Dear Daily Message Readers,
READ: Matthew 7:7-14 and Matthew 18:1-9
Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Although it is one of the most-used words in today's English language, it is one of the least talked about. It is most often used as an exclamation, an interjection, and a noun. What word am I referring to? Hell. Despite its significant use in many people's vocabulary, several recent opinion polls show that many of the people who use the word don't actually believe in its existence. While close to 90 percent of Americans believe in heaven, as few as 25 percent of those polled believe that there really is a literal place called hell.
It certainly doesn't take much thought to figure out why many don't believe in hell. Hell is not a nice place. Yet the Bible, which tells the truth about this place designed for the Satan and his minions, describes it as a place of eternal fire (Matthew 25:41). What's more, Jesus Himself described a rich man, Lazarus, in hell asking a poor beggar to cool his tongue because he was in agony amid the flames (Luke 16:19-31).
However, one thing is certain: Hell is real place. It is a place to be avoided, even at the cost of a hand or an eye (Matthew 18:1-9). When we understand the teaching of the Bible about hell, we see that no one goes to heaven deservedly or hell unwillingly. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to choose the free gift of salvation offered exclusively in Jesus or willingly choose the alternative, which is hell.
If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, your sins are already forgiven and you are headed for heaven. On the other hand, if you are trusting in yourself, your ability to do good works, your church attendance, your family's name, or anything other than Jesus Christ, you are going to hell--literally.
Christian, when you share the gospel of Christ, do you remember to share about the punishment for rejecting Him--hell? Does your heart ache for your family, friends, and acquaintances that dont know that heaven is only for people that personally know Jesus? If you can't answer yes to either of these questions, then you are too comfortable in your walk with Christ. And if that is the case, you are not walking obediently before the Lord. Faith Lesson: Those who reject Jesus will spend eternity in a literal hell away from His presence. Our job when sharing the gospel is to included this part with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
In Christ,
Darin Smith
READ: Matthew 7:7-14 and Matthew 18:1-9
Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Although it is one of the most-used words in today's English language, it is one of the least talked about. It is most often used as an exclamation, an interjection, and a noun. What word am I referring to? Hell. Despite its significant use in many people's vocabulary, several recent opinion polls show that many of the people who use the word don't actually believe in its existence. While close to 90 percent of Americans believe in heaven, as few as 25 percent of those polled believe that there really is a literal place called hell.
It certainly doesn't take much thought to figure out why many don't believe in hell. Hell is not a nice place. Yet the Bible, which tells the truth about this place designed for the Satan and his minions, describes it as a place of eternal fire (Matthew 25:41). What's more, Jesus Himself described a rich man, Lazarus, in hell asking a poor beggar to cool his tongue because he was in agony amid the flames (Luke 16:19-31).
However, one thing is certain: Hell is real place. It is a place to be avoided, even at the cost of a hand or an eye (Matthew 18:1-9). When we understand the teaching of the Bible about hell, we see that no one goes to heaven deservedly or hell unwillingly. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to choose the free gift of salvation offered exclusively in Jesus or willingly choose the alternative, which is hell.
If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, your sins are already forgiven and you are headed for heaven. On the other hand, if you are trusting in yourself, your ability to do good works, your church attendance, your family's name, or anything other than Jesus Christ, you are going to hell--literally.
Christian, when you share the gospel of Christ, do you remember to share about the punishment for rejecting Him--hell? Does your heart ache for your family, friends, and acquaintances that dont know that heaven is only for people that personally know Jesus? If you can't answer yes to either of these questions, then you are too comfortable in your walk with Christ. And if that is the case, you are not walking obediently before the Lord. Faith Lesson: Those who reject Jesus will spend eternity in a literal hell away from His presence. Our job when sharing the gospel is to included this part with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
In Christ,
Darin Smith
