"Cause me to know the way
wherein I should walk;
for I lift up my soul unto Thee."
(Ps. 143:8)

Perhaps the most significant role of the Word of God is that it inerrantly reveals to us the nature of its Author. Although Creation points to a Creator (Ps. 19:1) and our conscience bears witness that "sin is a reproach" (Prov. 14:34), apart from the Scriptures we have no "knowledge of salvation" and are unable "to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (Luke 1:77; 1 Tim. 2:4). As N. A. Woychuk points out in Thus Says the Lord, "There is only one way to heaven, but there are many secret paths that lead to hell." The only way to avoid these "secret paths" of destruction is to know "know Him that is true. . .even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).

Of course the Scriptures not only reveal the commandments of God; they also reveal the power of God and His many "wonderful works" (Ps. 40:5). The parting of the Red Sea points to the omnipotence of Him who promised, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee" (Isa. 43:2). The preservation of Daniel in the lions' den undeniably confirms that "with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). The cleansing of the leper attests the ability of Christ to also "forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

We also see the faithfulness of God revealed in the promise that He "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able" (1 Cor. 10:13); the justice of God manifested in the suffering of "the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Pet. 3:18); the holiness of God declared by hosts of angels (Rev. 4:8); and the love of God demonstrated "in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).

Few things affect your relationship with God more than your perception of Him. The Scriptures accurately reveal the nature of God and make it possible for us to enjoy "the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9). And while it may indeed be possible to know the truth and willingly "reject the word of the Lord" (1 Sam. 15:23), walking daily in the "path of life" (Ps. 16:11) is only possible to those who sincerely pray with the Psalmist, "Order my steps in Thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Ps. 119:133).

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

               -Matthew 5:11, 12

I recently received an email from a follower that contained a very thought provoking question about heaven. In fact, her email has occupied so many of my thoughts over these last two days that I decided to go ahead and respond publicly rather than via return email as I usually do. Here is her question:

“When I read about Heaven, I get the idea that there are different rewards in Heaven. My pastor says all the time that what we do on earth, we will get rewarded for in Heaven. Why is that? There is no jealousy in Heaven. No one will envy another. So why would anyone care what rewards they will get in Heaven? They will be delighted and happy in Heaven because possessions and houses won’t matter. So why will our Heavenly experience matter by how much we do for God on earth?”

Any pastor who preaches various degrees of heavenly reward is absolutely correct in his thinking. Not only does it make sense that God would reward His children according to their individual obedience, but the Scriptures clearly indicate  that “every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:8) Just as Christ taught that the Pharisees would “receive greater damnation” for their wickedness and hypocrisy (Mark 12:40), the doctrines of Scripture also teach that “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.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Of course, as it was so aptly pointed out above, there will be no jealousy in heaven. It’s certainly hard to imagine my fellow brother receiving more treasures and authority than myself without harboring feelings of anger and resentment, yet we know that heaven is a place where “the former things [including jealousy!] are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) In accordance with Romans 12:15 we will join others in their heavenly celebration, not pout because we’re discontent with what we were given.

I’ll admit, the idea of additional rewards in heaven seems redundant. Isn’t heaven itself enough? Yes, but I also believe that our heavenly Father’s ways are much higher, wiser, and greater than our own (Isaiah 55:8, 9). It didn’t make much sense in humanity’s eyes that God would choose a stable as the birthplace for His Son, or a poor, small-town couple to serve as His foster parents. Yet this is what pleased the Father and the very way He chose to author our salvation (Colossians 1:19; Hebrews 12:2). I can’t help but think the same is true when it comes to eternity and its rewards; God doesn’t owe us anything, but chooses to give us “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” because we are His children in whom He delights (Ephesians 3:20; Proverbs 12:22).

Regardless of whatever treasures we may have waiting for us in heaven, my heart tells me  that I’m utterly unworthy of it all. Any Christian who serves God for material gain will one day realize they’ve not gained a thing, while those who go about doing their “reasonable service” will find riches beyond all comprehension (Romans 12:1; Luke 17:10).

