Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

1 Cor. 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Tag: Hell

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 4 – Murderers

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On January 20, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader. I hope you find this series insightful! I’m not trying to judge anyone but to shed some light on what God’s Word has to say. It is Jesus who will do the judging. (2 Cor. 5:10) It is not my place to judge you; however, I can look at a person’s life and see whether their actions are of God or of the god of this world.

I can almost “hear” what some of you are thinking about today’s sin that will keep one out of Heaven. Of COURSE murderers won’t be in Heaven. But is murder necessarily only applicable to the taking of life as written on police reports?

According to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the definition is a bit more in depth:

  1. The act of unlawfully killing a human being with premeditated malice, by a person of sound mind. To constitute murder in law, the person killing another must be of sound mind or in possession of his reason, and the act must be done with malice prepense, aforethought or premeditated; but malice may be implied, as well as express.
  2. An outcry, when life is in danger.

You may say that you have never murdered anyone but Jesus took it one step further. Being a Christian is more than just the putting away of actual sin from one’s life. It involves the intents of the heart! For example, When Jesus said:

Mat 5:21-22  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  (22)  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

1 Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Take notice of the intent of the heart in the above verses. Although the last verse is about adultery, it brings the point home. There is a lot of hate today – liberal Christians against conservative Christians, the political left against the political right, etc. Hatred is evidenced in the streets of America as the media encourages this hatred! You see and hear the devil’s influence loud and clear!

What Jesus is saying here is that if you entertain the thought of sin in your mind, you have already committed the sin in your heart. Jesus was all about the condition of the heart. You may not speak a single sinful word in your entire life, but if you entertained sin in your heart, you are guilty of that sin nonetheless; in fact, you are guilty of committing ALL the sins according to James 2:10! If you do not speak out to those who actually do those sins, you are guilty as well. You cannot be silent, Friend. Silence is interpreted as being in agreement with that sin. Silence, when it involves sin, makes you just as guilty.

Eze 33:8  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Do you really want that person’s blood on your hands? Let’s look at the murderous act of abortion. According to National Institute of Health, a baby’s heart begins to beat and pump blood at the end of four weeks of gestation in the mother’s womb. Let’s forget about whether or not abortion is legal or whether or not you agree that abortion is murder. Let’s look at the scientific facts about the formation of that fetus. The Bible says:

Lev 17:11a  For the life of the flesh is in the blood:

The Bible says that once that fetus’ heart begins to pump blood, the fetus is alive because life is in the blood. Forget what man says. Man’s heart is evil but God will have the last word when it comes to this topic. You can say that abortion is not evil but God says otherwise. It is not those pro-abortion people who will stand up for you at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. You will be accountable for your words and your actions (or lack of them), not the pro-abortion people.

Jer 17:9-10  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  (10)  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Just because something is lawful does not mean that it is right! Ignorance on your part doesn’t have any weight when judgment day comes. You may say that you wouldn’t personally have an abortion; but if you voted to legalize abortion because you feel it’s a woman’s body and she should be able to choose an abortion, you have become guilty of that very murder. What you’ve done in secret will be made public and what you’ve done in the dark will be brought to light when you come before God at judgment.

Luk 12:2-3  For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.  (3)  Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

It doesn’t matter in the least what the government or Supreme Court say is legal. It doesn’t matter what your friends say. What matters is what the Supreme Lord God Almighty says on a matter. He didn’t leave us ignorant, Friend. He has left us the Bible so we can learn what His will is for us. There is no excuse in the world that will keep a person out of Hell when that person has had access to the Bible his entire life! No spouse, no parent, no Priest, no Rabbi, or no Pastor will be responsible for you going to Hell. Yes, they may have swayed your beliefs, but in the end, the responsibility will fall solely on you. It’s no one’s fault but your own if you don’t read the Bible.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Just because you agree with a certain philosophy doesn’t mean it’s correct. God has put a desire in man’s heart to know Him. What you do with that is up to you! The Apostle Paul laid it out clearly when he wrote the Book of Romans.

Rom 1:18-22  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  (19)  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  (20)  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  (21)  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  (22)  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

God writes His law on the heart of man; this is called a conscience. Friend, the world may agree on abortion being the “right of women,” but what is important is what God says in His Word. Murder is forgivable – Jesus shed His own blood – He gave His own life for you so you could be forgiven of that sin. But one sin is unforgivable and that is rejecting the gift He died to give to you. (Matthew 12:31) Rejecting the Bible, God’s Word, is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, who wrote the contents of the Bible as He moved through those men who penned it.

