A Scary Thought

Hello, everyone! Today is the day that the world celebrates Halloween-the Day of the Dead-and glorifies things that are frightening, dark, and grotesque. Of course, we don't participate in the "festivities" because our God is a God of Peace and Light and His Word warns us to flee from evil, no matter how harmless it may seem. However, I want to draw your attention to a topic that, if you think about it enough, can put the good kind of fear into you-godly fear.

The other day I happened to read an article on the Internet about the recently deceased Steve Irwin (the famous "Crocodile Hunter") and the wife and children he left behind. I was sharing the information I had learned with my 8-year-old, Gloryana, who is an avid animal lover herself. She asked me if I thought Mr. Irwin went to heaven, and I told her I didn't know for sure, but that it didn't seem like they were followers of Christ from some of the comments that his wife had made in the article. She proceeded to ask me in her childlike way if people in hell could see what was happening up in the earth. I answered "no" and began to think about how utterly hopeless a soul in hell must feel. For a moment, it was as if the Lord let me glimpse at the despair of someone, perhaps someone who accomplished much during their earthly life, who upon expiration of their physical body, finds themselves escorted down to a place filled with darkness, death, and worst of all-NO HOPE. No hope that they will ever see the light of day. No hope that they will ever be re-united with the ones they loved and see what they accomplished with their lives. No hope that they could ever warn them not to come there. No hope that they will ever feel peace, love, joy, or security again. No hope of escape. NONE.

What a tragic eternal existence! Hell was not a place created for humans, but for the devil and his demons. (Matt. 25:41) But untold multitudes descend there every day because either they have not been told the Truth, or because they have rejected the Truth. If thinking about that for awhile doesn't make you want to go out and evangelize, I don't know what does!

We have the ability to prevent this terrible scenario from happening to those who are around us. All we have to do is open our mouths and tell them the Truth! When we do this, one of three things will happen: 1)They will accept Christ; 2)A seed will be planted, of which a harvest could be reaped at a later time; 3)They will reject our message, but we will get rewards in Heaven because of our faithfulness to tell them (see Luke 6:22-23). Evangelism is a win-win-win situation! You cannot lose!

I pray that as a church, our lives will be consumed with the heartbeat of Heaven-winning souls and discipling believers. Think about Eternity today.

Love In Christ,
Pastor Rebecca