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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Tribulation (Page 3 of 3)

Blog posts about tribulation.

The Persecution of the Church Before the Coming of Christ

December 15, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #48 ~

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As you probably know, I don’t preach a prosperity gospel, where health, wealth and prosperity, are some of the primary objectives. There’s no doubt God physically blesses Christians, but more importantly, He spiritually blesses us, giving us eternal life, and love, joy, peace, purpose and hope. During our time on earth, God has called us to serve Him, and to sacrifice and suffer for Him. Now this is not a popular message, especially in this country, but it’s the truth, and I will not ignore it or skim over it. When you read the Bible, it’s obvious that suffering and persecution are very big subjects.

Remember what Jesus said, “A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Think of what Peter said, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow in His steps… Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose” (1 Peter 2:21, 4:1). Then Paul told us, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

As Christians we shouldn’t be surprised when we are persecuted and suffer. Loving the Lord by living a holy life and speaking the truth will result in suffering. “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). But isn’t it true that God has blessed the United States with the freedom of assembly, speech and religion, and therefore, Christians living in this country haven’t been persecuted as much? When I read mission magazines or go online, it is obvious that it’s a lot worse in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where Christians are commonly mistreated, beaten, jailed and even killed. But you can see that persecution is getting worse in this country, and there will soon come a day when it will be just as bad here as these other places.

I say that because we now live in the end times, and the Bible clearly tells us that persecution will continue and then become great persecution the closer we get to the coming of Christ. In fact, this subject of persecution and suffering is part of every major Bible passage that speaks about events leading up to Christ’s return. Jesus repeatedly tells us about it because He wants us to know what will be taking place, and to be ready and alert, and able to be joyfully and fearlessly serving Him.

Jesus says, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me” (Matthew 24:9). Jesus says, “Those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of creation” (Mark 13:19. Jesus says, “You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death” (Luke 21:16). We all know Christians have been persecuted since the beginning days of the church, but these passages, along with Revelation 6:9-11, make it clear that it will escalate, will become severe, will climax, and go global, particularly in the years right before the return of Christ.

But how will this happen? At the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, the Antichrist is revealed and, having taken control of the world, he will unleash great persecution, first against the Jews and then against the Christians (Matthew 24:9-10, 15-26; Revelation 12:13-17). It won’t just be government officials persecuting Christians, but former fellow church-goers coming after them as well – “Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). But in my opinion, the worst will be when “brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” Mark 13:12

The devil will be stirring up this great hate for God’s people, and therefore deceived unbelievers will be going after innocent Christians, opposing them and trying to kill them. This will definitely be the most difficult time ever for Christians on this earth. Revelation 13:7 warns us, “It was also given to him (Antichrist) to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” I know this is not a feel good message, but I have to tell you the truth – the church will be greatly persecuted before the coming of Christ. And we shall overcome!

How then are we to think about persecution and suffering? 1st, know that God is sovereign and will protect you (Romans 8:28-39). 2nd, remember Peter’s instruction, “Those who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right” (1 Peter 4:19). 3rd, share the gospel. As Jesus said, “They will lay their hands on you and will persecute you… It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony” (Luke 21:13). 4th, “Consider Him who endured such suffering by sinners against Himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). 5th, Jesus told us, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer” (Revelation 2:10). 6th, Paul wrote, “God will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 7th,  as Paul said, “Know what is the hope of His calling (Ephesians 1:18). 8th, remember Jesus’ promise, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness… rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great!” Matthew 5:10-12

P.S. The day of the Lord is coming soon – a catastrophic and devastating judgment upon this world. Here are three more posts that will help you understand what will be happening in the future, and how should you live – “God Will Keep You Strong to the End”, “Truths You Need to Know About the End Times”, and “That Evil Antichrist and His Short Rule on Earth.”  