(2 Peter 1:21)  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

(Joh 14:17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

(Joh 17:17)  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

(Mar 3:28-29)  Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: (29)  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

There will come a time when it will be too late. You will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 3 – The Abominable

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On January 18, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader! The next few types of people who won’t be able to go to Heaven (unless they become born again) seem to be obvious but when we dive in to what exactly is involved in each one, we find that our assumption is not quite accurate. Today’s category revolves around the abominable. So what does this actually mean?

ABOM’INABLE, a. [See Abominate.]

  1. Very hateful; detestable; lothesome.
  2. This word is applicable to whatever is odious to the mind or offensive to the senses.
  3. Unclean.

O’DIOUS, a. [L. odiosus, from odi, I hated, Eng. hate.]

  1. Hateful; deserving hatred. It expresses something less than detestable and abominable; as an odious name; odious vice.
    All wickedness is odious.
  2. Offensive to the senses; disgusting; as an odious sight; an odious smell.
  3. Causing hate; invidious; as, to utter odious truth.
  4. Exposed to hatred.
    He rendered himself odious to the parliament.
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Let those two definitions sink in just a bit. Do you see today’s woke generation in them? Do you see the hatred being spewed by liberalism causing division? Do you see the LGBTQ agenda permeating our society and being exposed to our precious children? Transvestite men are seen dancing in front of children and gyrating! I simply cannot believe how quickly our Country has gone downhill in the past ten years alone! Abominable is usually used to refer to man’s personal sins but we can see it in the world’s agenda as well. I think of the efforts of the liberals to vaccinate the entire world. I think of their current efforts in removing gas stoves from homes or creating 15-minute communities! These are all abominable efforts to control the population.

But as we continue, we see what God considers abominable. One need only to do a Bible search on the word abomination and would find there are 69 verses and what God has to say about it. It doesn’t matter what man thinks, friend, it is what God thinks. The Old Testament consists of three categories to the Mosaic laws: the Moral, Civil and Ceremonial laws.

  1. The Moral Laws are commands from God which reveal His nature and will for how we should live. This applied in the Old Testament and still applies to us today. One of the examples of God’s Moral Law is the Ten Commandments. We don’t obey them in order to be saved but we obey them so that we please God!
  2. Civil Laws in the Old Testament are very different than those we have today. They guided man’s conduct. A good example was when a farmer harvested his crop, he was told to leave some on the outskirts of his fields so that the poor and strangers passing by would have have something to eat. Another example was that Israel should not eat certain types of foods.
  3. The Ceremonial Laws pointed TO Jesus Christ and are no longer needed after Jesus died and resurrected because He fulfilled each of those laws. Christians are not bound to keep these Ceremonial Laws but we most certainly can glean and learn from them.

So what does God deem an abomination? God wants His people to be “separate” from the world because the world will contaminate them in all aspects of their lives. (Deut. 14:2, Ps. 135:4) Many revolved around moral laws like worshiping other gods or having statues (graven images) in your home. (Deut. 7:25-26) Another abomination is homosexuality and other sexually deviant acts. (Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13) I have personally been told that these are found in the Old Testament and are not pertinent for today. Romans 1:24-28 clearly state that homosexuality is still sin in God’s eyes and God will give them over to reprobate minds. God’s moral laws never end, Reader. No change of government or geographical location will put an end to God’s moral laws.

Pro 6:16-19  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  (17)  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  (18)  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  (19)  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

So we see in the verses above that there are seven things God also considers an abomination: pride, lying, killing the innocent (abortion of an innocent baby fits this category), those who plot evil (Illuminati, corrupt governments) and those who are eager to carry out that evil, false witnesses (perjury), and lastly those that cause division among the brethren. (This last one is categorized with murderers!) We can just look around us daily and see these sins being committed!

Therefore my friend, the abominable is anyone who is guilty of one (or more) of these. The two that are “in our face” today are sexual immorality and the murder of innocent babies in the womb. These two areas were considered horrid sin in the early 20th Century and those who committed them hid their sin so no one would find out. Today, it’s touted and there is no shamefacedness at all. Man used to agree with God’s moral laws and included them in their civil laws as well. But now, men’s hearts have grown cold toward the things of God and have allowed evil corruption in their lives and governments. These two laws in particular have been completely turned upside down and sexual immorality is now boldly proclaimed and anyone who speaks against them are intolerant and can be arrested for hate speech. God denounces those who call evil good and good evil!

