God’s promises to them. But it wasn’t clear to them when all these prophesied events would take place. In fact, Jesus told the apostles, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority” (Acts 1:7). As we look back, we can see that they didn’t need to know when, for God knew it would be a long, long time until the end of the age and the coming of Christ.

Here we are in the 21st century, and close to two thousand years have come and gone since the start of the church age, and Christ still has not returned. Millions and millions of believers from the past, both Jews and Gentiles, have gone on to heaven before us. Their passing away, their departure from this earth, was a good thing, for their hope was partially fulfilled – they immediately were taken to be with Christ, met many loving saints, and were blessed to be in a sinless and perfect state. And they passed the baton on to other believers, and now it’s our turn to run the race.

But it won’t be thousands of years before Christ comes back, and it won’t be hundreds of years either. That the Jews are back in their land, that Israel has been reestablished as a nation is proof, evidence, and God’s sign to us that it won’t be long before He sends His Son back to earth. No one but God knows the exact time of Christ’s return, but we can know the general time, for God’s prophetic word is being fulfilled in the world around us, and we can see that the day of Christ is drawing near. Matthew 24:3-36

What a privilege to be living at this time in history, in these years leading up to Christ’s return. Shouldn’t we be more excited about His coming than other believers who lived in the past? Shouldn’t we see that our “salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed” (Romans 14:11)? Shouldn’t we be like the “sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, and knew what they should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32)? Shouldn’t we “give understanding to the many” (Daniel 11:33)? Shouldn’t we “make ready the way of the Lord” (Luke 3:4)? Shouldn’t we be “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12)? Shouldn’t we tell others all we know about what lies ahead, and Who will soon appear in the clouds above us (Mark 13:23, 26)? Yes, yes, yes!

For thousands of years, believers have been hoping, waiting, looking, longing for that time when the Messiah, the Christ, will set up His kingdom on this earth. But to think He could come in our lifetime is a thrilling thought, a most encouraging possibility. Might we then “run with endurance the race that is set before us,” the last leg of this race, this race to the end of the age, this race to see Jesus. Might we fix our eyes on Jesus, and fix our hope on the grace to be brought to us when He is revealed (Hebrews 11:1-2, 1 Peter 1:13), for it is at His coming that we will begin to see the realization of all our hopes, the fulfillment of God’s promises to all His people. Then we will be given new bodies, meet up with loved ones we knew on earth, see God’s judgment of the world, be revealed with Christ in glory, and soon after that, begin to reign over the earth with Him.

Then we will see His plans for the Jews coincide with His plans for the church (Hebrews 11:39-40). His promise to the Jews, “the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever” (Psalm 37:29), will be fulfilled in conjunction with His promise to the church, “blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Romans 15:10 confirms this when it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people,” His people being the Jewish believers. Then we read, “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). Might you see that God wants all believers, Jews and Gentiles, Old Testament saints and church-age believers, to be abounding in hope! Might you be excitedly looking forward to what God will be doing for all His people, and all for His glory. “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him.” Romans 15:11

P.S. This post spoke about the future of both Jewish and Gentile believers. I have written quite a bit about the Jews in past posts. Here are three I would strongly encourage you to read: A Jewish Reading Lesson, Why the Jews are Important for You and the Church, Clear New Testament Confirmation of God’s Plans for the Jews.

The Best is Yet to Come!!!

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #116 ~

What a great, glorious and perfect future that God has planned out for all believers! Now you might live 80 to 90 years on this earth, but the best is yet to come, a continual, heart-rejoicing and God-glorifying eternity. As a Christian, one of your greatest needs is to know, understand, and be excited about this hope God has for you. But what exactly is it God wants you to be looking forward to? Here is what He tells you in His word:

1. You will be with Jesus! “We shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The primary focus of your hope is not a place, not things to do, nor people to see, but the person of “Christ Jesus, who is our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). The centerpiece of your hope is that you will literally be with Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. This Jesus, who is your Savior, Lord, Redeemer, King, Husband and Friend, loves you so much more than anyone else. You can’t imagine what it will be like to be with Jesus, who lived, died and rose again, is now seated next to God the Father, and “can’t wait” to come back to be with you, and with all the believers. Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they… be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me” John 17:24). Then, like never before, you will be loved by Him, learn from Him, serve Him and worship Him!

