The more I look at life and the world all around us, the more crystal clear it becomes to me that none of this is by chance. God’s fingerprints are all over His creation—visible to all who choose to open their eyes.
This world isn’t a confusing mix of random, scattered coincidences. There’s a grand purpose, and we’re moving toward a definite conclusion.
Like a bus moving down the road, get on board, find the seat with your name on it, and play your part in the journey.
Luke chapter 2 recounts when Jesus was twelve years old and traveled with His family to Jerusalem for Passover—something they did every year. But this time was different. When the group started heading home, Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was with relatives. After a full day of traveling, they realized He was missing.
They rushed back to Jerusalem and searched for Him everywhere. Finally, they found Him in the Temple, calmly sitting with the teachers, asking questions, answering theirs, and amazing everyone with His understanding. When His parents asked why He had stayed behind, Jesus said something both simple and huge: “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”
Jesus started at twelve years old by learning the Scriptures, by being curious, by putting God first, and by daring to push the limits in order to understand the deeper things of God and life.
Make your heavenly Father’s business your business, and follow the example of Jesus. Jesus showed us what God’s business is.
2 Corinthians 5:19a
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself…
God’s business plan is to bring His creation and His people all the way back to Him, and Jesus kept busy doing exactly that. Wherever He went He taught people about God’s love and purposes. He healed the sick, forgave sinners, fed the hungry, shined light in darkness, and brought hope to the poor and needy.
Even though Jesus knew His Father’s business early in His life, He didn’t stay in the Temple forever, He went back home with Mary and Joseph and obeyed them, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” That means Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
He learned and developed character and wisdom. If you want to know what you are supposed to be doing in your own life, remember these two things;
Next, we’ll talk more about rumbling through the world.
Callum had been saving his allowance for weeks, tucking away each crumpled dollar with the quiet excitement of a kid who finally felt old enough to make his own choices. He’d planned to split it in half—keep some, give some—maybe to one of those charities for people in faraway countries he saw on TV. But when the first big March snowstorm hit and he saw Mrs. Halvorson’s walkway buried under a heavy drift, the idea came to him as naturally as breathing. She was nearly eighty, lived alone, and always waved to him from her window. Helping her felt like the right place for his “give‑away” half to go.
So Callum marched into the hardware store, allowance clutched in his mittened hand, and bought a brand‑new snow shovel—bright red, sturdy, and just his size. That afternoon he trudged across the street and started clearing Mrs. Halvorson’s walk, pushing the snow aside in long, determined sweeps. When she opened the door to thank him, Callum just grinned and said he was putting his savings to good use.
The second part of the Great Commandment, after loving God completely, is to love your neighbor as yourself. What does that mean, and how do you do that?
Who is your neighbor? Well, your neighbors are those close to you—people you see every day, your family, and your community.
Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
It’s the same as saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Golden Rule.
Try some of these ideas in your daily life to practice loving and giving to others.
To love your neighbor as yourself can be hard sometimes, but it’s always simple. The Apostle Paul puts it clearly in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Love God completely and treat others as you would like them to treat you. This is the not-so-secret key to plugging into God’s forever plan right now.
So far this year, I’ve read two books on Israel’s history and military—The Lion’s Gate by Steven Pressfield and Six Days of War by Michael Oren. Anyone who thinks Israel and the IDF need the USA to do their work for them should read up on the modern history of Israel and the region.
Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, and their numerous subsequent fights for survival have proven time and time again that Israel can take care of itself quite ably in a very, very rough neighborhood.
Israel has been surrounded by hostile enemies who hate them with a perfect hatred and who have ceaselessly sought to annihilate them since their modern rebirth in 1948. They have prevailed against astonishingly superior forces every time.
And they have beaten impossible odds even without American help—just read the history.
Israel is definitely not America’s puppet, and America is definitely not Israel’s puppet. Israel is our friend and ally, as it should be, since they are the only Western‑style democracy and modern free society in the region.
Israel is not our master, and we are not Israel’s master, because lions don’t have masters—lions can handle the wolves and jackals together, or on their own if need be.
Four interesting quotes from about the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah:
“Nehemiah teaches us that when God calls a man to build, no opposition can finally prevail against him, for prayer and perseverance are stronger than all the enemies of the wall.”
“The success of Nehemiah’s work was owing more to his piety than to his policy; he prayed over all, and then set his hand to the work.”
“Nehemiah shows what God can do through one consecrated soul who feels the burden of His people and will not rest until the ruins are rebuilt.”
“Nehemiah’s story is a reminder that renewal requires courage, vigilance, and above all a heart aligned with the purposes of God.”
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So, how do you love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind? What does that mean?
Heart
Love God from the center of who you are, not just with emotions, but with your decisions and heartfelt goals.
Soul
Love God with what makes you you—with your whole life, not just one part of it on Sundays at church.
Mind
Love God with your thoughts, your attention, and the way you think deeply about the world around you.
Here are some things to do daily to put love for God into action.
Make these love actions habits in your daily life, and you will see how putting yourself into God’s heart will make your life a wondrous dream come true.
Now, how do we do the second part of the Great Commandment? That’s next.