Isa 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

One might say that they were raised in this era and do not know that these things are wrong. God gave every man a conscience and whether you believe the Bible or not, you are held responsible for deciphering between good and evil because of that conscience. If you do not find anything wrong with abortion or homosexuality, your conscience has been seared. You have listened to seducing spirits and the doctrines of Satan!

1Ti 4:1-2  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  (2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Stop following the crowd – stop standing with the majority and listen to God’s Word! The way to Heaven is not a wide, crooked way! The way to Heaven is a narrow road, but it is straight as an arrow because God’s Word points the way to Him. But the way to Hell is very wide and many go down that path, unfortunately.

Mat 7:13-16  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  (15)  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

If you don’t believe, then you are condemned already according to Jesus. (John 3:18) There will come a time when it will be too late. You will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 2 – You Don’t Believe

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On January 16, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader! As we continue this series on reasons why people don’t want to accept Christ as their Saviour, we find that they just do not believe! There are so many today that just don’t believe that Christ is God.

ἄπιστος
apistos
ap’-is-tos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G4103; (actively) disbelieving, that is, without Christian faith (specifically a heathen); (passively) untrustworthy (person), or incredible (thing): – that believeth not, faithless, incredible thing, infidel, unbeliever (-ing).

Strong’s Concordance

There have always been unbelievers in the world, but more so now that we are in the end times. Friend, our world has been turned upside down! Men wanting to be women; women wanting to be men; doctors mutilating healthy children and young people! Parents guiding their sons to receive puberty blockers so they can become girls and vice versa! Disgusting transvestites gyrating in front of innocent young school kids; there was even a Christmas show performed by these depraved men(?) showing the birth of Jesus as He was coming out of the birth canal IN FRONT OF CHILDREN! This is utter lunacy! Women who support abortion are shown picketing with signs that say “I’d rather be a murderer than a mother”! What is wrong with people? The answer is pure and simple: it is called SIN!

The Rev. Amelia Fulbright preaches sermons about abortion several times a year to her Texas congregation.

But unlike most pastors, instead of advocating for the lives of unborn babies, she encourages Christians to support abortion.

Fulbright said she supports abortion because she believes women’s bodies are “sacred.”

“I believe so deeply in the dignity of every person, that our bodies are so sacred,” she said. “I just feel like I have no choice but to speak.”

But Fulbright does not believe in the dignity of babies in the womb.

https://www.lifenews.com/2021/11/15/christian-pastor-its-okay-to-kill-babies-in-abortion-because-womens-bodies-are-sacred/

Tit 1:15b  but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Their conscience is defiled and wicked! They turn what was once innocent and good into something evil! They take what is pure and holy and turn it into a horrid disguting thing! The sanctity of marriage has been corrupted… the sanctity of the womb has been corrupted… the sanctity of the creation of a man and a woman has been corrupted. Louis Armstrong’s beautiful song, “What a Wonderful World,” has been replaced with wickedness – a “woke” society which reveals the demise of our society.

1Ti 4:1-2  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  (2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

The unbelievers will have their part in the Lake of Fire according to God’s Word! You cannot mock God and expect Him to disregard your mockery, turn away or wink at it.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

If you are an unbeliever, please, I beg you, it’s not too late to repent!! God wants you to repent and to find peace and salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

There will come a time when it will be too late. When that time comes, you won’t be able to repent as you will have been turned over to a reprobate mind. It will be too late for you at that point! God doesn’t want this for you. He has provided a way for you; you don’t have to live like this! But if you insist on being stubborn in your unbelief, He will give up!

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

This is a very sad and frightful ending for anyone! You will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire with no opportunity to turn back the clock. You will remember each chance you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven.

Jesus said: Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 

Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 1 – You’re Afraid

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On January 13, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader! I am excited about writing this series because there are certain categories of people who won’t be able to enter Heaven. I have met people who fall under each of these categories listed above. The verse lists eight types of people who will go straight to Hell unless that person repents. I beg you to take each category and examine yourself to see if you fall in any of these! It is best to examine yourself now before it’s too late. You may have heard your need to get saved multiple times, but there will come a time where God says, “That’s it”! Your heart will be hardened because of your stubbornness and you will no longer have the opportunity. Don’t get to that point. Submit to the Holy Spirit and get saved. (John 3:3, John 3:7)

Today’s post will start with that first category, which is “the fearful.” According to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word fearful is described as:

  1. Affected by fear; afraid. I am fearful of the consequences of rash conduct. Hence,
  2. Timid; timorous; wanting courage.
    What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Deut. 20.

