There IS A Hell

There is a heaven......there is a hell! You and I will spend ETERNITY in one or the other. Heaven is ALL GOOD, hell is a complete absence of ANYTHING GOOD for ETERNITY! Let that sink in. 

That's a long long time to spend with the absence of anything good. You may scoff about it, but what if you are wrong and I am right?  Pr. 19:29 says, "Judgements are prepared for scoffers." 

I don't necessarily like the idea of preaching to "scare the hell" out of people, but Jesus didn't beat around the bush concerning hell! Four times in the Book of Matthew, He mentions an after life where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mt 8:12, Mt 13:41,42, Mt 22:11-13, and Mt 24:44-51)

In the Book of Job chapter 18, we find another glimpse into hell. See if this is a place where you want to spend "forever."

 Job 18:11 Terrors frighten him on every side, And drive him to his feet. 12 His strength is starved, And destruction is ready at his side. 13 It devours patches of his skin; The firstborn of death devours his limbs. 14 He is uprooted from the shelter of his tent, And they parade him before the king of terrors. 15 They dwell in his tent who are none of his; Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling. 16 His roots are dried out below, And his branch withers above. 17 The memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name among the renowned. 18 He is driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world. 19 He has neither son nor posterity among his people, Nor any remining in his dwellings. 20 Those in the west are astonished at his day, As those in the east are frightened. 21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him who does not know God."

 "Terrors on every side"...No rest ("driven to his feet,"..."without strength,"... paraded before the evil one like a trophy..."brimstone" (unbearable heat all around)..."darkness," (a total absence of light,) ... no knowledge of loved ones, (unlike heaven where there will be full knowledge.) 

Is this where you want to spend your "forever?" Is this where you would want any other human being to spend eternity? Then believe the gospel! Live the gospel! Share the gospel! and pray that some may escape! 

Jesus wasn't kidding when He said there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth!" And Job wasn't kiddding when he said, "and this is the place of him who does not know God."

A Hefty Promise

 

 

I think most of us deal with guilt over past sins. It’s understandable. The accuser (the devil) has been cast down and he is very angry because he knows his time is short, so he is constantly reminding us that God couldn’t possibly forgive _______(name your sin) in hopes that we will despair and give up on faith.

 

But the Bible is loaded with references to God’s power to forgive all sins. There are various word pictures presented to us in His Word to remind us of His blanket forgiveness. One of my favorites is the reference to my sins being made “white as snow.” (I mean I do live in Wisconsin!)

Isa 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

 

Then there’s the reference to my sins being cast away as far as east is from the west: Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

 

Other references include are sins being covered:  Ps 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. (David wrote this and his sins included murder and adultery!)

Blotted out and holy amnesia!  Isa 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Pardoning and passing over!  Mic 7:18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.

 

“Putting away”:  Heb 9:26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

All these different word pictures of God’s forgiveness….seems like He wants us to get this.

 

If these aren’t enough, I found a new one today in the book of Job! Job 14:16 For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin. 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity.

Maybe not as poetic and song worthy as “White as Snow” or, As Far As East Is From the West” But hey, through faith in Jesus Christ, all your sins are put in a bag and sealed by God. That’s a hefty promise! (Pun intended!) If that bag is sealed by God, ain’t no devil gonna bust it open! And God promises to keep it forever closed and covered!

 

The Lutheran commentator Lenski, has written this about God’s forgiveness. He says, when God forgives sins, He puts them in a place where even He can’t find them!

I hope this little devo today will help you the next time you struggle with guilt. Because of _________ (Name your sin) There is complete forgiveness with God, so that He may be feared (revered) (Ps 130:4)

 

Like Jiffy Pop On Steroids

 

 

Have you ever considered what will happen to you when your body is resurrected from the grave? What will happen when the Lord Jesus, the Holy One of Israel returns to earth with His nail-scarred body and the hosts of heaven? It’s going to be Jiffy Pop on steroids!

