Category: Purpose (Page 1 of 5)

Blog posts about purpose.

Thinking – Thanking – Praising – Proclaiming

January 3, 2026 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #349 ~

There are four things God wants you to do in 2026, 2027, and forever – thinking, thanking, praising, and proclaiming – and they are essential for your relationship with God and your spiritual growth. Doing these things brings God glory, gives you joy, and are keys to spiritual success. And they are sequential, for thinking leads to thanking which leads to praising which leads to proclaiming. Many Psalms talk about these godly instructions. So let’s look at them:

Psalm 9. Vs. 1a says, “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart” (thanking). Vs. 2 tells us, “I will give praise to Your name, O Most High” (praising). Vs. 1b informs us, “I will tell of all Your wonders”, and similarly, vs. 11 says, “Declare among the people His deeds” (proclaiming). The rest of the Psalm tells us what David is thinking, that God watches over His people but judges the nations, which is the reason he is thanking and praising God, and proclaiming His deeds.

Psalm 105. Vs. 1a says, “O give thanks to the Lord” (thanking). Vs. 2a tells us, “Sing praises to Him” (praising). Vss. 1b and 2b instruct us, “Make known His deeds among the peoples”, and “Speak of all His wonders” (proclaiming). Vs. 5 tells us to “remember His wonders” (thinking), and vss. 6-45 go on to share these wonders, that God raised up the Jews and led them into the promised land, which explains what the writer is thinking, and why he is thanking and praising God, and proclaiming His deeds. Ps. 136:10-24 gives a similar history of the Jews, and repeatedly states that what God is doing shows His love for them, and they are to thank Him for this.

Psalm 106. Vs. 1b says, “Give thanks to the Lord.” (thanking). Vs. 1a tells us, “Praise the Lord” (praising). Vs. 2 states that we are to “speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord” (proclaiming). This Psalm focuses on Israel’s sins and yet, God still loved them, led them, and did mighty deeds for them. So we are to think about God’s deeds for it leads us to thanking, praising, and proclaiming.

Psalm 111. Vs. 1b tells us to “give thanks to the Lord” with all our heart (thanking). Vs. 1a commands us to “praise the Lord” (praising). Vs. 2 says that “the works of the Lord are studied by all who delight in them”, and vs. 4 tells us,“He has made His wonders to be remembered” (thinking). Vss. 5-9 summarize God’s wonderful work and character, which is what the Jews are to think about and which results in them thanking and praising God. The Psalm rightly concludes by saying, “His praise endures forever.” Ps. 111:10

Psalm 145. Vs. 5 tells us to “meditate” on God’s “wonderful works” (thinking). Vs. 10a says we are to give “thanks” to the Lord (thanking). Vss. 1-2 instructs us to “praise” the Lord (praising). Vs. 4 tells us to “declare” God’s mighty acts (proclaiming). Ps. 145, like Ps. 106, has much to say about God’s work and character. And vss. 14-20 give many examples of how God’s work displays His character (vss. 8-9), and we are to thank and praise God for this. Vss. 11-13 gives the big picture for it speaks of God’s eternal kingdom – and we will be with Christ in His kingdom, and forever thinking of Him, thanking Him, praising Him, and proclaiming Him as Lord. Phil. 2:9-11

Let’s now look at the meaning of thinking, thanking, praising, and proclaiming: First, think about the works of God. The word meditate means to think, and we know the importance of daily meditating on God’s word. (Ps. 1:2). So too you are to daily think about what’s happening so as to learn how God is working. I suggest taking time every night to think about your day, to reflect on His work to see what He’s doing in your life and in the lives of others. “I meditate on all Your doings.” (Ps. 143:5). And look back over the past week, month, year, or even your entire life, and think about key events and people during those times. I cannot stress enough the value of taking the time to think about what God is doing. Then you will thank and praise Him and say, “You are great and do wondrous deeds.” Ps. 86:10

Second, thank God for His works. Thinking about God’s work is the basis for thanking Him. Thinking about His work results in recognizing His involvement and activity in your life. Doing this enlarges God in your mind, making Him and His work more visible to you. This warms your heart for God, fills you with love for Him, and motivates you to be thankful, to be grateful to Him.

The greatest work of God is your salvation, that He has forgiven you, given you eternal life, and made you His child – and it pleases God when you thank Him for this, which should happen every day of your life and when you have communion (1 Cor. 11:24-25). It’s also good to thank God for what He does in general, like loving you. And thank Him for specific things, for food, friends, children, church, trials, weather, work, money, etc. “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you” (1 Th. 5:18). Thinking about God’s work brings His character into view, His love, holiness, kindness, power, patience, wisdom, sovereignty, etc. and it’s a blessing to thank Him for this as well. “I will… magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Ps. 69:30

Third, praise God for His works. The phrase “praise” and other forms of“praise” appear 214 times in the book of Psalms (KJV), and this is a strong statement from God to you that this should be a major part of your life. Praise is defined as boast, celebrate, shine, glory, or exalt. It’s not lifting up and thinking about self, sin, or evil things, but lifting up God and godly thoughts, and glorifying Him, celebrating Him, and boasting about Him. “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Ps. 34:3

Praise starts in your heart, in your innermost being, and is heard in your words and seen in your actions. “You are the light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14).“Light shall shine out of darkness” (2 Cor 4:6). Praising God is essential for your relationship with Him; being able to live for Him; being holy; being filled with love, joy, and hope; loving others; spiritual success; and much, much more.

All people are to praise God, but unbelievers praise themselves, things, and others – singers, athletes, actors, actresses, politicians, celebrities, etc., and they are idolaters. Christians are only to praise God, for He is their Creator, Savior, and Lord, and He is loving, holy, and powerful. And the more you praise God, the more you see Him for who He is, the more united you are with Him, the more intimacy you have with Him, and the more you love Him. So praise the Lord at all times, and all day long, and in these end-times. And praise the Lord when life is good, when it’s sunny, or when life is hard, when it’s stormy. “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:1-2

Fourth, proclaim the works of God. It’s not enough to just think about God’s work and thank and praise Him for it – you are to tell others about it. God wants you to be a good witness, to lovingly and clearly testify of His glorious work, from being saved, to how He is working in your life and in the lives of others, to what He is doing in this world, and to His Son’s return to establish His kingdom on earth.

“Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation” (Ps. 71:18). “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts… men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness” (Ps. 145:4, 6). “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). “They reported all that God had done for them.” Acts 15:4

You must know what’s happening in these end-times, but you must also know what you are to do. And thinking, thanking, praising, and proclaiming is what God wants you to do, and is at the heart, is essential for everything else He wants you to do. Focus on these four things, and I guarantee you that you will have not just a good year, but a great year, and a great forever. I say forever because thinking, thanking, praising, and proclaiming is what we will be doing for all eternity. “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Rev. 5:13

P.S. So in general, what will be taking place this year” Here is a post that will tell you: “God’s Plans for 2024 and Beyond.” Here is another post about what God wants you to do in the end-times: “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”

Why Do Christians Die?

September 13, 2025 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #340 ~

When someone dies, there’s always the “why” question? Why did the person die, what was the cause of death? If it was homicide, they ask why did the killer murder him, what was his motive? But why do Christians die? This is a such an important question. And I am not talking about physical reasons, like sickness, old age, an accident, drugs, war, murder, or assassination. I am talking about spiritual reasons. That is, why does God want His children to die? What are His reasons for the death of a believer? What does God tell us in His word?

His time on earth was finished. “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Ps. 139:17). “His days are determined… his limits You have set” (Job 14:5). God had decided in eternity past the exact number of days the believer was to live on this earth. They had been predetermined by God and they had come to an end. This believer’s time on earth was over, and God had to bring him home, not one day sooner or one day later.