What makes one afraid to get saved, you may wonder? What is there to fear? When a person is born again, the old person starts to disappear and the new person starts to shine with the light of God. (Col. 3:9-10) This list describes what happened to me when I was born again:

  • My thoughts and my heart were focused around Jesus. My mind was renewed! It was a true miracle that my thoughts were no longer dwelling on ungodly things but my thoughts were excited to learn more about Jesus Christ!
  • My life absolutely changed. (2 Cor. 5:17) My heart was new and the weight of my sin on my shoulders was removed – it was as though someone had taken 100 pounds off my shoulders!
  • My family and friends saw a change; some were OK with it and some definitely were not. There is a “cost” to being a Christian. Jesus told us about this in Luke 14:25-33. Jesus wasn’t telling us to hate our families; He was saying that our love for Him should appear to be so great that it makes our love for our families seem as hate. You cannot serve two masters. Matt. 6:24 talks about loving God and money – man will love one or the other. It’s impossible to do both. However, our treasure should be the kind of heavenly treasure, winning souls for Christ; we should not be wrapped up with the cares of this world and leave souls to die and go to Hell.
  • I lost some friends because I was no longer interested in participating in things that would hurt the Lord; i.e. cursing, drinking, etc.
  • I had conflict with my family members. My husband hated what I had become and he purposely tried to cause me to sin to make himself feel better. My sister didn’t want to hear about salvation; as a result, our relationship was different. My mother was terribly upset that I would no longer partake in the religion I grew up in because it went against God’s Word. My husband’s entire family resented what I had become.
  • I took a stand against things I knew to be wrong according to the Bible. I could not stand silent when it came to anyone speaking against the Lord.
  • Most of these things were automatically changed when I was first saved; other things came later as the Holy Spirit taught me through the Bible.

As you read through the results of my salvation listed above, ask yourself: Is spending an eternity in the Lake of Fire worth any one of those? (If you haven’t read my last post on Hell, take a moment to read it now.) Each bullet above when read by itself is not too bad but when you read all six, you may think that it’s too burdensome for you. But all six did not happen all at once. Think about it for a moment… any of those will be over once you die. However, because of your fear, you will suffer horribly for all eternity. Is it worth it? Let’s say you live to be 75, what a price you will pay for all eternity (which is endless and a lot more than 75 years) just because you were afraid of what your friends and family would think! It’s not a small price at all.

You are not alone in your decision to ignore God’s prompting for salvation. Your family will never see the love of God working through you to lead them to be saved as well. You will not have the opportunity to share with others what God has done for you because of His salvation! It will be because of your fear that they will go to Hell as well! Your lack of courage will result in condemning them to Hell as well! Doesn’t that bother you?

Do you really want to see your family members and friends go to Hell? It IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to win them to Christ, whether you realize that or not. (Heb. 2:3) By saying no to so great salvation, you are literally telling God that your friends and family mean more to you than Him. Your family and friends have become an idol of sorts in your life. You are placing them before God. You are literally telling God that you don’t care that Christ came to earth to die especially for your sins – He nailed your sins on that cross! Your fear, however, is telling Him that you don’t care. (Col. 2:14) You are thumbing your nose at God and saying you would rather go to Hell than spend all eternity with Him. You may be saying to yourself that you aren’t saying those exact words to God. But this is exactly what you are telling Him with your actions. Actions speak louder than words! (Matt. 15:8)

Fearing what others say is cowardly. Noah Webster’s definition above says in #2 that you are lacking courage; so Friend, you are indeed a coward. I wouldn’t want to be considered this. Someone I know told me: “God will understand – He knows my heart.” Do you think this? God will not understand. God has given you every opportunity to hear the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ and how He paid the price for your sins (including that fear of yours). Anyone who rejects Jesus will not make it into Heaven. You may think to yourself that you are not rejecting Jesus because you believe in Him. (James 2:19) The devils believe and they tremble! But your current belief is superficial. That belief is not deeply rooted in your heart. When a person is truly born-again, the heart changes and a love for your Saviour develops! He is no longer a statue or image on a wall. He becomes personal to you!