 

If you’re reading this post, then kudos to you for even clicking on something you knew would be about hell. Most people prefer to spend their free time doing something other than reading about eternal punishment on the Internet, but you really have to admit that it pays to be prepared if there’s even a slight chance this terrible place exists.

In his book “Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die” Bobby Conway does a great job of clearing up the recent confusion in regard to hell, while also making an effort to show us the one and only way to heaven: Jesus Christ. While there were a few things I think should’ve been included in chapter 9 on how to be saved (a few more words on repentance and perseverance, perhaps?), I still feel comfortable recommending this book to you as a great resource on the concepts of eternity, heaven, hell, and as Rob Bell put it, “the fate of every person who ever lived.”

In addition to this volume’s convenient length of only 77 pages and price of only $3.99 on CBD, I also noted a significant reliance on God’s Word as the backbone for Conway’s arguments – a huge plus, to say the least. Rather than inserting a passage of Scripture here and there merely to give his work a level of credibility among Christians, he seems to be more concerned with the Bible’s credibility than his own and thus points his readers to an infallible source of truth rather than his own potentially fallible interpretation of it. Just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here’s an excerpt taken from page 35:

“Remember, our first response always should be “What does the Bible say?” not “What do I want it to say?” We don’t have the right to change it to fit our comfort level. Ultimately, we aren’t in charge of history, hell, or anything for that matter. God’s in charge, and He decides what’s just and what isn’t. If we are wise, we will adjust our ideas about heaven and hell to align with His.”

Basically, this book explains the reality of hell, the eternality of hell, the reason for hell, and the escape from hell.  If you are at all curious about these issues, or perhaps just looking for a more efficient way of explaining them to others, then I highly recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

 

Rate This Review For Your Chance to Win a Free Book

 

 

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are uncensored and uninfluenced by them.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

                    -Hebrews 2:14, 15

For most people death is a scary concept. It reminds us all that, contrary to what we’d like to believe, we are not immortal beings and that life as we know it will one day come to an end. Our wealth will be gone (Ecclesiastes 5:15), our accomplishments forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:15), and our eternal destiny embraced once and for all. While some people allow their entire life to be consumed with the fear of death, I believe many more simply coast through life without giving  it a second thought. However a person chooses to look at it, though, research shows that 1 out of every 1 persons will die some day and that none of us are getting out of this alive (Hebrews 9:27). The only hope we have of escaping it is if the Lord hastens His return, which has all of the same effects of death mentioned above and will happen even more suddenly.

“…God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

         -Luke 12:20

Statistics show that around 64% of Americans believe they are going to heaven when they die, and that less than 1% believe they might go to hell. At first I didn’t find these numbers overly surprising, but when I considered the fact that 92% of Americans believe in God I was simply blown away. This means that more than 30% of those Americans who believe in God think they are neither going to heaven or hell when they die! Exactly what they believe I’m not sure, but I do know that these numbers perfectly illustrate the point I was making earlier: the vast majority of people simply don’t give death a second thought. If they did they would realize that, if God exists, we would naturally be held accountable to Him for the way we live our life (Romans 14:12) -  being either punished in hell according to our actions (Revelation 20:15), or rewarded in heaven according to Christ’s action on the cross (John 14:3; Revelation 5:9). It’s either one or the other.

Death, while probably not your favorite subject, isn’t something you can afford to sweep under the rug and pretend doesn’t exist. It does exist, and those who have ignored its reality won’t have time to consider the way they’ve lived their life when it comes knocking on their door. It will be too late then to pray or seek for second chances, so it’s best to get those things taken care of now while we still have time.

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

                                                  -2 Corinthians 6:2

 

 

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

                           -John 3:3

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

                             -John 3:5-7

 

When somebody dies, it is customary that their children receive an inheritance. This usually includes property, possessions, or sometimes money depending on how well the deceased did in life. Whatever the case, it is rare that their children don’t receive something as a token of their parent’s life and death.