His work on earth was finished. “I brought You glory on earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do” (Jn. 17:4). “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). All the work God wanted the believer to do was done. When a believer leaves earth and goes to heaven, then we must conclude that his work on earth was completed and there was nothing more for him to do. The believer went through death’s door to get to heaven, and there his eternal work for God continues in a greater, more glorious way.

To be at home in heaven with His Father. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Ps. 116:15). God the Father wanted His child to come home, for He knew it was better that he be with Him in heaven than with us on earth. It’s imperative that we see a believer’s death from God’s perspective, for while we may have wanted the believer to stay, God wanted him to go, and to be with Him in heaven. And who are we to argue with God?

To be with Jesus and see His 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” (Jn. 17:24). On earth, the believer is not physically with Jesus, but now he is in heaven and is literally with Him. The believer’s eyes are opened wide and he can clearly see Jesus’ great glory, which is on full display. Like never before, the believer experiences His love, joy, holiness, power, kindness, wisdom, and majesty. Why would we not be glad that he is in heaven? Why would we not want the believer to be with Jesus and know the wonderful joys and pleasures of heaven? “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11

To be with other believers in heaven. “Aaron will be gathered to his people” (Num. 20:24). A believer has family and friends on earth, but his death results in him being with them and others who had gone to heaven before him. This believer is now with ones in heaven who love him and whom he loves, and whom he has missed. Think about the intimate and perfect fellowship this believer is now having with other Christians. “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus?” 1 Thess. 2:19

To be taken away from evil. “The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart; and devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, He enters into peace” (Is. 57:1-2). This world, led by the devil and evildoers, is a very wicked place, and it’s filled with pride, hate, greed, war, crime, corruption, racism, immorality, injustice, persecution, and much more. To die is a great blessing for the believer, for he is finally and forever freed from the devil, this evil world, and from all temptation and sin.

To be free from physical pain. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain” (Rev. 21:4). What a comforting truth – the believer who just went to heaven is totally free from physical ailments, from aches, pains, sickness, tiredness, and weakness. On earth he lived in an earthly tent, in a physical body afflicted and scourged with physical struggles (2 Cor. 5:1-5). Jonathan Edwards said it this way, “When a godly man dies, he rises from all remains of spiritual death, and comes into a state of perfect life. This body is like a prison to the soul, it exceedingly clogs, and hinders, and cramps it in its spiritual exercisers and comfort. When a saint dies, the soul is released from this prison, this grave and comes into a state of glorious freedom and happiness.”

To rest from his labors on earth. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them” (Rev. 14:13). The believer was on earth working for the Lord and this was good work, and it was hard, tiring, wearing, but rewarding (Col. 3:23-24). Now he is in heaven, and he is still working for the Lord, but it’s no sweat, no stress, no aches, and he never gets tired. His deeds follow him in that his heavenly work is related to his rewarding earthly work, and more than ever, it’s productive, fulfilling, and God-glorifying. Luke 19:11-19

To be able to perfectly worship the Lord. “How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You” (Ps. 84:4). The believer in heaven is finally, fully, and always able to love God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Since he sins no more, since his relationship with God is perfect, than he perfectly knows God’s love, perfectly loves God, and is joyfully and wholeheartedly worshiping Him. “Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” 1 Cor. 13:12

To be in heaven with Jesus is gain. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain… to be with Christ is very much better” (Phil. 1:21-23). It is much better for the believer to be in heaven than on earth. In heaven, he has no pain, sin, sickness, sadness, tiredness, weakness, worries, fears, conflicts, difficulties, or trials. His character is pure and holy; he is able to wholly love and worship God; he is full of goodness and joy; he is with friends he knew on earth. Most importantly, the believer is with Jesus, his best friend, and as they are together, there is great joy and love and fellowship. Just think, the believer you know, the believer you spent time with on earth, is now in the very presence of Jesus, “blameless with great joy.” Jude 24-25

To instruct believers still living on earth. “The day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Eccl. 7:2-4). A believer’s death is to instruct us that life on earth is short, is but a vapor (James 4:14). It is to remind us that while we are alive, God has work for us to do, and now’s the time to do it. And it is to wake us up, to alert us to the fact that our last day on earth is coming soon, and then we will be with Jesus.

To instruct unbelievers living on earth. “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish” (Lk. 13:2-3). The death of a person is to sober up the sinner. It is to remind and warn him that he will die, and if he doesn’t repent, then when he dies, he will perish, he will be punished in the everlasting lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). He must realize his need to turn from his sin before it’s too late, before he dies and has no more time to repent and be saved. He must believe that Jesus is the only answer, that only He died to pay for his sins, was punished by His Father for his sins, and then rose again. “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but will have eternal life.” John 3:16

To be in the house of the Lord. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6). The believer that died is in the best place in the universe, the house of the Lord. And he’s not a guest, not just passing through, but is living there in his heavenly home – and it’s infinitely better than his earthly home. The Lord’s home is holy, joyful, peaceful, beautiful, clean, comfortable, and the perfect temperature – it’s the perfect place. The recently relocated believer is not in some far off corner of the universe, but in heaven with Jesus Himself. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you… that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3

To bring glory to God!!! “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever” (Rev. 7:12). This is what all these angels are saying when they see all these believers before the throne worshiping and glorifying God. Believers in heaven will be glorifying God like never before, along with all the angels. “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart and will glorify Your name forever.” Psalm 86:12

Consider these truths that convey God’s perspective about the death and future of a believer. You may be grieving and have strong feelings about his death, and understandably so, especially a loved one. But God does not want your grieving to be overwhelmed with sadness – there must be a gladness from God that is mixed in, that sweetens your tears, that flavors your soul with joy, and stirs you to praise your precious Lord. These truths give you hope about the future and, in particular, that you will again and forever see and be with loved ones and friends.

That we live in the end-times means Christ is coming soon, and there may be many people now living on earth who are alive when He returns. Those still alive is that remnant of God’s people who won’t physically die but “will be caught up together with them (believers who physically died) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Th. 4:17-18). These raptured believers will likely know many believers who died because of birth pains (wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues) and the great tribulation (Matt. 24:28). All these truths are especially relevant for last-days’ believers who survive the Antichrist’s great persecution. “The one who endures to the end (of this age), he will be saved (raptured and glorified).” Matthew 24:13

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

P.S. I have been to many memorial services, and most pastors focus on the past, on the life of the believer. Yes “the memory of the righteous is a blessing,” but the pastor’s job is to also give hope, to share with the people what God says in His word about our glorious future. Here are two articles to read: “Heavenly Verses That Speak About Your Glorious Future”, and “You Have to Have Hope!”

Preaching Christ and His Kingdom

August 30, 2025 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #339 ~

The writers of the New Testament epistles thought about and taught the totality of our salvation. They focused on justification, sanctification, and glorification (Rom. 3-4, 6-8:1-17, 8:18-25), and as we saw in the previous post, they often summed up our 3-part salvation in a few verses or less (Ph. 3:8-11, Tit. 2:11-14, 1 Pet. 1:3-4, 1 Jn.3:1-3). They knew it was important for us to see the future in light of the past and present, to know that our life is not static, but that our past justification and present sanctification is leading to our future glorification.