2. You will have no more problems! “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17). “There will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). You will have no more sinful thoughts, words or actions. You will have no more anger, pride, hate, selfishness, impurity, fear, anxiety or jealousy. You will have no more aches, ailments, tiredness, trials or conflicts. You will be perfect, your life will be perfect, and all your relationships will be perfect!

3. You will be with all the believers! “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Just think, you will be with all the believers who have ever lived, those who have already gone to heaven, and those still living on earth. This means you will be with all your loved ones. What a joy to be with believing family members and friends you knew on earth, as well as other believers you heard about, or didn’t hear about, and will then meet for the very first time. Oh, what divine fellowship and friendships we will have in the future!

4. You will be in heaven, the house of God! “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Heaven, a breathtakingly brilliant and magnificent place, will be inhabited by Jesus our mediator, God the judge, myriads of angels, righteous spirits and the church (Hebrews 12:22-24). Heaven, the most holy place of all, is also referred to as “The courts of the Lord… Your dwelling places… the house of my God… Zion.” Psalm 84!

5. You will have a new home! “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-3). “They will receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). Yes, you will be in heaven, but Jesus will have also prepared a special dwelling place for you, which will be located in the new Jerusalem, that glorious city (Revelation 21:10-21). I believe you will have your own spotless, delightful, and perfectly-suited place, a place you can call home, and be at home, where you can wonderfully worship the Lord and sweetly fellowship with others!

6. You will be given a new body! It will be “an imperishable body… raised in glory… raised in power… a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). At Christ’s coming, you will receive an imperishable body, one that cannot die or be destroyed, but is immortal and eternal. It will be glorious, perfect inside and out, altogether beautiful, and like Jesus’ body, a display of God’s glory. It will be powerful, always energized, much stronger than anyone in this present world, and able to go anyplace and do anything God wants you to do. It will be a spiritual body, perfect in character, speech and actions, and perfectly able to always worship and serve the Lord, and to fully love and be fully loved!

7. You will receive an inheritance! This is “an inheritance which is imperishable” (1 Peter 1:3-4). “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:3, Psalm 37). We are not just talking about silver, gold and precious gems, but the entire world and all it contains – birds, flowers, fish, seas, animals, mountains, forests, clouds, cities and much more. As co-heirs with Christ, He will possess and share the world with us!

8. You will be greatly rewarded! “Each will receive his own reward for his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8, Revelation 22:12). God is not cheap, but One who will richly reward you in heaven for all your labor on earth. This reward, I believe, relates to your relationship with Christ, the nature of your heavenly dwelling place, and the work God will give you to do. I hope you realize that it’s supremely and eternally worth it to serve the Lord!

9. You will see Jesus Christ reign over the world! “God reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:8). When Christ comes back, He will perfectly reign over this world. His truth will be proclaimed; He will judge the people; He will guide the nations; His mercy will be shown to the poor; and many will be saved. (Psalms 67, 72, 96). Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Your prayer will be answered: “Our Father… Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10!

10. You will reign with Jesus Christ! “They will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for one thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). “His master said to Him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things – I will put you in charge of many things’” (Matthew 25:21). As a priest of God, you will be reigning with Christ, serving and helping Him rule over this world. Having a glorified body will enable you to happily, heartily and successfully do all the work He wants you to do!

11. You will experience an abundant and eternal life! “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). In the coming ages, you will always be experiencing the wonderful love and goodness of God. You will never, not for a second, be sad or worried, but will continually be filled with abundant joy and peace. You will experience innumerable pleasures, always enjoying and being encouraged by your relationship with Jesus, your relationships with saints and angels, and sharing in the everlasting glory of God!

12. You will be worshiping God all the time! “I will praise Your name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:2). In your entire eternal existence, your number one purpose is to love and worship God, and that is what you will perfectly and joyfully do. Without question, your favorite, soul-satisfying experience will be when you are wholeheartedly praising God, and giving Him all the glory. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise… the Lord is good, and His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 100:4-5!

This is a limited description of your hope, your awesome, fantastic, spectacular and heavenly future! This God-given hope is an incredible, unbelievable and undeserved gift, a personal and perfectly planned out future. Be excited about it, be longing for it, and be looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s guaranteed and glorious plans for you. They are supremely and infinitely better than anything you have ever experienced on earth!