From Many Religions to the Antichrist and One World Religion

November 24, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #45 ~

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In the Bible, God has told us many things that will be occurring before the coming of Christ. One significant thing He wants us to know, is that the Antichrist will be ruling over this whole world, politically, militarily and economically, but also spiritually. It will be the Antichrist and a one world religion. “The whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast (Antichrist)… they worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:3-4

How do we get to the point where there are no more religions, no more Catholics, Lutherans, Muslims or Buddhists, etc., where everyone is worshiping the Antichrist? That seems impossible! People now go to churches, mosques, temples and synagogues; and many don’t attend any place of worship, but rather stay at home and watch football or soccer, or go out to eat, or go shopping, or go to the movies, or whatever. Every person is a worshiper, and always worships someone or something.

Let me share how we will get to that time when the world is worshiping the Antichrist:
1. Globalism. Everything on this earth is moving towards globalism. You see it with an increasing desire for one world government. You see it with travel, that you can go anyplace in the world. You see it with the economy, with foreign-made goods being sold in every country. You see it with the English language being spoken all over the world. You see it with communication, with the internet and smart phones. You see it with globally shared music and movies. You see it with currency. You see it with open borders. When you put it all together, you can see how we are getting closer to global unity and a global dictator, to one devilish man ruling the whole world.

2. Birth pains. Problems in the world, specifically the birth pains, earthquakes, famines and wars, will necessitate global solutions (Matthew 24:4-8). Eventually, a smart, sharp, strong and charismatic leader will take charge, solve our problems and bring “peace” to the world.

3. False prophets. False prophets and antichrists will increasingly be teaching that God’s word isn’t true, Christ isn’t God, man isn’t sinful, salvation isn’t through Christ alone, and that there’s no heaven and hell. (Matthew 24:11, 1 John 3:18). False teachers will be emphasizing “peace” and “love”, but diminishing truth and holiness. Popes will be pushing for unity, but it’s a fake unity. Churches and religion, in general, will be getting less popular, and attendance at places of worship will be decreasing.

4. Apostasy. There will be an apostasy, a falling away, a turning away, a huge defection from the church. “Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and mislead many” (Matthew 24:10-11, 21). But these defectors were never true Christians in the first place. They will turn from the Lord, turn against Christians, and turn them in to the authorities. It will be very evident that there are just Christians and non-Christians, believers and non-believers. “The apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3

5. Deception. “God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). Unbelievers in the world won’t be believing the truth, and so God will permit these unrighteous people to be deceived even more by all these Satan inspired signs and wonders. From the context of these verses, you can easily see how these sinners will be worshiping the Antichrist. Revelation 13:11-14

6. “Resurrection” of the beast. The Bible isn’t completely clear on the details, but some kind of seeming miracle takes place with regards to the beast, and people all over the world will be so amazed, and in awe, that they’ll worship this Antichrist. Revelation 13:3

7. Religions destroyed. Revelation 17:1-7 says that this harlot, this wicked woman symbolizing the false religions, will be destroyed, for the devil will have no more use for them. Revelation 17:16 says, “The ten horns you saw, and the beast (Antichrist), will hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked.” At this time, the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, the world will be so deceived that they will think this Antichrist is God, and will then worship him. “The man of lawlessness is revealed… who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

All this, the globalism, birth pains, false prophets, apostasy, deception, “resurrection”, and destruction of religions, will be the means and motivation by which unbelievers in the world will worship this beast, this Antichrist. Right before Christ’s return there will be either the false religion of the Antichrist or Christianity. People will be worshiping God or worshiping the devil. But don’t be afraid, for God is in charge. And don’t forget, Christ will build His church, and we’ll be working with Him, preaching the gospel and making disciples right up to the end of the age. By God’s grace we will overcome, and then Christ will return to rapture the church, pour out His wrath on the unbelievers, defeat the Antichrist, and then rule over the world. Revelation 1:4-8

P.S.  Please email me at: stevehogan@christskingdom.org if you would like a free copy of Marvin Rosenthal’s  instructive and encouraging pamphlet entitled: “As a Thief in the Night”.   If you haven’t read my Thanksgiving  article, which I recently posted, you can check it out here: Being Thankful – The Character of a Christian.