Today we will look at the gospel of the kingdom, which speaks about the entirety of our eternal life, including this 3-part salvation. It tells us of being born again and entering God’s kingdom with the result that we are members of the church, a spiritual kingdom, and in the future, of His physical kingdom. It talks of Christ dying to pay for our sins and our need to believe in Him to be spiritually saved and then physically saved with the result that we will be able to wholly and perfectly live for Him in the ages to come. Let’s look at the gospel of the kingdom:

* Matthew 4:23 – “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” The “gospel of the kingdom” is good news about Jesus being Savior, Lord, and King. This is shown in that He saves people from their sins, is Lord in their lives, and is head of the church, a spiritual kingdom. In the coming ages, He will be King over this whole wide world, over a spiritual, physical, glorious, God-glorifying kingdom.

The gospel of the kingdom was evident during Jesus’ ministry years when He displayed His power over diseases, demons, and storms, and when He defeated sin and death. In the kingdom ages, His power will be absolute, universal, and always visible. This gospel of the kingdom is supreme and comprehensive, embodied in our lives and encompassing the entirety of our eternal life from being justified to being glorified to perfectly worshiping and serving God in the millennial and eternal kingdoms.

* Mark 1:15 – “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Again, Jesus taught about the kingdom of God, and it was at hand because He, as God in the flesh, was with people, and was revealing to them His holiness, love, power, and purpose. A primary goal of His teaching during His 1^st coming was telling people their need to repent of their sins and believe the gospel, the good news that He was Lord and Savior, that only He could save them from their sins and open the door to His eternal kingdom.

* Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” A person has to be poor in spirit, he has to be humble to be saved from sin and death and become a member of God’s kingdom. He must see his spiritual poverty, his need for salvation, his need for God to show him mercy. A person poor in spirit is desperate, like a beggar. Once he is humble and believes in Christ to save him, then he is supremely blessed, immediately becoming a member of the kingdom of heaven, one that is forever holy, loving, joyful, and peaceful.

* John 3:5 – “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A person becomes a member of God’s kingdom by being born again, by being born of the Spirit, a supernatural work of God in his soul. Once a person is saved, he can spiritually see Christ, and he knows he is a member of His kingdom. In the coming ages he will physically see Christ and the kingdom of God. “He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13-14

* Acts 1:6-8, 11 – “He… appearing to them over a period of 40 days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God... They were asking Jesus, saying, ‘Lord is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs… but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem… and to the remotest part of the earth.’… He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out their sight… This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Jesus had just been resurrected from the dead, and He wanted to be with His disciples and teach them, for He knew He would soon be leaving them. And what was the main subject? It was “the kingdom of God”! Jesus wanted them to see the big picture, from the present to the future. But the disciples didn’t really understand the full gospel, the good news of the kingdom from the church age to eternity future – they were thinking about prophecies that stated that Christ would be King over a physical kingdom. Jesus, by not denying or dismissing there would be an earthly kingdom, was confirming it was true. But He told them they didn’t need to know the “times or epochs” as to when His kingdom would be established on earth. Matt. 24:32-36

The disciples were to concern themselves with being witnesses to the world, with working with Christ in building the church, a spiritual kingdom (Matt. 16:18). He had already instructed them, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). And He had commanded them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:19-20

After Jesus ascends into heaven on a cloud, two angels tell His disciples that He would come back in the same way. Jesus had previously told them He would come back on a cloud, and it was at that time they would be redeemed and gathered to Himself, and after that He would come back to earth and set up His physical kingdom. Matt. 24:31; Luke 21:27-28, 31; Rev. 11:15

One of the main lessons of Acts 1, this introductory chapter to the early history of the church, is the kingdom of God. And it was the whole kingdom of God that was being proclaimed, from the present spiritual kingdom to the eternal physical kingdom, from the good news about our salvation in Christ to the good news about Christ eternally reigning over His kingdom. Dan. 7:27

The book of Acts clearly tells us that the primary message being proclaimed to the masses, the disciples, and us was Christ and the kingdom of God. “… Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ…” (Acts 8:12). “He (Paul) entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God”(Acts 19:8). “… solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ… I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself… to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face…” (Acts 20:20-25). “Paul… testifying solemnly about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus…” (Acts 28:23). “He stayed two full years… preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 28:31

Might we realize the importance of Jesus Christ and the truth of the kingdom of God in our own lives, and of preaching Jesus Christ and the truth of the kingdom of God to others. Let’s also “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33). Let’s pray, “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). Let’s “speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. Our kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” (Ps. 145:1-3). Let’s long for that day when we say, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15

P.S. I can’t stress enough the importance of understanding the entirety of our salvation, from justification to glorification to the kingdom ages. Here are more posts that tell us about God’s kingdom how it relates to us: “The Kingdom of God”, “The King in Your Heart, and His Kingdom on Earth”, and “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

Life Lessons, What Keeps Me Going for God – Part 3

May 24, 2025 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

A Saturday Morning Post #331

I recently retired from my work as a pastor / teacher. It is at this time in my life that I want to share a number of lessons God has taught me these past 50 plus years. And personally, I will continue to apply these lessons, for I have not yet retired from serving God on this earth – that only happens when I die or am raptured. In my last two posts, I looked at 17 different truths, but there’s more to be said. So let’s continue:

18. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (Jn. 17:3). This speaks of my relationship with God, and it’s most important, for it’s foundational to my entire life, this age and the ages to come. At the heart of this relationship is believing the truth about God: knowing who He is, that He’s Creator, Lord, King, Savior, and Judge; knowing what He’s like, that He’s holy, powerful, loving, forgiving, sovereign, and good; and knowing His purpose, that He wants to raise up a people for Himself, ones who will worship and serve Him forever and ever.

Here are the key components of my relationship with God:
* Getting time alone with God on a regular basis – Luke 10:38-42
* Worshiping God – loving, praising, exalting, and thanking Him – Ps. 100
* Meditating on God’s word, thinking about what it means and how it applies to my life – Ps. 1:2
* Trusting God, having faith in Him, believing Him and His word – Ps. 62:8
* Being humble, knowing God is my Lord and that I am His servant, recognizing my need for Him, calling out to Him, and thanking Him – 1 Pet. 5:5-6
* Obeying God – knowing and keeping His commands – John 14:21, 23
* Serving God – obeying God, working and fighting for Him. 2 Tim. 4:7
* Being aware of the spiritual battle and the devil’s schemes – Eph. 6:10-13

19. “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his generation, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). God has had a purpose He wanted me to fulfill, a reason why He created and saved me. This is seen in His plans for my life, the work He has wanted me to do. His purpose, His plans, His work hasn’t been what the world, the devil, or my flesh has wanted, but what God wanted. His plans are seen in His truths, commands, and promises. For example, there’s: Ps. 23:6 – God loves me; Mark 12:30-31 – love God and love people; Matt. 6:33 – seek God’s kingdom; Matt. 24:14 – proclaim the gospel; Matt. 28:19-20 – make disciples; John 15:16 – be fruitful; Matt. 24:31 – Christ is coming back.

20. “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving Him”(1 Pet. 4:10). God is my Master, my Lord, and I am to serve Him, to work for Him. He has wanted me to serve Him in a unique way, a way unlike anyone else, and my work is part of His overall purpose for the church and overall plan for the world. What a joy to be able to serve the Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God, the Lord of lords, the King of Kings, the Savior of sinners!

How has God wanted me to serve Him? How has He wanted to use me? What part of the wall has He wanted me to build? (Neh. 3)? It has related to my relationships, my family, the church, circumstances, my talents, and my spiritual gift. And we must know our gift(s), whether it’s faith, serving, teaching, exhorting, leading, giving, mercy, etc. “God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, just as He desired” (1 Cor. 12:18). How have I known what God wanted me to do, and how can you know? By knowing God’s word, knowing His purposes, being holy, praying, getting counsel, being led by the Spirit, knowing the plans of my church, and thinking about the needs of others. Serving God and doing what He wanted me to do has been truly satisfying, motivating, and God-glorifying.

