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            Everyone will face a monumental decision sometime in their lifetime, because every soul will eventually arrive at one of two destinations—both are real places with real people spending eternity there—forever.  It could be either a frightening thought; or a joyous anticipation—depending on what we believe and how we live here on earth.  Our eternal destiny is a choice to believe God and trust on the Blood of His Son to enter His kingdom, or suffer the consequences of not believing and not trusting God.

            The greatest danger that exists for human souls is a horrible place called Hell, and it is, unfortunately, the fate of the vast majority.  Jesus warned Matthew 7:13 “Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”  A small minority enter Heaven Matthew 7:14 “Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

            A lake of burning sulfur is a terrifying thought, but it was the fate of the servant who was not ready for the sudden return of his master.  Matthew 24:48-49 “If that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;” the Master’s return will take him by surprise—who then will 51 “cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

            The servant who did not grow spiritually and hid God’s Truth in the ground—bringing forth no fruit and showing no right example of faith in God, met the same horrible fate.  Matthew 25:30 “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

            God’s financial plan of trust, for real needs in this life, is a vital faith principle, but most people are not willing to do that, and will use every excuse to avoid obeying God’s Word on the issue—such as giving money to someone who asks; not owning real estate, or not keeping financial assets in a savings account.  Jesus said Luke 18:24 “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

            Any place where trust on God is eliminated, Satan will continue to diminish our faith, and eventually lead us away from trust on God.  That is why Jesus warned Matthew 18:3 “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  Any part of our life that we retain control of, will stifle spiritual growth—something that must increase John 15:16 and not diminish.

            The lake of fire is a real place, where real people are suffering real torture—because they were not willing to trust God in faith.  This horrible place is prepared for those whose heart is not right with God—due to not having love, forgiveness, or compassion in their heart.  Matthew 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.”

            The suffering in that horrible place never ends—that is why Jesus warned that Hell must be avoided.  Anything that causes us to sin should be given up or cast from us, because Mark 9:47-48 “it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.”

            It is a place of eternal regret and never-ending torment.  The rich man, who never learned to trust God in faith on earth, said Luke 16:24 “I am in agony [tormented] in this flame.”  The anguish felt in that horrible place is verified by Revelation 14:11 “The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night.”

            Although there is real suffering in the world, nothing on earth could compare to the horror of that dreadful place.  It is not just a place for criminals and immoral people, but is also the fate of those who never allowed God to take out their rebellious heart and replace it with a believing one.  John 3:3 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

            The lake of fire is the destination for anyone with resentment still in their heart, because Matthew 6:15 “if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  It was the fate of the unforgiving servant, as Jesus said Matthew 18:35 “My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

            We must be reborn and our heart attitude reset—allowing God to replace our rebellious attitude that will not trust Him, with a submissive attitude that will trust Him for everything.  Romans 2:5-7 “In accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.”  To persist in doing good is to keep trusting God.

            That horrible place of agony and torture can be avoided by a choice to listen and learn when God reveals or shows us a wrong attitude in our heart, or a wrong decision we have made.  It is to keep trusting on the Blood of Christ for real life issues every day.  Those who enter Heaven learn faith lessons, and they trust God for protection, provisions, health, healing, forgiveness, and Eternal Life.

            The apostle said 2 Corinthians 4:2 “We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God’s Message.  But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience.”  Many will not enter Heaven, because so many are unfaithful to His Word—they simply refuse to believe God and value His Truth.

            Because of Satan’s relentless efforts to distort God’s Word, the apostle warned 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind [sodomites], Nor thieves, nor covetous [greedy], nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners [swindlers], [none] shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

            The apostle preached the full Truth Acts 20:27, and he said of those who would not believe or obey the Word 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

            The world does not receive the Holy Spirit because it will not believe.  John 1:12 “As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”  Jesus prayed John 17:20 “for those who will believe in me through their message.”

            The lake of fire is a dreadful place—and the huge majority of people go there despite all the warnings.  God asks us to repent, believe in His Son, and trust in His divine power to heal us without drugs; to protect us without weapons; to supply our needs without government money; and trusting Him for a forgiving heart toward everyone!

            The penalty for not trusting God in faith is severe.  Galatians 5:19-21 “You know full well the doings of our lower natures.  Fornication [immorality], impurity, indecency [lust], idol-worship, sorcery; enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of passion [anger], intrigues [scheming], dissensions, factions, envyings; hard drinking, riotous feasting, and the like.  And as to these I forewarn you, as I have already forewarned you, that those who are guilty of such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God.”

            Anyone who accepts the Mark of the Beast—Revelation 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.”  Hell is a horrible place of the Revelation 21:8 “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars.”

            Our hope of overcoming the power of the devil, comes from our willingness to believe for the power of God to correct what needs to be corrected.  Jesus reminded Revelation 21:6-7 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

            The Bible is the final authority, and it will teach us everything God wants us to know so we can escape the flames.  The apostle said 2 Timothy 3:15-16 “from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

            Our destiny depends on what we do with the message of the Bible.  John 12:48 “He who rejects Me [Jesus], and does not receive My words, has that [one] which judges him—the word that I have spoken [the same] will judge him in the last day.”

            God wants everyone to be saved 2 Peter 3:9, but there are multitudes in the flames today who would give anything for another opportunity to repent, trust God in faith, and have that horrible fate be reversed.  It is all about the attitude of the heart, and whether we are willing to trust God in faith, or something else by sight.

            Luke 12:32-33 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.”

            Jesus is teaching on financial trust—that faith in Him each day is connected to eternity in Heaven for ever.  Luke 18:24 “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”  It is impossible to enter Heaven, if our trust is on the wrong thing.

            Luke 16:13 “You cannot serve both God and Money.”  Everyone’s heart has to be converted, because everyone has to trust God as a child trusts a parent, or Matthew 18:3 “ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  It is one monumental decision—but the most important decision we will ever make!