Take the time to really think about what God has in store for you, and be thankful that He will be so loving, kind and generous to you. God has only given you one life on this earth, and that for a very short while, and then He will set in motion the rest of your eternal life, the most wonderful life you could ever imagine. Now that we live in the end-times, it won’t be long before your hopes will be realized, when you will finally and fully be saved, when you will perfectly and forever be worshiping and serving your great God and Father, and your Lord Jesus Christ. “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever… Amen.” Revelation 5:13-14!

P.S. My desire is to help you see the extreme value of hope for your life and for the entire church. If you have not yet read the previous posts on hope, Post 112, Post 113, and Post 115, I would encourage you to do so. I really believe reading them will make a big difference in your life.

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

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

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.”

You Need Hope to Get Through Life

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #112 ~

Every person has challenges, difficulties and pressures. Life is not easy. It can be hard, extremely hard, and at times, seem impossible! That’s why you need hope! A person can only keep going if he has hope. People who are sick look forward to getting better. People who are hungry are anticipating their next meal. People who work hard all week can’t wait for the weekend. To be honest, you can’t live without hope. But for you, as a Christian, I’m talking about godly hope; and God knows you need it, otherwise, you will become discouraged, lose heart, and want to give up and quit.

But what is hope? It’s a reason to live. It’s a present certainty about a future reality. It’s what you don’t have now but are convinced you will receive in the future. It’s the promise of the gospel that speaks about your life after this life. It is the confident expectation of God’s future love for you. It’s a present faith in God’s promises resulting in a sure realization of His future blessing upon your life. But more than anything else, it’s longing to be with Jesus, knowing that you will soon see Him in heaven.

My fear is that many Christians don’t have this godly hope in their heart. Focused on this present life, they are thinking about this world, but are not setting their hearts on things above. A believer cannot live rightly for God in the present if he is not longing for the future, for that time when Christ is revealed, and he will be with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4). You need hope, for it helps you to be holy, strengthens you during trials, and anchors your soul when you are in troubled waters (1 John 3:3, Psalm 62:5-6, Hebrews 6:10). To have hope, you need to meditate on God’s promises. Think about Psalm 23:6 (“I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”), and God will give you hope.

All godly believers who have gone on before us have lived with hope in their hearts. They had an assurance, a “conviction of things not seen.” Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God… all these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance” (Hebrews 11:1, 10-13). But now that we live in the end-times, we are seeing prophesied signs being fulfilled, which means it won’t be long before the coming of Christ. More than any other generation, we ought to be “looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13

This Titus verse, as some wrongly think, does not imply there won’t be great tribulation before Christ’s coming. The Bible makes it clear that before Christ’s return and the rapture of the church, there will be birth pains, economic difficulties, food shortages, family members hating us, great persecution, and the Antichrist ruling the world. Some of the most difficult days for the church still lie ahead, which means that the way to heaven will be a rough road for many of us. I am not saying we are to be looking for the tough times, but we do need to hear and heed Christ’s warning: “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Matthew 24:9

This is when “looking for the blessed hope…”, will not just be a nice idea, but a necessity. This is when hope will be essential, when we cannot, at least in a godly way, make it without it. When life gets real hard, we need to know that Christ is coming soon, and be “fixing our eyes on Jesus… who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God.” The greatest example of One who had hope is Jesus. “Consider Him who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Are you abounding and overflowing with hope? Are you excited that you have a God-planned future, an amazing and perfect future in the ages to come? No matter what happens in the present, your future will be infinitely better. It’s well worth it to live and suffer for Christ on earth, for yours “is the kingdom of heaven… your reward in heaven is great.” Matthew 5:10, 12

What is this hope God wants you to be looking forward to? You will be with Jesus, your Lord, Savior and King (John 14:3). You will be in a heavenly home, a place prepared by Jesus just for you (John 14:2-3). You will receive an immortal, glorified, spiritual, powerful body, perfectly suited to love and serve God forever (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). You will be with all the saints, including loved ones who have passed away before you (1 Thessalonians 4:14). You will obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled (1 Peter 1:5). Finally, there will always be fullness of joy, along with eternal pleasures. Psalm 16:11

Godly hope is greatly encouraging and extremely motivating, and will energize you to keep persevering to the end of your short stay on this earth. Look forward to being with Jesus, and to the fulfillment and realization of all your hopes. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

P.S. I encourage you to read this article, “You Have to Have Hope,” for it greatly expands on this important and needed subject.

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