21. “I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth” (Ps. 119:13). I have learned the importance of knowing and remembering God’s word. So what have I done?
* I have learned God’s word from God Himself, and He speaks through the Holy Spirit, good Bible teachers, my wife, my friends, and good books.
* My morning routine is reading the Psalms, and an OT and NT passage.
* I keep memorizing verses, which has proved to be a great benefit to my life and God’s work.
* I regularly review my favorite verses, my life verses, which will soon be written up in the articles’ section on this blogsite.
* Most nights, I think of a verse as I go off to sleep.

22. “… though he is dead, he still speaks”(Heb. 11:4). Learning from other Christians has inspired me to be godly – and their sermons and biographies are most instructive. I find that they loved God and loved His word, and wholeheartedly served Him, and persevered in the tough times – that is, they trusted God in their trials. And God used them to preach the gospel, teach His word, and meet needs in the church. I think of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Edwards, Whitfield, Wesley, Spurgeon, Ryle, Taylor, Elliot, Lloyd-Jones, and many others. My favorite author is Iain Murray – his books are accurate, biographical, historical, and theological.

23. “Keep yourself in the love of God” (Jude 21).One of the main ways I’ve been able to keep going for God through the years is that He has helped me to abide in His love. God knows that I needed to continually feed on and be satisfied by His love, and He commanded me to do it. Here is how I have learned to do this:
* I keep reminding myself of the gospel, that God loved me, chose me, redeemed me, justified me, forgave me, reconciled me, and saved me from sin, death, and hell. The greatest demonstration of God’s love is that Christ died to pay for my sins even though I was an unworthy sinner. Rom. 5:8
* I have communion with Christians. This helps me to remember Him and His great love, and motivates me to thank Him for all He has done for me. 1 Cor. 11:23-26
* I have believed the different aspects of God’s love, that He has been good, kind, righteous, patient, forgiving, gentle, compassionate, merciful, and faithful. Col. 3:13-14
* I confess my sins to God and freshly experience His love. Ps. 51:1-13, 1 Jn. 5:5-10

* I have been satisfied by God’s love (Ps. 90:14). I have often started my day by thinking of His love for me “… proclaiming Your love in the morning.” Ps. 91:2
* I go over Bible verses on God’s love. “The Eternal Love of God” lists out over 100 verses from the Psalms on the love that God has for me and all His children.
* I take the time to meditate, to think about the love that God has for me. “We meditate on Your unfailing love.” Psalm 48:9
* I praise God for His character and for His works, for who He is and for what He has done. Ps. 9:1-2
* I have had consistent fellowship with Christians, which has given me opportunity to love them and for them to love me. Eph. 4:15-16, Heb. 10:24-25

24. “Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due time, you will reap if you do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9). I’ve gotten weary and tired, and at times have wanted to give up. But God has helped me to persevere, to not quit. How has this happened, and how can I keep living for Him until the end of my life or the end of this age?
* I have looked to God for strength, the strength He wants to give me so I can keep doing His work. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Is. 40:28-31). “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13
* I have looked to Jesus’ example and how He suffered at the hands of sinners, He was in extreme pain and under great pressure but He didn’t give up – He persevered. Heb. 12:3
* God’s promises motivated me to keep going, for they told me it’s worth it to endure, that He will greatly and eternally bless me if I continue living for Him. Ps. 31:19, 2 Pet. 1:2-4

* God has work for me to do, a race to run, and to finish it requires endurance. I don’t stop running in the middle of a race – I keep going until I hit the tape. As Jesus said, “I brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.” Jn. 17:4
* God’s word gives examples of people who persevered, who kept going until their work was done, until God’s promise was fulfilled. There’s Noah, Abraham, Job, Moses, Hannah, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Peter, Paul, etc. “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, you might have hope.” Rom. 15:4-5
* I have learned to take one day at a time. Thinking about all that I need to do in the days ahead is usually overwhelming, and it wears me out, and it makes me feel like giving up. You see, God designed 24-hour days for a reason and I have learned to focus on the work for that day. “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Ps. 118:24, Matt. 6:34

* A good runner paces himself, and if he doesn’t, he won’t win the race, and he may not even finish it. I’ve learned to pace himself, to not go too fast or too slow. (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Not only that, but I don’t have the strength and stamina I had in earlier years, and I need more rest. “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31
* I have fellowship with other Christians. And there are important benefits from spending time with them. There is love, prayer, comfort, wisdom, compassion, and encouragement, and these help me and motivate me to keep going. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” Rom. 12:10
* I try to stay healthy, to eat good food, exercise, and get the sleep I need. Ps. 127:2

25. I have learned the importance of hope. Having hope means knowing that God has excellent plans for me after my life on earth. It means knowing that it’s worth it to love God, and that working for God results in a fantastic future, in receiving eternal benefits and blessings. Let me sum up some of the key aspects of having hope. It means you are excited about being with Jesus, and about having no more sin, sorrow, weakness, or pain. It means you are looking forward to being perfect in every way, and being with people and in a place where there’s amazing love, wonderful worship, and perfect fellowship. It means you are expecting to be in heaven with other believers, and being rewarded, receiving a brand-new body, and reigning with Christ during the 1000-year kingdom age. “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.” Rom. 15:13

We have looked at 25 lessons that I believe are vitally important for you to learn if you are you to live rightly for God during your stay on earth. I’ve not learned these in a day or a week or a year, but over the course of many years, in a lifetime of being with Jesus and being in God’s word and being in good churches and being with godly believers. Might God help you to listen to Him and to learn from Him and to love Him and to live for Him in the way that He desires. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end.” Psalm 119:33

P.S. Learning from God is what you must do to live the life that He has planned out for you. I am so thankful that God has been my Teacher, the best Teacher in the world. If you have not done so already, then I encourage you to read Life Lessons 1 and Life Lessons 2.

Life Lessons, What Keeps Me Going for God – Part 1

April 24, 2025 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #329 ~

I just retired from serving as a pastor, something I have done since 1979. What a blessing, what a great privilege and honor to have been able to work for God in this way, especially in the area of teaching God’s word, and specifically with regards to Christ’s 1^st coming and 2^nd coming. My purpose in the next few posts is to share lessons I have learned that have helped me to keep going for God through all the years. I am passing them on to you because I want you to clearly understand how you can persevere for God in the end-times, in these last years leading up to Christ’s return to rapture the church.

1. “One thing is necessary.” Luke 10:38-42 tells us that Martha was busy doing all these things, but Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet. The lesson is that I must be like Mary – God must be first and foremost in my life (“The Lord is my portion” – Ps. 119:57). And God has helped me to love Him, to live for Him, to seek Him, to trust Him, to be satisfied by Him, and to put Him first, in family, finances, church, work, etc. Ps. 27:4-5, Mark 12:30

2. “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a lonely place and prayed” (Mk. 1:35). Ps. 42:2 says, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God.” This is the practical outworking of the first point. God has motivated me to get up in the morning and spend time with Him, and without question, this is the most important and favorite part of my day, the best thing I’ve done over the years. When I get with God, I read His word, pray to Him, enjoy Him, learn from Him, am strengthened by Him, and I am led by Him.

