"The Term Hell"

It has become a sad commentary in our society. Recently reading someones comments who claimed Christianity, they used a term that is rather disturbing but they apparently give no thought to the seriousness of it. By their usage of this word, it was probably fairly common in their language. What are we speaking about? The term 'hell'. This term is used to describe many things in our society and has found its way into the communication of many of those claiming Christ.

People use the word 'hell' to describe a hot day outside to a good meal. Others use it as an exclamation of surprise or wonder. People do not realize that this final, tragic abode of those unreconciled to God is a place to torment and horror. The term 'hell' is thrown around and used to describe common, ordinary events in life. Have you ever heard anyone speak of their golf game as 'going to prison' or 'this is an aids of a traffic jam!'? Do we hear anyone say, 'what the cancer is going on'? Those terms supplied speak of tragic things that we don't like to think about and take seriously. Yet the most tragic eternal thing we could think of called 'hell' is used in such an empty and shallow way.

Satan knows that if he can cause 'hell' to appear as casual or less serious, we will not take serious eternity in our own lives. From the beginning the devil set out to minimize the teachings of God. He told Eve that God didn't mean what He said and things would not happen the way God said they would happen (Gen. 3:1-5). He lied and deceived them and is doing the same to many today.

'Hell' is the ultimate tragedy where Jesus describes it as a place "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44). Jesus revealed to John that is was the second death, the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15). 'Hell' is the final resting place of all those who are not one with Jesus and it is an eternal place of horror and punishment. It is such a horrid place that Jesus willingly gave His life to rescue us from this eternal punishment.

Let's not be a part of Satan's deception to minimize 'hell' by slinging the word in a causal, common, every day term. We need to be sober minded and realize that careless words thrown around, there will be accountability (Matt. 12:36). It might be time to listen to our language and take our word usage seriously!

Thank You

I had someone suggest to me to put a 'followers link' on my blog. I am always thankful to those who help me improve. I sure need it! Just click on the 'followers link' and you will be added automatically. See everyone on Monday...until then, may God bless!

"Break"

I am going to take a few days break from writing. This will be my last post until next Monday, Nov. 30, 2009. I want to thank those who read and the e-mails and comments of encouragement. Sometimes when one writes so often, you wonder if it is really reaching anyone or doing any good. It takes time and effort but I only try to write things to encourage us and help us see things a little more clearly. If you get a chance, let me hear from you...I want you to make it to heaven!

Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy your time. Each day we are one day closer to being in eternity with God. Make the most of your opportunities and time!

"Do Not Fret"

One of the greatest insights from God's word we have on fretting or worry is found in Psa. 37:8: "Do not fret; it leads only to evil doing." The Hebrew term "fret" literally means "to eat away, to gnaw, to worry, to agitate, to wear out." It is easy to tell someone not to "fret" but then our world gets turned upside down and we are forced to live in agony like many others go through. "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him." (Psa. 37:7) It is easy to tell someone to "rest in the Lord" when things are going well for us, but it is completely different when we are in the difficulty.

Is it really possible to "rest in the Lord" and not "fret?" "Rest in the Lord" is not dependent on your external circumstances but on your relationship with God Himself. God is faithful and will always be faithful. He doesn't know how to be unfaithful. That's impossible for Him. If we can see His faithfulness, we should trust Him at His word because it is absolutely impossible for Him to lie or be untrustworthy.

The reason many can never "rest in the Lord" is because they are always trying to work out situations they face. They try to help here and there and it only leads into more fretting because things don't work out according to our working! Simply put, we just don't trust God. We think we have to help. Worry, fretting ALWAYS results in sin. Fretting rises out of our determination to have things work our way and our plans! Compared to when Jesus walked on this earth as us, His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill the plans of God. The will of God was at His heart so in the difficulties He faced, He rested in His Father. He knew God was righteous and could never do anything other than who He is.

Have we been propping up our foolishness with the idea that our circumstances are too much for God to handle? Do we really believe we can work things out better and for the righteous purpose of God by doing things ourselves? All our fretting is caused by planning and acting without God! "Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, the will inherit the land." (Psa. 37:8-9)

"A Preacher or Comedian?"

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a comedian and a preacher? I must say sometimes there is little. Comedians and comic actors are there to make us laugh, enjoy the time. Sometimes they have a great insight on life and can open our eyes to our flaws in society using humor to get the job done. I am not speaking about the immoral or obscene that many comedians speak but those who really can make us laugh...at us! When comedians use obscenities to show us our faults, my mind comes to God: "Fools mock at sin..." (Prov. 14:9) It is bad enough to engage in it but it's even worse to think it is funny!