The Persecution of the Jews: From Pharaoh to the Antichrist

October 20, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #40 ~

One condition that must be met before Christ’s 2nd coming is increasing Jewish persecution. This Antisemitism has been taking place since the beginning days of Israel’s existence when they were growing up in Egypt, and 3600 years later it still goes on, and will continue right up until Christ’s return. Revelation 12 best summarizes this hellish opposition against the Jews, this persecution driven and directed by the devil himself. The imagery is given of a seven-headed, ten-horned dragon, depicting eight different devilish empires opposing the Jews. Seven of these are now in the past, but one more, the Antichrist’s 10 nation kingdom, is still to come.

Revelation 12:1-5 takes us from the birth of Israel to the birth of Christ. The pregnant woman with 12 stars is the nation of Israel, and she was in painful labor during this time. That’s because Satan was using six different kingdoms to persecute the Jews and prevent the Savior from being born – they were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. These God hating kingdoms wanted to wipe out the Jews and Jesus, but none were successful, for verse 5 tells us about the birth of Jesus Christ, the future Ruler, and that He ascended into heaven. And that’s all it says, for the main point of this verse isn’t about Christ being the Savior, but that Christ will be the King over the world.

Revelation 12 isn’t about the church age, it’s about the “woman”, the Jews, being persecuted by the devil. Looking back we see that there’s about a 2000 year gap between verses 5 and 6, taking us from Christ’s 1st coming to the last half of Daniel’s 70th week and Christ’s 2nd coming. But where were the Jews during this entire time? When Jesus was on earth, He repeatedly predicted that wrath was coming upon the Jews (Luke 19:41-44, 20:16, 21:20-24, 23:28-31), and this tragically took place around 70AD. Historians tell us that close to 1 million Jews were killed by the Romans, and Luke 21:24 says the rest would then “be led captive into all the nations, and will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles.” God’s word has come true, for there’s been great persecution against the Jews over the course of all those years, but by God’s mercy, they were never completely destroyed – a remnant of Jews has always survived.

The Diaspora, this worldwide Jewish displacement, lasted a long time, a little over 1800 years, but by the promises of God and for the purposes of God, the Jews have miraculously been returning to their land. And the persecution continued, their darkest days occurring when this devilish Hitler led a holocaust resulting in the mass murder of close to 6 million Jews. God was sovereign in that their deaths led to the rebirth of their nation in 1948. The anti-Semitic attacks kept coming – there was the Sinai War of 1956, the Six Day War of 1967, the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Lebanon War of 1982, and in addition, a great deal of global opposition.

Now it’s 2017, and it’s obvious to those who watch world affairs, that there’s a major effort underway to get a peace treaty between the Jews and Palestinians. What’s amazing is that over 2500 years ago God predicted that a covenant between the Jews and the Antichrist would be confirmed, and it would take place right at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, that end times’ prophecy packed 7 year time frame (Daniel 9:24-27).

I don’t believe it will be too long before this covenant is signed, and life may then be a bit better for the Jews, but this “peace” will be short lived. That’s because the Antichrist is a liar. We then come to the midpoint of Daniels’ 70th week, and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us that this “son of destruction… takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” All discerning Jews and Christians will know that this is the Antichrist. This most evil man will begin persecuting the Jews, then the Christians. Starting in Jerusalem, this great persecution will spread to the whole world. “There will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now” (Matthew 24:15-21).

The good news is that a sizable Jewish remnant will escape (Matthew 24:16-26, Revelation 12:13-16). But not all will get away from the Antichrist and his forces of evil, and the killing fields will once again be red with the blood of the Jews. Even the United States will abandon the Jews and be against them. In fact, “All nations of the earth will be gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:3). This Jewish persecution will continue “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Then God will fulfill His promise of salvation for the Jews. “And thus all Israel will be saved… This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins (Romans 11:25-26).  Then begin the glory years, the millennial kingdom age, and all believers from all time, you and me included, will join the Jews in worshiping and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. “Blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 72:19

P.S. I’ve just posted another article about your future: Prophecy Psalms for the Jews and for You – Part 2.