3. “Let him who boasts, boast of this, that He understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth” (Jer. 9:23-24).This is about knowing the character of God. Back in the 1970’s I read a life-changing book by A.W. Tozer on God’s character. Knowing His character, that He is holy, just, powerful, loving, forgiving, patient, wise, faithful, sovereign, etc., has been a key ingredient in being a growing, healthy, persevering Christian. My ABC’s

4. “Seek to abound for the edification of the church.” 1 Cor. 14:12. A necessary part of my life has been going to church every Sunday, unless I’m sick or on vacation. For the past 50+ years, God has always, year after year after year, provided a good church for me. When I say church, I mean a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, Christ-glorifying church, one filled with true believers who love God, love Jesus Christ, love God’s word, and love one another. Being with believers, and worshiping together, learning God’s word, and being mutually encouraged, has been absolutely essential to my progress and joy.

5. “Enjoy life with the woman you love all the days of your life.” Eccl. 9:9. I love my wife, and I know she loves me. “He who finds a wife finds what is good…” (Pr. 18:22). In God’s wisdom and goodness, and for His purposes and glory, God has given me a wife who’s perfect for me. She’s a great helper, encourage, counselor, and she supports me and prays for me more than anyone else. Where I’m at today is due in large part to having an incredibly wonderful wife. I’m so thankful that God picked her for me!

6. “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Prov. 18:24. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know hundreds of Christians, from Iowa to Maryland to Florida. But this is about having a few close, devoted, and faithful friends, ones you can always talk to and who are always there for you. For sure, it’s been my wife and children. Then there’s my physical brother Jeff who is also my spiritual brother. There’s Mike, a very close friend and gifted teacher who I met in Ames, Iowa in the late ’70’s. And there’s Steve and Vickie, good and faithful friends of both my wife and I for close to 40 years. These precious friends, gifts from God, have been an important part of His work in my life!

7. “Join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us” (Phil. 3:17). I have learned from many believers through the years. There was Abe, the faith-filled leader of a Sunday School class, and Wayne, a man with solid, word-based convictions, and Rick who exhorted me, “fulfill your ministry”, and Brent whose example of getting times alone with God motivated me to do the same, and Roger who, when I was facing opposition, encouraged me to teach the whole truth of God, and Marv and John who, by their good example, motivated me to teach God’s word more than anyone else. All these men loved God, loved His word, and loved His people. What I learned from them had a profound, lasting effect on me and my ministry!

8. “Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10). Being humble means knowing God is my Creator, Lord, and Savior. Being humble means knowing that God is my primary and ultimate authority, and then doing not what I want but what He wants. God has used His word, trials, relationships, being sick, and others’ examples to make and keep me humble. Humility is telling God, “I need You, apart from You I am nothing and can do nothing – You get all the glory” (Ps. 115:1). Humility has been a means to my salvation, my spiritual growth, having faith, receiving grace, loving others, having good friends, and being where I am at today.

9. “Man plans his way and the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9). God is sovereign, He is in control, He reigns over all things and all people. I began learning the practicality and glories of God’s sovereignty in the 1990’s, and it has had a major and super-positive impact on my life. God saves people, and He determines who is saved. He does what He wants with this world, with the countries, and with the leaders, including our President. He is in charge of the weather, the storms, and even calamities. He leads Israel and the church, and He directs my life, your life, and the life of every person in the world.

Now that I’m older, it’s easier to look back and see God’s sovereign work. God was sovereign over my father’s death in 1961, being saved in 1972, moving to Maryland in 1983, being married in 1986, being blessed with four children, being gifted to teach in 1993, moving to Tampa in 1999 and being here for the past 26 years, and now moving once again. Knowing the truth and the outworking of God’s sovereignty has been most beneficial to my life. Gen. 50:20, Rom. 8:28, Eph. 1:11-12, James 4:13-15

10. A major reason I’ve been able to keep going for God through the years is His love for me. Here are some thoughts about His love:
– God’s love is based on Christ’s death and resurrection, with the result that I have been forgiven, have eternal life, am holy, am a child of God, and have a glorious future.
– God’s love has been personal, powerful, continual, and effective in my life.
– God’s love is multifaceted and is seen in that He’s been forgiving, patient, gentle, compassionate, faithful, and perfectly wise in all His dealings with me.
– God’s love is shown in that He constantly thinks about me, cares for me, talks to me, helps me, protects me, strengthens me, and gives me everything I need.

There are many verses about God’s love that feed and fuel my soul. “Surely goodness and love follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). “Your love is better than life” (Ps. 63:3). “Your love toward me is great, and You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol” (Ps. 86:13). “Satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days” (Ps. 90:14). “In Your unfailing love, preserve my life, that I may keep Your commands” (Ps. 119:88). “Neither height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, my Lord” (Rom. 8:39). “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). Amen.

P.S. My purpose in these posts is two-fold, to help you know what is going to happen, and to help you know how you should live. And the Bible is filled with truths about how you should live, and you must learn and know them in your heart. “How Then Should We Live in the End-times” summarizes the character and the conduct that God wants you to have.

God’s Grace for Your Good and His Glory

August 10, 2024 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #310 ~

We live in the end-times, the final years before Christ returns to rapture the church, and as you probably know, this will be an increasingly difficult time (Matt. 24:9). I hope you realize that you are alive “for such at time as this” (Esther 4:14). And God will give you an abundance of grace for His glory and your good.

My purpose for this post is to help you understand what God says about what will be taking place in the end-times and how you are to live for Him. We have recently focused on the latter, specifically your relationship with God, the single most important thing in your life. “Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Ps. 73:25). Today, I want to look at the book of Psalms and see what it says about how God blesses you – and knowing this is vital for your relationship with God and the purpose He has for you. Listed below are 40 verses that tell you what God does for you.

Psalm 4:3 – “The Lord will hear when I call to Him.” God hears you perfectly when you pray, when you call out to Him, when you ask Him for help.” 6:8, 17:6, Ps. 54:2
Psalm 4:8 – “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” You will sleep peacefully as you know the Lord and trust in Him. Ps. 3:5
Psalm 17:15 – “In righteousness I will see Your face.” Those who walk righteously, who live a holy life, have an intimate relationship with God. Ps. 11:7; Ps. 27:4, 8
Psalm 16:8 – “Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Because the Lord is with you, you won’t be fearful, you’ll be at peace. Ps. 15:5, 55:22, 112:6-7
Psalm 18:1 – “I love You, O Lord, my strength.” God is your strength and power, and experiencing this will stir you to love Him. Ps. 28:7, Ps. 46:1, Ps. 59:16-17

Psalm 18:2 – “God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” For shelter, safety, and protection from the enemy, you must go to God. Ps. 46:1, 61:3-4, 71:1, 91:2
Psalm 20:2 – “May God send you help from the sanctuary.” You need help in every area of your life, and only God can give you the help you need. Ps. 27:7, 30:10, 33:20, 54:4, 63:7, 70:5, 121:2, 123:8
Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.” God personally cares for you. He watches over you, and meets all your needs. Ps. 28:8-9, 145:14-21
Psalm 23:1 – “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Through His Word, God feeds your soul, giving you the best spiritual food there is. Ps. 19:7-11, 119:103
Psalm 23:3 – “He restores my soul.” When you are spiritually tired or worn out, God will revive you, will encourage you. Ps. 19:7; Ps. 80:3, 18; 119:154, 156, 159

Psalm 23:6 – “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” You should be extremely excited and thankful for the hope God has given you, the incredibly great future He has planned out for you. Ps. 16:11, 37:11, 46:10, 47:7, 67:7, 71:5, 72:17, 73:24
Psalm 25:2 – “In You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.” Because God is your God, you will never be put to shame, you will always be victorious. Ps. 25:20, 31:1, 44:4-8, 60:11-12
Psalm 25:4 – “Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths.” Learn from God, for He is your teacher, the best teacher there is. Ps. 27:11, 70:17, 86:11, 90:12
Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” Because you are a child of God, you have nothing and no one to fear. Ps. 3:6, 23:4, 46:2, 56:4
Psalm 31:19 – “How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You.” God is good, and shows you His goodness, now and forever. Ps. 23:6, 86:5, 100:5