Think about it! The Father sent His Son to die for you! Why would God allow you into Heaven when you are a sinner who did not want His Son’s precious gift of salvation? God is holy and cannot allow even one sin in His presence in Heaven. He said in 1 Peter 1:16 that we must be holy as He is holy. We cannot be holy unless we accept Christ’s work on the cross; His blood covers our sin! (1 John 1:7, 1 John 1:9, Titus 3:5)

Notice the latter part of Revelation 21:8:

“But the fearful … shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

If you die without Christ as your Saviour, you will go to Hell. At the end of the Millennium, all those who went to Hell will come before Jesus Christ Himself. At this point, they are exiting the burning location of Hell only to enter into another one, the Lake of Fire. This will be for all eternity, burning, screaming, forever remembering that you let fear stand in your way; forever remembering that you could have witnessed to your children and grandchildren and turned them to the Lord. Now they will also be in this Lake of Fire because of your fear! What a price to pay for your neglect to respond to God’s Word! Is it worth it? Why would you do that to your family just because you’re afraid?

Your fear is one breath away from eternity with Christ or an eternity with Satan and his minions. You may think you’re a good person but there are a lot of good people in the world who do not love God. You will be categorized with them when everything is said and done at your judgment before Jesus. He will open the books of your life and lay out before you everything you have done and not done. (Luke 12:2-3) What will you say to Him when He asks you why you didn’t accept salvation each time someone told you about Him? He will reveal to you every single time you were witnessed to by a faithful believer! I dare say you will be regretting your fear at that moment. There will be no more excuses when that meeting with Jesus occurs. He will reveal every sin you committed that could have been forgiven had you been born again!

Don’t let another day slip away, Reader! God will work out every issue that prevents you from salvation! He did for me! Friends and family may stop coming around because of your love for Jesus. The light that Jesus gives us is hated by those who belong to the devil. Yes, you read that right. Fear is of the devil. He does not want you coming to a saving knowledge. You are either the devil’s child or a child of God. The Bible says:

Mat 13:37-38  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;  (38)  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Joh 8:42-44  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.  (43)  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.  (44)  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

1 Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

You may consider yourself a good person, but if you choose the world (which includes friends and family) over the Lord Jesus, no amount of good deeds or “right” living will get you into Heaven. (Eph. 2:8-9) Mother Teresa was a “good person” but she knew that her Catholic beliefs were insufficient. She had no peace even though her works were great.

She wrote of a strong feeling of God’s “absence” in her life. In a letter to Reverend Michael Van Der Peet in September 1979, Mother Teresa wrote, “Jesus has a very special love for you. [But] as for me – the silence and the emptiness is so great – that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.”

It’s not good deeds or a humble life that will get you to Heaven. Jesus speaks to His children through the Bible. He guides the way and helps us with all our fears. Won’t you accept Christ as your Saviour today? If friends and family members control your life so much that you would allow them to send you to Hell, then these relationships need to be set aside. No one should have that much control over you. Nothing and no one is worth going to Hell, my Friend.

There will come a time when it will be too late. You will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Hell – What Is It and What Should I know About It?

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On January 11, 2023

In Devotionals, Miscellaneous, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Good morning, Reader! I will be starting a new series dealing with the topic of what excuses people use for not accepting Christ. But before I can start on that series, I feel it’s necessary to explain just what Hell and the Lake of Fire really are and why it’s so important to prevent yourself from going there! Please take a moment and let’s study the matter out together.

What is This Place Called Hell?

Hell is the place where the unsaved go after they die but it is not the place where they will spend eternity. Some refer to hell as the lake of fire but it is not. The lake of fire is the final punishment of all those who were released from hell to be judged at the Great White Throne judgment. (Matt. 22:13, Rev. 20:15) It is not a place where you go to “party with your friends.” There is no joy in hell. It is a place designed for punishment. It is not like prison where you will be provided with three meals a day, television and gym privileges. It is a place originally prepared for Satan and his fallen angels. (Matt. 25:41) But because man with his own evil deeds did not repent, he also will be cast there along with the devil and his demons.

Hell is outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25:30, Mk. 9:47-48) Those in hell are separated from Christ, who is the Light! They will long to “take back” their rebellious lives and sin; longing to reverse their error in not accepting the Lord’s precious salvation! They will be endlessly crying over their circumstances; they will have inexpressible, irreversible and unending pain! If you’ve burned yourself, even the slightest, you know how painful a burn can be. This will be all over your body – not one spot left untouched.