The downside to this is that earthly inheritances are, well…earthly. As it says in Ecclesiastes 5:14  “those riches perish…”, and will probably end up being passed down to our children when we die. On the other hand, however, we as Christians have received and inheritance that is far better than any earthly treasure.

Through the death and resurrection of our Lord, He secured for us the promise of eternal life. This is our inheritance. And though there are a number of things that come along with it, nothing else could be of more value. Streets of gold, gates of pearl, a crown of life…while all part of our inheritance, none of those things would be very meaningful if you only got to enjoy them for a short time. Eternal life means that we get to enjoy all the glory of heaven for ever and ever. 10,000 years with our Lord isn’t even a drop in the ocean in contrast with eternity, and the concept of time will vanish from memory as we enjoy all God has has prepared for us.

“For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”

                                                     -Hebrews 9:16-17

In our culture, somebody has to die before any inheritances are given or any wills enforced. In the same way, the death of Christ was a necessary part of us receiving everlasting life. Without His death, we would still be dead in sin. But through His death, we can be made alive. What an inheritance!

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

                  -I Peter 1:3-4

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

                        -Isaiah 57:15

 

I don’t know about you, but it always baffles my mind to spend even a few minutes trying to wrap my brain around the concept of eternity. The thought of living forever in heaven is one thing, but it nearly gives me a headache trying to comprehend the fact that God never had a beginning! As the song by Phillips Craig & Dean says, “…before time began, You were on Your throne; You were God alone. And right now, in the good times and bad, You are on Your throne; You are God alone.”

I suppose one of the reasons we struggle in comprehending eternity is our distorted view of time. Somebody’s running late and we say, “Wow. It’s taking them forever!” Here on earth, words like always, never and forever usually aren’t synonyms for eternity; they just indicate a long (or semi-long) period of time. It could mean a few years, or even a few minutes – but when God says it, He uses it in its full meaning. When He says He’ll never leave us nor forsake us, He means just that. When He says we will spend forever with Him in heaven, He isn’t exaggerating.

In a life where everything has a time frame, the thought of a God Who is apart from time completely amazes me. But even more than that, it reminds me of the importance of making sure I end up in the right place at the end of this life. Once we get to our eternal home, there will be no more do-overs. We’ll be stuck there forever. No, not a million years. That’s like a drop in a bucket the ocean in contrast with eternity! Whether for everlasting joy (heaven), or everlasting sorrow (hell), eternity will one day come knocking on your door. Perhaps before you finish reading this post! Are your bags packed?

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

                            -Matthew 5:8 

I don't know about the rest of you reading this, but when I imagine heaven, the first thing I think about is getting to see my Lord. In my opinion, the streets of gold don't really matter; the gates of pearl are of secondary importance; and fishing in the crystal sea will be the last thing on my mind (hey, who says there won't be fishing in heaven?). The first thing I want to do when I get to heaven is to see Jesus.

I read a book by Max Lucado once (my memory fails to recall which one it was), and in it he asked the question, "If you could live however you please - doing whatever sins your heart desired - and still make it to heaven, would you do it?" (I'm paraphrasing here.) However, he then proceeded to explain that, if you were to accept the deal, you would not get to see God once you got there. Yes, you would still get to have eternal life, you'd still get to see your loved ones that have passed away; but you just couldn't see the Lord. My answer to that question, without hesitation, is a resounding "NO!" After all, getting to see Christ is the only reason I want to go in the first place! You could change the golden street into a gravel road and the crystal see into a dirty pond, but if Jesus is there, it would still heaven!

There's a song that my Aunt sings in church from time to time that brings tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it, and I want to share the words with you today:

I dreamed of a city called Glory,
So bright and so fair.
When I entered that gate I cried holy;
The angels all met me there:
They carried me from mansion to mansion,
And oh what sites I saw.
But I said, "I want to see Jesus,
He's the One who died for all."


Chorus:
Then I bowed on my knees and cried,
"Holy, (holy) holy, (holy) holy."
Then I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory,
Glory to the Son of God."