Psalm 32:1 – “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven… whose sin the Lord does not count against him.” To be forgiven, to have your soul cleansed from your sins, is an amazing grace, a present, eternal, and infinite blessing. Ps. 32:2-5, 51:1-4, 79:9, 130:3-4
Psalm 32:7 – “You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble.” God is the only One who can keep you “safe and secure from all alarms.” Ps. 31:20, 64:2, 143:9
Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” God will lead you, show you His way, help you know what you are to do.” 25:5, 143:8-10
Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and He answered me.” You are very special to God, and He never ignores you – He answers you when you seek Him. Ps. 86:7, 118:5
Psalm 34:19 – “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” Never forget that the Lord will deliver you from all your troubles, and will rescue you from all your enemies. Ps. 18:17, 33:19, 34:7, 59:1-2

Psalm 36:7 – “How priceless is Your unfailing love.” God greatly, personally, continually, and eternally loves you!Ps. 23:6, 26:3, 33:20, 36:10, 52:8, 57:3, 59:17, 63:3, 66:20, 89:1, 90:14, 92:2, 94:18, 103:17, 107:15, 109:21, 109:26; 115:1, 118:18, 136:1-26, 145:8
Ps. 43:3 – “Send forth Your light and Your truth.” God tells you what is true, and to really live, you must know His truth, what is right and what is wrong. Ps. 26:3, 69:13, 86:11
Psalm 54:4 – “God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me.” When you are sick or weak or tired, God will help you, support you, and keep you going. Ps. 41:3, 55:22, 68:19
Psalm 68:3 – “May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.” You should be overjoyed, you should be rejoicing and singing, for God made you perfectly, completely, and eternally holy. Ps. 64:10, 70:4, 90:15, 92:4
Ps. 69:1 – “Save me, O God.” God saved you from hell, and also delivers you from trials, problems, difficulties, and from your enemies. Ps. 69:29, 86:2, 88:1, 116:6

Psalm 71:20-21 – “Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again… You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.”Life can be very hard, but God will revive you, console you, and honor you. Ps. 86:17
Psalm 73:23 – “I am always with you.” An important things in life is to know that God never leaves you, that He’s always with you. Ps. 16:10, 23:4, 118:6, 139:7
Psalm 80:18 – “Revive us and we will call upon Your name.” You may be sad, you may be discouraged, but God can restore you, can give you fresh life. Ps. 71:20, 85:6
Psalm 86:15 – “You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” More than you realize, God lovingly puts up with you – He is patient, forgiving, and forbearing. Ps. 103:8; 78; 106; 145:8
Psalm 89:1 – “With my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known.” God is loyal, He is steadfast and consistent, and never gives up on you. Ps. 36:5, 89:5, 92:2, 100:5

Psalm 90:14 – “Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love that we may sing for joy.” God wants you to be filled with joy, His joy, every day of your life. Ps. 63:3, 65:14, 81:16, 90:14, 103:5, 107:9
Psalm 94:12 – “Blessed is the man You discipline, O Lord, the man You teach from Your law.” The Lord’s admonishing and chastening is a corrective measure, one of the ways He teaches you the truth, trains you to follow Him. Ps. 73:14; 118:8; 119:67
Psalm 94:19 – “When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul.” When you are anxious, worried, or afraid, then God Himself wants to console you, comfort you, and fill you with His joy. Ps. 71:21
Psalm 103:2-4 – “Praise the Lord…who redeems your life from the pit.” Praise God, for He purchased you, He rescued you from hell. Ps. 49:7, 55:18, 77:15, 107:2
Psalm 112:1 – “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.” God wants to greatly bless you, to give you what is good, and it happens when you fear Him and obey Him. Ps. 40:4, 65:4, 84:12, 115:12, 119:1

Psalm 116:5 – “Our God is full of compassion.”When God sees you are hurting, then He has compassion on you – and this is a special love, a deep concern that God has for you, and it moves Him to act on your behalf.” Ps. 69:16; 86:15; 103:8, 13
Psalm 121:7 – “The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life.” God is your keeper, He continually protects, guards, and watches over you. Psalm 41:2, 91:10-12, 145:20
Psalm 126:3 – “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” That God does great and wonderful things for you should cause you to be joyful, to be exulting, to be spiritually happy. Ps. 16:10, 43:4, 51:8, 51:12, 100:1
Psalm 145:8 – “The Lord is gracious and compassionate.” In every aspect of life, God will be gracious to you, giving you all the grace you need. Ps. 67:1, 86:15, 123:3
Psalm 147:6 – “The Lord sustains the humble.” God helps you when you’re humble, when you’re hurting, when you’re looking to Him. Ps. 10:17; 22:1-11; 25:9; 34:2

These verses are the truth, an incredible and overwhelming demonstration of God’s great and eternal love for you. Why does God do so much for you?
– Because you are His child, because He really loves you, because He wants you to be filled with joy, because He wants to bless you.
– Because He wants you to love Him, to thank Him, to glorify Him.
– Because He wants you to spiritually grow, to be a mature believer, and these truths are essential for your growth.
– Because He wants you to obey Him. Look at Psalm 119:115 – “Away from me you evildoers that I may keep the commands of God.” God delivers you from the enemy so you can obey Him. Psalm 119:88, 134, 145 say similar things.
– Because God wants you to be an overcomer, a strong, special-ops soldier for Him in these end-times, even when the Antichrist rules this earth and persecutes you. This can only happen if you have a close relationship with God Himself.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs… For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:1, 5

P.S. I will continue to stress the importance of growing in your relationship with God. You won’t be disappointed, and God will be honored! If you have not done it yet, please read the previous two posts on this subject. Also, I finished my article on prayers to God from the book of Psalms – “Psalms and Your Relationship with God.” I encourage you to read it and use it as a way to pray to God.

The Psalms are Needed Now, and in the Future

July 13, 2024 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #308 ~

I love the Psalms! It’s by far my favorite book in the Bible. I’ve been reading it every morning for over 50 years, and that’s because it’s the best book in the world on our relationship with God. But it also speaks about other important subjects, ones relevant to the end-times and the future that God has in store for us. “All things which are written about Me in… the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke 24:44

In the coming weeks, I will be looking at six different subjects from the Psalms: your relationship with God, suffering and persecution, the judgment of the wicked, the coming King, the coming earthly Kingdom, and God’s plans for the Jewish people. Each of these topics relates to the future, and you need to understand them if you’re to truly love God and live for Him, if you’re to fulfill His plans and bring maximum glory to Him.

Today we will examine your relationship with God. I will be looking at four points that directly relate to this subject – the person of God, the character and nature of God, God’s relationship and responsibility to man, and a believer’s relationship and responsibility to God. I will do this by writing down a number of verses from Psalms that address each of these points.

First, let’s look at the person of God. Psalms tell us that He is Lord (“You are my Lord” – Ps. 16:2); He is the Redeemer (“O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” – Ps. 19:14); He is the Shepherd (“The LORD is my shepherd“ – Ps. 23:1); He is the Savior (“Come quickly to help me, O Lord, my Savior” – Ps. 38:22); He is LORD (“O LORD, be gracious to me” – Ps. 41:4); He is King (“God is the King of all the earth” – Ps. 47:7); He is Judge (“God Himself is Judge” – Ps. 50:6); He is God (“O God, You are my God” – Ps. 63:1); and He is Creator (“He commanded and they were created” – Ps. 148:5b).