In hell, the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. This old English term, “worm,” is defined as:

  • Remorse; that which incessantly gnaws the conscience; that which torments.
    Where their worm dieth not. Mark 9.
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

In other words, one just doesn’t fall asleep when he dies. It is clear that the dead in hell will have memories and they will eternally regret not having accepted Christ’s salvation. (Rev. 14:10-11) Each lost soul will remember those times when someone tried to tell them about the Lord and the need for salvation. This soul will be tortured with regret for all eternity. Each soul will remember his family and will beg to have someone go warn them about what awaits them if they don’t repent of their sin. (Luke 16:19-31, specifically Luke 16:27-31)

Hell is a place of torment, not only mentally as we read above, but physically. Think of the worst pain you’ve ever had and imagine it never going away but staying with you for all eternity. (Matt. 25:41, 46) It’s difficult to imagine in our finite minds just how long eternity is. But do you really want to find out in this way? The Apostle James said in James 4:14 that life is a vapor – it lasts but for a moment and then vanishes. When one thinks about eternity past, present and future, our life is just that. Why would a person prefer to live with their sins in this lifetime (which is very short in comparison to eternity), and trade that life in for eternal punishment???

Who Will Go to Hell?

The Bible is very clear about salvation and what will happen to those who refuse to accept it. Everyone not found written in the Book of Life will be in hell. (Rev. 20:15) The Apostle Paul wrote in Phil. 4:3 that his fellow laborers’ names are in the book of life. Therefore, it stands to reason that anyone who is born-again will have his name in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27) But those whose names are not found in the book of life will be judged according to their works which are recorded in books as well (Rev. 20:12). These are not works that gain one entrance into heaven. These are sins recorded that will keep you out of heaven; sins that you refused to repent of and these will be exposed at the Great White Throne Judgment. You will not be able to make excuses at this point. It will be too late.

Anyone who did not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ will go to hell. (2 Thess. 1:8-9) It may astonish you but the fact that you’re delaying salvation reveals that you are willfully rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your delay only goes to show what you think about eternity.

Anyone who doesn’t know God will go to hell. One can “know about” Jesus and yet not know Him personally. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) You may say you know God because you are of a certain religion. I was raised Catholic and I knew about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But I did not know them personally. You thought you knew your spouse when you first got married, but now that you’ve been married a few years, you really know your spouse. It’s no different with the Lord. The unsaved have heard His name and have used it in cursing. But they really don’t know Him at all.

The unjust will go to hell. The Apostle Peter makes it clear that if God can cast the devil and the fallen angels into hell, He will also cast those who did not accept His Son as Saviour. (2 Peter 2:4-9) The word unjust is anyone who acts contrary to the divine law. The just live by faith. (Hab. 2:4, Rom. 1:17, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38) The unjust do not live by faith. They live according to the god of this world who has blinded them. (2 Cor. 4:4)

All the ungodly will be in hell. Much like the unjust, these are people who do ungodly things. Anything that goes against the Scriptures is considered ungodly. We see so much of this now. As well, anyone who did not accept Christ will be punished. Who are the ungodly? Revelation 21:8 outlines it beautifully!

Revelation 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Notice the first two listed as well as the last one. People have a tendency to categorize sin: the not so bad and the really bad. However, James 2:10 tells us that if you lied, you are guilty of all sins. Even one sin will keep you out of Heaven. That is the whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth and dying for our sins! (Col. 2:14) He knew we couldn’t go a day without sinning. However, once we are born-again and are forgiven of all of our sins, we have the power to say no to sin! So if you are fearful (afraid to receive salvation) because of what your family may think, you will go to hell. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you will go to hell. If you lie, you will go to hell! The other sins listed are obvious ones and those who do such sins will go to hell.

But there is hope, my friend. Hell is not a laughing matter. You have no idea when you will die. No one knows. You could be in a car accident going home from work and be killed. You could have a heart attack and be gone in a split second! I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Hell Is No Laughing Matter

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On October 11, 2022

In Hell, Salvation

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:A_loose_necktie

The best place to start when you want to learn about Hell is with Jesus. He spoke about it in great detail in today’s Scriptures. In this particular instance, Jesus is not speaking in parables. Parables didn’t have names associated to the person. However, in today’s Scriptures, Jesus speaks of Lazarus and a rich man. To me, this is the best depiction of what it will be like in Hell. So let’s read the account:

Luk 16:19-31  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  (20)  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  (21)  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  (22)  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;  (23)  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  (24)  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.  (25)  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.  (26)  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  (27)  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:  (28)  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  (29)  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  (30)  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  (31)  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Just because you don’t believe there is a Heaven or a Hell, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. What if you’re wrong? Are you always 100% right in everything you think? Of course not! So what if you’re wrong thinking that Hell doesn’t exist?