When the Storms Come, Don’t Be Afraid

September 15, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #35 ~

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In the past few posts, I’ve talked about the birth pangs – the wars, earthquakes, famines and plagues we’re now going through, and that will only increase as we get closer to the coming of Christ. Let’s be honest, this is scary stuff, and God knows our natural tendency is to be alarmed and get worried by events like these. And so right in the middle of His instruction about these birth pangs, Jesus says, “See that you are not frightened, for these things must take place” (Matthew 24:6). Some people, when thinking about the future, just want to put their head in the sand and hope these things won’t happen. But no, these birth pangs are going to take place, and the way to truly get through them is to have a close relationship with the Lord and trust Him, for He will give you all the grace and peace you need. Isaiah 26:3-4

This past weekend, a Cat 1 hurricane came very close to Tampa, and to be honest, I was tempted to be afraid. Days ahead of time, I was listening to the weatherman, and he was warning us that it was going to be bad, with high winds, heavy rain and possible flooding. Then on Sunday afternoon the storm started and it continued through early Monday morning. My wife and I, tucked inside our home and with the power out, were listening to hurricane updates on our little radio. Once in a while we’d step outside our front door and we’d see the swaying trees, hear the howling wind, and feel the strong wind, this force of nature from the hand of God. And yes, it was frightening.

Through the years, I’ve seen that one of man’s most common problems is his fear, a troubled mind, a gnawing spirit, an anxious soul. But man’s real root problem is that he’s not trusting God. He’s looking at the storm, but he’s not looking to God. Do you remember the story when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus and there was a “fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat?” And the disciples frantically wake up Jesus and He says, “Why are you afraid? Do you have no faith?” (Mark 4:35-41). Now has Jesus ever said this to you, “Why are you afraid?” Of course He has.

Yes, we can be afraid, but we are not to stay afraid. We are to look to God and say, “Father, I’m scared, but I trust you.” And I promise you, that He’ll calm your heart and take away your fear. I think of what God told Joshua, “Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). When attacked by enemies, David prayed, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). In speaking to the Jews, God says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not look anxiously about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10). O remember these truths, that you have a Father who greatly loves you, who truly cares for you, who is always with you, and as you pray to Him and trust Him, He will give you His peace, He will help you, He will make you strong and courageous. As you go through the storm, don’t forget that Jesus is always with you in the boat, and He will take you to the other side. Psalm 107:23-32

Then there’s Psalm 46, that end times’ chapter about wars and earthquakes, similarly described in the birth pains of Matthew 24. Our response is verse 2, “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change.” But why are we not to fear? Because verse 1 says God is our refuge and He will protect us and keep us safe, and He’s our strength and will help us make it through even the most difficult and troubling times of life.

Then verses 4-5 tell us about hope, and hope helps take away fear, for hope means that we believe that the Son will soon be seen in the clouds and right away we will be in heaven, in the city of God. Verse 7 tells us the fear-removing truth that the Lord is always with us, that He’s our constant companion. Then verses 8-9 speak about the “works of the Lord,” and it’s imperative that you get your mind off yourself by seeing what God is doing. It’s not about you, and the little things you are so concerned about and get so worried about. It’s about seeing God and His end times’ work, that He will cause all wars to cease, He will defeat our enemies, and He will bring peace, not just to our hearts, but to this entire planet.

Then there’s the conclusion. Verse 10 says you are to “cease striving”, to be still, to relax. O might you know your powerful, loving and sovereign God, and stop thinking about yourself and your own little problems and being so afraid. Make it your goal to work for the glory of God, and He will take care of the rest. “Seek His kingdom and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:31-32). Remember God’s promise, for this is what will most certainly take place, “I will be exalted in the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:11

P.S. Here are two more of my posts that relate to hurricanes, and important lessons for us to learn during this time in history: “A Hurricane is Coming – Be Ready, Watching and Working” and “The Alarm is Ringing! Wake up America! The Storm is Coming!” 