I thought as I entered that city,
My friends all knew me well.
They showed me the streets of heaven;
Such scenes too numerous to tell;
I saw Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Mark, Luke and Timothy.
But I said, "I want to see Jesus,
He's the One who died for me."*

*NOTE: I do not own the copyrights to this song. Please obtain permission from the owner before use.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

                            -John 3:36 

A few weeks ago I began to study this verse, and one of the first things I noticed was that John the Baptist (the one speaking) had a different perspective on eternal life than most Christians today. He said that whoever believes on Christ hath everlasting life, not that they will one day have it. The reason I found this so intriguing is that I had previously viewed eternal life as nothing more than endless existence, but according to this verse, eternal life begins the moment we are saved, not when we make it to heaven. Sure, endless existence is, in a way, eternal life; but even sinners will experience this type of eternal life in hell, and we know from Scripture that the lake of fire is "the second death" (Revelation 21:8), not a place of eternal life.

So what is eternal life then? To answer that question, we need to look no further than the second chapter of Genesis, verse 17:

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

                            

If you have read the story of man's fall in the first few chapters of Genesis, then you know that when Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, she didn't drop down dead at the foot of the tree. Yes, she eventually experienced a physical death; but God had promised that death would come instantly, not eventually. So did God lie? Not at all! Adam and Eve did die, in that their perfect relationship with Him was severed. Based on these Scriptures, then, we can conclude that God's definition of life is more than living, moving, and breathing; it is having a relationship with Him.

Eternal life does indeed mean living forever, but it's more than just that. It is having an everlasting relationship with God. After all, a life apart from Christ is no life at all.

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

                                 - Colossians 3:1, 2

We are born with a sinful nature. Nobody has to teach us how to lie, cheat, hate, etc. Those things come naturally to us. Likewise, our affections are naturally for the things of  the Earth. We don't have to make any effort whatsoever to be carnally minded, but it does require effort to be spiritually minded. That is why Paul admonishes us in this passage of Scripture to set our affections on things above.

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."

                                 -Proverbs 2:1-5

Notice how many verbs are used in these verses: receive, hide, incline, apply, seekest, searchest, find, etc. Being spiritually minded requires a lot of effort,  but that effort is anything but wasted

"....to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

-Romans 8:6

Even though it requires a great deal of work to become spiritually minded, it only makes sense that we should be so. After all, our lives are but a vapor. How much more then are the things of this life! Why would we spend our time working for a treasure that will one day vanish away?

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

                    -Timothy 6:7

If we spend our life being carnally minded, we are in essence building our castles in the sand, for material possessions and earthly achievements are only temporary. One day the "...earth...and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (II Peter 3:10) Any castles that we have built in the sand will then be destroyed. We will have to give account for the way we have lived our life and what we have made our treasure.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

                    -Luke 12:34

If our treasure is on the earth, then we are carnally minded. But, if our treasure is in heaven, we are spiritually minded. We ought to strive to remain spiritually minded, remembering that, "...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7).

The following is a quote from "The Evidence Bible", written by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. Copyright 2003.

 "You've always wanted to skydive, but the thought scared you too much to try it.  That is, until you met someone who had made over 100 jumps. He talked you into it by explaining how safe it was. His enthusiasm was contagious. He spoke of the freedom of falling through the air...the adrenaline rush...the unspeakable exhilaration."

   "Now you are standing on the edge of a plane, looking down on the earth far, far below. Everything has been checked. Double-checked.  This is safer than driving on the freeway--a thought that helps you deal with the fear. Modern parachutes are state-of-the-art. Besides, there is a backup chute. Still, your heart is beating with apprehension."

  "Suddenly, you jump! You have trained so much for this moment, you instinctively spread your hands and legs. The speed is unbelievable. The power of the air forcing itself against your body is incredible. It's like a dream. You are defying the law of gravity, racing through the air at more than 120 mph!" 

   "The earth is coming close. All normal sense of time is lost. Speed, thrust of air, unspeakable joy. You glance at the altimeter on your wrist. Only another ten seconds and you will pull the rip cord and feel the jolt of the parachute opening. All that you had been told was true. The adrenaline rush is like nothing you have experienced. If only it could last a little longer. Reluctantly, you pull the cord. It opens, but there is no jolt!"