Proverbs 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Let’s take a look at what’s going on in the account of the rich man and Lazarus:

  1. This was not a parable because parables never mentioned names. In today’s Scripture, Jesus named the poor man, Lazarus. Jesus knew him by name. (Exodus 33:12, Exodus 33:17) Just as I don’t know everyone else’s children’s names, but I do know my own, so does God know the names of each one of those who love Him and are saved.
  2. The rich man lived in luxury here on earth. He had expensive clothing and plenty to eat. Lazarus, on the other hand, had rags and looked for scraps to fall from the rich man’s table so he could eat. In fact, the rich man’s dogs licked Lazarus’ sores! Their lives on earth could not have been any more opposite. This isn’t to say that it is wrong to be rich. What is wrong is that the rich man had no compassion toward those in need. His focus was on himself and how to please his own flesh.
  3. Notice how each one died. Lazarus was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man, on the other hand, was simply buried and went to Hell.
  4. Let’s take a look at the circumstances in their destination. Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom. This gives us a view of being hugged and in comfort. While Lazarus was on earth, he was neglected and alone. But now he was being comforted. In Hell, the rich man, lifted his eyes and could see Lazarus and Abraham afar off. So the rich man was quite conscious of what was happening.
  5. Notice that the rich man was in torment. Noah Webster defines torment as: “Extreme pain; anguish; the utmost degree of misery, either of body or mind.” He was in such pain he was crying. What was the rich man crying about? He was begging for mercy! Notice in verse 24 that he had a thirst that was never to be quenched. Even being in Hell, the rich man was still high and mighty in his unrepentant thoughts. He didn’t ask Abraham to bring water, but to send Lazarus! Also, the rich man was so thirsty that he would have even welcomed a drop of water dripping from Lazarus’ finger! Now I would say, “that’s thirsty”! And why was the rich man thirsty? The verse ends that he is tormented in this flame! If you’ve been working out in the yard on a hot summer day, you are well aware of how thirsty you can get. Not only was the rich man thirsty, but he was burning! Receiving a burn anywhere on your body will produce pain. I think of my worse sunburn and how the pain lasted for a few days. The rich man was in the flames and was not being consumed! He is still burning there and will be for all eternity! His pain will never go away. I also noticed that Lazarus was with Abraham sharing in the joys of Heaven. However, the rich man was not with anyone. He was very much alone.
  6. Abraham reminded the rich man of the reason he was in Hell in the first place. He had all the comforts that his riches could afford him while he was on earth but he didn’t care for his eternal soul. Meanwhile, Lazarus had nothing on this earth but obviously did care about where he would spend eternity. He may have been poor but he was apparently rich in faith.
  7. The rich man thought about his family on earth while he was in torments. He didn’t want them to go to Hell to experience what he was experiencing (vs. 28 “this place of torment.”) But Abraham told the rich man that they had Moses and the prophets to listen to. I found it interesting that the rich man knew his family wouldn’t listen, just as he didn’t listen. Instead, he said that if one from the dead would go to his family, they would repent. But it doesn’t work that way, as we see in Abraham’s reply. He said in verse 31, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose form the dead.”

Dear Reader, Hell is a real and literal place. It’s nothing like the humorous skit performed by some comedian. It’s unfortunate that they could not care less about their future! The New Testament speaks more about Hell than Heaven! The warnings are there in the Scriptures. I would venture to say that every home has a Bible in it, whether in print or on their cellphones/computers. No fortune teller or medium can bring anyone back from the dead to warn them. They have the Scriptures which contain all that we need to guide us. It is the road map to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There are other Bible verses that tell us about the characteristics of Hell – none of these characteristics are pleasant:

  • Hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). The word gnashing according to Noah Webster means: “Striking the teeth together, as in anger, rage or pain.” Imagine crying because you are in pain yet being so angry with rage because of your bad decisions that placed you in this place for all eternity!
  • Hell is a place of eternal damnation to anyone who denies Christ as Saviour, which is considered blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:29).
  • Hell is a place where the worm doesn’t die (Mark 9:48). Just as worms eat decaying bodies, in this instance, the body will never decay.
  • Hell is a place where the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:48). It will be burning for all eternity.
  • Just as we read in today’s account of the rich man and Lazarus, we see that Hell is a place where those without Christ will cry and beg for mercy. They will have memories of their families. They will be alone. They will be in torments with no way to escape! (Luke 16:19–31).
  • Hell, according to the Apostle Paul, is a place of everlasting destruction, everlasting absence from the presence of the Lord, and everlasting absence of the glory of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:9). It will be too late to accept Christ as Saviour at that point; you will, however, regret your rejection of Him for all eternity.
  • Hell is a bottomless pit filled with dark smoke (Revelation 9:2). Have you ever seen astronauts preparing for their mission in a gravity-free chamber? They float around and do not change direction until they run into an object. Imagine then being in darkness and always falling and never running into anything! How frightening this must be! You can’t see your hand in front of your face and you’re continually falling! The graphic I posted above shows that the darkest part of the flame is black. Although the outer part of the candle can produce light, the black part does not. This is what it will be like in Hell.
  • Hell is a place where God’s wrath is poured out. Those who are there will be tormented with fire and brimstone. Their torment will go on for ever and ever neither will they have rest from their torment! (Revelation 14:10-11).

Just as both the rich man and Lazarus immediately went to their final destination, so will each and every one of us (Hebrews 9:27). It is our choice as to where that destination will be. Have I frightened you? I certainly hope so. Spending eternity in Hell is no laughing matter. Please, friend, I beg you! If you have not been born again, please do so before it’s eternally too late for you. You do not know when you will die. You could be on your way home from work and get in a car accident. If you have read this post through, then you are accountable for knowing the difference between Heaven and Hell. Now let me show you how you can be saved. Don’t be like the rich man! If you are not born again, your sins are not covered by Jesus’ sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Are We in the End Times? Day 29

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On December 18, 2021

In Devotionals, End Times

Photography by Bob Sabo

Good morning, dear Reader. If you have resisted the temptation to walk away from this devotional, I commend you for sticking with it and encourage you to finish! There is nothing more on this earth that I want than to lead you to salvation through Jesus Christ and Him alone.

(Act 4:10)  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

(Act 4:12)  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Just as there truly is a heaven, there is also its opposite which is a place of everlasting punishment called hell. No one wants to hear about hell. In fact, the world has made it a joke to the point that it’s no big deal. Just ask those in your circle of friends and family.

It’s not a popular subject, but you must confront the issue. Here’s an account in Scriptures that explains it perfectly and it was spoken by Jesus:

(Luk 16:22-24)  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; (23)  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (24)  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.

The average human being can’t completely understand that such an awful place exists. But what does the Bible say about Hell?

Everlasting fire: (Mat 25:41)  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Eternal fire: (Jud 1:7)  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Furnace of fire: (Mat 13:42)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Lake of fire and brimstone: (Rev 14:10)  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:(Rev 20:10)  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Outer darkness: (Mat 8:12)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Blackness and darkness: (Jud 1:13)  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Chains of darkness: (2Pe 2:4)  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Bottomless pit: (Rev 20:3)  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth: (Mat 8:12)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Everlasting destruction: (2Th 1:9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Endless torment: (Rev 14:11)  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

As I’ve told you before, Hell was not created for man but for the devil and his angels.

(Mat 25:41)  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

But for those who reject salvation through Jesus Christ to be born again:

(2Th 1:8-9)  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Hell is so hot that it is unbearable – the pain and suffering never ends and goes on for all eternity. Just imagine if you put your hand on a hot iron and left it there. Our reaction is to pull away quickly, but this won’t be possible in Hell. Your screams and pain would never end. And this would not only be just your hand, but your entire body! There would be no escape. And it would last forever.

Are you sure you want to leave to chance where you spend eternity? Do you think being a member of a certain church will keep you out of Hell? No! Scripture is loud and clear about what happens to one who is not born again. There are not many ways to Heaven – there is only one way and that way is through Jesus Christ.

(Joh 3:3)  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.

(Joh 3:7)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Hell is not some made up place. If you believe the Bible to be truth, then you must believe that Hell is real and people actually die and go there. So what must one do to prevent this?

(Act 16:31a)  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,

(Luk 13:3)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

If you happen to be reading this and are not saved, it is no coincidence. God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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