 

1Th 4:15-18 tells us: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 Still have a problem picturing that day? Let’s turn to 1 Cor 15 beginning at v35: “But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain--perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

 Skipping to v42: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”

Then to verse 50: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

The point is, if the Lord tarries on His return, our bodies are all like seeds, replete with heavenly DNA. We die and are planted in the ground. We don’t know what our glorified bodies will be like, but think of the changes that take place from ordinary garden seeds or flower seeds and the change they undergo, then multiply that by the infinite creative wisdom of God. It will be stunning!

 

Are you looking forward to that day? I hope so! Job was looking forward to it. He said in Job 14:14,15, “All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes.” (A body changed with no more painful sores!)  You shall call, (the trumpet will sound) and I will answer You.” (The dead in Christ will rise first)

 

What a great promise for those who put their faith in Christ….not so great for those who reject Him. Da 12:2 says, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

 

All who have passed will awake when Jesus returns, the question is what will be our destination? What will we pass to? Everlasting life? Or shame and everlasting contempt?

What Sin

 

Job 13:20 "Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You: 21 Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid. 22 Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24 Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy? 25 Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? 26 For You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

Do you remember the sweet call of the Gospel in your life? In this portion of Job’s prayer, he is ripe for the call. He is asking for the touch of God, (“Do not withdraw Your hand from me.”) but he wants that touch without getting zapped.  He wants his picture of an angry God removed from his radar screen! (“Let not the dread of You make me afraid.”) This is a man who is weary of being oppressed by the Law, a soul that thirsts to hear the gospel. Isa 55:1-3 puts it so beautifully! “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.  2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.  3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you-The sure mercies of David.”

 

The Holy Spirit calls us with the assurance of forgiveness of our sins through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. When we hear that sure call, we, like Job, will answer. (v22) or we will speak (ask Jesus into our lives) and God will respond. (v22)

 

Having heard and believed the gospel we no longer need fear our past sins (reveal them to me Lord, (v23) I will confess them because I no longer fear the judgement they deserve since they are under the blood of Jesus!)  Even the unchecked sins of our youth Job, (v26) are forgiven and placed under the blood.

What sin is of a redeemed child of God is ever brought up for charges? The answer is not one. In Christ our sins are buried in the sea of forgetfulness. Mic 7:19 reminds us, “He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.”

 

One of my all-time favorite songs dealing with this truth was done my Morgan Cryar. It’s called “What Sin.” If you are struggling with receiving God’s forgiveness for your past sins, I encourage you to give it a listen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGBtCfiSL5o

Intricate Unity

 

 

Are you “pro-life?.” Where do you stand on this issue? Are you swayed by the rhetoric of the world, or are you open to what the Bible says about when life begins?

 

There is no shortage of Bible verses that affirm God as the Creator of life in the womb. He is the Potter, we are the clay and we have no right to discard our fellow pots! Isa 45:9 says, "Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'?”

 

Truth be told, God’s creative process for every individual begins even before conception. In light of “woe to him who strives with His Maker,” maybe we should get a better understanding of this truth.

Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

 

“BEFORE I FORMED YOU. In other words, God selected the very sperm and egg of Jeremiah’s parents to assemble this child who’s DNA  would be well suited to help him serve as a prophet to the nations.

But Jeremiah is not the only place in Scripture where we get a ringside seat to God’s creative process.  In the Book of Job, where we find Job complaining about his current situation, he gives us a very graphic look at the creative process. First of all, he reminds us of the marvel of the human body!

 

Job 10:8 'Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity;

 

“An intricate unity!” What a great description of the human body. The more we explore the body and how we are put together, the more we should bow down and worship God. Every part of the body contributing to the whole. That kind of intricacy does not emerge from a swamp, there is intelligent design behind it!