Taking everything we’ve learned so far in our journey into “Your Life And What Comes After: Plugging Into God’s Forever Plan Now,” let’s start zeroing in on what you can do today—and every day—to live a fantastic life that is pleasing to God and helps you find your perfect, special place in God’s grand plan.
The best recipe for tapping into God’s purposes and living our best lives the way we’re meant to is found in the Great Commandment in Matthew chapter 22.
Right before Jesus gives the Great Commandment, the religious leaders are basically tag‑teaming to trip Him up. They try a trick question about paying taxes, and Jesus answers so cleanly that they back off. Then they jump in with a wild question about marriage in the resurrection, and Jesus shuts that down too. At this point, everyone who tried to trap Him has struck out in front of the crowd.
So they huddle up again and send in one of their “experts” to ask what they think is the perfect trap: “Which commandment is the greatest?” They’re hoping He’ll pick the wrong one. Instead, Jesus cuts through all their debates with a perfect, simple answer:
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
That’s the Great Commandment—love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.
And that’s our North Star for plugging into God’s grand plan. It doesn’t mean you have to be churchy and religious all the time. But what does it mean, and how do we actually live it out?
That’s what we’ll look at next.
Operation Epic Fury isn’t a biblically prophesied event.
Debating whether modern Israel is the same as ancient, biblical Israel or whether modern Jews are from the same bloodline as the original Twelve Tribes muddies the issue and misses the point.
America is working in tandem with, and supporting, a long-time friend and strategic geopolitical ally, Israel, to neutralize a common existential threat. Doing so isn’t “serving our Zionist masters” or “sending our young people to die for Netanyahu.” It’s common sense and the right thing to do because it’s a national-security necessity.
Nor is it against God’s will to oppose the ongoing conflict with Iran. In fact, the current conflict with Iran shouldn’t be cast as a biblical issue at all.
Chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is effectively code for “Wipe Israel off the map and exterminate the Jews,” a goal the mullahs in Iran have openly stated. Therefore, Israel is fully justified in taking strong military action against that threat.
Chanting “Death to America,” regarding our country as the “Great Satan,” building nuclear weapons, and working tirelessly to find ways to continue to kill Americans and destroy our way of life—which the current Iranian regime has been doing for over four decades—are reason enough for America to declare, “Enough is enough.”
We don’t need biblical affirmation, prophetic permission, or a “standing with God’s chosen people” rationale in order to work with an ally to remove the malignant tumor that threatens our kids and grandkids. All we need is the wisdom and courage to see it through.
When he was a young clerk J.C. Penney worked in a small Colorado dry-goods store, he wasn’t given any special authority or status. But he consistently showed up early, treated every customer with unusual respect, and took personal responsibility for even the smallest tasks. His reliability stood out so much that the store’s owners trusted him with ordering inventory, managing accounts, and eventually running the entire operation whenever they were away. His steady character—not flash or ambition—proved he could be trusted with more.
That faithfulness paid off. The owners later invited Penney to become a partner in a new store, giving him far more responsibility than he had ever held before. He poured the same diligence into that opportunity, and it eventually grew into the nationwide J.C. Penney Company. His rise wasn’t sudden or glamorous—it was the natural reward for someone who quietly proved his worth day after day until greater responsibility became the obvious next step.
The Apostle Paul says something a little surprising in his second letter to the believers in Corinth: followers of Jesus will one day appear before His judgment seat.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
This isn’t to judge whether or not the believer is saved. That judgment was already made when Jesus took our place on the cross, God raised Him from the dead, and we believed in that resurrection and confessed Christ as our Lord.
The judgment seat talked about here is the one where the faithful receive their assignments in the world to come based on the good works we did for Him in our lives.
Our words and actions now will follow us into God’s heaven-on-earth, and when each of us appears before Jesus Christ, He will decide who can be entrusted with which responsibilities as His rule reaches over the whole new and glorious world.
We will have jobs to do in that new world. What an amazing and wonderful eternity God has in store for us! No more death, sickness, pain, or evil.
Nothing done in our lives is meaningless; it all follows us into an endless eternity in an endless universe with the job of keeping God’s creation running and in good order, where we will once again be the full, shining bearers of God’s image.
The Bible also tells us about our coming rewards and responsibilities and describes them as crowns.
There is the crown of righteousness for those who love Christ’s appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
A crown of life is promised to those who love the Lord and patiently endure the troubles of life.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
A crown of glory is given to faithful shepherds of God’s people.
1 Peter 5:3-4
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And an imperishable crown is promised to those who are disciplined and run the marathon of life in faith.
1 Corinthians 9:25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
See, God remembers every patient, faithful good work, every resisted temptation, and all of our obedient acts done in love. There is nothing that we do for Him that disappears or is forgotten.
Our rewards and new jobs in God’s heaven-on-earth are real and waiting for us to claim them by what we do in the here-and-now.
From the article in Yahoo News
“The Bible mentions the existence of giants in a number of key places,” according to Associates for Biblical Research. “The story of David’s confrontation with Goliath (I Samuel 17: 4) is but one example. Deuteronomy 3:11 tells us of Og, the King of Bashan. He was said to be the last of the Rephaim—a race of giants. Ishbi-Benob of II Samuel 21: 16 is another example. Giants and races of giants appear in numerous places throughout the Scriptures.”