A Big Storm is Coming and I Don’t Mean Hurricane Irma

September 8, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #34 ~ 

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Meteorologists, the weather experts, have been telling us for 10 days now about this huge hurricane named Irma that’s coming to Florida. They know the seriousness of this storm and are greatly concerned, and therefore have been regularly updating us about the storm track, where it’s headed and when it may hit. But all this advance notice about hurricane Irma reminds me of all the advance notice God has given us about Christ’s return. “Take heed, I have told you everything in advance” (Mark 13:23). God really wants you to know what will be taking place in the time leading up to the return of His Son, and that’s because He wants to give you a general idea as to when He’s coming back. And the first things will be the “birth pangs”.

God’s Word gives us a lot of information about these “birth pangs”, for there are four similar passages describing these conditions that need to be met before Christ’s return. Matthew 24:4-8 talks about false Christs, famines, wars, rumors of wars and earthquakes. Mark 13:6-8 tells us the exact same thing. Similarly, Luke 21:7-11 says there will be false Christs, wars, disturbances, great earthquakes, famines and also plagues. Finally, Revelation 6:1-6 focuses on false Christs, wars and famines. Now it’s true these kind of events have occurred throughout history, but the fact that four prophecy passages all talk about them confirms the certainty of them, and that they’re happening in that time leading up to the coming of Christ. They are also different than past events in that they are unique in size, extent and effect.

Now the words “birth pangs” portray a vivid picture, illustrating to us an important truth. Just as the labor pains of a pregnant woman indicate that the birth of her child is near, so too these end times’ “birth pangs” are letting us know that Christ’s coming is near. But there’s something else we need to learn from this illustration. Having been with my wife before and during the birth of our four children I know that labor pains start slow, but then increase in both frequency and intensity. They get closer and closer together, but also stronger and stronger. At the outset of these pains my wife would be up and about, doing things around the house, but there came a time when we had to head to the hospital, for my wife knew that the hard labor was coming, and that our child would be born very soon.

I personally believe the “birth pangs” are already taking place. Now some say they haven’t yet begun, that they start at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, and then continue for about 4-5 years until the coming of Christ. But I don’t believe you can cram all those events, wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes, etc., in those few years, particularly since we know that it takes some time for events like these to increase in intensity and frequency. Not only that, but God’s work with the Jews is in conjunction with His work with the church, and I would add, with these “birth pangs”. I believe these labor pains have been taking place in this elongated time frame going back to the late 1800’s when the Jews began returning to Israel. Then in Matthew 24:8, Jesus gives us some insight as to the general timing of these wars, famines, plagues, etc., and therefore, the general timing of Christ’s return. He says, “All these are the beginning of birth pangs”, which means a whole lot more things need to take place after these beginning “birth pangs.”

Where are we at then with respect to Christ’s coming? It’s 2017, and we’re in the “beginning of birth pangs” stage. Right now they may not be so obvious, but as time goes on, they will be. The closer we get to the end of this age, the more you’re going to see and / or feel these labor pains – more earthquakes, famines, plagues, wars, etc. But I need to remind you that the hard labor is still to come. I hate to say this but I have to say this – the conditions in this world are going to get worse and worse before Christ’s return.

Many other prophesied signs will be fulfilled, making it very clear that Christ’s coming is getting closer. There’ll be the building of the Jewish temple, realigning nations, increasing lawlessness, the Jews’ peace treaty with the Antichrist, increasing desire for globalism, more persecution of Jews and Christians, world evangelization, etc. It’s all part of God’s eternal plan, and all under His control. We should be thankful that God knows what He’s doing, that He told us ahead of time what’s going to happen, and that we can serve Him at this very important time in history. I urge you to be spiritually alert as to what’s taking place in the world, and don’t be afraid as you see these signs, but be encouraged, for you know you’ll soon be seeing your Savior and King.