But that's not my point. When we go to God's word and read God's expectations of preachers, preachers are not to be comedians! A preacher is to be sincere and sober minded in his teaching/preaching. Paul exhorted Timothy to "be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (II Tim. 4:5) The preacher is to be an example in their conduct and speech for other believers (I Tim. 4:12). A preacher is to take pains in their preaching so the brethren will see your progress, while paying close attention to yourself and your teaching so we will ensure salvation for us and those who hear (I Tim. 4:15-16). Too many preachers seem to work hard at entertaining! They want the people to like them and use their wit to get every one's attention. I am not saying that sometimes something funny comes up to make a point, but it seems too many are focused on the comedian entertainment and God is secondary.

When one reads of the OT prophets that preached, they weren't comedians! They rejoiced when rejoicing was in order but their preaching wasn't in patterns of a comedian. Sin is far too serious and people can be easily led down a path of insincerity and lack of conviction just from being funny. Those prophets had a message from God and they had to express that message to keep God's people on track or get them to turn their lives around. It wasn't "The Temple Comedic Hour!"

Listen, thirty minutes of rolling-in-the isle material and some biblical passage sprinkled in with a few serious stories of morals is not preaching the word of God!! It will not take much and the listeners become shallow, hollow shells and opens their lives to listening to anything because it is more than they are presently getting. There is too much "cotton candy" and not enough seriousness of God. People need God and need to be confronted with God. Comedians cannot provide that. Paul warned Timothy, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." (II Tim. 4:2-3)

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a preacher and a sour, belligerent, tedious quoter of Bible with little application? (You figure that one out!)

"The Secret"

Recently I was reading an article someone wrote based on Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." The writer was using this verse as a 'pep-rally' verse. The constant repeating it was being used as a positive thinking verse and if "we would claim it as ours" (his words), it would be as if something magical would happen. Now I will tell you, I don't like 'sour' tones but I don't like fluff either because God's character is not fluffy and puffy!

Let's think carefully about the context of the above verse. In Phil. 4:10-12, Paul is speaking of how he moved from weakness to strength. There is a sustaining power. The congregation had sent help to him to help with his preaching, but that was not the issue. It has been a while since they helped and now they were helping again and Paul "rejoiced in the Lord greatly." But there was something deeper. Paul learned something that many never see or learn. He learned in every circumstance contentment. He learned how to deal with life that it doesn't matter if you have or if you are lacking, that's not the issue. He learned to be faithful and focus on God. That's the secret!

The secret is what unlocks the power in ones life and Paul had found it. Too many people are driven by their desires, their feelings and even restlessness. They want something but are not sure what it is. In many, there is this great desire just to do something! There is a driving force of wanting. These desires and feelings are propped up with the repeated words "doing all things through Him who strengthens me." It is like a battle cry but that's not the proper understanding of what is meant. Jesus does not work like that.

Paul found his strength day by day. He learned how to lean on the Lord and that helps one settle down under His control. That is when you find your wants, your feelings and longings to dwindle. People seem to do very little Bible reading and they never come into a deeper understanding of the Lord which leads to all these abuses in God's word. It didn't matter about circumstances with Paul. It mattered of walking and being faithful to Jesus. That's the secret to unlock the power in our lives.

There is why Paul (and us if we would allow) could find in all things, strength through Jesus. With Jesus, even the worst situation there is help, hope and strength. We need to learn to focus on the Lord and depend on His strength when we are without. In good times and bad times, learning how to let Him help brings strength. That's the secret many miss!

"Thoughts on the Cross"

She was an humble and kind lady. People that know her realize how devoted and dedicated she is to the Lord. As she spoke with me, her heart poured forth troubles. It was evident in her struggle that she loved her Lord but her failures over-whelmed her at times. She was struggling with sin in her life. Have you ever been there? She spoke to a close friend of hers about it and they didn't help much. They just shrugged it off saying we all struggle at times. It will be alright. It was not alright to her as her sincere faith wanted to over-come sin in her life. People might look good outwardly but inwardly they can be a mess!

We need to take sin seriously. God sure does! It seems more and more of those claiming Christ take sin so lightly. I hear little comments here and there. It is right to denounce sin and it is even more right to oppose it in our lives. We don't need to be running and rubbing shoulders with the world but we do need to let them see that we aren't opposed to them. God is trying to save the lost and sometimes, the lost is us! "For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:17) God is not waiting around to destroy someone, sending them to the pits of hell. Here is God at His height: our sin provoked our Holy Father to mount a great rescue operation through His Son.

God is opposed to sin, all sin! His opposition to sin is pitiless and ceaseless! But let's not forgot this: God has a relentless love for us, the sinful! Here are a few things to think about as you struggle in your life in battles against sin:

(1) The cross of Jesus did not bribe God to adopt a forgiving mood! The cross of His Son was the expression of His eternal love for us.

(2) The cross of Jesus did not buy grace from God! The cross of Jesus was the unveiling of an eternally gracious God.

(3) The cross of Jesus did not persuade an unwilling heavenly Father to come to our rescue! The cross of Christ was the ultimate demonstration that God had already, from the beginning, moved that way.

Put some thought into these things and as you find difficulties in your walk, realize what the cross is speaking loudly. Our God is not wishing any to perish!