 

Then in Job 10:10, Job gets graphic trying as best as he can to explain the act of fertilization! “Did you not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese, 11 Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews? 12 You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit. 13 'And these things You have hidden in Your heart; I know that this was with You:

Job knows this creative process was God’s doing from start to finish! Oh that we would know it too, especially in a nation where more than 62 million unborn children have been tossed aside through legalized abortion?  The intricate unity of God dissected by the abortionist’s curette.

 

God have mercy on us. And He will if we will but confess our sin and receive His promised forgiveness. There is no sin that Jesus did not pay for on the cross, even the sin of abortion.

I'm Miffed

 

 

Job 8:4 If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression.

I don’t mind telling you, I’m a whole lot miffed at this statement from Bildad. (Another one of Job’s so-called friends)

Job, who is greatly distressed with his painful sores, and still smarting emotionally from the tragic loss of all ten of his children, gets this slap in the face from a friend!

Okay, we know that Job’s children liked to party. Job 1:4 tells us: And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

But to come alongside a hurting parent and point blank tell them that they lost a child or children because of sin in the lives of their children is the height of insensitivity.  It is a pinnacle of pride and terrible theology.

Be careful Bildad, you are walking on thin ice. Jesus reminds us all in Mt 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.  2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

By the way, this passage is one of the most misquoted passages in all of Scripture. Unbelievers often use it to excuse their sins and attempt to silence believers as they challenge sinful behavior in the world. But believers are called to judge sin, especially among the churched. Jas 5:19 says, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,  20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

What we’re not called to do is telling God what kind of punishment to hand out to His wayward children. He’s the Father….not us. He will mete out discipline as He sees fit.

 

So put a sock in it Bildad! Especially if you have children of your own, because think about it, if your theology is correct, your children are in great danger.

The Holy Woodshed

 

 

Job 5:17 "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. 18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.

 

Where have I seen this truth before?

 

I’ve seen it in the Book of Proverbs: Pr 3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction;  12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

I’ve seen it in the Book of Hebrews:  Heb 12:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."

 And I’ve seen it in the Book of Revelation!  Re 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

 

From these verses, we can be assured that God loves His children and because He loves them, He takes them to the woodshed for holy spankings. The purpose of these “spankings” is to correct improper behavior and attitudes on behalf of the child. (You and I)

If you’ve ever been spanked by a parent, you know that you don’t look forward to the butt warming you are about to receive, nonetheless, if the discipline has been administered properly and lovingly, when it’s all over, you know that the spanking was really a loving thing to do, because to keep on misbehaving only invites more pain into your life.

 The spanking parent, should never spank in a rage. This is not about fury, it is about gentle, loving, correction. The child must clearly understand why he or she is being spanked, and then be assured that mom  and dad still loves them.

 

The question begs to be asked here, “How do we know when God is spanking us?” How do we know when we are being chastised? How does God operate in disciplining you and I? How does He communicate our wrongdoings to us, and how does He assure us after the fact, that He still loves us?”

 

My advice is “don’t go there.” Don’t be trying to figure out every bad event in your life and tying it into the discipline of God. It will drive you crazy and into a lifestyle of fearful legalism. Rather, remember 2Ti 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

 

God’s rebuking and correction is constantly before us in His Word. He tells us what we need to do in order to live the holy lives He desires for His children! Heb 12:10 says this about God’s discipline, “For they (our parents)  indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

 Parental discipline is applied as needed for correction of the wayward child, (for a few days) but God’s correction is constantly applied through His Word for our long range profit, if we will but receive it!

 

Furthermore, according to Rev 3:19 God’s discipline is always aimed at behavior modification (repentance) and attitude adjustment. (a lack of zealousness for the things of God.) Re 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

 

God will apply correction to us through His Word, (and sometimes our circumstances)  in order to jolt us out of the dangerous position of unresolved sin and lukewarm faith expressed in Re 3:16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

O the love of our Father! Continually, lovingly, speaking guidance to us through His Word as He seeks to correct eternally dangerous behaviors and attitudes on our part. And when the dust settles, and the holy butt warming cools down, we know we have been loved and forgiven through the sacrifice of His only Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.