   "You tilt your head back to see a horrifying site: the parachute has twisted and is trailing like a flapping streamer. Your heart races with fear, pounding in your chest. Your eyes bulge in terror. Your chest heaves as you gasp for air. You try to keep a clear mind and remember your training...pull the second cord. Nothing happens! You pull again. Again! Harder. Harder! Nothing. Your throat lets out a scream, a groan of panic. Your heart is pounding so hard you think your chest will burst.  Sweat breaks through your skin. A thousand thoughts speed through your mind. Your family! Your fate!...Safer than driving on the freeway! You whisper, "What a fool I was...to think that I could defy the law of gravity." Now a merciless law waits for the moment of impact. The ground accelerates toward you. No words can describe the terror gripping your mind. A voice is speaking to you. It is the voice of good sense. It is the voice you ignored so often; "You have played the fool. You have given up your life, your most precious possession, for a cheap thrill. You have exchanged your loved ones for a rush of adrenaline. What a fool...what a fool! "

  "One word stands alone to describe how you feel about what you've done. One word screams within the corridors of your terrified mind as the earth races toward you, as death readies to embrace you. One word, a word that you have never understood fully until this moment. That terrible word is remorse! The world, the flesh, and the devil whisper to you about how pleasurable sin is. That God isn't angry at sin. God is love. It is safe to jump into the arms of iniquity and abandon yourself to a free fall through its vast domain."

   "You go where angels fear to tread. But it is worth it. The rush is everything sin promises. You drink in iniquity like water. You love the darkness. Conscience speaks again and again, but you ignore its warning. You are defying the Moral Law and loving every minute."

   "Now you stand before the Judge on Judgment Day. You pull your first line by telling God what a good person you are. Nothing happens. The Moral Law rushes at you. In panic, you pull the second line and tell God that you believed in Him. Again, nothing happens. It is no use. Your mouth is stopped. The Moral Law accelerates toward you even faster, promising to so impact you that it will "grind you into powder" (Luke 20:18). Death and hell wait to embrace you. Unspeakable terror fills your heart. Conscience speaks so clearly now: "What a fool you have been. You rejected the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. You have given up your loved ones in exchange for the joys of a sinful lifestyle. You relinquished your most precious possession, your very life, for the cheap thrill of sin. "What a fool! What a fool!"One word will stay with you for eternity. One will echo forever within your tormented mind. Remorse!..."

By Request:

In a world where God is often pictured as nothing more than a big candyman Who goes around handing out blessings all the time, it is no wonder that many individuals struggle to understand how He could "send people to hell." But, as has often been said, God doesn't really send anybody to hell; they go there by choice. Matthew 25:41 says that hell was created for "the devil and his angels." This means it was not originally intended for mankind. However, because the human race took part in Satan's rebellion against God, the unsaved must also take part in Satan's punishment: hell.

Another common misconception deals with the very nature of God Himself. That misconception is that God is love...and nothing else. People love to quote I John 4:8, but seemingly forget such passages as Job 8:3: "Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?" Before I posted this blog entry, I did a google search for bumper stickers that say "God is Love." As you probably guessed, I had no trouble finding any. Now I am not at all against displaying the Word of God on your vehicle, but I have never in my life seen a bumper sticker that says, "God is just." The closest thing I could find was one that said, "God is Just Pretend." Sad, I know.  

The final reason hell is often misunderstood is because humanity has grossly underestimated the seriousness of sin. Instead of recognizing that sin is, at its root, rebellion against God, people try to belittle it by saying things like, "Oh, it was just a white lie.", or "God wouldn't send me to hell for stealing just one thing." But the fact is, even the "smallest" of sins are very serious in God's eyes; so serious, in fact, that He sent His Son to  pay the price for them with His own life! If God would not compromise His justice for the sake of His own Son's life, then why should we expect Him to treat us any differently? 