PS – In my post title last week I wrote that “A Storm is Coming”. Honestly, I wasn’t thinking of Hurricane Irma – I was thinking of the coming “birth pangs”. But now at this time, realizing the certainty and devastation of this storm, I ask you to pray for God’s mercy with respect to all our lives here in Florida, physically and spiritually, and particularly for those who aren’t saved.  Pray too that God would be greatly glorified through this catastrophic event. Again, I encourage you to read Job 37, and look at my article on trials.

The Alarm is Ringing! Wake Up America! The Storm is Coming!

September 1, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #33 ~

My son lives in Houston, and so for the past week, I was closely following Harvey, this slow motion tragedy, this epic catastrophe, this 1000 year flood event. Watching what’s been taking place has been surreal, unbelievable, the continued rain resulting in massive flooding, untold heartache, uprooted lives, unspeakable and unimaginable devastation, and also death. What are we to think? What are we to do? This is a time to be like the good Samaritan and love your neighbor. This is a time for compassion and kindness, a time to serve if you are able, a time to give financially to reputable charity organizations. But most importantly, this is a time to pray and ask God to pour out His grace and mercy upon the millions who are so needy.

This is also a time to consider what God has been doing. Do you see that every drop of water from the heavens above is from the hand of God? “God says to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone He has made may know His work, He stops all people from their work” (Job 37:6-7). Do you realize this storm is to get your attention, to get you to stop what you’re doing so you look to Him, and to put the fear of God in you? Do you see that God is sounding the alarm, trying to wake you up from your sleep, to jolt you out of your slumber? God is calling on all Americans to wake up!

“The clouds change direction, turning around by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the earth. Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen… stop and consider God’s wonders” (Job 37:12-14). “The voice of the Lord is over the waters… The Lord sits enthroned over the flood. The Lord is King forever” (Psalm 29:3, 10). We get so occupied and distracted by school, work, sports, games, TV, texts and tweets, but might we hear the voice of the Lord. Listen up! God is telling us that He is God and we are but men, and that He is holy, supreme and powerful, and that He can do whatever He wants. Daniel 4:35

But what is God saying to those who don’t know Him? He wants them to know about His mercy, but it’s not just a temporal mercy by helping them through a physical problem, like a flood, but an eternal mercy by offering salvation from their sins, from their greatest spiritual problem. Yes, God wants to physically save people out of the rain and the flood and all the destruction that goes with it, but He’s more concerned about showing mercy to people by saving them from an eternal hell. 1 Timothy 2:3-6

How can a person be saved from his sins and from hell? He needs to know he’s a sinner in need of a Savior. He needs to know he has not loved God, but has loved himself and pleasure and money, or that he’s been proud, or that he has ignored and disobeyed God, or that he’s been angry, covetous or immoral. A person then needs to genuinely repent of his sins, and truly believe that Christ actually died for him, and was punished by God for all his sins. Those who repent and believe, who call out to God for mercy, will be forgiven, and be given eternal life, and become children of God. Christ can save you from your sins, from the spiritual cancer that’s killing you, and this is the best and most important news in the world. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Ephesians 2:8-9, John 5:24

What is God saying to the person who’s already a true Christian? That if he is spiritually sleeping, then by God’s grace, he needs to wake up. If he is sinning, then he needs to repent and be holy. If he is loving the world, then he needs to love God. If he is proud, then he needs to be humble. If he is worried, then he needs to see that God is sovereign. If he is disobedient, then he needs to obey God. If he is churchless, then he needs to get in a good Bible church, faithfully loving and serving the saints. Finally, he is to tell others the good news about how Christ can save them from sin, death and hell. I must say that there’s no greater joy than knowing the Lord, worshiping Him, working for Him, and waiting for His glorious return and the rapture of the church.

Let me ask again, do you see what God is doing? He ordains little trials as well as these massive storms, these super-natural disasters. And He wants you to know Him as the One who meets both your physical and spiritual needs “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me besides quiet waters.” Psalm 23:1-2

P.S. – All kinds of calamities will continue on up to the return of Christ. Next week, I am planning on looking at the birth pains – the wars, famines, plagues and earthquakes that are and will be taking place in the end times.

P.P.S. – I have just posted a very informative and important article about the coming of Jesus Christ. (By the way, my son is safe and encouraged).

A Hurricane is Coming – Be Ready, Watching and Working!

August 25, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #32 ~

Image result for hurricane harvey

Wars – earthquakes – plagues – famines – economic crisis – lawlessness – global unrest – nations realigning – false Christs – false prophets – apostasy – betrayal – Jewish temple desolated – Antichrist ruling the world – mark of the beast – great tribulation – persecution – martyrdom – pseudo peace – world evangelization – signs in the heavens.

In the years ahead all these things will be taking place in our world, leading up to the end of this age and the return of Christ. In His Word, God has specifically talked about these things because He doesn’t want you to speculate, be in the dark, or be in error by listening to someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. In view of this, I encourage you to read Daniel 7:15-28, Matthew 24:3-41, Mark 13:3-32, Luke 21:7-36, 1-2 Thessalonians, and Revelation 6 and 13, for these passages clearly spell out God’s plans for the future.

In Mark 13:23 Jesus says, “Be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.” The Lord didn’t have to tell you about these end time events – He could have let it all be a complete surprise. But He told you in advance because He wants you to know what will be taking place. And should you not then want to know what He wants you to know? But not only does He want you to know what will be happening, but He wants you to be watching and working, and looking forward to seeing His Son, and your Savior.

Of course, God didn’t tell us every single thing that’s going to occur, but He told us every single thing we need to know about the climactic last years of this evil age. The God of this universe, and hopefully your heavenly Father, doesn’t want you wondering what will be happening, or caught off guard and fearful when calamitous and earthshaking events do occur. He wants you wide awake, clearly understanding His prophetic word, and fully aware of predicted events as they come to pass in the world. “The men of Issachar understood the times, and knew what they should do.” 1 Chronicles 11:32

Now some believe that the people, events and things on this earth are just random and evolving, but that is so not true. Since eternity past, the Creator of this universe has planned out your life and the course of this world. And yes, you’re responsible for your actions, but yet in a way you can’t completely understand, God is sovereign over your life, and over this entire world. God knows exactly what He’s doing and exactly what He’s going to do, and there’s nothing that will stop Him from carrying out all His plans for this planet earth. Everything has been made by God for His purposes and glory, and He is wisely orchestrating all the people and events on this world, leading up to that one point in time when He sends His Son back to this earth. Daniel 4:34-35, Ephesians 1:9-12

But where are we now, and where are we going? Think about taking a trip – you have a map, smart phone or GPS, and you know your location, your destination, the roads you need to take, and the turns you need to make to get to where you want to go. As Christians, it’s God’s prophetic word that’s our map, and a perfect map it is for our time, for these years leading up to the return of Christ to this earth. In my opinion, Matthew 24 is the single most important part of this map, for it’s a simple summation of the sequence, the chronology of end time events.

And so where are we? Since the Jews have gathered back to Israel, we know we live in the end times, which is that period of time leading up to the return of Christ. Now we’re experiencing “birth pains”, which means we’re in the beginning stage of the end times. We have a little ways to go then before the appearing of Christ. There need to be more wars and earthquakes, a peace treaty needs to be signed, the temple needs to be built, the Antichrist needs to come, and yes, Christians will go through great tribulation in that time right before Christ comes to take them home. Matthew 24:4-8

But how are you to live? Christ says you are to “do business until I come back”, “to make disciples of all the nations”, and to be “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Be excited and tell others what will be taking place, and look forward to the “day of Christ”, for it won’t be long before He’ll return to take up the saints, take out the enemy and take over the world. “Behold, I am coming soon.”