Second, let’s look at the character and nature of God. We learn that God is strong (“I love You, O Lord, my strength” – Ps. 18:1), righteous (“the Lord is righteous” – Ps. 11:7), forgiving (“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven” – Ps. 32:1), great (“a great King over all the earth” – Ps. 47:2), glorious (“to see Your power and glory” – Ps. 63:2), awesome (“how awesome are Your deeds” – Ps. 66:3), gracious (“God be gracious to us” – Ps. 67:1), holy (“Your way, O God, is holy” – 77:13), incomparable (“Lord God of hosts, who is like You?” – Ps. 89:8), faithful (“Your faithfulness also surrounds You” – Ps. 89:8), sovereign (“The Lord reigns” – Ps. 99:1), eternal (“From everlasting to everlasting, You are God” – Ps. 90:2b), good (“The Lord is good” – Ps. 100:5), compassionate (“the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him” – Ps. 103:13), wise (“… in wisdom You made them all” – Ps. 104:24), truthful (“The sum of Your word is truth” – Ps. 119:160), loving (“His love is everlasting” – Ps. 136), omniscient (“You understand my thought from afar” – Ps. 139:2), omnipresent (“Where can I flee from Your presence?” – Ps. 139:7), praiseworthy (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” – Ps. 150:6).

Third, let’s look at God’s relationship and responsibility to His people: “The Lord watches over the way of the righteous” (Ps. 1:6). “From the Lord comes deliverance” (Ps. 3:8). “The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer” (Ps. 6:9). “What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?” (Ps. 8:4). “Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” (Ps. 16:5-6). “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge; He is my shield” (Ps. 18:2). “He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (Ps. 18:17). “You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light” (Ps. 18:28).

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Ps. 23:1-3). “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way” (Ps. 25:8-9). “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped” (Ps. 28:7). “You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Ps. 30:11). “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Ps. 32:8). “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). “The Lord loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones” (Ps. 37:28).

“God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to Himself” (Ps. 49:15). “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me” (Ps. 54:4). “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him” (Ps. 62:1). “Praise be to the Lord, to God, our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves” (Ps. 68:19-20). “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26). “The LORD will indeed give what is good” (Ps. 85:12). “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You” (Ps. 86:5). “Great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave” (Ps. 86:13).

Fourth, let’s look at a believer’s relationship and responsibility to God: “To the Lord I cry aloud, and He answers me” (Ps. 3:4). “Save me because of Your unfailing love” (Ps. 6:4). “I will praise You, O LORD, with all my heart” (Ps. 9:1). “I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me” (Ps. 13:6). “Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge” (Ps. 16:1). “I love You, O Lord, my strength” (Ps. 18:1). “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord – and You forgave the guilt of my sins” (Ps. 32:5). “My soul will boast in the LORD” (Ps. 34:2). “I sought the Lord and He answered me; and saved me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4).

“I waited patiently for the Lord” (Ps. 40:1). “I desire to do Your will, O my God” (Ps. 40:8). “I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever” (Ps. 52:8). “When I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Ps. 56:3). “Have mercy on me, O God” (Ps. 57:1). “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me” (Ps. 57:2). “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone” (Ps. 62:5). “O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You, my soul thirsts for You” (Ps. 63:1). “Zeal for Your house consumes me” (Ps. 69:9). “Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me” (Ps. 69:14). “Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me” (Ps. 69:16).

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving” (Ps. 69:31). “Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory” (Ps. 73:23-24). “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago” (Ps. 77:11). “Show us Your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation” (Ps. 85:7). “Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You” (Ps. 86:2). “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name” (Ps. 86:11). “Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14).

Having a quality relationship with God is the single most needed thing in your life. Your relationship with God is what is called eternal life. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). The book of Psalms is given to us by God to help us experience eternal life, to help us get close to God, to help us know His love, joy, and peace. I encourage every one of you to make the Psalms part of your daily reading and meditation.

But I am not just thinking of the present but also the future, of that time when life on earth will be extremely difficult, when Christians will be going through great tribulation. During that time, the single most important thing for you will be your relationship with God, will be walking with Him, and knowing His presence, HIs power, and His love. “The Lord is righteous, He loves justice, upright men will see His face.” Psalm 11:7

P.S. What I have shared today are specially selected snippets from Psalms, hopefully enough to whet your spiritual appetite so that you make it part of your daily diet. In forthcoming articles, I will list a much larger selection of verses about your relationship with God, specifically points three and four. In the meantime, here are some other posts about your relationship with your Lord and Savior: “The Rapture, a Love Story”. “Promises from a Loving Father to His Children”.

God Promised “The Land” To Israel

November 10, 2023 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #290 ~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Working for God While Waiting for Christ

September 2, 2023 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #284 ~

[A much more detailed article covering the same subject about work has just been posted. I would encourage you to read that too.]

In these end-times, we are to work for God while we wait for Christ. And God has much work that He wants to do and wants us to do before He sends His Son back to earth. What a privilege to work for God in the last years of this church age. Jesus told us, “Do business with this until I come.” Luke 19:13, Mark 13:33-34

God gives many stories about people doing His work. Noah built the ark, Moses led the Israelites, Joshua commanded an army, David was a king, Nehemiah built a wall, Jesus was our Savior, Mary was His mother, Paul was a preacher, etc. Now we are getting close to the end of this age, and we should be super motivated to do the work God wants us to do before Christ comes back to earth.

Today, we will be looking at several Bible passages that speak about work:
Luke 17:7-10. “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” (Lk. 17:19). Working for God isn’t doing whatever you want whenever you want. God is your Master and you are His slave, and you are to be doing His work all the time. And don’t expect God to thank you – you’re His slave, and when you work for Him, you’re doing what you ought to do.

Colossians 3:22-24. “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” God is your perfect and supreme Master, and you’re His slave, and He is always watching you work. Work isn’t just an 8-4 or 9-5 job – it’s working for God all the time and in “whatever you do.” It can be physical work like mowing the yard, or it can be mental work like working in an office, or it can be spiritualwork like sharing the gospel. All these are examples of working for God.

Working for God when you are on earth results in heavenly and eternal rewards. “From the Lord you will receive the reward of your inheritance” (Col. 3:24, 1 Cor. 3:8). You are to wholeheartedly work for God, for it pleases Him, blesses others, and results in you being richly rewarded. Matt. 6:6, Rev. 22:12

Luke 12:13-21. You’re to think about work from a godly, eternal perspective, and not be like unbelievers who work from a fleshly, temporal perspective.
1. An unbeliever is selfish. He works and makes money for himself.
2. An unbeliever invests money for his retirement, and he stores up possessions. But he doesn’t think about the state of his sinful soul, and if he doesn’t repent while he’s on earth, then he will be punished forever and severely in hell.

3. Believers are to work to make money for their needs, other’s needs, and for God’s purposes. “By working hard… you must help the weak… ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:33-35
4. It’s prudent to save money for the future. But never put your hope in money. Put your hope in God and use the money you have for the lives of others and for His glory. This is your best investment, and the returns are out of this world.
5. Don’t retire like unbelievers who want to “take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). You may retire from a job where you’re making money, but you are to never retire from working for God. Acts 13:36, 20:24, 28:30-31

Ephesians 2:8-10. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
1. You are not saved by your “good” works, but you are saved by God’s grace, and one reason you are saved is so that by God’s grace you can do good works.
2. You are created in Christ Jesus. Don’t be like an unbeliever working at a job for his own good and his own glory, but work for God and His glory. 1 Cor. 10:31 – “Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

3. You are God’s workmanship. God made you just the way He wants you to be, giving you abilities when you were born and spiritual gifts when you were born again. “May … God … equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ.” Heb. 13:20-21
4. The work you do for God is good work. It’s work that is needed, beneficial, and important, whether it’s for your family, the church, your country, or the world.