Hell is not a place where anybody truly wants to go. But there is good news! You don't have to! If you have not yet been saved from sin and from hell through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, then please click here to find out how you can be redeemed!

I have recently been doing a study on man's disobedience to God and his consequential need for a Savior. Six verses that I have been looking at especially closely are Romans 5:12-14, Romans 8:7-8, and I John 3:4. (Click the verse references to read them.) Throughout this study, I have seen more clearly than ever before that the simple fact we are all human places us in need of redemption.

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

                            -Romans 5:12-14

Death (the result of sin) passed upon all men due to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This means that each one of us was born with a need to be reconciled to God. While many people do not consider it fair that "...by one man's disobedience many were made sinners" (Romans 5:19), we must also bear in mind that "...by the obedience of One [i.e. Christ] shall many be made righteous." (same verse) (See also Ezekiel 18:25)

As N.A. Woychuck so accurately put it, "God's estimate of humanity is summed up in one frightful word, 'lost.' It means that man is estranged from God by his sin and is lost to God. Although this frightening state of affairs arouses little concern upon earth, it moved all of heaven from whence came the Savior 'to seek and to save that which was lost' (Luke 19:10)"*

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see"

                                 -John Newton



*The Incomparable Salvation - N.A. Woychuck

"He loveth righteousness and judgment [i.e. justice]: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."

                            -Psalm 33:5 

The culture in which we live tends to forget that our God is a just god. Yes, He is gracious, merciful, and kind; but in the end, He will always remain just. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Because the Lord is holy, sin must be punished. That is why Jesus died on the cross: to take that punishment. Thus, even in forgiving our sins, His justice is not compromised.

People often talk about how "their god would never send anybody to hell." However, we must remember that hell was not originally created for mankind; it was made for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Since humanity took part in the devil's rebellion, it must also take part in his punishment. Those who don't believe their god would send anybody to hell are, in a way, guilty of idolatry, for such a god does not exist. He is a figment of their imagination. Instead of worshiping the one true God, they are worshiping a god they have created in their mind.

We must never stray from the Word's teaching on God's justice. If we ever find ourselves minimizing the consequences of sin ("Oh...it's not that bad."), then that is a good indication that we have done just that.

Nobody likes pain. That's simply the way things are. But, even though we would rather not have any, if it wasn't for hardships in this life we probably wouldn't have that much motivation to make heaven our eternal home, would we?

Yesterday was one of the hardest and most painful days that I've had in a long time. I began to call out to God, and when I did, the words to an old song came to my mind: "Tears will never stain the streets of that city; no wreaths of death on my mansion door. Teardrops aren't welcome beyond the gates of Glory, for the heart will never break anymore."*  Think about it. In heaven, there will be no tears, no disappointments, no broken hearts, no bad days; only peace, and joy, and love.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

                            -Revelation 21:4

This world isn't our home. Sometimes, the only way for the Lord to remind us of that is for Him to send us through a valley or two.



*Tears Will Never Stain the Streets of That City - Dottie Rambo 

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

A while back, I was watching a video on the internet of Oprah Winfrey interviewing a man about his religious beliefs. The question of what happens to us when we die was brought up, but the man simply replied, "I don't know. I've never really given it a second thought." Now let's stop and think for just a minute about the description of hell that Jesus gives us in Mark chapter 9. He says that it's a place "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." - A place of constant torment and suffering, where death is nonexistent. Given such a graphic illustration of hell, I simply don't understand how anybody could choose not to give the possibility of ending up in this terrible place a second thought. Unless this man has a life-changing experience with Jesus (thought I pray he does), one day he will wake up in hell wishing he had given his eternity a second thought while it was still in his power to change it.

Hell is more than just a curse word; it is a real place. It's as real as heaven. But even more than that, it has "enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure." (Isaiah 5:14) It's a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Luke 13:28) A place of eternal torment, misery, and sorrow that millions of people are being swept into every single day. In fact, by the time you finish reading this blog, nearly 300 people will have been cast into its depths. If this fact troubles you at all, then don't just sit there and do nothing about it! Take action today!

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented."