{"id":6976,"date":"2020-09-11T19:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-11T23:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=6976"},"modified":"2026-06-04T19:32:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T23:32:21","slug":"what-keeps-me-going-to-the-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/what-keeps-me-going-to-the-end\/","title":{"rendered":"What Keeps Me Going To The End (187)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What Keeps Me Going To The End<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>\n

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~ A Saturday Morning Post #187 ~

<\/em>How do you keep going for the Lord? How do you persevere? What enables you to get through the tough times of life? If you are one of the raptured saints, how will you make it through the great tribulation? These are extremely important questions, and the answer is simple – by having a close relationship with God. I became a Christian in the early 1970\u2019s, and I give God all the credit for keeping me going since that time, for those 48 plus years. Today I want to tell you how God has helped me to stay close to Him and keep living for Christ.

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* Getting time alone with God<\/strong>. Every morning, after I get up and get awake, I go to a quiet place and read something from the Psalms, the Old Testament, and the New Testament, and then I pray. \u201cShe had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord\u2019s feet, listening to His word\u2026 only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part.\u201d<\/em> Luke 10:39-42

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* Being in God\u2019s word. <\/strong>My main priority in life is God\u2019s word – I couldn\u2019t make it without Him teaching me from His word, whether it\u2019s truths I need to know, promises I need to believe, or commands I need to obey. \u201cO how I love Your law!\u201d <\/em>(Ps. 119:97). \u201cMan shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.\u201d<\/em> Matthew 4:4

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* Crying out to God. <\/strong>To me this means being open with God and telling Him when I am sad, tired, anxious, confused, or discouraged. It also means asking God to meet my needs or the needs of others. I am so glad I can go to God for all the grace, wisdom, and peace that I need. \u201cI will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.\u201d<\/em> Psalms 57:2, 62:8

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* Walking by faith. <\/strong>I have learned not to live by feelings, circumstances, relationships, or how our church is doing, but to rely and depend on God, on His word and strength. \u201cTrust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock\u201d <\/em>(Isaiah 26:4). \u201cWe walk by faith, not by sight.\u201d <\/em>2 Cor. 5:7, Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 11:6

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* Being satisfied by God. <\/strong>Only by seeking and seeing God have I been truly satisfied. Food, pleasures, games, people, and possessions have not satisfied me, but Christ has, for He is the bread of life. \u201cWhom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth?\u201d <\/em>(Ps. 73:25). \u201cThe Lord is my portion\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 119:57). \u201cTo live is Christ.\u201d<\/em> Phil. 1:21

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* Being satisfied by God\u2019s love.<\/strong> I don\u2019t look for the love of people, but the love of God. His love has been wonderful, continual, and perfect, and has satisfied me like nothing else. \u201cYour love is better than life\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 63:3). \u201cSatisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 90:14). \u201cWe have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.\u201d <\/em>1 John 4:16

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* Knowing the living God. <\/strong>When I say knowing God, I mean knowing in my mind and believing in my heart that He is my Creator, Lord, Savior, and King, and that He is holy, wise, loving, good, patient, forgiving, powerful, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and sovereign. What a tremendous blessing to actually know God! \u201cThis is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God\u201d<\/em> (John 17:3). \u201cGrow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.\u201d<\/em> 2 Peter 3:18

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* Staying away from sin. <\/strong>By no means am I perfect, but God has helped me to say no to sin, to not listen to or give in to worldly and fleshly temptations. I know that I can’t be close to sin and close to God at the same time. \u201cTurn away my eyes from looking at vanity\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 119:37). \u201cLike the Holy One who called you, be holy in all your behavior.\u201d <\/em>1 Peter 1:15

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* Loving, worshiping, and thanking God. <\/strong>I love God, and that\u2019s because He first loved me (1 John 4:19). His Son Jesus died and paid for my sins and now I\u2019m righteous, forgiven, a child of God, and will be forever with Christ and all the angels and saints. Loving God is heart-satisfying and soul-warming, the most important thing I do. \u201cPraise the Lord\u2026 for it is pleasant and praise is becoming\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 147:1). \u201cBless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.\u201d<\/em> Psalm 103:2

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* Obeying God. <\/strong>Obeying God\u2019s commands is how I have carried out His plans, how I have fulfilled His purpose for my life. When I obey God, I usually feel close to Him, and know His love in a much fuller way. \u201cI obey Your statutes for I love them greatly\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 119:167). \u201cHe who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me, and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to Him\u2026\u201d <\/em>John 14:21, 23

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* Going through trials.<\/strong> Trials are not fun, are not enjoyable. But in these times, God has revealed Himself to me in a special way, showed me His love, and comforted me with His word. Here\u2019s my favorite trial passage – \u201cHave mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Bring joy to Your servant\u2026 In the day of my trouble, I call to You, for You will answer me.\u201d<\/em> Psalm 86:3-7

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* Seeking Him.<\/strong> By this I mean getting extra time with God, usually once a month. For many years now, I\u2019ve been going to a camp or motel room with my Bible, a few books, and some pen and paper. Getting away from the world and from people, and having this special, alone time with God is one of the best things He has helped me to do. \u201cI love those who love Me and those who seek Me will find Me\u201d<\/em> (Prov. 8:16). \u201cCome with Me by yourself to a quiet place.\u201d<\/em> Mark 6:31

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* Being shepherded by the Lord.<\/strong> The Lord is my shepherd, and He knows me perfectly, and through the years He has made me lie down in green pastures, led me besides still waters, restored my soul, guided me in paths of righteousness, has always been with me, and has loved me every single day. That my Shepherd does these things keeps me strong and keeps me going for Him. \u201cI am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know me.\u201d <\/em>John 10:14, Psalm 23:1

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* Drawing near to God.<\/strong> God wants me to be close to Him, and I want to be close to Him. As I seek Him, as I go after Him, as I spend time with Him, He draws near to me, and is close to me, and loves me all the more, and He teaches me, encourages me, and makes Himself known to me. \u201cMy soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.\u201d<\/em> Psalm 63:8, James 4:8

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* Learning from the Psalms. <\/strong>My favorite book in the Bible is the Psalms. It has helped me immensely in my relationship with God, and I believe will greatly help you in your relationship with God. The following verses I have memorized, personalized, and say often to the Lord, for they help me to think rightly, stay strong, and be close to Him –\u00a0Psalms 9:2, 20:7, 23:1, 23:6, 26:3, 27:14, 31:19, 40:8, 46:10, 56:3, 57:5, 63:2-3, 86:11, 90:14, 105:4, 115:1, 118:14, 119:32, 119:67, 119:76, 119:92, 119:112, 139:23-24, 143:10, 145:1-2.

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May God help you to stay close to Him. Without question, your relationship with God is the single most important thing in your life, for it affects you and everything you do. Being close to the Lord is the only way you can truly love the Lord and live for Him, in these days, and in times of tribulation, and let me add, in times of great tribulation. \u201cI love You, O Lord, my strength.\u201d<\/em> Psalm 18:1\u00a0

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P.S. I cannot stress enough the importance of your relationship with God. As you keep loving and seeking Him, you will stay close to Him, and know that He is not only your Lord, but your best friend. Here are two posts that tell you a little more about my life and my relationship with Him: “The Rapture, A Love Story”<\/a><\/em>, and “God’s Time Frame For Your Life.”<\/em> <\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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