P.S. Next week we will begin to specifically and carefully look at the above mentioned prophesied events that need to take place before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church.

P.P.S. In view of Hurricane Harvey, I encourage you to read Job 37, the best weather chapter in the Bible. The last verse is most instructive – “Therefore men fear Him.”

The Seals of Revelation 6 – The Storm Before the Son

March 31, 2017 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #11 ~

Picture an ancient scroll, one that has seven seals on it. It is in Revelation 5 that we first read about this most valuable scroll, and there we learn that only Jesus Christ can break these seven seals. He must break them, for they set in motion conditions that must be met, and events that need to take place before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. Revelation 6 describes the breaking of the first six seals, and you realize that the content of this chapter corresponds to Matthew 24. But why would God give us two chapters so similar to one another? Because He wants to stress that what Christ is saying is true, and that it is vitally important information that all Christians living in the end times need to know.

Revelation 6:1-8 tells us about the breaking of the first four seals, resulting in false christs, wars, famines and death. Now these famines are related to financial hardship – that is, there will be major economic problems, which should not surprise us. We see too that these first four seals are very similar to the beginning birth pains described in Matthew 24:4-8. This will be a most difficult and troubling time in the world, for many people will be hurting and dying. But remember, these events won’t affect everyone in the world, for “you will be hearing of wars,” and “in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.” Matthew 24:6-7

Revelation 6:9-13 tells us about the breaking of the 5th seal and it speaks of more death, and specifically the martyrdom of Christians. These verses correspond to Matthew 24:9, 21, which speak of great tribulation, of Christians being killed all over the world. Matthew 24:15 informs us that it is the evil Antichrist who is promoting this persecution. Revelation 6 does not specifically talk about this Antichrist, but we need only to go to Revelation 12-13 for more details about this man’s devilish work in the end times. These are sobering passages, and you need to read them so you can learn what will be taking place, and what may be affecting you, your family and your friends. “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

But notice three things about the Christians: first, they love God’s Word and are proclaiming it. Second, they want to know when God will judge their enemies. Third, they learn that God is sovereign over each believer’s death, and has ordained who is yet to be killed, and then Christ will return to rapture the Christians who have endured, and who remain on the earth.

Revelation 6:12-17 speaks of the 6th seal. And the breaking of this seal is one thing Christians should be looking for, for this is the sign of the end of the age, which is also described in Matthew 24:29. At this time the entire world goes dark, which means great tribulation is over, is done. For the Christian this is “Hallelujah” time! For non-Christians, this is their worst nightmare, but sad to say, it is not a nightmare. These unrighteous, ungodly unbelievers now know that God’s wrath is coming, and so they try to hide from God, but they cannot hide, and they will not escape. God is most holy and these unholy worshipers of the Antichrist deserve what is coming. “It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31

What about the 7th seal? When will it be broken? It is Revelation 8:1 that tells us that this seal is broken, and it is at this time that the scroll is unrolled. Chapters 8-9 go on to describe the contents of this scroll, which is God’s righteous wrath being poured out upon an evil world. But what happens to the Christians? Revelation 7 answers this question, telling us that a great multitude of believers is delivered out of great tribulation. And so, the rapture of the Christians is in Revelation 7, and this is after the tribulation in Revelation 6, but before the wrath of God in Revelation 8.

By God’s Word and Spirit, a great number of Christians will be overcomers, and will persevere to the end of this age. They will be looking for Jesus Christ, and then suddenly be raptured into heaven, and then they will see Him, and then they will know that it was all worth it. Just think, you and I might be part of this great multitude of believers who will be lovingly, powerfully and safely taken up to be with Jesus Christ. Amen!

P.S. We recently started a new tab, Español, that takes you to blog posts that are translated into Spanish. Please tell your Hispanic friends about this. I thank my friend Mario for doing the translation work.

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© Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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