Not only in this age but also in the one to come

Psalms 113:7  He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

Psalms 22:15    my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

Psalms 69:3    I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God

Psalms 32:3-4    For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

Proverbs 17:22    A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Isaiah 26:19     Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Daniel 12:2-3   And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Ephesians 1:20-21     that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

There are two points that are absolute. 1. The dead shall rise and awake   2. some to everlasting life and/or everlasting shame.  Christ died for the sins of very single person and yet there is a forgiveness to some and not to others.

John 3:16  📝  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Those who cling to, trust in, rely on Jesus Christ will show humble service, a heart deep deep desire to honor, follow and obey Him.  At the time of awakening from death these will sing for joy and everlasting life.  Others will awake to shame and everlasting destruction and torment.  They have chosen to reject the gift of salvation, forgiveness, redemption, grace, mercy and love through Christ.  They choose to life for self, never yielding to the call from God to repent.

In the morning

“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.”

“for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.”

Psalms 5:3
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

Psalms 22:2
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

Psalms 55:17
Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

Psalms 69:16
Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 88:13
But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Psalms 130:6
my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Mark 1:35
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Isaiah 26:9
My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Psalms 119:147
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.

Our hope and strength are in the Lord our God.  Note the heart of David in many of these scriptures: “my soul yearns” “I wait” “I rise early and cry out to you” “my soul waits” “evening, morning and noon I cry out to you” “I hope in your words”.   We find hope in His words (promises).  Do you find yourself in a place in your life where your walk with God seems luke warm at best?  You don’t seem to have many troubles and yet you don’t see blessings.  From past experience I can attest to living in this state of mind.  I know exactly  what this is like and when I look back there were actions / choices made that allowed me to arrive at this place of christian blah.  I was very complacent in my walk with Him.  I was not reading His word. I was not seeking Him.  I was not placing Him first in my life.  I was not meditating / thinking about what His word.  I was not praying.  I was not being a humble servant desiring to bring honor and glory to Him.  I was living, existing without much care for Him or His plans and purpose for my life.  He did not leave me there.  He reached out and dropped a rock on me to get my attention.  He used my wife to get the word of God and His promises in front of me.  He placed people around me who spoke His word into my life.  He restored my soul, desire, hope, joy, purpose.  When I look back at this I am so thankful and yet at the same time regretful.  I regret not seeking, desiring to serve, honor, and glorify Him. I regret not staying in His word and being one of those able to speak His word of encouragement into the lives of those hurting or lukewarm.  I regret all of the time I wasted in not serving  Him.  I am thankful for His steadfast love and mercy.  I am thankful for His word of hope, joy, peace and rest.  I am thankful for His leading.  I am thankful for those He used to encourage me in my walk with Him. If you find yourself lukewarm get into His word.  Your life will change, your hope renewed, and purpose made much more clear.