Don’t ever be fooled into believing there is no Hell. If you know there is a Heaven, then you’d best know there is also a Hell. In the Gospels Jesus speaks openly about Hell and how to avoid it. Like a good parent telling their child not to touch the stovetop…we know what the consequences of their disobedience will be and the pain it will cause them. The problem is we can warn someone all day long, but they must make the decision whether to believe us enough to not touch it.
When our youngest was little…probably about four years old, I was outside mowing with our push mower as she was playing in the yard. I had to shut off the mower to move something and that split second while I had my back turned, she saw the shiny muffler on the mower and decided to grab it. Both hands wrapped around the muffler and they were instantly burned. I put ice in between her hands and wrapped a towel around both of them and off to the urgent care clinic we went. They wrapped her hands up (she looked like she had mittens on in the summer) and sent us home. It was so incredibly painful for her and it happened so incredibly quick. It’s the same with sin. We have to be on guard all the time. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
My vision of Hell is probably much different than most peoples. I envision Hell as a place that is dark and lonely, away from any hope. In my vision Hell has a glass ceiling where you can see everyone in Heaven and how wonderful it is, but you can never get there. It’s the permanent separation from God. We know that even Jesus was tempted and although he never gave in to the devil that didn’t mean the devil was done tempting him…in fact it says in Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” Even Jesus wasn’t “safe” from the devil’s tempting.
But a parent warning a child not to touch something because it’s hot is different than someone tempting you. It’s like a heart doctor warning you not to eat so much bacon and our neighbor texting us to come over and eat that brisket he just finished smoking for the past 8 hours. Have you head the whisper in your ear? “You’re not good enough.” “They’re just trying to take advantage of you.” “That will NEVER work.” “It’ll wait ‘til tomorrow” and on and on. Be an active participant to the conversations in your head. Speak the name “Jesus”. I’ve found there is no room for negative thoughts when I speak the name of Jesus. They simply vanish from my head. Of course, they are quick to return but I know how to combat them. Speak your destiny. Speak your thoughts….your hopes….your future. Speak and pray your expectations to Jesus.
Living to Hear Six means being aware that our decisions have consequences. That we don’t have time to waste. Matthew 9:37 says, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. We need more workers for Jesus. People need the Joy of knowing Him…they don’t need to consequences of not knowing Him.