5. God knew and planned all these good works in eternity past.
6. Christians are to walk in these good works. As you go through life, you will discover and do the work God planned for you. Pray, “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Ps. 143:10, Pr. 16:9

Here are several other important principles about work:
* Serve the Lord with gladness. Ps. 100:1
* Work by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7
* Work hard. Mark 12:30, 2 Tim 2:6, 1 Cor. 15:10, 2 Chron. 31:20-21
* Have a mind to work. Neh. 4:6

* You must be holy to do the work of God. 2 Tim. 2:20-21
* Doing God’s work is a primary reason you are living. Ps. 40:8, John 17:4
* The work God wants you to do is unique, is special. Ps. 139:13-16
* Working with others is usually better than working alone. Eccl. 4:9

* God wants you to be satisfied with the results of your work. Prov. 12:14
* You must persevere to fulfill all the work God wants you to do. Col. 1:9-12
* God wants you to rest. Mark 1:35
* Finish all the work God wants you to do. 2 Tim. 4:7, Acts 13:36
* Glorify God by doing all the work He wants you to do. John 17:4

It’s very encouraging to work for God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. Be thankful that you can do the work They want you to do, work that has eternal value, that is a blessing to you and others, and that relates directly to Christ’s coming. “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” 1 Thess. 1:9-10

P.S. “I delight to do Thy will” (Ps. 48:8). I pray that work for God and love to work for God. Here are two detailed articles that tell you most everything you need to know about work: “The Excellent End-Times’ Worker” and “Wholeheartedly Working for God in the End-Times.”

To Live is Christ, Now and Forever!!!

May 13, 2023 / stevenj777

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #276 ~

If you are a true Christian, if you have repented of your sins and have believed that Jesus Christ died to pay for your sins, and was raised from the dead, then you are a child of God, forgiven of your sins, and have eternal life. And God has planned out many great things for you in this life, and many, many, many great and glorious things for you in the future, in the ages to come.

After your life on earth, you will have a perfect body, you will be in your heavenly home, you will be with other believers, and you will be richly rewarded. What is vastly more important than any of these things is that you will be with Jesus Christ, the One who saved you from sin and death, who loves you far more than anyone else, and who can’t wait to see you. Your entire and eternal future is centered on Jesus Christ! To live is Christ! What, specifically, does this mean for you?

* You will be with Christ. “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may also be” (John 14:3). You will physically, joyfully, and forever be with Jesus Christ, your Lord, Savior, Husband, and best Friend. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

* You will live together with Christ. “… obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him” (1 Thess. 5:10). You will not be far away from Christ but will live together with Him in the holy city, the new Jerusalem, your heavenly home. Revelation 21:1-2

* You will see Jesus Christ. “I know that my redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth… from my flesh I shall see God: whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within Me” (Job 19:24-27). What will it be like when you first see Jesus Christ, when you gaze upon the face of God? You will be thrilled to see Him, you will be filled with joy, you will see His love for you, and you will love Him like never before. 1 Corinthians 13:12

* You will see Christ’s 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.” (John 17:24). When we say Christ’s glory, we are talking about His character – His love, power, holiness, goodness, mercy, truth, wisdom, splendor, majesty, etc. You will be in awe and so amazed when you witness the glorious character and person of Christ. John 17:3-5

* You will be seen with Christ. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4). You will personally be with Christ, but also publicly be seen with Him. Christ wants the whole world to know that you are part of His family, that you are royalty, and that you are loved by Him. John 14:9

* You will be perfectly holy in the presence of Christ. “God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). You will always be holy in the presence of Christ, and it’s all because He died for you on the cross, thereby, perfectly satisfying God’s justice. To God be all the glory! Jude 24-25

* You will witness the reign of Christ. “God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful Psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne” (Psalm 47:7-8). We live in a world with many evil and terrible leaders, but you will soon see Christ the King righteously ruling over the world. You will observe His justice and mercy in people’s lives, and hear praise coming from their lips. Psalm 67

* You will reign with Christ. “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6). As believers, we are a kingdom of priests, we are royalty, and thus, we will have the position and power to reign with Christ, to assist Him in His rule over the world, and to bring great glory to Him. Revelation 1:6, 5:10

* You will be like Christ. “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). You will receive a new body, one like Christ’s, one that is powerful, immortal, spiritual, and glorious. This will enable you to fully experience and enjoy eternal life, to have intimate fellowship with Him and many others, and to perfectly love and serve Him. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

* You will personally worship Christ. “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You (Psalm 145:1-2). You worship Christ now, but not perfectly so. In the future you will excitedly, continually, and wholeheartedly be worshiping and praising the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 72:18-19

* You will be perfectly loved by Christ. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love” (John 15:9). None of us experience Christ’s marvelous love like we should. But in the future, you will abide, you will remain in the fulness of His love which, unbelievably, is the same love that God the Father has for Him. Psalm 86:12-13

* You will perfectly love Christ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You don’t always and fully love Christ, but when you get to heaven you will, and perfectly so. You will greatly, joyfully, and excitedly love your Savior. Psalm 9:1-2

* You will always obey Christ. “I will always obey Your law forever and ever” (Psalm 119:44). Jesus Christ is your Lord and you are His servant, and you obey Him now but not all the time. In the future, you will enthusiastically, continually, and completely obey all His commands. How satisfying and God-glorifying that will be! Psalm 119:1-8

* You will be taught by Christ. “Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we can walk in His paths” (Isaiah 2:3). Think how encouraging it will be to listen to Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher of all time, for you will learn the ways of God and more clearly understand the word of God. Psalm 119:12

You will see Christ always exalted in your life. “To live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Jesus Christ is the heart of your life, but because of sin that doesn’t always happen. But in the future, Christ will always be the center of your life. Day after day and forever and ever Christ will be seen and exalted in and through your life. Every thing you do or say, every place you go, every person you are with, will directly relate to Christ, to His life, purpose, and glory. Philippians 1:20-24

* You will be married to Christ. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7). You are married to Jesus Christ. But at the beginning of the next age, not long from now, Christ will prepare for you the most magnificent marriage supper ever. All dressed up in fine linen and looking gloriously beautiful, you will have the time of your life with your most loving, caring, and devoted Husband. Ephesians 5:23-27

Your life as a Christian is completely centered on the person of Jesus Christ, now and forever. And your life as a Christian is a love story. Jesus has always loved you but now you know His love, and you love Him. But when you are in heaven, you will fully know His love, and you will fully love Him. Just think, you have eternal life – Christ knows you and you know Him, and He loves you and you love Him, now and forever. “To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 25

P.S. The most important thing in life is your relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Only a few things are necessary, really only one” (Luke 10:42). Here is a post and an article on this most relevant subject – “The Rapture, a Love Story” and “Thinking of Jesus Christ”.

I CAN’T WAIT TO BE WITH JESUS CHRIST

MY FUTURE IS ALL ABOUT CHRIST, MY LOVER

TO LIVE IS CHRIST – NOW AND FOREVER

Category: Purpose (Page 1 of 5)

Thinking – Thanking – Praising – Proclaiming

Why Do Christians Die?

Preaching Christ and His Kingdom

Life Lessons, What Keeps Me Going for God – Part 3

Life Lessons, What Keeps Me Going for God – Part 1

God’s Grace for Your Good and His Glory

The Psalms are Needed Now, and in the Future

God Promised “The Land” To Israel

Working for God While Waiting for Christ

To Live is Christ, Now and Forever!!!

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